Dear Old Shiz, Part 4

My parents decided to ignore what had passed the previous night, as they usually did when we had a fight, but I tried my best to act at least a little colder to them straight up until Lurlinemas Eve, when I decided I should be a little more civil until the holiday was over.  I’d try to get them to understand again after that.  Show them something sorcery was good for, perhaps.

The servants had decorated the great dining hall and the ballroom spectacularly—an enormous evergreen stood in the dining room, nearly brushing the ceiling, and covered in sparkling gold ornaments from tip to trunk.  Red ribbon laced its way around the branches, and hovering candles (bought specially from the Quadling gypsies who came through town each year and charmed so as not to light the tree on fire) cast a warm, golden glow on the hall.  Garlands and ribbons were strung around the walls and beautiful white candles with gilded designs on them lined the long table in groups of three.  Mistletoe hung in each doorway of the house, per Momsie’s request.  I actually found it quite cute, despite how angry I wanted to be at her.

“Galinda, please,” she said when she caught Fiyero and I kissing in a doorway.

“But Momsie,” I giggled and pointed up at the mistletoe, leaning against Fiyero’s chest.  “You put it there.”

She rolled her eyes and then smiled deviously.  “Then you won’t mind walking in on your father and I—”

“Ew, gross, no!” I covered my face in my hands and scrunched my eyes shut, backing away from her.  “Oh. Lurline, that’s an image I didn’t want…”

“Mm, I didn’t think so.  So give it a rest, you two.”

Fiyero chuckled.  “I’d love it if your mother didn’t walk in on us just once,” he said when she had disappeared.

“I think we’ll only be completely safe when we get back to school,” I sighed.  “Or…”

“Or what? I like ‘or’s.”

“Well, we might be able to get away during the Lurlinemas Eve party tonight, and it’ll be so chaotic she won’t even know.”  I toyed with the collar of Fiyero’s shirt and bit my lip, looking up at him through my eyelashes.  “And we can go up to your room,” I stood up on tip-toe and whispered in his ear, “because she’d never barge in on you like she would on me…”

“You’re a genius,” he grinned and kissed me.

“Galinda!”

Ugh.  “What?!” I glared at Popsicle leaned my head on Fiyero’s chest again, wrapping my arms around his waist.  “Take it up with Momsie, she’s the one who put the mistletoe up everywhere.”

“Sorry, sir,” Fiyero smiled apologetically.

Popsicle seemed to warm a little.  “No need to apologize, I’m sure it was all her fault anyway,” he winked at me to show he was kidding… sort of.  “Women can be so—oh, hi, honey,” he grinned at Momsie who had just reentered the room.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing, I just was saying—”

“Are these two still here? Galinda, for Lurline’s sake, you’ve been hogging the mistletoe long enough—”

“What?”

My parents suddenly pushed us out of the doorway and Momsie planted an enormous, open-mouthed kiss on Popsicle’s lips.

“Ewww!” I groaned and grabbed Fiyero’s hand and pulled him toward the broad staircase that led from the dining hall to the second floor corridor.  “Disgusting!”

“Now you know how we feel, sweetheart,” Momsie called after me.

“The guests will be here in a couple hours, button.  We’d like you to be ready and down here to greet them when they arrive.”

“How many this year?” I asked.

“We’ve invited nearly two score families from Gillikin, and I believe there are at least a dozen Munchkinlanders coming, and then several of our friends from the Emerald City.”

“You really know how to throw a party, don’t you?” Fiyero shook his head.

“Well, we have the space and the staff for it, so why not?” I smiled back.  “And of course the hosts are always overeager for a good excuse to drink themselves silly….”

An hour later, I skipped into Elphie’s room.  “Are you ready for the party?” I grinned, landing on her bed and bouncing a little.

“I suppose… just another excuse for people to stare at me, though.”

“People won’t stare at you! And if they do, I’ll shoot bubbles at them,” I grinned.  She couldn’t help but smile.  “Don’t worry,” I assured her, “I’ll be with you all night.  And my parents said there are a dozen Munchkinlanders coming, maybe you’ll know some of them!”

She snorted.  “I doubt it.  I don’t think the people your parents would associate with would be at the same level as my family.”

“Oh, Elphie, stop it.  I hate when you stew in all that class-hatred stuff.  Maybe there’ll be someone from school here or something.”

“Joy,” Elphaba rolled her eyes.

“Come on,” I giggled and jumped off the bed, pulling her up with me.  “Get in the holiday spirit! Let’s get ready for the party! And you can’t wear black.  Not tonight.”

“But that’s all I have.”

“Luckily it’s not all I have! Come on!” I dragged her to my room.

“You’re not actually—I’m not wearing one of your dresses.”

“And why ever not?” I placed my hands on my hips while looking through my extensive wardrobe.  “How about this? My grandmother gave it to me ages ago, but I never wear it—she thought I’d grow into it, but I didn’t end up doing any more growing after all.” I pulled out the deep, emerald green dress that was so dark it was nearly black.  It was a floor-length, slim dress with dark, embroidered patterns of leaves and vines and a neckline that was tastefully cut just high enough to hide any cleavage, but low enough to not appear too conservative.  It complemented her skin color beautifully.

She ran her fingers over it in surprise.  “It’s… pretty,” she said finally.

