The Compliment
Galinda Upland was a girl of many talents. Her entire life had been spent as a quest to fulfil perfection - the perfect hair, the perfect wardrobe, the perfect poise, manner, posture, attitude and address. As the dutiful daughter that she was, she had of course spent her time trying to play this role with her usual and signature flawlessness, and in all her years of life, she had never yet encountered a problem. Her walls remained high and guarded, her expressions perfectly sculpted to seem as genuine as the earth to all but her - and no one dared to challenge it, allowing her to waltz easily through life as she had become so accustomed to doing.
That was, at least, until she had encountered Elphaba Thropp.
In the predictable and conformative world that Galinda thrived in, Elphaba Thropp stuck out like a sore thumb. Not by her ghastly clothing, which Galinda lamented over every time her eyes had the misfortune of viewing it, and not even by her distinctly recognisable green skin, but simply by her very nature. Elphaba was stubborn, as obstinate as a brick wall, marching through with utter disregard to each and every boundary and carefully crafted social norm that Galinda had spent her entire life studying and adhering to. She had mastered the elusive art of popularity, excelled at the game of acclaim and acceptance, but what matter was any of that when someone such as Elphaba Thropp simply trooped on past, destroying all normality with her definite strides.
The girl seemed to possess a maddening air of confidence and stubbornness at all times, her sharp edges and blunt words puncturing the inflated safety of the precious rules Galinda clung to. She represented the irreconcilable opposite of everything that defined Galinda - and yet, Galinda found herself wrapped up shivering in her bed, with the very girl that was her proclaimed nemesis carefully dabbing at her forehead.
Still in a giddy haze, Galinda let her eyes drift upwards to study Elphaba’s face, even despite the weighty drooping of her eyelids. As Elphaba focused steadfastly on her task, Galinda let her gaze pool over the rigid features of concentration on her face - her eyebrows were knotted tightly together, the hard pupils of her eyes were attentively fixed on her chore, and her nose was slightly scrunched due to the contortion of her face, altogether creating an intense expression that Galinda couldn’t help but consider slightly cute, although she attributed this observation to her somewhat delirious state. Even despite this, Galinda appreciated the endearing qualities of Elphaba’s furrowed brow and pursed lips - it was as though she didn’t know quite how to care for someone, but was determined to try anyway, applying the same resolve that she gave to everything.
Studying her features further, Galinda’s mind began to drift again, considering the ceaseless and tenacious obstacle of Elphaba Thropp. Ever since her arrival at Shiz (and subsequent disruption of Galinda’s perfect plans, she might add), she hadn’t been able to help her strange fascination with the other girl, a feeling that was altogether foreign to her. No other person had ever intrigued her in such a way - it wasn’t that she was self-absorbed, or egoistic, no - she simply just found others to be quite dull and boring. Yet something about Elphaba had captured her attention, most likely her dreadful fashion sense, Galinda mused, ignoring the fact that it was far more likely to be one of the girl’s better qualities. After all, as much as it pained Galinda to admit it, Elphaba Thropp was undoubtedly one of the most intelligent people she’d ever met, along with being unrelenting with her opinions and firm moral compass. As much as Galinda reminded herself how she hated Elphaba’s stubborn nature, part of her couldn’t help but admire it, and how Elphaba stood so strongly even when she was decisively shunned and alone.
Plagued by someone who went against the values that were so deeply ingrained inside her, Galinda had invested an unreasonable amount of time into loathing Elphaba, which had been met with much the same response from her opponent. Any opportunity that arose for name-calling, pranks and torment, she took with vigour, at first relishing in the rise that it successfully drew from Elphaba, even despite the nagging feeling at the back of her mind of subsequent guilt. Yet as time progressed, the satisfaction of her initial cruelty waned, as her guilt persevered in the fight for emotional dominance. Despite her single-minded and seemingly tough exterior, Galinda could tell that the teasing had more of an effect on Elphaba than she let on, yet it still took her an shamefully long time to do anything about it.
Leaving the poor girl stranded in the rain had been a step too far, even for her in the midst of her crazed mocking. Galinda’s efforts had been so solely focused on the duty of achieving perfection, that she had neglected her own resolution to be truly, deeply good - even to such an irritating person as Elphaba Thropp.
