Chapter 8
Galinda had returned to classes, but something about her was undeniably different. She still sat with her friends in the lecture halls and at lunch, but the brightness she was known for; her perfectly timed laughs, her sparkling anecdotes, the way she could make even the dullest conversation feel alive, had dimmed. Her friends noticed, though none of them dared ask her about it outright. Even Fiyero had stopped trying, clearly confused by her sudden distance.
She couldn’t blame them for their silence. She wasn’t herself, and she didn’t have the energy to pretend she was.
The courtyard was bustling with students, the crisp winter air filled with chatter and laughter. Galinda sat alone on a stone bench, clutching her notebook but not really reading it. She stared blankly ahead, her thoughts miles away.
“Galinda!” Nessa’s voice broke through the noise as she wheeled herself across the cobblestones, her determined expression a sharp contrast to the casual atmosphere around them.
Galinda sighed inwardly. She wasn’t in the mood for another one of Nessa’s lectures.
“Hello, Nessa,” she said, mustering a polite smile as Nessa came to a stop beside her.
“I was looking for you,” Nessa said, her tone sharp but not unkind. “Boq and I are heading to the Ozdust tonight to watch Elphaba’s band. You’re coming, right?”
Galinda’s stomach clenched. She forced a light laugh. “No, I’m not coming.”
Nessa frowned. “Why not?”
“Because…” Galinda hesitated, then shrugged as though it didn’t matter. “I sent her a letter. I asked her to meet me there, to talk. She didn’t reply, so…I suppose that’s answer enough, isn’t it?”
“You don’t know that she didn’t reply,” Nessa said. “Maybe the letter didn’t reach her.”
“Oh, it reached her,” Galinda said bitterly, closing her notebook. “Elphaba doesn’t seem like the kind of person to ignore a letter unless she means to. If she wanted to see me, she’d have responded.”
Nessa studied her, her gaze piercing. “And you’re just going to give up?”
“I’m not giving up,” Galinda snapped, her voice a little too sharp. Then, softer, she added, “I’m just…accepting it. She doesn’t want to meet. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” Nessa said firmly. “You care about her.”
Galinda let out a short, humourless laugh. “What difference does it make? Clearly, I was wrong about her. She doesn’t care about me, and I’m done embarrassing myself trying to convince her otherwise.”
Nessa tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “You don’t believe that.”
Galinda stood abruptly, brushing imaginary lint from her skirt. “Believe what you like, Nessa. I have to get to class.” She started to walk away, but Nessa’s voice stopped her.
“You’re scared again,” Nessa said. “Just like you were the first time.”
Galinda froze, her back to Nessa. For a moment, she looked as though she might argue, but then she sighed and walked off without another word.
Nessa sat in silence for a long moment, watching Galinda’s retreating figure. She thought about her sister, about the way Elphaba had talked about Galinda in rare, unguarded moments. Nessa might not have always understood her sister, but she knew Elphaba well enough to recognize the walls she put up when she was afraid. And she knew those walls had cost her far too much already.
Her jaw tightened with resolve. If Elphaba wasn’t going to do something about this, then Nessa would. Turning her chair sharply, she made her way across campus, ignoring the chill in the air.
She was going to find her sister tonight and tell her exactly how stupid she was being for ignoring that letter, and for ignoring her chance at happiness.
The streets leading to the Ozdust Ballroom buzzed with life as Nessa wheeled herself through the crowds. The glittering lights above the entrance beckoned, their glow reflecting faintly off the floor. She had hoped Galinda would join her tonight, if only to help nudge her toward mending things with Elphaba. But Galinda’s refusal had been firm, her downcast expression lingering in Nessa’s mind long after their conversation.
As she approached the lounge, she could already hear the hum of voices and the faint, haunting melody of a guitar drifting through the air. Inside, the warm glow of lanterns illuminated a sea of faces, all turned toward the stage. Elphaba was mid-performance, her deep voice carrying over the room like a spell. The audience were enraptured, the chaotic din of conversation stilled by her presence.
