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Chapter Text

Valentine’s Day at Shiz was something to behold. Elphaba emerged from her dormitory that morning to find herself in a pink hallway. Everything was pink: the walls, the floors and furniture, even the windowpanes.

I feel like I’ve stuck my head in one of Galinda’s dresses, she thought.

She then considered the literal connotations of that thought, and blushed.

Walking on, she heard a grinding sound. She turned just in time to see a mechanical hot air balloon, piloted by a little tin cupid, barrelling through the air toward her. She gasped and ducked just in time to avoid it colliding with her face. With one hand on her heaving chest, she watched it disappear around the corner.

‘What in Oz’s name was that?’ she muttered.

She thought about chasing after it, but breakfast was almost over, and she was starving.

The dining hall was decorated for Valentine’s Day too, and it was beautiful. Sparkling cut-out cupids hung from the overhead arches, and pink sunlight spilled across the floor. Most beautiful of all, enchanted cumulus clouds clung to the ceiling (Madame Morrible’s weather magic, no doubt). From the clouds, thousands of pink paper hearts fell like snow, only to melt and disappear on the floor. Elphaba caught one in mid-air; it didn’t disappear in her palm. She studied the little pink heart against the greenness of her hand and smiled to herself, remembering what Galinda had said to her the morning after the Ozdust Ballroom: Pink goes good with green.

Experimentally, she let the paper heart flutter to the ground. It vanished.

Galinda was already seated at their table. ‘Elphie!’ she called, waving her over with such enthusiasm, she almost hit Pfannee in the face. ‘Over here!’

Elphaba laughed softly. Over here, like they didn’t sit there every day. She loaded her tray with eggs and toast, then crossed the dining hall and joined Galinda, ShenShen and Pfannee at the table.

‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’ Galinda trilled. ‘Isn’t Shiz oh-so-pretty in pink?’

‘Yes,’ Elphaba said. Just like you, was what she wanted to add but of course, she didn’t. She looked down at her food, her face warm.

She wasn’t sure how to interpret this growing feeling. It'd been gaining power with every passing day. It was strongest when Galinda was just going about her business, unaware that Elphaba was watching. She was so beautiful and (unintentionally) funny, with her movements that swung between graceful and erratic as she powdered her face; as she laboriously picked out the perfect pair of shoes; as she penned long and elaborate letters to her parents back home, her tongue stuck between her teeth in concentration. She always pulled her pen back with a flourish when she completed a sentence. Elphaba would watch fondly from her bed, her heart fit to burst with …

Affection?

Love?

No, it was affection. Simply platonic affection. That’s all it was.

Galinda grabbed her arm, and goosebumps erupted along her skin. She was glad she was wearing long sleeves. ‘Elphie! Did you hear me?’

'Huh?' she said, blinking as if broken from a trance.

‘I said, don’t you think the clouds are just splenderific?’

‘Oh, yes,’ she agreed, looking up at them. Above the table, the hearts disappeared in mid-air as if melting atop an invisible ceiling. ‘It really is incredible magic.’

‘And soon I’ll be in the sorcery seminar with you and Madame Morrible!’ Galinda said, stomping her heels excitedly on the floor. ‘Maybe I can make clouds like these one day.’

Elphaba dipped her head and smiled. ‘I’m sure you will.’

Galinda checked her watch and gasped. ‘Speaking of – I have to go!’ she said, throwing down her napkin. ‘I’m meeting with Madame Morrible to talk about her expectations for the seminar.’

‘Oh, okay,’ Elphaba said, her heart sinking. She didn’t like spending time alone with ShenShen and Pfannee. They were being nice to her now, but only because they were following the crowd. Their bullying was still fresh in her mind and, unlike Galinda, they’d never apologised.

‘Wish me luck!’

Galinda blew them all a kiss before frolicking from the dining hall. Elphaba glanced at ShenShen and Pfannee, hoping they might leave too. But they looked pretty comfortable.

Pfannee gripped ShenShen’s forearm, a mad glint in his eye. ‘Who do you think will get balloons today?’

‘Galinda will get a thousand, of course,’ ShenShen replied. ‘That’s probably why she scheduled her meeting with Madame Morrible for this morning. She was worried they’d all fly in here and crush her to death!’

They both giggled as Elphaba watched on with reluctant curiosity.

‘There are more balloons?’ she asked. ‘I saw one out in the hall. What are they for?’

‘You don’t know about Shiz’s Valentine’s balloons?’ Pfannee asked, looking scandalised. ‘They’re iconic!’

‘Iconic,’ ShenShen agreed, nodding.

‘I didn’t hear too much about the ins and outs of Shiz before I came.’

Nor did she bother reading about it. She’d never in her wildest dreams thought she’d ever be enrolled.

‘The balloons carry valentines to people;’ Pfannee explained, ‘cards, gifts, flowers. Some of the most powerful couples in Oz began their relationships because of Shiz’s Valentine’s balloons. Lord and Lady Ottokos; Lord and Lady Nipp; some say even Princess Ozma …’

‘But that’s just a rumour,’ ShenShen interjected, her eyes darting around the room. It wasn’t wise to speak about those who the Wizard had overthrown.

‘Well, anyway,’ Pfannee said, unconcerned, ‘you can go to Miss Coddle to book a balloon. It’d be too late to get one for this morning, but you have two more opportunities. I don’t think they can find their way into all different rooms, so they deliver at mealtimes.’

‘There’s nobody I’d want to send a valentine to,’ Elphaba said, trying not to think of Galinda. Then, what Pfannee said fully registered. ‘Wait, mealtimes? Does that mean—?’

