A Perfect Image
Glinda barely had time to settle onto the plush sofa in Pfannee’s dorm before the conversation took a turn that made her stomach tighten.
"So, tell us everything," Pfannee said, curling her legs beneath her. "You finally let Fiyero pop your cherry, huh?"
Shenshen giggled behind her glass of wine. "I mean, took you long enough. You had him orbiting you for years."
Glinda forced a light laugh, swirling her own drink in her hand. "I’m sure you’d love all the details."
"Oh, come on," Pfannee teased. "You wouldn’t keep secrets from us, would you?"
"It’s not a secret, it’s just—" Glinda faltered, choosing her words carefully. "Not something I feel like giving details on."
"Why not?" Shenshen leaned in, eyes alight with curiosity. "You know he’s been with other girls, right? You might as well compare notes."
Pfannee smirked. "Or guys."
Glinda stiffened, gripping her glass tighter. "What?"
"Oh, Glinda, don’t be naive," Pfannee said, waving a dismissive hand. "Fiyero’s never exactly been picky. Half of Avaric’s dumb parties ended with him disappearing with someone."
"It’s not like he’s shy about it either," Shenshen added. "Remember last year when he and that senior on the swim team—what was his name again?"
"Does it matter?" Pfannee snorted. "Point is, we all knew he was a little… open-minded."
Glinda forced herself to keep smiling. "I don’t see why it matters."
"It doesn’t," Pfannee said, examining her nails with a bored expression. "It’s just… well, I always assumed you’d end up with someone a little more traditional. You know, a real man."
Glinda’s stomach turned. "Fiyero is a real man."
Shenshen let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, Glinda, don’t get all soft on us now. We’re just saying—it’s good that you finally got it over with. People were starting to talk."
"And thank Oz you had someone like Fiyero," Pfannee added. "Imagine if you had wasted it on some nobody. I mean, he’s basically royalty. No one’s going to judge you for finally giving in to the most eligible guy at Shiz. Unlike, say, Avaric and me—we had to deal with competition."
Glinda barely blinked. "Oh, you and Avaric are together now?"
Pfannee tossed her hair back, her grin sharp. "I know, I know. Huge deal, right?"
Glinda flinched, not enough that anyone noticed. She wasn’t jealous, but the fact that her best friend had immediately jumped at Avaric the second they broke up never quite sat right with her.
Shenshen sighed dreamily. "He’s, like, the hottest guy after Fiyero. You must be so relieved, Glinda. I mean, for a while there, people weren’t even sure if you liked guys."
Glinda’s nails dug into her glass. "Excuse me?"
"Like that weird little rumor in high school," Shenshen added, voice syrupy sweet. "Remember? With that girl—what was her name? Milla? The one from the band?"
Glinda’s stomach plummeted. "That was ridiculous."
Pfannee laughed, nudging Shenshen. "I mean, yeah, but it was a thing for a while. You were always ‘helping’ her, always hanging around after practice, and people started wondering."
Shenshen smirked. "And let’s be honest, Glinda, you weren’t exactly subtle."
Glinda could still hear them—whispering behind her back in high school, making pointed jokes when she sat too close to Milla or paid too much attention to the wrong people. She had learned how to laugh along, how to keep herself in check. And now, here they were again, watching her, waiting for confirmation that she was still one of them.
And she laughed. Just enough to play along. Just enough to ignore the way her chest ached.
"Right," she said, taking a sip of her drink before she could say anything else.
Pfannee grinned. "Of course. You had nothing to worry about, anyway. You were always one of us. Cheerleaders stick together, after all."
"Obviously," Glinda echoed, forcing a smile, though she felt like she was suffocating. She had spent years perfecting this role—Pfannee, Shenshen, Fiyero, football games, school dances. And if she had to keep perfecting it, keep proving herself, then that’s exactly what she’d do.