Nessa maneuvered her way toward the front, finding a spot where she could see her sister clearly. Elphaba stood at the center of the stage, her eyes moving across the room, as if she were searching for someone. The song was hauntingly beautiful, a tale of loneliness and resilience that seemed to seep into the hearts of everyone listening. Even Nessa, who was used to Elphaba’s guardedness, felt a pang in her chest at the raw vulnerability in her sister’s voice.
When the final note faded, the audience erupted into applause. Elphaba opened her eyes, blinking as though startled by the sound. She gave a small, curt nod of thanks before retreating offstage. Nessa didn’t hesitate. She wheeled herself toward the side of the stage, catching Elphaba just as she disappeared into the wings.
“Elphaba!” Nessa called out.
Elphaba turned, her green face damp with a faint sheen of sweat. She looked surprised to see her sister. “Nessa, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see you,” Nessa said.
Elphaba frowned, crossing her arms. “Well, you’ve seen me. You can go now.” She wasn’t in the mood to see anyone.
Nessa’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t start with me, Elphaba. Don’t take your hurt out on me. I didn’t come here to fight.”
“Then what did you come here for?” Elphaba snapped, though there was no real heat in her voice. She looked exhausted, her shoulders sagging slightly as she leaned against the wall.
Nessa took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I came to ask why you didn’t respond to Galinda’s letter.”
Elphaba blinked, her brow furrowing. “What letter?”
“The one she sent you days ago,” Nessa said, her voice rising slightly. “She told me she wrote to you, asking to talk. She’s been waiting for your response.”
Elphaba stared at her, the confusion on her face genuine. “I haven’t been home all week,” she said slowly. “If she sent a letter, I wouldn’t know.”
Nessa frowned. “You haven’t seen it?” Nessa rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Of course you haven’t. You’ve been hiding in that miserable little library or wherever it is you go.”
“I wasn’t hiding,” Elphaba retorted, though the weak protest only seemed to amuse Nessa.
“Well, whatever you want to call it, you missed her letter. And I think you should do something about it.”
Elphaba’s expression softened slightly, a flicker of guilt crossing her face. “What did it say?”
“I don’t know,” Nessa admitted. “She didn’t tell me. But she’s been miserable, Elphaba. She’s hardly left her room all week. Whatever she wrote, it obviously mattered.”
Elphaba looked away, her jaw tightening. “You spoke to her about what happened between us last week, didn’t you?”
Nessa nodded. “I did. And I told her to stop being afraid and to figure out what she wants. Now I’m telling you the same thing.”
“I’m not afraid,” Elphaba said quickly, though her voice betrayed her. “I just…don’t want to make a fool of myself.”
Nessa gave her a pointed look. “You’re already making a fool of yourself by pretending you don’t care.”
Elphaba glared at her, but there was no real venom in it. She let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her dark hair. “I don’t know what she wants me to do, Nessa. She told me she wanted me, but then she ran away. What am I supposed to think?”
“That she’s scared, just like you are,” Nessa said. “But she’s trying, Elphaba. She sent you that letter. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Elphaba was silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on the floor. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet. “What if I’m not what she thinks I am? What if I let her down?”
Nessa reached out, resting a hand on her sister’s arm. “You won’t,” she said softly. “She sees you, Elphaba. The real you. And she wants that. You just have to let her in.”
Elphaba stared down, her mind racing. The thought of Galinda-perfect, unattainable Galinda-sitting down to write her anything was enough to send her pulse racing. And yet, she couldn’t shake the memory of their last encounter. The anger, the confusion, the vulnerability. The way Galinda had fled after that whispered confession.
“Do you know where she is now?” Elphaba asked suddenly, her voice quiet but urgent.
Nessa raised an eyebrow. “At Shiz, I’d imagine. She’s probably in her dorm. Why?”
“I need to talk to her,” Elphaba said.
Nessa stared at her, startled by the sudden determination in her sister’s tone. “Wait, you want to go now?”
“Yes, now.”
Nessa hesitated, caught off guard by Elphaba’s resolve, but eventually nodded. “Good,” Nessa said, giving her a small smile. “She’s worth it, you know.”
Elphaba gave a small smile, “I know”.