Her question was answered before it was asked when the sound of tinny music and mechanical whirling filled the dining hall. It grew louder, louder, louder, until a swarm of balloons burst into the dining hall like locusts. Elphaba ducked, covering her head.

‘They won’t hurt you,’ ShenShen laughed. ‘They’re enchanted to find their way.’

‘One nearly hit me in the head in the hall earlier!’ she said, peeking up through her arms.

‘Hmm.’ ShenShen looked her up and down. ‘Maybe they can’t see you because you’re green.’

The balloons zipped around the dining hall, all of them playing a music-box style tune in perfect unison. Students squealed in delight as valentines were delivered into their hands. After a while, Elphaba sat up straight. These balloons seemed safe enough. The one in the hall must have been broken. Soon, she was relaxed enough to continue her breakfast, reading a book over her plate while Pfannee and ShenShen were distracted by the ruckus, both keeping watch for any balloon that might be heading their way. Elphaba didn’t bother; she knew she wouldn’t get a valentine. To her, that was a given.

But then ShenShen screamed.

‘What?’ Her magic broke free of its constraints, causing her tray to lift about five inches from the table before landing again with a bang, spraying egg yolk all over her vest. She ignored this, looking around for some sign of trouble.

But ShenShen didn’t look frightened. She looked excited, her eyes trained on a spot just above them.

Elphaba heard a little voice: ‘Ahem.’

She slowly looked up to see a hot air balloon floating before her. The little tin cupid seated on it cleared its throat again. ‘Ahem.’

A sealed envelope was sticking out of a slot in the balloon’s basket. It was addressed, in swirling handwriting, to Miss Elphaba Thropp.

She stared. Flabbergasted didn’t begin to describe how she felt. She was struck silent, entirely confusified and a little bit frightened.

‘Ahem!’ the cupid coughed, more pointedly than ever.

‘Take it!’ Pfannee and ShenShen said.

With a trembling hand, Elphaba took the envelope from the hot air balloon, and it immediately zipped away to deliver a valentine to somebody else. She stared down at the envelope, her lips parted. She was so shocked that it didn’t even occur to her to open it until Pfannee reminded her.

‘So?’ he exclaimed. ‘What does it say? Who’s it from?’

Elphaba tore open the envelope. A very familiar scent wafted over her as she pulled out the letter. Pfannee and ShenShen leaned in their chairs in perfect unison, trying to get a better look. Elphaba gave them a side-eye before slowly turning on the bench so her back was to them.

She had to read the letter twice before she could process what it said:

Dearest Elphaba,

How I long to tell you the secret love and passion I feel for you. To see you walk through the halls of Shiz in all your power and beauty takes my breath away.

I fear you can never feel the same way about me, so I keep all this to myself.

My love, I hope you have the most splenderific Valentine’s Day. And know always that you are perfect in my eyes.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer.

Elphaba read the letter a third time, her heartbeat hammering in her throat. Suddenly, she became aware that it was quite silent in the dining hall. She looked up.

Almost everybody was staring at her.

Some people looked curious, some excited. Others looked incredulous that anybody would send a valentine to the green girl. When they all saw her looking, a low murmur broke out in the dining hall.

‘Who’s it from?’ ShenShen demanded.

A group of girls from the neighbouring table were coming over now, a look of gleeful curiosity on their faces. Elphaba felt like cornered prey.

‘I have to go,’ she said breathlessly, swinging her legs around on the bench and leaping to her feet. She fled from the dining hall, and a cacophony of discussion broke out as she left.

Elphaba didn’t want to go back to her dormitory in case Galinda came in. She hid in a spiral staircase, the one with the broken steps at the top – hardly anybody used them. She opened the letter and read those sweet words again. Pressing her nose to the paper, she breathed in that familiar smell of roses, and the suspicion she’d had in the dining hall was confirmed. It was unmistakable.

This was Galinda’s perfume. And the handwriting, the slanted cursive with little hearts over the i’s, was Galinda’s handwriting. It was written in pink ink, for Oz’s sake.

Was Galinda messing with her? Her heart sank at the idea of her friend only pretending to like her, playing the long-game for some elaborate prank. Just setting her up to knock her back down. What if all of it was fake?

No …

No. Elphaba remembered that night in the Ozdust Ballroom. When she closed her eyes, she saw it as clearly as if she were there again. She remembered the look on Galinda’s face as they danced. That was real. She remembered how Galinda had wiped her tears away, how she pulled her close and held her. That was real, too.

What they had was real.

And if so … what was this love confession? She had no doubt it was from Galinda. It was almost laughably obvious. Perhaps the girl’s oblivious confidence had gotten the best of her. Perhaps she thought she’d hidden her identity well.

But she hadn’t. And Elphaba had no idea where to go from here.

*

Elphaba had no more classes until after lunch, so she wandered around Shiz’s grounds for a while before finally giving up and going back to her dormitory. She would have opted for the library, only every time she stayed stationary for longer than ten seconds a student would approach to ask her about the letter. It appeared the entire school knew about it, even the people who weren’t in the breakfast hall that morning.

She wondered if anybody had taken the gossip back to Galinda yet. She wondered what she would say to them in response.

Elphaba got a solid half-hour of reading done in the dorm before Galinda burst through the doors holding her training wand.

‘I had the most productive meeting with Madame Morrible!’ she said, slipping her coat off with a flourish. ‘She said I can start Sorcery Studies next week. She still doesn’t have faith in me … but I’ll prove her wrong! Just you wait and see.’

‘That’s great,’ she replied, briefly smiling up at her from the book.

