Chapter 5
Elphaba rolled her eyes as she moved yet another one of Glinda's boxes to the pink girl's side of the room. Every day she would come back to the room, only to find pink encroaching onto her understood the excess of things, Elphaba knew how unexpected her attendance had been. Still, it didn't mean her entire side of the room was a holding space for Glinda's stuff until she could ship it home.
What was worse was how the girl would glare at her every time she walked through the door. It wasn't Elphaba's fault Rain insisted she go to university, nor had she actually expected Ozma to go along with it as they had. She would much rather be at home, bathed in the refracting light of the emerald city.
Instead, she was in a dusty old dorm, fighting with a preppy, silver-spoon type and trying desperately to hold onto her sanity. With a sigh she plopped on her bed, eyes plastered against the ceiling. This feeling, the loathing that swirled around her, created by the glares and auras of Glinda and her crew, it felt like she was a child again. Like she was back in Munchkinland. She felt frustrated, alone.
Taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes, Elphaba let her mind go blank. she focused on the air slowly flowing in and out of her lungs, as Rain had taught her. A meditation technique that allowed her to calm the crashing waves of emotion that often came over her. Notes appeared in her head, and she felt her fingers moving, strumming away at invisible strings. Oz, did she love music, how it calmed her soul. She had been hesitant to take out her Quadling lyre. As soon as her things arrived, she had hidden away from Glinda, from everyone. Music was her sanctuary, and unfortunately that meant she couldn't have it in this awful, shared space. Just as she began to feel herself settle, the door crashed open, Glinda, Pfanee and ShenShen bursting in.
"Can you believe that old goat," Glinda said. "Giving me a C on a preliminary test, and on one that she said wouldn't be graded."
It was a pre-test, Elphaba knew. She had class with Professor Dilia, the goat Professor for the 'history and culture in Oz' class that semester. She started the first class with a test to get a gauge of the history her students were aware of. 'Not graded' meant that it wouldn't reflect on her final letter grade for the semester, not that Professor Dilia wouldn't let them know if they didn't do very well. Otherwise, what was the point of any of it.
"Whatever," Pfannee said, sitting on Glinda's bed as she examined her nails. "We're here for the experience, not the education."
"Yes, but my parents won't exactly let me dance the night away if I don't manage passing grades."
Elphaba already had a headache from the conversation. She didn't begrudge the idea of not wanting to go to university, but the way they spoke of an opportunity so many people would kill for. It was like listening to a starving man beg for food while the people around him complained about the taste of their bread.
Glinda's eyes made her way to the boxes Elphaba had moved so that she could place a desk, dresser, and wardrobe. It had all been dropped off by the school faculty earlier in the day. Glinda had, up to this point, been blissfully ignoring the fact that Elphaba would be given these things, just as she had been. It was easier to act like the space was still, in fact, all hers. She viewed Elphaba as no more than a guest in her space, one she had accidentally agreed to house under the oddest of circumstances.
"I told you to stop touching my stuff!" Glinda huffed. "It's rude, especially after I have been so-"
"Accommodating?" Elphaba finished, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Exactly!"
Elphaba's headache seemed to grow at the sound of Glinda's voice. She sighed, standing up and grabbing her bag off the back of her chair, she made her way to the door, slipping on the black boots which she rarely switched out of, much to Glinda's dismay.
"Hey!" ShenShen yelled. "Glinda is talking to you. Don't you dare just walk away."
Elphaba scoffed.
"Watch me."
Before any of the three could respond, the door was already slammed shut in their faces.
--
It had been like that for the last month. Glinda had tried once or twice to invite Elphaba to lunch, but each time Elphaba had declined, citing some reason, like homework or class at the time. The more she had experienced of the three when they did spend time in the room had only solidified the thought that lunch with the three of them. She had asked Madam Margarette several times if other accommodations had opened, but none seemed to.
