Chapter 12
The sharp knock at Galinda’s door startled her from a light doze, the remnants of Elphaba’s presence still lingering in her thoughts. She blinked groggily, rubbing her eyes, and before she could say anything, Pfanee and Shen Shen stormed in. Their faces were a mix of disbelief and disgust, eyes wide with gossip-starved horror.
“Galinda!” Pfanee practically shouted, his voice trembling with a combination of shock and concern. “Is it true?”
Galinda sat up in bed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, already suspecting what they were referring to. “What’s true?” she asked, her voice calm but with an undercurrent of growing amusement.
Shen Shen didn’t even try to mask her disgust. “Everyone is talking about it, Galinda. They saw you with her last night. Kissing her! Of all people…her!” She gestured as though even speaking Elphaba’s name was an affront to the very air they breathed.
Galinda’s smile remained steady as she leaned back against her pillows, not the least bit flustered. “Yes, I kissed her. And for the record, I’m dating her.” She said it simply, without hesitation, her gaze steady as she watched their reactions unfold.
Pfanee’s face contorted in horror, his eyes widening in disbelief. “You’re dating her?” he repeated, as though he couldn’t quite process the words. “Galinda, that’s… that’s discustifying!”
Shen Shen stepped forward, her arms crossed in judgment. “You’re… dating her?” She couldn’t even keep the repulsion out of her voice, her eyes darting around as if the very idea of Elphaba being with Galinda was somehow offensive to everything they knew. “The green girl?”
Galinda’s smile didn’t falter. She stood up slowly, brushing the sheets from her legs, and looked them both squarely in the eye. “Yes, the green girl. Elphaba.” Her voice was steady but had an undeniable edge to it now. “And I’m proud to be with her.”
Shen Shen recoiled, shaking her head as if she couldn’t process it. “But… Galinda, she’s…she’s not like us! She’s not even remotely like you. How could you possibly—?”
“Shen Shen,” Galinda interrupted, her voice still calm but ice-cold, “your narrow view of the world is exactly what’s discustifying. Elphaba is kind, brilliant, and doesn’t care about all the shallow things you and the rest of this school obsess over. I’m dating her because I want to.” Her eyes bored into them, her words sharp and cutting. “Not because you or anyone else thinks it’s appropriate.”
Pfanee blinked, looking like he was physically struggling to wrap his mind around the situation. “But…Galinda, she’s…she’s different. People are going to talk, they’re going to think…”
Galinda tilted her head slightly, her expression shifting to one of icy calm. “Let them talk. Honestly, I could not care less. You can’t control other people’s opinions. And frankly, I’m not interested in listening to your judgment, either. If you’re going to stand there and tell me that I’m making some horrendible mistake, you’re wasting your time.” Her voice softened, but there was no mistaking the finality in her words. “What I have with Elphaba is none of your business.”
Shen Shen’s face was flushed with a mixture of anger and bewilderment, but Galinda didn’t flinch.
“Fine,” Shen Shen snapped, throwing her hands up in frustration. “But I still don’t get it. It just… it just doesn’t make sense. How could you choose her? Why her?”
Galinda’s gaze sharpened, her tone becoming steely. “Because, Shen Shen, I choose who I date, and who I spend my time with. Elphaba makes me feel alive in a way none of you ever could. And if that bothers you, well, that’s your problem. Not mine.”
The silence that followed hung heavy in the room. Pfanee and Shen Shen exchanged a quick look, both clearly unsettled by her words, but neither of them seemed ready to back down from their judgment. Finally, after a long pause, Pfanee gave a quick, dismissive shake of his head.
“I just… I don’t understand it,” he muttered, backing away. “But if you’re happy, Galinda…” His voice trailed off, unable to fully mask his distaste.
Shen Shen didn’t say anything more. With one last look of incredulity, she turned and followed Pfanee out of the room, their whispered conversation growing faint as they retreated.
Galinda stood there for a moment, her heart racing, but she couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at her lips. They could be horrified. They could gossip. But she didn’t need their approval.