I laughed.  “Don’t sound so surprised, Miss Elphaba!”

“Oh, no, I didn’t mean—it’s just—are you sure you’ll let me wear this?”

“It’s not going to fit me unless I magically grow six inches! Besides, I rather thought I’d wear something more like… this.” I pulled out one of my favorite dresses—a white, strapless piece that was tightly fitted on top and poofy from the waist down, stopping just below my knees.  Paired with a colorful necklace, it never failed to impress.  I poked through my jewelry box and gave a disgusted sigh.  “I can’t wear any of this—this is too summery, this I wore at last year’s party, I wore this on my birthday, I wore this to that party a couple weeks ago…” I pulled out each necklace in turn and discarded them just as quickly.  

“Do you think anyone will actually remember these things?” Elphie said, a laugh in her voice.

“Of course they remember.  If I remember, chances are someone else will, and I don’t want them to think I’m tacky.”

Elphaba shook her head and smiled.  “Wait a minute,” she said and slipped out through the door.

“Elphie, if you think you’re going to get out of wearing this dress that easily, you’d better think again,” I called after her, still searching for a necklace.  There was one I hadn’t worn yet in the past year all the way at the bottom, but there was a reason it was at the bottom.  I began to wonder if I’d ever find anything when Elphie came back in, a small wrapped package in her hands.

“I was going to give this to you tomorrow,” she said, “but since you’re so desperate tonight, I guess it’s appropriate….”

“Oh, Elphie, you’re so sweet!” I jumped up and took the package from her, unwrapping it carefully, though I wanted nothing more than to rip it open.

“Oh, go on, you’re not going to save the wrapping paper,” Elphie said.

I grinned and tore the rest of it open.  Inside was a small box; I lifted off the lid and gasped—inside was a stunning necklace made of polished green rocks that matched Elphaba’s skin tone frighteningly well.  I lifted the necklace up and the firelight shimmered in each stone, revealing a faint pink sheen within each one.  “Oh, Elphie, how did you ever…?”

“I made it with some rocks I found in the forest when I was out walking back in the autumn.  Is it… okay? Do you like it?” She asked shyly.

I grinned and squeezed her in a tight hug.  “It’s gorgeous! And it’s absolutely perfect for tonight—thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re amazing! Ooh, quick, put it on me!” I handed it to her and turned around, lifting my blonde hair from my neck so she could clasp it.  When it was fastened, I ran my fingers over the beautiful stones again, staring at them in the mirror.

By the time I turned around again, Elphaba was already in the dress I had given her and was struggling with fastening the back.  She looked positively stunning.  I helped her clasp the back together and then spun her around to face me.  Holding her out at arm’s length and looking her over once, I smiled and said, “Why, Miss Elphaba, look at you! You’re beautiful.  I told you so.”

She blushed and chanced a glance at herself in the mirror.  Her eyes widened at the sight.

“Don’t look yet,” I scolded, “I’m not done with you! Now do me up,” I turned around so she could lace up the back of my dress.  “All right, now on to makeup and hair.”

“Oh, you don’t have to—”

“Don’t be silly, Elphie, of course I do.” First I did my own makeup, brushing on a thin line of green eye shadow and fading it up into a silvery-white color, then coating my lashes with mascara.  I rubbed blush onto my cheeks and, for a final touch, applied a shimmering lip gloss.  I instructed (or perhaps “forced” is a more apt word) Elphaba to brush her hair while I curled mine.  I pulled hers into a low, sleek ponytail that trailed over her shoulder, then darkened her eyes with smoky eye shadow and drew dark lipstick on her lips.  “Now you can look,” I moved out of the way so she could see herself in the mirror.  She held a hand to her cheek and raised her eyebrows in surprise.  “I’m…”

“Stunning? Gorgeous? Beautiful? Thank you, Galinda, I never could have done it without you?” I grinned.

She rolled her eyes.  “Shut up.”

“Oh, but you know it’s true, Elphie! If you’d never met me, think how boring your life would be!” I sat down on my bed and leaned against one of the footboard posts, watching her examine herself in the mirror.  “That reminds me—are you allergic to boys?”

She cackled.  “What?”

“Well, you’re allergic to water, and I just thought that since you’ve never had a boyfriend—”

“Just because I’ve never had a boyfriend does not mean I’m allergic to them, Galinda.”

“No, I know that.  But then how come every time you touch a guy—or, at least, Fiyero—you act like you’ve just been burned?”

She looked down at her hands.  “I… am just not as comfortable with that kind of thing as you are, I guess.”

I shrugged.  Clearly she didn’t want to discuss the matter any further, so I decided to let it drop for the time being.

“Galinda!” Popsicle called up the stairs.  “The guests will be here any minute—are you almost ready?”

“Coming!” I called back.  “Ready to face the world?” I asked Elphie.

“I guess so…”

“Come on, let’s go get Fiyero and head downstairs.”

Fiyero was, as always, stunningly handsome; but, if it were possible, he was even more handsome today.  He wore a navy blue coat with yellow trim to signify his Winkie roots (as though the blue diamond tattoos on his face didn’t already do that), a white shirt with a ruffled collar, and white, loose pants that were clearly from his country.  “Wow,” he smiled when he saw us.