‘And I’ll be in the seminars with you from now on!’ Galinda pushed, sitting on Elphaba’s bed with a little bounce. ‘It’ll be good to have me there, won’t it?’

Elphaba glanced up from her book once again. ‘It’ll be great.’

She went back to reading, her heartbeat rattling her ribcage. She breathed in Galinda’s perfume – it was intoxicating, and certainly identical to the scent sprayed on the letter.

Galinda reached out and pushed Elphaba’s book down into her lap. ‘Stop that. You’re always doing that.’

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. ‘Reading?’

‘No. Going all quiet when you’re upset. What’s wrong?’

‘Why should anything be wrong?’ She was finding it hard to breathe. ‘I’m just reading.'

‘Is it the seminar?’ Galinda asked, her big doe eyes shining. ‘Don’t you want me there?’

Elphaba put a comforting hand on her arm. For a brief moment, she felt like they were simply friends again, and the physical touch was easy.

‘Of course I want you there. I’m just studying, that’s all. I just have a lot of schoolwork. I’m doing Alchemy now with Madame Morrible. It’s a lot on top of History, Logic, Linguification …’

Galinda chuckled nervously. ‘I guess I’ll be in the same boat very soon.’ She frowned down at her hands. ‘I didn’t really think about sorcery being extra work.’

Elphaba shot her an amused smile. ‘You didn’t?’

She took a deep breath through her nose, then brightened so quickly it was like somebody had flicked a switch. ‘Never mind! I’ll be a quick study. I’ll be the best, most stylish sorceress Oz has ever seen in no time.’

‘I have faith in you,’ Elphaba said. And Galinda grinned like it meant the world to her.

Elphaba went back to reading. Galinda smiled vaguely around the room for a little while. Elphaba glanced up every now and then to see if she’d stopped.

‘Anything else happen today?’ Galinda asked at last, very casually. ‘Anything … thrillifying?’ She did a little explosion motion with her hands on the last word.

It seemed that she knew about the letter. But how did she know? Did somebody tell her? Or were Elphaba’s suspicions correct? Her gaze lingered on the page as she chose her next words very carefully.

‘I got a valentine.’

‘Elphie!’ Galinda said, grabbing her arm and shaking. ‘That’s wonderful? Who from?’

‘I don’t know,’ she said, watching Galinda’s expression closely while she spoke. ‘It was a secret admirer.’

Galinda gasped loudly and shot to her feet. ‘A secret admirer. How scandalocious! Any idea who it might be?’

‘No.’

They stared each other down for a moment, Elphaba’s expression as impassive as she could make it. Galinda’s smile was fixed on her face, but Elphaba swore she saw something behind her eyes. Uncertainty, maybe.

She wished her magic extended to mind reading.

Actually – no. She didn’t want to know what people thought of her. What came out of their mouths was bad enough.

Galinda jumped, her arms extended, eyes wide. ‘I’ll help you find out who it is! I’d be a marvelous detective, you know. I can read people.’

Elphaba slowly closed her book. She didn’t know what to think of this. There were two possibilities here: either Galinda sent the letter, and she was about to take Elphaba on some wild’s goose chase to conceal the truth; or Galinda didn’t send the letter, and she’d either lead Elphaba to a love interest or a cruel prankster. She didn’t like either option.

‘I don’t think so,’ she said. ‘I don’t care who sent it. I wouldn’t touch any of the boys here with a ten-foot broomstick.’

Galinda pouted. ‘Okay … if you’re sure …’ She checked her watch. ‘Oh! I better go. I said I’d help ShenShen with her Linguification paper before lunch. Meet me in the dining hall later!’

She was gone before Elphaba could respond. She stared at the closed door for a long time, her mind reeling … And then she realised something.

Galinda hadn’t asked to read the letter.

She’d not seemed curious about what it said in the slightest. She always had her nose in Elphaba’s business, no matter how sensitive, so this was very unlike her. And very suspicious.

Chapter Text

Galinda was already in the History classroom when Elphaba arrived. Fiyero was on her left, and Elphaba’s heart sunk a little to see them together. Like it always did. She used to think this meant she had feelings for Fiyero but now she wasn’t so sure.

She’d tucked the love letter into her coat pocket, rather than leaving it in her room. It felt safer that way somehow.

Their lesson was about the Ozian uprising after Archduke Winkifred was assassified. History was one of Elphaba’s favourite lessons and this topic fascinated her, but today it was impossible to concentrate. And it seemed she wasn’t the only one. There was a lot more whispering than usual in class today, everybody excited about Valentine’s Day balloons.

She did her best to pay attention, but her mind kept drifting off to the letter. To Galinda. She imagined being brave enough to simply ask her about it. It was strange: when it came to standing up for herself, or defending her sister’s autonomy, she was courageous. But her feelings for Galinda scared her to death. The concept of actually broaching the subject made her legs feel like jelly.

She drifted off into a daydream in which she sat at Galinda’s vanity in the dormitory. She was decorating her hair with little pink flowers. The door opened and Galinda swept into the room, wearing her sheer pink robe with rosettes on the shoulders. She gasped at the sight of Elphaba.

‘Oh, Elphie,’ she breathed, taking her by the shoulders. ‘You are beautiful …’

Elphaba put her hand over one of Galinda’s. ‘You wrote me that letter, didn’t you, Galinda?’

She sighed demurely. ‘Yes. I confess, I did. I know you don’t feel the same.’

Galinda looked down sorrowfully, but Elphaba caught her by the chin to made her face her. ‘But I do,’ she said. ‘Oh, Galinda, I do.’

