Being roommates with Galinda Uppman was the last thing Elphaba wanted. In fact, after Madam Morrible had assigned the two together she had privatley shared her concerns in private- however, with no other room to spare ( unless she wanted to room with a boy ) this was the only option. When she had heard this she offered to take the room in the boy's dormitory, how ever Madam Morrible had only said this as a joke with no intention of actually fulfilling the accommodation.
“Don’t worry dear, it’s only temporary!” She assured her, walking her out of her office and into the direction of her new home for the next few months. “I know Ms. Uppland is a little,” she pauses and scrunches her eyebrows, “difficult? But, I assure you if issues arrive with her cleanliness, or jabbering, or anything of the sort let me know.” She placed a cold hand on her shoulder and the girl nodded. But that’s not really what Elphaba was worried about. She had no doubt in her mind that her roommate would be messy. And sure sometimes self-obsorbed people who talk non-stop could get on her nerves- however this was also the least of her worries. This was her first time living away from home, and she still couldn’t escape living with someone who would taunt her 24/7. Even worse, now living in now just the same house but the same room. Nevertheless, she gave a tightlipped smile and nodded. She was not one to be difficult, especially not to her new professor who got her into the school. “If issues persist, I will find you a new roommate next semester.” She adds, as if she knows there will be issues with the two living together.
“Oh, that won’t be an issue madam.” Elphaba gave her sincerest smile before the professor nodded and closed her office door. Once she had made it to her room, she went between using her room key or knocking- and since Galinda had probably been awaiting her arrival inside. Or rather dreading her arrival. She knocked and a few seconds later the perky blonde opened the door.
“Why hello, there!” She smiled, stepping aside to let her enter. The sun beamed brightly into the room, creating a pinkish haze across the room due to her pink curtains and well… pink everything. The balcony door was open which also made it a slight bit chilly in there. The room was filled to the brim with suitcases, luggage, and decorations. She sighed and looked around. Where the hell was she supposed to sleep? In a double queen XL with Galinda? Eventually, she had showed her to her bed that apparently Galinda had set up for her. A somehow even smaller bed, tucked away in a corner.
“It’s great.” Galinda had smiled and the girl knew they were off to a rocky start.
As the weeks had passed, so had many trials and tribulations between them. Starting off with Galinda’s annoyingly loud habit of waking up everyday. Single. Day. weekday or not, the girl was up and getting herself fully ready for the day to come, whereas Elphaba was used to waking up about thirty minutes before her time to leave. That was plenty of time to get ready. Maybe it would be okay if she wasn’t so obnoxious about it. First, her alarm would go off- which, okay fine, if it wakes Elphaba up she can easily just go back to sleep. But then, she showers and sings. Sings very loud. She then comes back, humming to whatever she was singing. Then she does her morning yoga, because according to her ‘your muscles get relaxed after a warm shower so it’s the best time to stretch!’ and ‘improve blood and oxygen circulation preparing and energizing her for a new day’. Both of which her true, but she hadn’t expected her to do this every single day. She was to do her skincare and makeup, softly singing to whatever was stuck in her head that morning. Or she’d play her music and sing along, granted the music was low as for her singing, but still- she could not sleep like this.
This went on for weeks that turned into months, it was now early December and although the girl had told the blonde about all of the issues she was having, Galinda refused to acknowledge them- in fact, she had a rebuttal for everything. Which would eventually lead to arguments. Or even worse, she wouldn’t argue to Elphaba’s face but rather make snarky comments in public or in class. As winter approached and the temperature dropped, Galinda now had a bone to pick with Elphaba, Elphaba quite enjoyed the cool air and temperature, and would never turn the heater on. When the blond wasn’t looking, Elphaba would turn the heater back off and set her fan to high. Just as she liked it. Then, in the middle of the night she would hear a groan.
“Ughhhh!” A high pitched groan would escape from across the room. “It’s freezing in here!”
"Is it?” She’d respond, and not move.
“Uh, yes?” She would dramatically sigh. “Can you please turn the heater on?”
“I’ll think about it.” She’d smile and then try to go back to sleep. And Galind would wait a few minutes.
“Have you made up your mind?” She’d ask, as if the other girl were actually considering it. Elphaba would laugh and say, “Yes, and I don’t think I want to.”
“God, Elphaba!” She’d groan again. “You don’t always have to be so mean!” She’d huff and Elphaba would watch as the girl would gather all her blankets, practically drowning in them.