I grinned and looked at Elphie, who was blushing.  I linked my arm in hers and squeezed her hand.  “Isn’t she beautiful?”

When we got downstairs, Momsie looked startled.  “Elphaba, you look very… pretty,” she said, sounding surprised.

“Thank you, Madame Arduenna,” Elphie said quietly.

“And Galinda, that necklace is gorgeous, where did you get it?”

“Elphie gave it to me! Look—it’s got pink in it if you turn it to the light just right, can you see it?” I moved the necklace around a little and Momsie squinted at it for a moment before she saw.

“Green and pink, how interesting.”

“Just like us!” I said and leaned my head against Elphie’s shoulder.  “I’ve always told her that pink goes good with green.”

“So it does,” Momsie said, a troubled look passing over her face that I recognized from somewhere before… she had given me that very same look when we had talked about the types of girls who did sorcery.  I began to clench my jaw—no, I wasn’t going to start this tonight.  Not until the day after tomorrow, at least.  Just enjoy yourself tonight, let it be a real holiday… the fun kind that you’ve never really had.  I took a deep sigh and began to relax again.  But what was with that stupid look she kept giving me?

One of the servants came into the entrance hall from the hallway that led to the kitchen.  He balanced a platter of hors d’oeurves in his hand and bowed slightly to Momsie.  “Madame, are these to your liking?” he asked.

Momsie took a small bite out of one and considered for a moment before nodding her head.  I reached around her to try one for myself, but she slapped my hand away.  “Stop it, Galinda, don’t snack.  You’re getting a little chubby as it is.  Look at these cheeks,” she tutted, pinching my cheek in her fingers and shaking her head.

I jerked my head away and rubbed my cheek carefully, dropping my gaze to the floor.  I wanted to be angry with her, but she was probably right….  The front door opened and the first guests entered, distracting my parents.  The servant with the hors d’oeurves vanished without a sound, presumably to help put the finishing touches on the dining table.  

Elphaba touched my arm.  “You know you’re not…”

I took a shaky breath, composing myself, and managed to look up at Elphie with what I hoped was a bright smile.  “Momsie’s always had a good eye for things like that,” I said, surprised at how cheerful I sounded.  I wanted to prove that I was stronger than they thought, that I didn’t have to cry every time someone said something that upset me.  “Don’t worry, Elphie, I’m used to it.  Every time I come home from anywhere she’s always telling me I’ve gained weight, and she’s probably right.”

“She’s not!”

“It’s fine,” I hissed.  “I’ve dealt with this all my life.  I know how to handle it.”

“And how’s that?” Elphaba said.  “Missing a few meals and starving yourself?”

I snorted.  “No, I could never get away with that.” Not that I hadn’t tried.  Usually I would eat with everyone else but purge myself shortly after the meal.  But I didn’t think Elphie would do well to know that.

“Ah, Miss Galinda.”

I groaned inwardly but put on a pleasant smile.  “Master Mackie,” I said coolly as the boy approached us.  His sandy hair was cut close to his head and styled to stand on end.  It looked like he had just been struck by a bolt of lightening, and I bit the inside of my lip to keep from laughing.  He wore a maroon suit that was trimmed in gold; a bit showy, but it didn’t surprise me at all coming from him.  “Happy Lurlinemas,” I said as civilly as I could manage—even after ten years, the image of the frog screaming miserably and spewing blood from its leg stumps was still horribly vivid in my mind.  “These are my friends, Miss Elphaba and Master Fiyero.”

His gaze lingered slightly longer on Elphaba than was normal, but he didn’t mention her coloring (I almost wished he had so I could have an excuse to snap at him).  He simply tipped his head and said, “Pleased to meet you.”  His cold eyes remained on Fiyero much longer, however.  Still bitter at not getting me, I supposed.  “Your friends?” he said finally, after a long silence.

“What’s the matter, surprised I have them?” I smirked.  “Elphaba is my roommate at school and Fiyero is my—”

“Miss Galinda! Miss Galinda! Over here—oh, hello, Elphaba.  Fiyero! What are you two doing here?”

I wanted to scream—how could my parents have invited Biq’s family? How, of all the Munchkinlanders… why me?

Biq grinned brilliantly at us all.  “Miss Galinda, you look wonderful tonight!”

“Thank you, Biq,” I said, careful to be obvious about wrapping my fingers around Fiyero’s crooked arm.

“This your boyfriend?” Mackie sneered, looking down at Biq.

“No, this is Master Biq.”

“Boq,” Elphie corrected automatically.

“He goes to Shiz with us.”  I looked back at the small Munchkin.  “I invited Fiyero and Elphie to spend the break with me,” I said.

“Miss Galinda, do you mind if I have a word with you for a moment?” Mackie said.

I actually did mind, quite a lot, but I didn’t think it would do well to cause a scene right as all the guests were arriving.  I didn’t think anyone understood exactly how much I detested Mackie, and that might be embarrassing to explain.  I followed him across the entrance hall toward the door that led to the dining hall, leaving Elphie and Fiyero to chat with Biq.  “What do you want?” I said irritably when we were out of earshot of the rest.

He grinned.  “Just wanted to give you another chance at me.”

I gagged a little.  “You can’t be serious.”

“I know, I know.  It’s not like me to give second chances, but here I am, Galinda.  Opportunity is knocking.”