Galinda leaned down and planted a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. Elphaba wrapped her arms around her, pulling her closer until she fell into her lap, and their kiss deepened, and she slipped the robe off Galinda’s shoulders …

‘Elphie?’

Elphaba jolted, transported back to reality. Galinda was watching her with concern. ‘Are you okay?’ she whispered.

‘Yes,’ she muttered, her face flushing. ‘Why?’

Galinda just stared down at Elphaba’s notes. Elphaba followed her gaze, and what she saw made her jaw drop. She’d written a note about the Great Drought … but she’d written The Galinda Drought instead.

She quickly scratched it out, her face so hot that she was surprised it didn’t combust.

Oh, Oz, she thought. These were not friendly thoughts. I think I like her back …

Doctor Dillamond dismissed the class. Elphaba made an excuse about wanting to hang back and speak with him, so she didn’t have to be alone with Galinda. She couldn’t handle it right now; not even walking together in the hall.

‘But it’s time for lunch!’ Galinda protested.

‘You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.’

‘Okay, but make sure you come,’ Galinda said, looking stern. ‘It’s imperative you come. Because … you’ll be hungry if you don’t.’

Galinda turned with a jaunty little toss of her hair and left the classroom. Elphaba frowned after her. That was strange.

‘Miss Elphaba,’ Doctor Dillamond said, and she turned to him. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Um …’ Give me an excuse to keep away from Galinda. ‘I had a question about our essay on the Vinko-Munchkin War.’

‘Yes?’

Elphaba was drawing a blank. Oz damn it, she was usually quicker than this. Her lust for Galinda had sapped all her brainpower.

With a sigh, she slumped against the desk and decided to come clean. ‘Truthfully, Doctor Dillamond, I just didn’t want to go to lunch yet. It’s Valentine’s Day and …’

‘Love troubles, is it, Miss Elphaba?’

She touched the letter in her pocket. ‘Somebody sent me a Valentine. A secret admirer. And I think I know who it is.’

‘And you don’t know how to let them down gently?’

‘No, it’s not that,’ she said, crossing her arms. ‘I … I’m realising I might feel the same.’

‘Then, what’s the problem?’

‘I’m worried that I’m wrong, or that the letter is just a joke,’ she murmured. ‘If I’m wrong, I’ll be heartbroken. If it’s a joke, I’ll be humiliated …’

‘And what if you’re right?’ he asked, gently. ‘And what if it’s real?’

She laughed through her nose. ‘I think that’s the most terrifying thing of all.’

Doctor Dillamond walked past the board, his hoof-steps echoing through cavernous classroom, and looked up at her with sincere eyes.

‘Believe me, Miss Elphaba. Life is far too short, and this world too full of pain, to run away from something good.’

*

Elphaba felt a little braver as she entered the dining room – but still not brave enough to question Galinda about the letter. She got a small lunch, wanting to eat and get out of there as quickly as possible.

Their table was full today. Galinda, Fiyero, Nessarose and Boq. Thankfully, Pfannee and ShenShen were nowhere to be seen.

Nessarose had a bouquet of roses on the table, and Elphaba touched them delicately with her fingers as she sat. ‘These are lovely.’

‘Boq got them for me,’ she said, her grin as brilliant as the sun. ‘Isn’t he wonderful?’

Elphaba smiled politely. She knew what was coming … and she was right. Barely a minute passed before Boq started staring at Galinda again. She worried for her sister, but Nessarose had made her position clear. She’d respect her wishes and keep her nose out of her business.

But if Boq broke Nessa’s heart, Elphaba would break his. And twice as badly.

As she ate, she kept an eye on Boq and avoided looking at Galinda. He was smiling dreamily, his chin in his hand. But soon, this expression changed into an alarmed one … Elphaba turned to see Galinda stuffing food into her mouth at a rapid rate.

Fiyero noticed too. ‘Is this your first meal this month, by any chance?’ he asked with a smirk.

‘I have to be quick!’ Galinda said, between sips of water. ‘I have things to do. Busy, busy.’

‘Busy with that?’ Elphaba asked.

‘I have an essay due.’ She checked her watch. ‘In fact, I better go!’

Elphaba frowned. ‘But—’

Galinda jumped up and gracefully tripped from the dining hall. She didn’t even return her tray. Boq watched her go, looking like his loved one was shipping off to war.

Fiyero slid over on the bench so he was right next to Elphaba. ‘Have you noticed that she’s acting strangely today?’

Elphaba swallowed. ‘A bit.’

‘I’m worried she’s upset with me,’ he said. ‘I don’t do the whole Valentine’s Day thing. But I wouldn’t have thought she’d mind after our conversation the other day.’

‘What conversation?’ she asked, against her better judgement.

‘She didn’t tell you? She said she wanted to slow things down a bit. Not be so … exclusive.’

Elphaba’s fork slipped from her fingers and clattered on her plate. She cringed and picked it back up, her mind reeling.

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ she said.

But he waved her sympathy away. ‘No, it’s entirely fine.’ He shot her a rogue grin. ‘There are a lot of arrangements like that back in Winkie country … or I think so. Maybe it’s just me? I am a prince.’

Elphaba was about to deliver a teasing reply, but she was interrupted by the sudden cacophony of music mingled with grinding gears. The mechanical hot air balloons surged into the dining hall, zipping this way and that towards the recipients of their gifts. She’d half forgotten that they’d be back.

‘Oh, Oz, no,’ Fiyero said, as a giant swarm of them barrelled toward him. They circled around his head like crazed birds, all vying to be in front. He plucked each letter out of the slots at lightning speed, a panicked look in his eye.