She had made her choice. And there was no going back. Elphaba was worth every bit of scrutiny, every harsh word.
The whispers had already started by the time she left her room for the day. As Galinda made her way through the halls of Shiz, she couldn’t help but overhear snippets of conversations that made her feel like she was on display. The students weren’t even trying to be subtle anymore.
“Did you hear? Galinda’s with her. The green girl. They kissed last night.”
“I heard she’s dating her, actually. I mean, who would have thought? Galinda, of all people… with her.”
“She’s practically too pretty for that. I don’t get it. They couldn’t be more different.”
“I’ve heard that she’s contagious.”
Galinda’s steps faltered for a brief moment, her hand instinctively gripping the strap of her bag tighter. She could feel the weight of the comments pressing down on her, and despite her earlier resolve, a deep knot formed in her stomach. It wasn’t just the gossip, it was the way everyone seemed to think they had the right to pass judgment on something so personal, something that felt so right to her. She pushed through the discomfort, her chin high and her expression steady, but inside, she wasn’t as certain.
This continued for the rest of the day and by the time lunch came around on the second day, Galinda had had enough. She barely even noticed the hustle and bustle of the dining hall. The chatter and laughter of her peers only made her feel more isolated. When she sat down at the table, she barely acknowledged anyone around her. She didn’t even touch her food, instead pushing it listlessly around her plate as if the movements could somehow keep her mind occupied.
Every glance from a passing student felt like it was laced with judgment. Every whispered word sent a prickling sensation down her spine. She could feel their eyes on her…on them. On her and Elphaba. The idea of someone feeling disgusted by them, by their kiss, by their relationship, gnawed at her more than she cared to admit.
Her stomach twisted at the thought.
After a while, Nessa and Boq arrived, their trays clattering against the table as they sat down. Nessa immediately noticed how Galinda hadn’t even touched her food.
“Galinda?” Nessa asked, her voice softer than usual, full of concern. “Are you okay?”
Galinda gave a small, forced smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked down at her plate, trying to focus on the food that had become almost meaningless to her. The clatter of silverware around her, the hum of voices in the background, it all seemed so distant.
“I’m fine,” Galinda lied, her voice a little too high-pitched to sound convincing.
Nessa, ever perceptive, didn’t buy it. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “I’ve heard what people are saying. About you. About Elphaba.” She hesitated, watching Galinda’s reaction carefully. “Are you… are you okay? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but I just wanted to check. It’s been hard, I imagine.”
Galinda swallowed, her chest tightening as Nessa’s words settled in. The truth was, she hadn’t been okay, not really. She’d tried to shake it off, tried to convince herself that she didn’t care about the whispers, but hearing them made it feel even worse. The rumors weren’t just faceless voices anymore, they were becoming real, people who she had to face every day.
“It’s just… it’s just hard,” Galinda finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She pressed her lips together, fighting the lump in her throat. “I know I’m supposed to be strong, but…Oz, Nessa, they’re everywhere. I can’t even walk through the hall without hearing their whispers, their looks. I hate it. It’s… it’s so cruel.”
Nessa’s brow furrowed in sympathy, and for the first time in a long while, she reached out and gently placed her hand on Galinda’s. “I’m so sorry. I know it must be difficult. But you know, those people…they’re not the ones who matter. You have every right to be with whoever makes you happy. And that’s Elphaba, right?”
Galinda nodded, her eyes flickering with a brief but unmistakable glint of sadness. “She really does.” Her voice cracked slightly, and she quickly swallowed, trying to regain composure. “But I don’t know how much longer I can stand the awful things they are saying about her. I don’t care what they say about me, but she doesn’t deserve those terrible things being said about her.”
Boq, who had been quietly eating his lunch, set his fork down and looked at Galinda with an uncharacteristic seriousness. “Galinda, don’t let them get to you. I know it’s hard, but if they don’t like it, that’s their problem, not yours. They can talk all they want, but what matters is you and Elphaba.” He paused, his tone softening. “You deserve to be happy, even if they can’t see it.”