“I wouldn’t take that opportunity if it were the last one in Oz.”

“You know Fiyero’s a Winkie, right? It’s so obvious—I can’t believe you’d choose a Winkie over someone from the Gillikin.”

“Fiyero’s a Winkie prince,” I said venomously.

“So he tells you,” Mackie smirked.

I rolled my eyes.  “You are unbelievable.”

“Just don’t be surprised once you’re married if you go to his ‘palace’ and it turns out to be a hollowed-out dirt mound.”

I shook my head in disgust and turned to rejoin the others in the middle of the hall, but Mackie grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

“Oh, look,” he grinned wickedly, tipping his head upward.  “Mistletoe.”

I jerked my hand out of his grasp and stepped back before he could kiss me.  “You’re disgusting.” I wrinkled my nose and the corners of my mouth pulled down.

“That look doesn’t suit your pretty face,” Mackie said.

“Something the matter?” Fiyero’s voice asked behind me, and I felt his warm, protective hand on my shoulder.  I leaned into him and smiled at Mackie’s frustrated expression.

“Of course not, Master Fiyero,” he said.  “Just catching up with an old friend.”

“Couldn’t do that around the rest of us?” Elphie materialized at Fiyero’s side.  “How… elitist of you, Master Mackie.”

I pulled her away from the boys as Fiyero and Mackie presumably had some kind of big, macho stare-down.  “Don’t get on his bad side, Elphie, please.  I know you’re right, and you know you’re right, but he can hold a grudge for a long time—case in point,” I said, gesturing to myself, “—and he has some powerful resources at his disposal.  So don’t provoke him.”

“Looks like you don’t have a problem provoking him.”

“I know, but he wouldn’t dare do anything to me because his family is so dependent on ours that any misstep could ruin the relationship.  You don’t have that kind of leverage over him.” I hesitated a moment before laying a hand on her arm and smiling up at her.  “I’d hate to see anything happen to you.  I’ve grown kind of attached to you, you know.”

She looked down at her feet with a smile.  I’m pretty sure it was her way of saying she had surprisingly found herself attached to me as well.  

“So.  Just try to ignore him, okay? I know he can be an ass, but…”

“Miss Galinda, what a foul mouth,” Elphie teased.

I blushed.  “Yes, well… don’t tell my parents I do that, either.”

“What’s that, button?” my father had suddenly appeared behind me.

“Nothing, Popsicle,” I smiled sweetly and planted a kiss on his cheek before pulling Elphie away through the steadily growing crowd of people.  I almost ran into one of the waiters circling with glasses of champagne as I wove between people.  “Oh, good, just what I need—”

“Should you be drinking with your parents in the same room? I mean, if you want them to think you’re Miss Goody-Two-Shoes and all…” Elphie raised an eyebrow.

“They won’t even notice.” I took one of the glasses.  “Don’t tell Momsie, okay, Mentz?” I gave the waiter my sweetest look.  

He grinned.  “Okay, but if they ask where you got that, it better not be traced back to me.”

“Of course not!” I took a long sip from the flute and swallowed it with a sigh.  “Thank Oz my parents love alcohol… with the way this night is already going, I’ll definitely need it.”

There was a repeated clinking of metal on glass and I quickly downed the rest of my fizzy champagne and slipped the empty glass back to Mentz with a thankful smile.  He shook his head.  Momsie and Popsicle were on the third stair up on the grand staircase, each with a flute of champagne in their hand, smiling at the some hundred-forty-odd guests.  “We want to thank you all so much for coming out tonight, especially those of you who made the trek all the way from Munchkinland and the Emerald City! It’s wonderful to see you all,” Momsie gushed.  What a load of crap.  I rolled my eyes; I knew they only really wanted to see about two dozen of these people, and the rest were only invited to maintain crucial social connections.  “We’ll be moving into the dining hall shortly for dinner, and after that there will be dancing in the ballroom, but before we all forget why we’re here—” many of the guests chuckled at this, though I didn’t find it particularly funny, “—we would just like to make a toast to our friends.  We wish you good health and happiness on this most wonderful of holidays.  Happy Lurlinemas, everyone!” She caught my eye with a stern look over the top of her glass as she took a sip with everyone else, as if to warn me not to try to drink with the rest of them.  Too late for that, Momsie.  I smiled innocently back at her.  “Now if you would all proceed to the dining hall, the feast can begin!”

Caught up in the mass that was suddenly moving through the tall doors that were held open by a pair of servants in smart, matching purplish-blue suits (the color of the Arduenna family crest), I grabbed onto Elphie’s hand so I wouldn’t lose her.  I didn’t want to end up sitting next to Old Master Crabbe for the fourth year running—he was at least eighty-six and kept up a wheezing, toothless commentary for the entire meal (including repeated requests for a dance after dinner, which I couldn’t decide if they were because he really wanted to dance with me or because he’d forgotten he’d already asked); plus, he smelled faintly of goat cheese.  I found Fiyero just as we got through the door and grabbed his hand with my free one before breathing a sigh of relief—I would now have a buffer on each side of me.  Thank goodness.