“Well, if it bothered you so much- you are more than welcome to turn it on.” She’d smile, but she knew she wouldn’t. Galinda was right, it was very cold in their room- but that’s how Elphaba slept best. And if she had to suffer her mornings the least she could do was suffer her nights. Eventually though, Galinda would fall asleep and only in the morning would she go and turn the heater back on, then get ready for her day. Sometimes though, on days when Galinda may have said something to embarrass her or just was not being she’d turn it back off before she came out of the shower. Pretending to be asleep, Galinda would just think she forgot to turn the heater back on in the morning.
Eventually though, the 30’s and 40’s dropped to the 10’s and 20’s and even Elphaba agreed this was too much. But for some reason, allowing the heater to be on felt like a loss. Like her loss. As if she had let Galinda win- and although she should she should, she couldn’t. One night, when the temperature had dropped to almost below 0 degrees. Galinda has practically begged Elphaba to turn the heater on while the girl covered in multiple blankets refused to move.
“Elphaba!” She called, shaking from the coldness of their room.
“I’m sorry, Galinda, I am reading right now.” She stated simply, and continued her book.
“Sweet Oz, Elphaba! Are you crazy, it’s almost in the negatives and you have yet to make this room warm!”
“Okay.” She replied shortly. She had learned over the months that the best way to really get to the younger girl, was short responses. It infuriated her and leaves her shocked. It wasn’t a question or conversation. Just an acknowledgment that she spoke, and Elphaba had heard- but was not listening.
“Elphaba, please,” she sighed, and something in her voice almost made her want to get up and turn the heater on for the poor freezing girl. She took one look at her, shaking like a cold chihuahua, and bit her bottom lip. And she contemplated for a split second, before being reminded that yet again, Galinda had referred to her as an artichoke for the hundredth time in class today- making their class erupt in laughter. She put her book down and turned her small lamp off.
“I’m sorry Galinda, I’m going to sleep now.” She smiled at her and pulled her own sheets all the way up. That night she also decided to not use the fan since, Galinda was right, it was bound to get colder as the night went on.
At 6am the following day though, for the first time in ages Elphaba was finally about to get a good full nights rest. She checked the time, 9am? Wow. She had not slept until 9am continuously her whole stay here. Usually it was 6am and she was in and out of sleep until her 8am class. It was a Saturday, so even better. Then it hit her. Why has she not been woken up by Galinda’s annoyingly loud routine. She sat up and faced her bed, where the blonde still laid in bed. Wow, she’d never seen this before.
Oh God, was she breathing? Was he alive? Had it been so cold she’d frozen to death? Shit. She shook her head and quickly got up to check on her. Sure she hated her, but she didn’t want her dead! Sure enough, she could see the girls fifty blankets slowly rising and falling once she got close. She wanted to wake her, ask if she was okay. She contemplated a bit before shaking her slightly.
“Hey,” she whispered quietly, and when she got no response she tried again. She stood up and shivered, it was freeing in here. She glanced outside and notices snowfall. Snow? She hadn’t realized it would snow. As she walked to the thermostat and changed the setting ot turn the heater on, she checked the temperature at a whopping -3 degrees. Oops. She thought.
She then walked over back to her bed and through on a thicker hoodie she had and then tried again with Galinda. Although she was still in deep sleep. She tried one more time to wake her up but all she got was shivers from the cold girl under the blankets. Although she hated her, like really hated her, sometimes it was hard to in a time like this. She looked so soft, so vulnerable- not at all what she looks like during the day. She knew she was pretty, she could hate someone and still find them relatively attractive, right? She noticed that her features would harden and soften as she slept and that the cold room had added neutral blush to her cheeks and nose.
No one had ever really seen her this way, seen her in the morning- no makeup and hair in a simple ponytail. When her friends would come over they’d all wear pajamas and she’d wear fake pajama sets. She’d wear luxurious velvet or satin matching sets, and take her day makeup off- then switch right over to “night makeup” as she had called it. Elphaba only knew because she had asked. Elphaba was wearing sweats and a t-shirt, studying in her bed, when Galinda had rushed in.
“ Pfannee and Shenshen are coming over in like, a half hour,” she spoke quickly. “Just to let you know, in case you wanted to... you know,” she gestured up and down to the girl sitting in her bed.
“What?’
“Like change or something, I don't know!?” She groaned and sped off to the restroom to take her makeup off and change.