Yes, she had told herself, rushing down the staircase with umbrella in hand, she could be civil to the girl, even despite their bubbling loathing of each other. After all, they were roommates, and the next few years at Shiz would undoubtedly go more smoothly if they could keep up even a pretence of toleration.
It was what had drove her to hand over her favourite umbrella, her protection from the rain, to the other girl, and what had caused her to spend a great portion of the night rushing around in the stormy weather in order to locate burn salve - which she begrudgingly admitted may be the cause of her awful predicament now.
But what she hadn’t expected was to be so affected by a simple apology, and exchange of the item. Galinda Upland did not apologise to just anyone - after all, she was hardly ever in the wrong - yet something about being stood there, in a brief reprieve from the rain, huddled close to Elphaba, had allowed the words to spill from her mouth so easily. Even more puzzlingly, when her own hand had grazed Elphaba’s as she tried to confidently place the umbrella in it, her breathing had begun to quicken with their proximity and the gentle touch, a peculiar result that she had not known how to deal with.
The influx of uncanny and unexpected emotions had truly rattled her, and so she of course had naturally responded how any other rational young girl would - by immediately reverting to the easy name-calling and teasing the very next day. But despite how simple it was to let a cruel word slip from her lips, her heart still sank as she watched the flash of disappointment and annoyance that had crossed Elphaba’s face. Feeling regretful, she had retrieved the umbrella from where it had been strewn across the room, placing it neatly by the side of Elphaba’s bed, certain that the girl would need it at some point, and genuine in her offer for Elphaba to keep it. With guilt rising inside her again, Galinda had resolved to locate and talk to her roommate during the day, apologising yet again, and perhaps even setting out some sort of boundaries so they could at last let the loathing rest.
Yet Galinda’s attempt to sit and converse with the girl had been thwarted, and so she was once again forced to resume her place as Elphaba’s adversary. Elphaba, whose only crime she supposed was her perplexing and often infuriating personality. Elphaba, whose stern confidence radiated in every room she walked into, and yet, she still managed to act truly kindly to all (except Galinda, the girl lamented). Elphaba, who was currently still crouched in front of her, her face twisted with concentration, her slender hand gently dabbing her forehead.
Galinda felt something rise in her throat when she considered her callous actions against the care that Elphaba was currently showing her. She felt slightly sick - unrelated to her current predicament - but suppressed the feeling as she followed the girl’s movements with curiosity.
The feverish girl sighed faintly, the sound almost lost beneath her sniffles. She couldn’t quite reconcile the girl before her with the one she had spent so much energy disliking. Elphaba seemed decidedly less harsh in close proximity, an opinion that was furthered by Elphaba’s gentle and caring motions, as if she was truly concerned with Galinda’s wellbeing. The thought made her squirm under the covers.
“I didn’t think you cared about me this much,” she mumbled, the words sliding off her tongue before she had any real time to register them.
At her speech, Elphaba’s hand paused, her complex expression unraveling from its posture of focus as her eyebrow quirked at Galinda’s words, as though trying to decipher if Galinda’s words were a trick or simply a delirious ramble. The blonde-haired girl watched as a multitude of thoughts seemed to race behind the other’s eyes, until she eventually sighed and brought her hand back from hovering over Galinda’s forehead, returning the cloth to the bowl of water. After a long pause, she sighed and wrung out the cloth, her voice flat as she replied.
“Truthfully, I don’t,” she stated bluntly, ringing out the rag over the bowl, “It just seems as though those precious friends of yours have all left, and made you my problem.”
Her eyebrows furrowing together, Galinda wondered why Elphaba’s words stung more than usual tonight. The bite was no more vicious than it regularly was, yet Galinda felt the corner of her mouth tugging downwards.
“That’s not very kind,” she muttered, before cursing herself. This was silly, she chastised, I’m probably just feeling more sensitive because of this dastardly cold.
Elphaba scoffed, a dry laugh caught in her throat as she fixed Galinda with a dubious look. “Really, Miss Upland, have you come to expect kindness in this relationship?”