‘Someone’s popular,’ Elphaba said, smirking as they flew away.

Fiyero opened the first letter, skimmed it, and looked up in shock. ‘I think this one’s from Miss Coddle.’

Elphaba laughed – she wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.

Nessarose pointed. ‘Elphaba, look!’

Another balloon was floating toward them. It came to a stop, hovering right before Elphaba’s face. Her heart raced. Surely not. Again?

‘Well,’ Fiyero said, with a crooked grin, ‘look who’s popular now.’

Elphaba took the letter with a lump in her throat. She couldn’t turn around for privacy this time: Fiyero was to her left, Nessa and Boq to her right. She didn’t want to explain – they would try and keep her here – so she simply got up and walked out.

‘You’re no fun!’ Fiyero called after her.

Out in the hall, she ripped open the envelope. It wasn’t a letter this time, but a card. On the front was a pink love heart speared with the text: Be Mine. She opened it and gasped softly as a pressed flower fell out. She caught it. It was a green poppy.

The card read:

For my wonderful Elphie, so caring and loving and selfless.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Love, your Secret Admirer.

P.S. The same secret admirer from this morning.

A laugh escaped her lips as tears welled in her eyes. Once again this was Galinda’s handwriting, Galinda’s scent. Nobody else called her “Elphie”. Perhaps Galinda wasn’t trying to hide it after all. These gifts were an outstretched hand. All Elphaba had to do was take it.

But could she really do that?

She went back to the dormitory and lay flat on her back, the card pressed against her heart. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

She closed her eyes, feeling the buttery cardstock with her fingers. She imagined the softness of Galinda’s skin. In her mind, she was here. By the bed and looking down at her with her blonde hair falling about her face.

‘How I love you, Elphie,’ she said. ‘You are the most exquisite thing. My beautiful, green poppy flower.’

Both in reality and her fantasy, a tear trailed down Elphaba’s cheek.

‘I can hardly believe it, Galinda. Someone like you loving someone like me.’

‘You mustn’t talk that way, Elphie!’ Galinda breathed, lowering herself onto the bed. She lay down by Elphaba’s side, her face awash in sunlight. ‘You must know how incredible it is that someone like you could love someone like me. You are beautiful, wickedly smart, deliciously unique. Perfect. You know, when we met, I was … all mixed up. I didn’t know what I was feeling. But Elphie … you’ve had my heart from the beginning.’

Elphaba pulled Galinda into a tight embrace. The scent of her filled her senses, and she breathed it in as if she needed it like oxygen. They kissed deeply, passionately, Galinda’s soft hands gliding over Elphaba’s skin. Her green skin, which Galinda didn’t just overlook as an unfortunate anomaly. She appreciated it.

‘Pink goes good with green.’ And it certainly did.

‘Why, Miss Elphaba. Look at you. You're beautiful.’ When Galinda said it, she could almost believe it.

Galinda peppered kisses along her throat, making her chest heave. Oh, how she wanted her. She wanted all of her.

This time, alone in her dorm, she saw the fantasy through.

*

Galinda didn’t come back to their room after lunch. Elphaba met her in the courtyard for Physical Education. They were practicing baton twirling today.

Elphaba remembered their first lesson: how their rivalry had exploded, and they’d sparred with their batons. She smiled at the memory. Oh, how things had changed. Elphaba once thought she loathed Galinda, but now she thought differently. Maybe she never hated her. Maybe it was misunderstood attraction. Maybe she’d felt this way from the start.

Maybe Galinda had too.

‘Elphie!’ Galinda greeted, twirling her baton in the air. ‘Look how good I am!’

She smiled. ‘You’re wonderful. You should join the marching band.’

‘Oh, no, I simply don’t have the time!’

She looked stunning this afternoon in her pink skirted leotard, her blonde hair pulled into curling pigtails that trailed down her chest. She twirled the baton in a very complex pattern, then as a finale, she looked directly into Elphaba’s eyes with a soft smile as she used it to trace a heart shape in the air.

‘For Valentine’s Day,’ she said.

Elphaba swallowed hard. She was worried the letter and card would fall from her pocket during this lesson, so she’d left them in her dorm. They seemed to call to her across the distance. They seemed to sing.

Pfannee approached them, twirling his baton without breaking his stride. ‘Miss Elphaba, I heard you got another valentine.’

Galinda looked to her, her face impossible to read. ‘Did you, Elphie?’

‘Yes, I did,’ she said, trying to focus on her baton. She did a little twirl – it flew from her grasp and landed on the ground. Blushing, she picked it back up. She was a butter fingers today.

‘Did you … like it?’ Galinda asked. Her face was now like a book opened for Elphaba to read. Trepidation, vulnerability … hope.

Elphaba took a steadying breath and looked directly into Galinda’s beautiful brown eyes. ‘I did,’ she said. ‘I loved it.’

A short, soft gasp escaped Galinda’s lips. She was about to speak, but Miss Quasimoda chose that very second to pipe up, shouting through her ornate golden megaphone: ‘Form a two-file line! We are going to march. I want my advanced twirlers at the front. We’re doing a simple figure-8 pattern and try not to hit each other in the face. I’m looking at you, Boq.’

Galinda was swept to the front of the line, while Elphaba was pushed closer to the back with Boq by her side. She gripped her baton with such frustration, she was surprised it didn’t snap. She needed to calm herself, lest everybody’s batons magically snap.

It’s okay, she told herself. Just another half hour, and then she and Galinda could talk, really talk. She thrummed with courage.