“Never seen you wear that before,” Elphaba commented as the girl had walked out in a matching set and was curing her hair at 10 o’clock at night.
“Yes well, my granny gave it to me.” She had rolled her eyes and Elphaba had noticed she took her makeup off. She was surprised she’d let her friends see her in no makeup.
“I meant you never wear pajamas like that, you always wear a tshirt and-”
“Elphaba! Do you have an issue with my pajama set or something?” Galinda had cut her off. She thought maybe she had offended the girl but instead it seemed like she was concerned.
“What? No, I’m just saying you never-”
“Is it,” Galinda got quiet, “ugly?” She pursed her lips together, awaiting her respond. Ugly? Elphaba couldn’t care less about what it looked like, she had just never seen the girl wear a matching set. While Elphaba thought over the question, I guess the blonde had taken it as a sign of ‘yes, what you are wearing it terrible’ because she groaned and started looking through her closet once more.
“What are you doing?” Elphaba asked, and Galinda shook her head no, too focused on apparently what she was going to change into. “Galinda,” she had repeated but instead of a response all she got was a murmur of “no, no, no,” which made her question what was going on. The bare faced blonde started to tap her foot violently before Elphaba stood up to cut her off. “Galinda!’ She said louder, snapping her out of whatever trance she was in.
“What?!” She shouted back, and they both took a step back in surprise of Galinda’s voice change. Elphaba was almost at a lost for words. And Galinda was just as shocked as she was. In the heat of all their arguments, never ever had they actually yelled at each other. Maybe some voice raising but it always stopped before the other would fully snap. “I’m sorry- I-” the girl paused. “I just-” she seemed to be a loss of words.
“It’s okay,” the other finally said, “It’s not ugly, by the way. All I was saying is that I’ve never seen you wear matching satin sets like that- I’ve only even seen you go to bed in normal pajama pants and a old tshirt.” She stated, retreating back to her bed. She didn’t say anything a first, just looked at her.
“So it’s not ugly?” She asked again, ignoring everything else her roommate said.
“No.” She stated simply, sitting back in her bed. Galinda’s face showed she didn’t really know if she believed her or not, as she rocked back and forth still contemplating. She checked the time and decided to stay in her outfit and sat down at her vanity, starting to do her make up.
“Are you seriously doing your makeup this late? For your friends?” Elphaba asked, rolling her eyes. This was pathetic, even for Galinda.
“Yes?” She replied, as if that was even a question. “It’s my night makeup.” She continued her routine, humming softly to the music coming out of her phone.
“I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“Well, I can’t be letting people see me like this,” she gestures to her face, “unlike some people.” She adds, and the girl sitting on the bed doesn’t respond for a while.
“Those aren’t just people, they’re your friends.” Elphaba put her book down, “You don’t even let your friends see the real you?’
“I’m sorry, but this,” she motioned a circle around her face, “is not the real me. I will not allow anyone, especially my friends see this! I look terrible without something on my face, why would I want my friends to see me terrible!”
“You don’t look terrible, Galinda, you look like a person. And if you think your friends will judge you for that maybe you need to find some better friends.” Elphaba said, making Galinda stop mid mascara and finally turning to peek at her.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I asked for your opinion.” She smirked and returned to her makeup. Elphaba hadn’t pressed any further. But when her friends did come over the first thing they notices was her outfit. Elphaba could notice the blonde holding her breath as she opened the door. Then ‘your matching set- so cute’ and ‘i can’t believe you match even at night’ and other compliments rang through the room. And she looked satisfied, nodding to Elphaba as her friends completely ignored the girl on the bed and walked over to Galinda’s side of the room.
This was only about a month ago but Elphaba thought about it often. Night makeup. Who in their right mind thinks like that? Now here she is freezing and asleep, no makeup, hair slightly a mess, and not a care in the world. For a moment, she contemplated leaving her like this. She seemed peaceful for once. Not worrying or stressing about her image, not seeking approval, not arguing or picking fights with her- maybe she needed rest. Actual rest. But once she saw the time was 9:30, she figured maybe it’d do more harm than good. Once, she woke up at 6:15, and it completely threw off her day. She was grumpier than usual, tried to ask her normal self to the public but even Elphaba could tell it was an act. If that was 15 minutes, imagine over 3 hours. Maybe she’d just leave the girl alone, allow her to wake up alone, and then she could be frustrated… alone.