Galinda felt her cheeks flush red at the blunt accuracy, as she lay in silence, the pressure in her head derailing any possibility of a coherent retort. She hummed lightly, unsure of what to say next in the unpleasant chasm between them. Glancing down at Elphaba, who was still staring fixedly down at the cloth that was definitely rung out by now, Galinda considered the situation.
“My hair must look a mess,” she murmured.
By Elphaba’s scowl, this was clearly not the right thing to say to bridge the tension, yet she still continued, unable to retain the proper control over her thinking and speech with her fever ever on the rise.
“I must look truly laughable. I hate this.”
Elphaba rose from her knees, gathering up the bowl and rag in her arms as she stood, peering down at Galinda with a disbelieving expression plastered on her face.
“You’re practically immobilised in bed, with a raging fever, and you hate it because you’re worried about the state of your hair?”
Shaking her head, Galinda fretted on the bed, her limbs feeling uncharacteristically heavy as she struggled to find comfort. “No! Well, yes..but, I just- I hate being a burden.”
The last sentence slipped out unbidden as Galinda expelled a troubled sigh, finally stilling her arms and legs as she noted that Elphaba’s expression had morphed into something slightly softer, slightly more understanding, yet she did not reply to Galinda’s confession. Instead, Elphaba walked towards their shared bathroom, depositing the items in her hands there, before slowly approaching Galinda’s bed once more. Still, she said nothing, but simply adjusted the covers, before placing a delicate hand on Galinda’s shoulder in order to help her move, the touch light, hesitant but undoubtedly there. With an intake of breath, the fever-ridden girl tried to ignore the way her chest tightened at the contact - merely a side effect of the cold of course - as she shifted upright with Elphaba’s help, before settling under the puffed up and grandiose duvets of her bed.
“I probably look ridiculous,” she muttered again, unable to keep quiet.
Elphaba’s lips twitched, as if hinting at a smile, before dropping downwards into a comfortable neutral expression. “You always look ridiculous,” she said dryly, her voice low and barely there, as she tucked the duvet more securely around Galinda. Yet despite the minimal volume, and mocking nature, Elphaba’s tone sounded lighter somehow to Galinda’s ears - less guarded - which caused an unusually strange lightness to in turn soar briefly through Galinda’s chest.
Observing Elphaba’s gentle nature, Galinda’s eyes unknowingly traced the intricate details of Elphaba’s skin that had gone previously unnoticed, but now seemed evident due to their close proximity. Slightly darker glinting emerald freckles adorned Elphaba’s cheeks, marbling her skin, and Galinda noted that deep within the irises of her eyes, a few golden streaks could be spotted, glimmering amongst the sea of green. And really, it was simply unfair that Elphaba’s appearance seemed so perfect when she clearly put no effort into it.
But in reality, Galinda’s attention was most drawn to her caregiver’s hair. She had never before seen Elphaba with her hair down, and, like most things about the girl, it stole her immediate attention. Fascinated, Galinda’s gaze traced the spools of dark braids that tousled freely over Elphaba’s shoulder; the hair in fact reflected its owner - unrestrained, uncontrollable and yet still somehow uniquely beautiful.
As Elphaba fretted with the corners of Galinda’s duvet, making sure she was tucked in despite her annoyed hesitance at the task, the other girl stifled a cough and sniffled, rolling over onto her side to continue appreciating Elphaba’s tresses of brown hair. Perforating the silence with another sniffle and yawn, Galinda once again let dangerous words slip which would never usually have left her tongue if she weren’t in such an unfettered state.
“Your hair looks really good like that, Elphie.”
The compliment rolled out of her mouth like a bulldozer before she could stop it, as did the strangely pleasant nickname, destroying the carefully structured balance between them as Elphaba halted almost completely in her tracks, stiffening in response to the unexpected words.
If she had been more aware of what had slipped from her mouth, if she had in any way registered the effect it had on her roommate, Galinda would have undoubtedly taken it back, immediately backtracking to preserve whatever normalcy was left. But her eyes were drooping, her head pounding, and Galinda currently had no inclination of what she had said, instead being pulled down by the weariness of sleep, a sore and desperately needed comfort after the torment of her illness.
Before unconsciousness finally claimed her, Galinda could only remember the faint ghosting touch of Elphaba’s fingers over her forehead, then gingerly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, as a low warm voice instructed her, “You should sleep.”