They started marching. She noticed that Boq kept looking over at her with a coy smile, but she ignored him. He only wanted to ask her about her valentines. The line snaked around and Galinda came into sight; she watched her with longing.

Boq was still staring.

‘Can I help you with something, Boq?’ she asked, with a sigh.

He grinned conspiratorially. ‘Can I tell you something, if you promise not to tell?’

‘Yes?’ she asked, her heart sinking. What now?

‘You can’t tell!’

‘I won’t! What is it?’

Boq’s eyes darted around the group, then in a low voice said, ‘I know who your secret admirer is.’

‘You do?’ she breathed. Her heart rattled her ribcage as if it were trying to escape.

‘Mhm.’ Boq nodded.

She said nothing, staring right ahead. She was afraid she’d keel over and perish right here in the baton twirling line. Everyone would probably trample over her as if nothing happened.

Boq glanced around again and leaned close. ‘It’s ShenShen.’

Elphaba stopped dead in her tracks. The student behind her ran headlong into her back, pushing her to the couple in front of her. The next few rows up the line fell like dominos.

‘Elphaba Thropp!’ Miss Quasimoda yelled through the megaphone. ‘Look what you’ve done! You never stop in the twirling line!’

‘I’m sorry,’ she gasped, her hand on her chest. Tears stung her eyes. ‘I’m sorry. I – I made a mistake.’

What a fool.

*

Elphaba returned to the dorm after physical education, completely floored. She’d been so sure. She tried to reason out how this could have happened, and the truth seeped in with slow and horrible clarity.

Of course ShenShen’s handwriting looked like Galinda’s. Pfannee’s probably did too. They were a couple of sycophants, following along with everything Galinda did, mirroring her behaviour in the hopes that some of the brilliant light that fell on her might touch them too. Elphaba knew for a fact that ShenShen wore the same perfume – Galinda had given it to her for her birthday. She’d given some to Elphaba, too, but hers was untouched in the drawer. She worried that if she wore it, she’d become used to it, and Galinda’s delicious scent would no longer register when she was near.

How did she ever deny her feelings for Galinda Upland?

‘Are you sure it was ShenShen?’ she’d demanded of Boq, after Physical Education. ‘Are you positive?’

‘She told me,’ he replied. ‘Right to my face. Ask Pfannee; he heard it … only don’t ask Pfannee, because I promised I wouldn’t tell.’

ShenShen was growing on Elphaba. After all, she was being kind to her, and to hold a grudge was like drinking poison. But she couldn’t love her. She was too in love with somebody else.

Galinda.

She was in love with Galinda.

The truth of this hit her like the Emerald City train. This was not infatuation, or fixation, or admiration. It was love. True love, bone deep.

And now she had nowhere to put it.

But she had to try. Right?

ShenShen being behind the Valentines didn’t take necessarily take Galinda off the table. She might not be her secret admirer, but Elphaba was ignoring the other signs. The lingering glances, the feather-light touches, that strange vulnerability in Galinda’s eyes whenever their gazes met. She would find Galinda and ask her.

What a radical concept.

Doctor Dillamond was right – life was far too short, and this world too full of pain, to run away from something good. And Galinda was something good, whether she returned Elphaba’s feelings or not. Either way, Elphaba would know for sure, and they could move on from this.

It was almost time for dinner. Galinda would be in the dining room.

Elphaba flew from the dorm.

Chapter Text

There were more students in the dining hall for dinner than during breakfast and lunch combined. It was everybody’s final chance to receive a valentine. Fiyero, Boq and Nessarose were at the table, Galinda was not. Elphaba’s heart sank as she approached.

‘Have you seen Galinda?’

The three of them shook their heads. Elphaba put her face in her hands with a sigh. ‘I really need to talk to her.’

‘What’s wrong, Elphaba?’ Nessa asked. ‘Did something disappointing happen? Valentine’s Day can be so hard … all the expectations.’

‘That’s why I don’t subscribe to Valentine’s Day,’ Fiyero said, carelessly swirling his pumpkin soup with a spoon. ‘Always leads to heartache.’

Nessa rolled her eyes at him, then turned to Elphaba with a sincere expression. ‘I just mean, if you need to talk to someone, you can talk to me.’

‘Or me,’ Fiyero said. ‘I’m a love expert, you know.’

‘Love and what goes on between the sheets are entirely different things, Fiyero,’ Elphaba said with amusement.

He tilted his head, his face thoughtfully crinkled. ‘You’re quite right. I’m more of an expert at what goes on between the sheets. Now, if you have any questions about that—’

‘Not presently.’

‘Is this about ShenShen being your secret admirer?’ Boq asked.

Nessa shot him a stern look. ‘Boq, that’s a secret. It’s not a secret when you’ve been telling people all afternoon, me included. And Elphaba definitely isn’t meant to know.’

‘He already told me at twirling practice,’ Elphaba said.

Nessa threw her hands in the air. ‘Boq!’

Elphaba didn’t have time for all this. ‘Look, if you see Galinda, can you tell her I’m looking for her? I need to go.’

She turned on her heel and headed for the exit – only to be stopped in her tracks by a fresh swarm of mechanical hot air balloons. These things were causing nothing but trouble today. She tried to evade them, darting this way and that. One balloon was particularly wily, blocking her path at every turn.

‘Ahem!’

She looked up. The little cupid was staring down at her, and the slot on the balloon’s basket was open. It wasn’t an envelope this time, but a flat white box.

She took it. This time, her hands were steady.

Inside the box was a pink-glazed heart shaped cookie. The attached card read:

A sweet for my Sweet. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Love, your Secret Admirer

P.S. the same secret admirer from breakfast and lunch.