“Hey,” she shook her harder this time, deciding to do what she thought was the best choice. “Wake up,” she poked her shoulder, which in return she grunted a little, shaking her shoulder a bit. “Hey!” She said a little louder causeing her to open her eyes.
“What?” She asked groggily, yawning softly before coming to her senses. “What’s going on?” She asked, panic setting in and crossed her face. Great.
“You were still asleep, so I woke you up.” She responds and Galinda shivers a bit, the heater had just turned on so the room was currently still freezing.
“What time is it?” She asked, and the other girl was hesitant to reply.
“Um, 9:30?” She responded, but it came out as more of a question.
“What?!” Her voice raises, “Elphaba! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?!”
“I didn’t know that was my job?” She said, standing up fully and taking a step back.
“Well-” she stops. “Well-” she can’t seem to finish the rest of her thought. Instead she just groans out and Elphaba walks back to her side of the room. I guess her “job” was done.
She layed in bed a little longer, both of them not speaking until Galinda breaks the silence. “Is it snowing outside?” She asks softly, and Elphaba is shocked that 1. Galinda is talking to her and 2. Her voice is soft- softer than she’d ever heard before.
“It is.” She responded back, just as softly as the girl had asked.
“Did you turn the heater on?” She asked, shivering again.
“I did.”
“Oh.” Is all she says. She sat up slightly and tried to look outside from her bed, and when she couldn’t she reluctantly rolled out of her bed. Gently pressing her her hair down with her hands. Elphaba had for sure thought Galinda would run straight into her routine, not be so infactuated by the snow outside. She rolled out of bed with her pink pajama pants and a Shiz University t-shirt that was a size too big for her that it almost reached her knees. She hugged herself for warmth as the heater wasn’t to it’s fullest potential and went to the window. Standing on tip-toe she looked out for a few minutes before she grabbed her slippers and opened the door.
For a girl who hates being cold, she couldn’t understand why she would go outside, in the snow, with no jacket. Elphaba sat in her bed a while longer, contemplating on what to do. Leave the girl freezing? I mean it was her choice. Join her? Maybe she wanted to be alone. Plus, why would she want Elphaba there. Maybe this was her punishment for waking up late? In some masochistic way. Regardless, once it passed 10 minutes she had retreated to her closet, picking the thickest hoodie she owned and walked outside.
“Hey,” she had interrupted the other girls thoughts, who was clearly freezing. Her cheeks flushed red from the cold air, and her lips were slightly dry from the wind. She continued hugging her arms around her tightly as the snow gently fell.
“Oh, h-hi.” She responded, her voice shook from her constant shivering.
“Here, take this.” She handed the smaller girl the thick hoodie who looked at it as if it was the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen.
“I’m o-okay.” She responded, her bottom lip chattering.
“Well then, go inside!” She tells the girl, who looks away. Even Elphaba, who is in fleece pajama pants, a long sleeve tshirt, and a hoodie is freezing. She couldn’t imagine how she felt. But the girl was too stubborn to take the offered hoodie. She knew she should take this as a sign, she doesn’t want her help and she doesn’t want what she had to offer. But above all, Elphaba was an older sister first- and she knew this was the easiest way to get sick and she could not deal with a sick Galinda. She walked back inside, grabbed her white puffer jacket she got for Christmas one year and came back out- maybe this was more her style- not that anyone could see her.
“Here, this better?” She asks, trying to hand her the warm jacket. Galinda barely gave her a full glance- rather a subjectiv side eye. “Do you want to freeze out here or what?” She scoffed, placing the jacket with the warm inside around her shoulders, and pulled it tightly to ensure it wouldn’t fall off. They are both quiet, and her shivering becomes less apparent. And as they stood in silence the older girl broke the silence again.
“Why are you out here?” She asked, and the blonde didn’t respond right away.
“It reminds me of when I was little.” Is all she says.
“I don’t follow.”
“My parents, they um they’d always take me far up north in the winter time and we’d spend all day in the snow.” She said. And as much as the other girl wants to continue to ask her questions- she know’s Galinda was not done yet, and she wanted to give her space to talk. ‘When I turned 13 we stopped going because my parents thought it was a waste of time spending a week off- that they could do other things during that time- better things.”
“What could be better than a vacation?” She scoffed. Elphaba had never been on a family vacation before. In fact she much less had a family to begin with.
“Work.” She says, “Money.” She shrugged.