We sat near the middle of the excessively long table so I wouldn’t have to be near either of my parents—Fiyero sat on my right and Elphaba on my left (she almost missed getting the seat, too, because Biq tried to slip in ahead of her, but she gave him a cold look and he ended up on the other side of Fiyero).  Mackie sat across from me, and three others from the nearby estates sat around him: Miss Ilea, a pretty girl two years younger than me, sat across from Elphie; Master Avaric, an acquaintance of ours from Shiz, was opposite Biq; and Master Aurphire, who graduated last year, was on Mackie’s left.

“How’s your work in the Emerald City going?” I asked Aurphire.

He smiled.  “Good… but you know I can’t really talk about it.”

“Master Aurphire works for the Wizard,” I explained to Elphie and Fiyero.  “And you know I don’t really care how the work is going,” I grinned.

“Ah, I forgot, Miss Galinda, ever the socialite—why didn’t you just ask what the city was like in the first place?”

“You mean you’ve never been?” Mackie scoffed.

Before I could snap back at him, Elphaba stepped in.  “I haven’t been, either.”

“Me neither,” Boq said, eager to get on my side.

“I actually haven’t been, either,” said Ilea.

I smiled at her.  “That’s not to say I’ll never go, though—in fact, I hope to visit it before I leave Shiz.  So? What’s it like?”

“It’s pretty amazing,” Aurphire said.  “Intoxicating.  Addicting.  Something to see and do every minute of the day and every second of the night—you’ll love it.”

Goosebumps of excitement prickled my arms and I couldn’t suppress a grin.

“So what are you studying?” Aurphire asked.  “All of you.”

Ilea sighed.  “I’m not old enough to go yet.”  She pressed her lips together in frustration.

“Really? You must look much older than your age, then,” Auphire said kindly.

Ilea flushed with pleasure and looked down at the table cloth.

“I’m studying poli-sci and IR,” Fiyero said.

“Intense—political track?”

“You could say that.”

“Fiyero’s a Winkie prince,” I said, leaning my head on his shoulder and grinning up at him.  For a moment it looked like a shadow may have passed over his face, but when I blinked, it was gone.

“Oh.  Well, that explains that, then.”  The corner of Aurphire’s mouth turned up.  “What about you?” He turned to Elphie.

“I’m not a Winkie or a prince,” she said.

“Oh, stop it, Elphie, don’t be a wise-a—aleck.  You know what he meant.”

She smirked at me before responding.  “I’m studying Animal sciences and sorcery.”

“Sorcery! Nice! With Madame Morrible? She doesn’t take on students lightly.”

“Elphie’s brilliant at it, too,” I said, smiling proudly at my friend.

“So are you,” she said, her cheeks darkening.

“Not as good as you, though.”

“You’re studying sorcery?” Mackie said, clearly trying very hard not to laugh.  “I would’ve thought something more like, I don’t know, how not to be such a blonde might be more in order for you.”

Avaric laughed harshly.  “I didn’t know you were studying sorcery.  So, what can you do—pull a rabbit out of a hat yet? Or produce a bouquet out of thin air?”

I frowned at him.  “Why would I want to do that? Talk about useless…”

Elphie smirked.  “Well, you did spend hours learning that bubble spell the other day,” she murmured quietly out of the side of her mouth.  I elbowed her.

“No, seriously, Galinda, what are you studying?” Aurphire said.

“Why is it so hard to believe I’m studying sorcery?” I threw up my hands in exasperation.  “Why do none of you take me seriously?!”

Mackie laughed out loud at this point.  “Take you seriously? And how are we supposed to do that? You may be a pretty face, but it’s not much of a cover for that empty head of blonde hair.”
Fiyero made a move to stand, but I laid a hand on his arm to hold him down.  “Don’t,” I said quietly to him while glaring sideways at Mackie.

“Clearly you don’t know Galinda very well at all, Master Mackie,” Elphie said coldly.  

“Oh, I know her well enough to know that pretty much all she had on her mind at fourteen was sex,” he grinned.

My face felt like it was going to melt off my head, it was so hot.  “That is not true!”

“What is he talking about?” Fiyero said in a dangerous voice.

“Nothing, dearest, I’ll tell you later.”

“And I know her well enough to know—”

“That she could make your fork levitate in the air and gouge out your eye? That she could cause the candles to explode in flame? And that she could lock all the doors in the room without touching a single one so you couldn’t escape?” Elphie raised a cool eyebrow.

Mackie faltered for a second, but a glance at me seemed to calm his thoughts.  “Yeah, sure, okay,” he snorted and began to sup his soup.

It was too tempting… I sorely wanted to cause his bowl to flip over and ruin that stupid suit of his, but before I could even begin to move my hands, Elphaba grabbed one of them under the table.  It was as if she could read my mind.  I glanced at her pleadingly.  Just this once.  But she shook her head.  I sighed and picked up my spoon to stir around my soup, but I didn’t drink any.  I could see the greasy spots of fat floating around the top of the broth, and I couldn’t afford to put that in my system.  Maybe I’d have some salad if it came out.  Maybe.  The trick would be to keep everyone busy and talking so they wouldn’t notice if I wasn’t eating anything.

“Biq, I don’t think you ever told me what you were studying,” I said in a rather desperate attempt to restart the conversation.  Elphie looked at me curiously, but Biq was elated.  He opened his mouth to respond, but Avaric interrupted with a sneer.

“He’s studying how not to be so creepily obsessed with you, Galinda.  So far he’s failing.”