Nessa gave a small nod, squeezing Galinda’s hand. “You’ve always been someone who shines, Galinda. No matter what they say, don’t let it dim your light. Not for anyone.”
Galinda’s breath caught in her throat as she felt the warmth of their support. She forced a smile, though it still felt fragile.
“Thanks,” she whispered. “I guess I needed to hear that.”
Their words gave her a fleeting sense of calm. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and nodded. Yes, she could handle this. She had faced challenges before, though none quite like this, and she wasn’t about to let a bunch of judgmental peers dictate her life.
But just as that sense of calm began to settle over her, she caught a snippet of conversation from the next table.
“I bet Galinda could tell us if she’s green everywhere,” a male voice sneered, followed by a round of muffled laughter.
Galinda froze, her fork clattering onto her plate. The knot in her stomach twisted into something else entirely, an unmistakable surge of anger. For a moment, she stayed still, willing herself to stay composed, but when the laughter continued, something inside her snapped.
She stood abruptly, the scrape of her chair against the floor cutting through the din of the dining hall. The sound brought the entire room’s attention to her in an instant. A hundred pairs of eyes turned her way, the whispers dying mid-sentence as Galinda’s presence commanded the room.
Oz, this is ridiculous, she thought. Enough was enough.
“Excuse me,” she began, her voice ringing out, clear and sharp, like the chime of a bell. “I think it’s time we put an end to this nonsense.”
The room fell eerily silent. Galinda straightened her posture, slipping into the confident, in-charge persona she had perfected over years of social mastery. Her piercing gaze swept over the room, settling on the table where the offending comment had been made. The group of students there shrank under her icy stare.
“Yes, it’s true,” Galinda continued, her voice unwavering. “I am dating Elphaba. Yes, she’s a girl. And yes, I know that’s unexpected for someone like me. But let me make one thing absolutely clear: I am happy. She makes me happy. And frankly, what I do, or who I’m with, is none of your business.”
A ripple of murmurs began to spread, but Galinda raised her hand, silencing them instantly.
“And another thing,” she said, her tone hardening. “The way you talk about her? About us? It’s cruel. It’s childish. And it will stop, effective immediately.” Her eyes darted back to the table where the crude joke had been made. “If I hear one more disrespectful or disgusting comment about her, or about me, you will wish you had never enrolled at Shiz.”
Her words hung heavy in the air, the weight of her anger palpable. The students exchanged wide-eyed glances, clearly taken aback by her ferocity. This was not the Galinda they knew; the perfectly poised, socially untouchable Galinda. This was someone else entirely. Someone they wouldn’t dare cross.
Galinda took a deep breath, her voice softening but losing none of its intensity. “Elphaba is more than the labels you slap on her. She’s brilliant, compassionate, and brave in ways you could only hope to be. If you can’t see that, then I feel sorry for you. But I will not stand by and let you tear her down because of your ignorance.”
The room was so silent she could hear the faint clink of a spoon hitting a plate somewhere in the distance.
“Let me say it one last time,” Galinda finished, her gaze sweeping the hall. “This ends now. Talk about me all you want, I can take it. But if I hear another cruel word about her, I will make your lives a living hell. Do I make myself clear?”
The silence stretched on for a moment longer before a few hesitant nods began to ripple through the room. No one dared speak.
Satisfied, Galinda gave one last glare at the offending table before picking up her tray. She walked with measured grace, head held high, and exited the dining hall without a backward glance.
The second she stepped into the corridor, her chest heaved with a mixture of adrenaline and residual anger. Her heart pounded in her ears, but as the cool air of the hall washed over her, she felt a flicker of relief. For the first time in days, she felt like she had control again.
They would talk, yes. They would always talk. But from now on, they would know there were consequences for crossing her and Elphaba.
For the first time in what felt like forever, she smiled to herself. She had faced the storm head-on, and she had won.
Elphaba was worth it. Every word. Every stare. Every fight.