P.P.S. I love you.

Elphaba sighed contently. It really was very sweet. The balloons parted, and standing before her was ShenShen, her eyes wide and vulnerable.

Oh, no. She couldn’t hear a love confession from ShenShen right before she delivered her own love confession to Galinda. How did her love life become so messy so quickly? Only yesterday, it was completely barren.

The Galinda Drought.

‘ShenShen, this is lovely,’ she said. ‘It really is. But I don’t – I think we’re better as friends. I’m sorry.’

‘No, Elphaba, I’m sorry!’ ShenShen said. ‘Oh, Oz, I’ve made a mess of everything.’

‘We can still be friends ShenShen,’ she said, slipping the boxed cookie into her pocket. ‘It doesn’t matter—'

‘No, you don’t understand,’ she said. ‘Boq overheard Pfannee and I talking about your valentines! I was under strict instructions to keep it all a secret, so I said I sent them. And Galinda found out and now she’s upset with me; she pulled that pouty little face she does and started crying, and she ran off and I don’t know where she is.’

She said all this very quickly, like one long sentence, and took a desperate gasp of air when she was done. Elphaba just stared, her jaw slack as she tried to process what she’d just learned.

‘I’m so sorry, Elphaba—!’

‘ShenShen, what are you saying?’ she asked, urgently. ‘You didn’t send the valentines?’

‘No!’

‘So, it was—?’

‘Galinda!’ she said. ‘It was Galinda who sent them. She didn’t want me to tell you, but I don’t know what else to do.’

‘You did the right thing, ShenShen, she said, gripping her by the arms, grinning so broadly that her cheeks hurt. ‘You’ve done a very good thing, indeed!’

Elphaba darted from the dining hall, running down the halls of Shiz at lightning speed. She ran down the spiral staircase with the broken steps, so exhilarated that she magically leapt over the crumbling gulf and landed safely at the bottom.

She burst into the dorm like water through a broken dam. ‘Galinda!’

But Galinda was nowhere. She checked the little alcove behind the racks of clothes, behind the partition, even under the beds. She checked the balcony, too, though there was nowhere to hide. No Galinda.

She slumped against the railing, racking her brain. Where could she be? She looked out over the canal, the water dyed tangerine by the setting sun. It felt like this was the first thing she’d seen all day that wasn’t pink.

Pink.

She saw something pink in the distance. It looked like fabric, rustling by the concrete wall that stretched along the shore. It was the hem of a pink dress. It vanished before she could get a closer look.

Elphaba gasped and ran. Out of the dorm, through the halls, out the front exit and into the courtyard. She sprinted along the concrete balconies until she reached the stairs. Halfway down she peered over the edge, and what she saw stopped her in her tracks.

Galinda, looking up at her.

‘Elphie!’ she cried. She rounded the wall and looked up the stairs. Her face was flushed and her eyes were swollen. Her nose was red, which would have been adorable if it weren’t so sad.

‘I was looking for you,’ she panted.

Galinda shrugged hopelessly. ‘You found me.’

‘I just talked to ShenShen—’

‘Yes, I heard! You'll be together now, I assume? I’m really happy for the both of you.’ And she did look happy in that moment. It was unnerving to see – how easily Galinda could act the part of the bubbly, ever-cheerful socialite. Even when she was breaking inside. ‘Boq told me you were very excited when he told you. So excited that you fell over!’

‘Boq said that, did he?’ she asked, smirking.

Galinda sniffed, and grinned. Her eyes still swam with tears. ‘I really am happy for you, Elphie,’ she said. There was something more sincere about her now. ‘You deserve to be happy. To be loved. You deserve that more than anyone in the whole world.’

Elphaba slowly began ascending the stairs.

‘So do you, Galinda.’

‘Oh, everybody loves me,’ she said, waving her comment away.

‘I know,’ she said. ‘But they love the image of you. They don’t know the real you. And I tell you, they’d love you even more if they did. But you don’t let them in.’

‘I let you in,’ she said, her voice so soft it was almost carried away on the breeze.

Elphaba leaned against the concrete banister. ‘I know. And it’s an honour.’

Galinda smiled sadly at her hands. ‘Well. Anyway. I’m glad you had a nice Valentine’s Day. You must have been so thrillified to find out ShenShen sent you those gifts.’

‘Oh, no, I wasn’t thrillified at all,’ she said, casually. ‘It was quite a relief to find out she didn’t send them after all.’

Galinda looked up, sharply. ‘She – didn’t?’

‘No,’ she said, smiling. ‘I think you know that, Galinda.’

‘But I thought … Boq said—’

‘He misinterpreted,’ she said. ‘I don’t have feelings for ShenShen. I’m … I’m in love with somebody else.’

Galinda bit her lip with a bitter smile. ‘Fiyero.’

‘Fiyero?’ she laughed. ‘Oh, Galinda, I thought I was clueless when it came to matters of the heart.’

‘Then … not Fiyero?’ she asked, softly.

She began descending the steps again. ‘No, not Fiyero.’

‘And not ShenShen?’

She smiled. ‘No. Not ShenShen.’

‘Then … who—?’

She reached the bottom of the stairs.

‘You, Galinda,’ she said, breaking into a teary grin. ‘Of course. Always you.’

Galinda let out a little ‘Oh,’ and ran to close the distance between them. She leapt into Elphaba’s arms, wrapping herself around her. Elphaba embraced her, and they kissed. There was so much in that kiss – all that came before, and all that was to come. No matter what that was, they would face it together.

Galinda pulled away, her face flush. ‘Do you really mean it?’