Mackie snickered, and Biq turned the color of an overripe cherry.  Oh, poor Biq… it was bad enough that I knew he was obsessed with me, and that I refused his every advance, but that Avaric had to mention it in front of everyone, even if they all knew already….

“Shut up, Avaric,” I snapped.  “As I recall you weren’t too dignified yourself when you met Veliosa two months ago—what was it you did? Oh, that’s right, you tripped over that chair when you were trying to push your way up next to her in the dining hall line and fell into our table and got cream splashed all over your face, but you were so busy staring at her you didn’t notice and you walked around for the rest of the day with white splotches on your cheeks and nose and no one told you until Dr. Dillamond took you aside for a private ‘chat’ that afternoon.  It’s all coming back to me.”

“That was you?” Fiyero laughed heartily.  “I didn’t even realize… oh, man.”

Avaric’s cheeks turned slightly pink.  “At least Veliosa cared enough to learn my name,” he said nastily.

“Galinda knows Boq’s name.  I’ve heard her use it before,” Elphie said, coming to Biq’s defense.

“Obviously she doesn’t know enough to remember.”

“Biq… is just a nickname,” I said, feeling desperate for some way to protect the poor boy.  “So just leave him alone, already, Avaric.  Just because Veliosa turned you down doesn’t mean you need to be bitter at the rest of us.”

After a moment of silence, Biq said quietly, “History.”

“What?” Aurphire said, frowning at him as though he had gone mad.

“Miss Galinda asked what I’m studying.  History.”

“Oh.”

There was another awkward silence.

“I think I’m failing history,” I said, for lack of anything better to interject in the terse mood that hung over our section of the table, while everyone else on each end chatted merrily and started in on their second course, which I just realized had been placed before us.  It was, unfortunately, not salad.  Instead, on the plate was some kind of meaty vegetable stuffed with something yellow and creamy and drizzled artistically with a dark sauce.  A sprig of green mint garnished the dish.  Minus maybe the garnish, it all looked even fattier than the soup, so I worked at moving mine around on the plate, occasionally bringing a practically empty fork (save for bits that clung to the prongs) to my mouth in case anyone was watching (particularly Elphie, for I knew she was most worried about what Momsie had said).  My tongue curled unpleasantly around what was probably a very delicious appetizer, but the thought of how fat it was making me upset my stomach.

“Is that why you let your history book fall so the binding broke when you were levitating it the other day?” Elphie smirked at me.  “Because you’re holding a grudge?”

“I still maintain that that was an accident,” I said, sitting up straighter in my chair and lifting my chin a little in the air.  Elphie chuckled.

“You really are… studying sorcery?” Aurphire frowned slightly, as though he was sure this was some elaborate joke.

“Yes.  Now can we please move on and talk about something less loaded?” For once I didn’t want all the attention on me—not this kind of attention, anyway.  “Like… who’s going to be the first to ask Ilea to dance?” I grinned at the girl, who blushed and laughed.

“Old Master Crabbe already asked me twice,” she giggled.  “Does that count?”

“He asked you but not me? I don’t believe it!” I said, pretending to be seriously offended.

“To be fair, he may have thought I was you one of those times, because he did call me Miss Arduenna.”

“Oh, that makes me feel loads better,” I laughed.  “Honestly, though, are there any prospects?” I lowered my voice a little, effectively separating us from the boys, who had begun a dreadfully boring discussion on the inter-university netball rivalry.

Ilea shrugged.  “Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever…”

“Oh, don’t say that! You know you’ll find someone.”

“That’s easy for you to say! You’ve always had someone!”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at Mackie.  “Yeah, and for six wonderful years of my life, it was that prick right there.  I’d say if you want him you can take him, but there’s no way I could advise even my worst enemy into that situation.  We’ll find someone for you, sweetheart, don’t worry! You’ve got plenty of time yet.”

“Plenty of time?! I’m already fifteen!”

Elphaba shook her head in disbelief.

I pressed my lips together and tilted my head at her.  “Elphie doesn’t understand the whole baby-making-for-life concept,” I explained to Ilea.

“Actually, I think I’m beginning to understand you a lot more lately,” Elphie said quietly.

I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant, but I found the statement unsettling.  What about me was there, exactly, that needed understanding?

The third and fourth courses came and went; my stomach rumbled at the sight of them, and I was afraid it might cave in on itself at one point, but I needed only remind myself of my mother’s words and suddenly I felt much less hungered by the food and rather more repulsed by it.  When the dessert came, the mountain of heavy whipped cream atop a deep-fried biscuit dripping with sugary chocolate sauce and cozied up next to a melting ball of ice cream made my stomach turn.  I didn’t even pretend to eat this one, and the sight of Mackie devouring his directly across from me caused me to swallow hard with displeasure.

“Oh, come on, you’re not going to eat that?” Avaric nodded his head in the direction of my untouched dessert.

I shook my head.  I didn’t trust myself to open my mouth to speak lest I betray my disgust.  Or vomit.

“Can I have it, then?”

I shrugged and slid it diagonally across the table to him.  “Go on.  I couldn’t eat another bite.” Which was true, and had been true all throughout dinner.

“But you didn’t eat anything all night,” Elphie whispered to me, the concern evident in her voice.  Or was it an accusation?

