for i want to understand
[name] had always been someone who thrived in social situations. She could talk to anyone, charm even the most reticent person, and navigate any conversation with ease. But today? Today, she was completely out of her depth. A feeling that had slowly grown over time now churned in her chest, refusing to be ignored any longer.
Her thoughts were consumed by someone who seemed impossibly far away. Someone whose name sent a thrill through her, both electrifying and terrifying.
Elphaba Thropp.
The green girl. The girl who defied the very idea of beauty. She had skin as green as the deepest forest, and a reputation that whispered through the halls of Shiz like a storm. Elphaba’s very presence was overwhelming—her defiance of expectations, her intense gaze, her complex mind. To [name], Elphaba was beautiful, though she'd never say it aloud. It wasn’t just about her looks—it was the fire within her, the sharpness of her words, the strength that radiated from every fiber of her being.
[name] couldn’t help herself. She was drawn to Elphaba in a way she couldn’t explain. And yet, Elphaba was untouchable. Elusive. Hard to reach, even harder to understand. So, in a moment of desperation, [name] did something she felt she could regret: she sought out Elphaba’s sister.
Nessarose Thropp.
To most, Nessa was simply Elphaba’s sister, a figure whose wheelchair-bound presence seemed to overshadow everything else. But [name] thought that maybe, just maybe, Nessa could provide some glimpse into the enigma that was Elphaba. Surely, Nessa would know her better than anyone.
[name] spent hours walking the campus, hoping for the slightest sign of Nessa. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, she was ready to give up. But just as the last traces of daylight vanished, there she was—Nessarose, alone in the library, packing up her things.
This was it. Her chance.
With a rush of excitement, [name] quickened her pace, her footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. “Hi! Nessa, right? Your sister’s... Elphaba, the green girl?”
Nessarose glanced up from her bag, her brow furrowing, suspicion creeping into her gaze. “Yeah…?” she said slowly, her tone guarded. “And what’s it to you?”
[name] hesitated, her heart hammering. She couldn’t let her nervousness show. “Oh, no reason! I’ve just... been curious, you know? About her. She’s... well, she’s very... interesting. Intriguing. I don’t know the word for it.”
Nessa gave her an almost imperceptible glance, her lips pressing together. Before she could respond, a voice, cold and calculated, sliced through the air from behind them.
“Interesting, is it?”
Both [name] and Nessa froze, turning toward the voice. There, standing as though she’d materialized from the shadows, was Elphaba herself. Tall, imposing, with her signature green skin glowing faintly in the dim light. She looked at them both with an unreadable expression, but there was no mistaking the sharpness in her eyes.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Elphaba said, her tone low and careful. She stepped closer, the air around her thick with intensity. It was clear she’d heard every word, and she wasn’t sure whether to be intrigued or offended.
[name]’s pulse raced. This was the moment she’d been imagining for so long. But now that Elphaba was right in front of her, she felt completely unprepared. She’d built this up in her head, but in reality? She was a tangled mess of nerves.
The silence stretched between them. Nessa shifted uncomfortably, but didn’t speak, her eyes darting between Elphaba and [name] with quiet curiosity.
Elphaba’s gaze lingered on [name], as if she were analyzing her, deciding what to make of her. “Curious, you say?” The words came out almost like a challenge, and there was an edge of something unreadable beneath her voice.
[name] swallowed hard. She had to say something. She couldn't back out now. “I just... I don’t know. You seem… different from what people say. I just wanted to understand more about you,” she said, the words tumbling out in a rush.
There was a pause. Elphaba’s lips curled ever so slightly, but her eyes remained sharp, studying [name] like a puzzle she had yet to solve. “People say a lot of things about me,” Elphaba replied, her voice flat. “I suggest you be careful which ones you choose to believe.”
Before [name] could respond, Nessa’s voice broke through the tension like a ray of light.
“Elphaba, don’t be so hard on her,” she said, her tone soft but firm. “She’s not like the others. I can tell.”
Elphaba glanced at her sister, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face, before returning her gaze to [name]. For a long moment, she seemed to be weighing her options. And then, with a barely noticeable tilt of her head, she spoke again, her voice softer this time—but still holding that edge.
“You really are curious, aren’t you?” Elphaba said, almost as if she were talking to herself. “Curiosity can be dangerous.”
[name] felt her stomach lurch. “I didn’t mean to intrude,” she said quickly, voice quieter now, unsure whether she had overstepped. “I just—“
But Elphaba raised a hand, cutting her off. “No need to apologize,” she said, her lips curling into a faint smile. “You haven’t intruded... not yet.”
[name] blinked, her heart skipping a beat. Elphaba’s words were loaded, and there was something... almost playful beneath the cool exterior.
Nessa, sensing the shift in the conversation, gave [name] a small, almost imperceptible nod. “Don’t worry. She doesn’t bite... unless you really annoy her.”
Elphaba shot her sister a quick, half-exasperated look, but there was no malice in it. Only an oddly affectionate exasperation that made [name] smile softly at their clear closeness.
Gathering her courage, [name] took a deep breath. “Would you mind if I walked with you? For a bit?” she asked, suddenly feeling braver in the presence of the woman she had spent so long obsessing over.
Elphaba looked at her, her expression unreadable. For a moment, it seemed like she might refuse. But then, with a slight nod, she said, “Fine. But don’t expect me to be your tour guide. I’m not in the mood for small talk.”
And with that, they began walking together. The silence between them was thick, but oddly comfortable. Nessa trailed behind them, almost as if giving them space, but watching closely.
The last rays of daylight slipped away, leaving the campus bathed in the soft glow of lamplights. [name] could hardly contain the excitement bubbling up inside her. She was walking beside Elphaba. The Elphaba she’s been silently admiring. The one whose very existence seemed to challenge everything society had ever taught her.
The silence stretched between them, but it was Elphaba who finally broke it. “You’re a fool to think people can change what they believe,” Elphaba said, her voice distant, almost lost in thought. “They’ll never stop seeing me the way they do.”
[name]’s heart clenched. She had seen the bitterness in Elphaba’s eyes. The weight of the world seemed to rest on her shoulders, and yet she bore it with such resilience.
“I don’t believe you to be bad, like many have said,” she starts softly, her flush not clear in the moonlight that has started to embrace them. “You just seem pleasantly unique… it’s admirable, your strength.”
Elphaba stopped walking, just for a moment. The air between them was heavy with something unspoken. [name] wasn’t sure if Elphaba would brush her words aside or dismiss them altogether. But instead, Elphaba met her eyes, her gaze almost softer than usual.
“You really are different,” Elphaba murmured, almost too quietly for [name] to hear. “And maybe that’s... why our paths haven’t crossed in all this time. Don’t think that I will make whatever we may come to an easy voyage.”
[name] swallowed, feeling a mix of exhilaration and fear. But there was something in Elphaba’s tone that made her feel—just for a moment—that this strange connection between them could become something more.
But for now, Elphaba didn’t speak any further. She simply turned and walked ahead, leaving [name] to follow in her wake, her mind spinning with the possibilities of what this encounter could mean.
As they walked into the darkening night, [name] knew one thing for sure: this was just the beginning. And whatever came next—however complicated, however dangerous—was worth every second.