‘Of course I do,’ she said. ‘I love you. I always have.’

‘Oh, Elphie, I love you too.’

They kissed again, under the tangerine glow of a setting sun.

One Year Later

It was Valentine’s Day at Shiz. It marked one whole year of Galinda Upland being Elphaba Thropp’s girlfriend. Sometimes, Elphaba still had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

Shiz was positively ablaze with gossip when the news broke, so intense that it rivalled the energy of when Fiyero had first arrived. There was innuendo and outuendo flying around faster than Elphaba could keep track. There was even a rumour that she’d performed a love spell, which Galinda rebuked with ferocious loyalty.

‘Or maybe she is beautiful and perfect, and has more important things to do than sit around and gossip? Maybe you’d be interesting too if you found other hobbies!’

It didn’t do much to quell the rumours, but it made her love Galinda ten times more, if that were even possible.

But soon the student body got bored with it, and the discussion died down. Elphaba and Galinda’s relationship was just another ordinary thing at Shiz, no more special than History class or hearing the choir practice in the courtyard.

Except to Elphaba and Galinda. To them, it was anything but ordinary. Every day together was very special indeed.

Elphaba woke early on the morning of Valentine’s Day to see Galinda standing over her with a round serving tray. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day-slash-our anniversary!’ she trilled. ‘I went down and got you breakfast.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, sitting up in the (very pink) bed they now shared. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’

‘Slash our anniversary,’ Galinda corrected, handing her the tray. She looked pointedly at the plate, raising her eyebrows. ‘Eggs on toast. Get it?’

‘Um …’ She racked her brain for the significance of this but came up short. Galinda gave significance to everything; she even kept the sales receipt from the first time they went shopping together. Every now and then she’d pull it out and smile at it lovingly.

‘Elphie, eggs on toast,’ she pushed. ‘It’s what you had for breakfast last Valentine’s Day!’

Elphaba burst out laughing. ‘It’s very sweet of you to remember.’

‘It’s the first of many surprises,’ she said, tilting her chin seriously. ‘Now eat. We have a full itinerary!’

Elphaba quickly ate while Galinda pranced around the room, getting ready. She slipped on a pink dress with taffeta ruffles, then held her arms out and did a little spin. ‘What do you think?’

Elphaba smiled. This one, she remembered. ‘That’s the dress you were wearing when we first kissed.’

‘That’s right!’ Galinda said, in a tone a teacher would use when someone delivered the correct answer in class. ‘And you were wearing your grey vest over the black dress. You have oh-so-many black dresses, but I remember the exact one. I’ve laid it out for you.’

Galinda had laid it out for her, along with everything else she’d worn the day they got together. She even included the nail polish.

‘Your memory is incredible,’ Elphaba said, as she buttoned her vest. ‘I don’t know why you always needed my help with homework during first year.’

‘It was an excuse to spend time with you, silly.’

Elphaba laughed. ‘You were hustling me?’

‘Yes, but for love,’ she reassured her, putting a hand on her arm. ‘Now, let’s go. There’s much to do!’

They left the dorm and headed down to the dining hall. As they rounded the nearest corner, Galinda gasped. ‘Oh, no!’

The mechanical hot air balloons were ahead of them, swarming toward the dining hall door.

‘Quick, Elphie, we can’t miss them!’ Galinda took her hand and they ran together beneath the balloons, giggling madly, their dresses flying out behind them like capes in the wind. Galinda led her until they came to a stop in front of their table. All their friends were there.

‘Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody,’ Galinda panted.

‘Slash our anniversary,’ Elphaba added, smirking.

Nessarose was grinning madly, a mischievous glint in her eye. ‘Elphaba,’ she said, ‘look behind you.’

Elphaba turned. A balloon floated before her, a small pink box sitting neatly in the slot. She reached out and took it.

She’d not expected to feel nervous this time when the balloon came (and she’d had no doubt it would come), but she was. In fact, her heart raced. Because this looked like …

It looked like a ring box.

She opened it and a beautiful silver ring glinted up at her. A white diamond was set in the middle, circled by a halo of pink and green gems. A note was attached to the inside of the lid, which read:

Turn around.

Love, Your Not-So-Secret Admirer

She span on the spot to find Galinda down on one knee, a brilliant grin on her face.

‘Elphie …’

‘Oh,’ she said, slapping one hand to her mouth. She was already crying.

‘… you are the love of my life. The day you chose me to be yours was the most important day of, not only my life, but in the history of the world, because we will do incredible things together. I’d say we are two halves of a whole, but we aren’t. You are brilliant all on your own. I’m just honoured to be by your side going forward, because I know you’ll do amazing things. I know you’ll change the world. And I want to see it, be there for all of it.

‘Will you marry me?’

Elphaba was trembling. She became aware that everybody was staring at her, but for the first time in her life, it wasn’t because they were jeering or whispering wicked gossip. They were there only as witness to her happiness.

‘Yes,’ she laughed, barely able to see through the tears in her eyes. ‘Of course!’

Galinda squealed, jumped to her feet and threw herself into her arms. She slipped the ring onto Elphaba’s finger with some difficulty, because they couldn’t bear to release each other. They kissed, and the dining hall erupted into applause.

Fiyero, Nessa, Boq, ShenShen and Pfannee surrounded them, and they all jumped together in a group hug. She didn’t only have the love of her life, but friends. Good friends. It was more than she’d ever hoped for, even in her wildest dreams.

Elphaba was loved. She was chosen.

And she chose Galinda, too. Every day, for the rest of her life.

Because life is far too short, and this world too full of pain, to run away from something good.