“Elphaba.” My eyes flashed dangerously.  Thankfully, I think everyone else was too preoccupied with their ice cream to notice.  

Elphaba frowned at me.  “I just wish you wouldn’t—”

“I do not want to talk about this right now, thank you very much,” I hissed.

“Something you girls want to share with the rest of the class?” Mackie smirked.  “You know secrets don’t make friends.”

“Of course they do,” I retorted.  “And as long as those friends don’t include you, I’ll be quite all right with that.”  Good Oz, that sounded childish.  But it was too late to take it back now.

“Play nice,” Aurphire said, making it sound almost like a joke, but we could all tell there were more serious undertones.  Ilea and Biq shifted a little uncomfortably while Mackie and I glared at each other, and Fiyero laid a hand on my forearm.

I happened to glance up the table and Momsie was looking back, watching us.  She caught my eye for a moment and pinched her eyebrows very slightly in a look that told me she could tell I was far out of line.  I sighed and, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, realized that for the good of the family I needed not to rock this relationship too much and forced a smile at Mackie.  “I’m sorry, that was terribly rude of me,” I said sweetly.  I’d had enough practice at smiling and pretending to be kind in my upbringing to serve me well for the rest of my life, and I realized that times like these were times when that “training” could be of service.  “I’ve a bit of a headache tonight, you must excuse me.  Elphie and I were just talking about how to decorate our room when we return to Shiz.”

Mackie snorted.  “Looked a little more heated than that.”

I smiled pleasantly.  “That’s because I want pink curtains and she wants black ones.  But black would look awfully drab, wouldn’t it, Elphie?” I leaned my head on her shoulder and looked up at her with a grin, like nothing had transpired between us.

She looked taken aback for a moment.  “Um, yeah, I guess so…  Galinda, can I talk to you for a clock tick?”

“Right now?” I said with a slight edge to my voice.  I knew what she wanted to talk about, and I definitely didn’t want to talk about it.  Not now, not ever.

“Yes.” She stood up and took my hand, pulling me to my feet.  Not wanting the others to think that something was the matter, I followed her into the entrance hall, which was pretty much empty except for a couple servants and a few guests who were just coming through the doors and permeating the room with the nutty smell of perguenay smoke.  

“What?” I whispered angrily.

“Well, I don’t even where to begin with you, but first off let me just say that maybe you should be an actress instead of a sorceress!” Her eyes flashed furiously—I didn’t know why she was so mad at me, but I didn’t like it.  I felt myself quail a little bit in her livid presence.  “How can you be totally pissed off at me, and at him, then just flip around and be sweet as sugar on the turn of a chit? I thought I was beginning to understand you, but this is just beyond me.”

“Elphie, please, I hate it when you’re mad at me.”

“Why do you keep avoiding my questions?”

“Why do you keep asking them even though I obviously don’t want to answer them?” I snapped, trying to sound bolder than I felt.

“Because even if you don’t want to answer them, you need to!”

“Why? Why is this so important to you?” I let out a half-scoff, half-laugh and threw my hands out in front of me, palms up.

She ran both her hands through her hair and looked everywhere but at me, a disbelieving, open-mouthed smile on her face.  “It’s important to me because it’s important for you,” she finally said.

I reached up with both my hands and pulled her hair back in front of her shoulders, trying to restore it to its former beauty.  I pulled a shorter piece down next to her cheek.

“What are you doing?” she pushed my hands away.

“You messed up your hair,” I said.

“You are unbelievable,” she scoffed and turned on her heel to stalk back into the dining hall.  

I caught her wrist before she had taken two steps and managed to hold her back.  “Elphie, wait.  I’m sorry, okay? Whatever I did wrong, I’m sorry.  I wish you wouldn’t get so upset at me.”

She sighed.  “You didn’t do anything wrong.  You just… I figured maybe you needed to talk about a few things.  Explain yourself.”

“I don’t need to explain myself to anyone!” I said defensively, crossing my arms over my chest and shifting my weight onto one leg.  I almost regretted saying it just as the mood seemed to be calming down, but another part of me was furious at her.  ‘Explain myself’? What was that supposed to mean?! Like I always needed to answer to her or something? “And I don’t want to talk about…” I felt myself losing nerve.  “…anything.” I turned my head away so my face wouldn’t betray me.

“Well, maybe someday you’ll change your mind,” she said quietly.

It was my turn to sigh.  I unfolded my arms and gently grasped her forearm with both of my hands.  “I don’t like fighting with you, Elphie.  You always win.”

She let out a quick breath of air through her nose.  “I wasn’t aware there was a winner.”

“No, but I mean you always have the last word.  The last one that counts, anyway.”  I pulled her toward the doorway into the dining hall.  “Let’s go back now, they’re serving tea and coffee.”  And I’m starving, I wanted to add, but didn’t for fear that it would spark a whole new argument that I hadn’t the strength to deal with.

We were nearly through the door when I felt a hand on my arm.  It was dry and wrinkled and felt like an autumn leaf that would easily tumble away when the first firm breeze blew through.  I instinctively pulled my arm away as I turned to see who had touched me, and I felt Elphie turn with me.  An ancient woman, easily in the same age neighborhood as Master Crabbe, grinned toothlessly at us both from a face as wrinkled as an elephant’s bottom and observed us through two beetle-black, squinted eyes.