“You think working is better than a family vacation?” The girl asked, looking around the empty campus and back to the smaller girl who was drowning even more in the white puffer jacket.
“No, I don’t.” She shakes her head, “Never.” It’s silent again. “My parents did though, and I was twelve the last time I saw snow. I didn’t realize it would be my last time, obviously.”
“I’m sorry.” Elphaba finally responded.
“It’s okay, it doesn’t matter anymore.” Galinda whispered back. “I just forgot how much I missed it.” There was a faint smile on her face as the for the first time had looked to slightly taller girl who had been watching the whole time.
“It is very nice, isn’t it?” Elphaba smiled at the girl who nodded. “Maybe it’d be nicer with proper clothing, no?”
“Well, I have a jacket now, don’t I?” She gave a small scoff.
“Wouldn’t you rather have one of your beautiful pink coats from inside?” She had pointed towards the inside of their room, but Galinda had shook her head.
“I think this one is quite fine, actually.” She stated, finally zipping it up properly and putting her hands in the pockets.
“Are you sure?”
“Why, Miss Elphaba, I have stated it was fine more than twice and you still do not believe me.” She looked back to her and winked quickly before looking out. Elphaba was surprised she didn’t even want to put makeup on. Also at the face she was being so nice to her- well actually, both of them were being nice to eachother, for the first time… ever.
“My apologies, I’m not used to you being so kind with me.” She replied, half serious half joking.
“Well don’t get so used to it.” She had nudged her gently.
“What-”
“I’m only kidding.” She interrupted. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Everything. I know living with me is a lot- and you’ve put up with me surprisingly well.” She sniffled her nose a little. Elphaba had nodded, agreeing with what the blonde was saying. “And for some odd reason, I don’t mind you seeing me like this.”
“Like how?”
“Like this. I don’t have to wear night makeup with you.” She looked up to the sky.
“I thought that was why you would wake up so early- so I wouldn't see you without makeup.” Elphaba had admitted.
“Oh. Oh no. That’s just my routine, silly.” She laughed softly. “Even in the midst of our quarles, I have never felt like you’d judge me. In face the opposite, actually.” She thought back to the night Phannee and Shenshen had come over and that was the first time she had ever truly felt judged by Elphaba. But for the wrong reason. Judging her for changing her clothes to impress her friends. Judging her for putting on makeup at night in fear her friends would judge her if she didn’t have any. Of course at the time this had offended Galinda, but all she could think about that night was if she was right. If they were her best friends- they shouldn’t care, but she knew they would. And something about her saying that made Galinda realize that no matter the argument or fight, she never cared about how she looked or her money or anything really- and if she did it was never serious.
“No, I would never judge you.” She smiled. “Maybe judged how loud you are in the morning for such a small girl- but that’s about it.” She joked and Galinda had nodded.
“Yes well, I used to not try to be quiet. But, I’ve tried to be better.” They both stayed quiet. A few minutes passed before the winds had picked up and it got unbearably cold for the both of them now.
“Why don’t we make some tea?” Elphaba had suggested, and Galinda had nodded, following her inside the now warm room.
“Thank you,” Galinda smiled, taking the jacket off and handing it back to the other girl.
“Keep it.” She looked between her and the coat. “It looks better on you anyway.”
“Oh no! I musn’t keep it- it’s yours!” Galinda had always hated taking things from others, even when offered. And although the jacket was very nice and warm, and more her style anyway- she couldn’t.
“Yes, but I have plenty of other coats and jackets.”
“Elphaba, you are talking to the wrong person!” She had laughed out loud. “Have you seen my wardrobe?”
“Perhaps you're right, maybe I’ll keep it in my closet and you can just borrow it whenever you would like?” She suggested the offer to Galinda.
“Are you sure?” She asked, and Elphaba was more than positive. She also knew she was just trying to be nice by not taking the jacket- she could tell she liked it and enjoyed it, but didn’t want to take her clothes even though she had fully offered it to her.
“Positive. I rarely wear it anymore anyways, I don’t think it’s really my style, you know?”
“Oh Oz, Elphaba!” Galinda had screeched, “Give me the jacket” She had reached across and grabbed it from her hands. “It will stay in my wardrobe, because this lovely jacket does not deserve to be stuffed in that closet collecting dust!” She rushed to one of her closets, hanging it up nicely. “Much better, no?”
“I agree.” She smiled, “Now, what kind of tea would you like?”