Elphaba found herself in the gardens, sitting by the fountains as she read theHistory of the Quadling wars.Elphaba's mother never talked much of it, but her grandfather was from Quadling country. Melena had the ruddy skin so common to the region, as well as the copper red hair, so unlike others of the Thropp line. She had seemingly passed none it down to her children, though that was before Elphaba had managed to 'wash away' the green. Elphaba had a deep affinity for the land, having spent a close to a year there as a child. A country of art and compassion, they always loved the traveling shows from the Clock of the Time Dragon. It made the traveling circus she was part of, if that's what one might call it, feel like it had a place in Oz. Munchkinland and the Gilikin had never been so welcoming. The Vinkus had been where the group spent another large amount of time, and reception, more often than not, depended on the tribe or traveling group they came into contact with.
"Is it a hobby of yours to read morose history books in the garden?"
Elphaba looked up to see another student, wearing the Shiz uniform which was so common yet not actually mandatory. He had strawberry blonde hair and a charming smile. There was an air about him that screamed city boy, and Elphaba was more than willing to bet that he was from the Emerald city. Elphaba's eyes drifted back to her book, but she did bother to reply to the man.
"No but doing my assigned classwork in the garden isn't a particularly rare occurrence."
The man let out a small laugh, which was almost completely eclipsed by a bug buzzing by Elphaba's ear. She let out a sigh as she turned the page. Truly, she did not want to talk to anyone, let alone a stranger. Somehow though, she knew Rain would be disappointed in her actions thus far and would certainly point out that this is what she meant by Elphaba being 'socially stunted' staying in the Emerald city.
"Avaric Tenmeadows," the man said, putting his hand out for Elphaba. "The second."
He had to tilt down to do so and was holding the satchel slung over his shoulder from falling. Such an action should have had the man in a slightly awkward position, but instead he seemed perfectly polished from his words to his smile to his stance.
"Elphaba Moss," she answered, giving her his hand.
Moss was a creation of her own. When she had run from home, she only bothered to keep her first name. Elphaba was common enough, as it was the name of a saint, and one of the last Thropps of Munchkin land before Nipp's family had taken over. When she stayed with her traveling group, no one cared for a last name, and so she hadn't bothered with one. It was only when she settled in the Emerald City that Rain insisted, she take a last name. She had remembered when her lion friend Lox had told her she always reminded him of forest moss. That she was soft, green, and smelled of nature. It seemed as good as a reason for a name as any, so she decided that would be her last name. With that, she cast the name of Thropp into whatever abyss such things went to when they were forgotten.
"I've seen you in. Dr. Lickwit's class. You always seem to have the answer. Some would call you a know-it-all. Not me though"
"Surely not," Elphaba joked back. "I'm sure you prefer the term teacher's pet."
Avaric looked at her for a minute, as if that hadn't quite been the response he was expect. If she was Glinda, she probably would have said something along the lines of "Isn't that kind of you?" or "is that your roundabout way of calling me smart?" Men liked that, didn't they? When woman found charm in their words.
"I would call you studious, dedicated clearly," Avaric answered, making sure to flash his pearly white grin. "Enough so that you've caught my eye. I was thinking we could talk more about Lickwit's class over coffee sometime."
Elphaba looked up. Coffee? He wanted to get coffee with her? Oz, he was asking her on a date. She had done away with the idea of dating long ago. At some point she became accustomed to the idea that someone like her was not suited for such things as marriage and family. Now, the idea of letting someone into her life, of attempting a willingness to create a life around someone else, was not an appealing one.
"I find coffee is something better enjoyed alone," she said rather gently.
"Maybe you just haven't had coffee with the right person yet."
Closing her book, Elphaba stood, packing up her bag, now covered in damp green grass stains. Her dress likely would be too, but wearing black did have its advantages.
"It was kind of you to offer," Elphaba sincerely spoke. "But coffee is coffee, and I find the problem with company is myself, not the other person, whoever they may be."
"That seems awfully lonely."
It was, though Elphaba would never admit such a thing. Instead, she slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed in the direction of the library.
"Have a nice day Avaric," she yelled over her shoulder.
She didn't hear anything back.