“Can I help you?” I asked softly, afraid that if I spoke too loudly she might topple over.  But could she hear me, I wondered?

“Of course not, deary, I’m beyond that.  But I think the two of you could use some help, maybe—some guidance?” Her voice came in strained wheezes that sounded like the wind blowing through the Thousand Year Grasslands.  I thought she might keel over on the spot.

I glanced up at Elphaba, who looked just as confused as I did.  “I—I think we’ve got things all sorted out now, thanks,” I said, trying to smile through my frown.

“Not your silly little tiff, Miss Galinda, I’m not interested in such trivial matters as your acting abilities or your… eating habits,” she said slyly.  My mouth fell open—how did she know… had she been watching me? I didn’t think that had even come up in our conversation at all, had it? No, I would have remembered.  Who was this creepy old woman, anyway?!

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” I said, rather coldly, in a way that showed I was not sorry in the slightest.

The old woman chuckled dryly.  “No, I don’t think you do.  But I know you.  And you as well, Miss Elphaba Thropp.”

Elphie twitched, and I found her hand and twined my fingers in hers, backing away from the crazy lady a little.  “I don’t think I’ve ever met you,” Elphaba said guardedly.

The woman smiled her empty mouth again.  “This is the first time that the Time Dragon has dreamed our paths to cross,” she said.  “But I doubt it will be the last.  I don’t know when we’ll meet again, but it will be later on your paths to greatness.”

“Did my parents invite you? Because you’re seriously creeping me out, and if I find out you’re just some beggar looking for food, I’m going to get the servants to throw you—”

“No wait,” Elphaba said.  “Greatness? What are you talking about?”

“Elphie, she’s just one of those weird fortune-tellers, that’s what they’re supposed to say,” I murmured out of the side of my mouth.

The woman chuckled again.  “The two of you are going to lead very similar lives in very different ways.”

“That makes no sense,” I scoffed.

“Let her talk,” Elphie said.

“You actually want to listen to this?”

“Shh!”

“Very trying times for the two of you down the road… enjoy these moments while you can, for your futures look very lonely.  One embraced by society—”

“Gee, I wonder who that’ll be,” Elphie snorted.

“—but never truly satisfied with what she accomplishes, no matter how great the feat; the other shunned but doing great things, and even after she is gone, there will be one to carry on her work.  Both are destined to be remembered forever.”

“This is ridiculous,” I shook my head and turned away.  I couldn’t help but be thoroughly disturbed by the fact that she said I’d be lonely, though, and never satisfied with what I did.  What kind of life would that be? Certainly not the kind my parents raised me to have… or was it? “Elphie, come on.  The tea will get cold.  I don’t have time to listen to this rubbish anymore.  Zid, Telf, would you escort this woman out, please?”

“Galinda, you don’t have to—it’s freezing outside,” Elphaba said, watching the woman closely.

“Elphie, she’s mentally disturbed.  And she clearly wasn’t invited.”

“She’s old.  She’ll die out there.  Do you want that on your conscience for the rest of your life?” Elphie raised an eyebrow.  I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not, but one look at the fragile elder and I realized she was right.

“Fine,” I said tersely.  “I’ll let my parents deal with her.”  I turned on my heel and stalked into the dining room.  The woman and Elphie remained talking for only a few more seconds.

“What’s your name?” Elphaba asked.

“Yackle,” the woman wheezed.

“And how did you know ours?”

She breathed dry laughter.  “Because you’re two of the greatest witches Oz will ever see, of course.”

I knew I had misheard the last part as it was swallowed up in the loud hum of conversation in the dining hall, especially since it was generous to call me a mediocre witch.  Elphie would be great, maybe.  But the two of us? That was a laughable notion.  That old bird had been off her rocker anyway.  Elphie caught up with me when I was nearly back to our seats.

“Did you hear what she said? We—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Elphie.  She was crazy, and you know it.”

“But—”

I whirled around and laid my hands on her arms, looking up into her brown eyes.  “Stop.  Let’s just pretend nothing even happened, okay?”

She frowned.  “If you don’t want to talk about it, fine.  But I’m not going to pretend it didn’t happen.  I think I’ve heard that name before—it sounded familiar.  Maybe Nanny mentioned it at one point?”

“La la la, I’m not listening.  Drop it.” I said as we sat down in our seats.

“Sounds like you two made up wonderfully,” Fiyero said with a roll of his eyes.

I grinned and kissed him on the cheek.  “Do we ever make up, really?” He smiled.  “Do you want tea?” I asked Elphaba, seeing that everyone else had already been served.  Before she could really answer, I waved down Mentz, who was passing with an empty tray.  “Can you get us two teas? One regular, but then a milk-based one for Elphie?”

He nodded and continued on to the kitchen.

“Milk-based tea?” Mackie raised an eyebrow.  “Isn’t that kind of… excessive?”

“It’s just how she likes it,” I said.  I bit my tongue to keep from adding any more scathing comments.  I didn’t want to mention her allergy because I knew that Mackie would have a field day with that one, and there’s no way he would believe it.  Or maybe he’d want proof, or maybe he’d use it as blackmail against her… I didn’t even trust him as far as I could throw him, which is certainly saying a lot since I don’t think I could even manage to pick him up to throw him at all.