Post by SugarTherapy on Feb 9, 2004 19:28:51 GMT -5
Okay. We're gonna do our best to keep this thread semi-on-topic, okay? llam. Here is chapter one of That Girl, you can read the prologue in the other That Girl thread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party was in full swing, the strains of melody floating through the open door mixing with the joyous voices of those dancing their cares away inside. Elphaba was nervous, and more than a little excited. Galinda Upland had given her a hat. She didn't particularly find it attractive, but Galinda said it was and Galinda was, well, Galinda. Placing it carefully on her head, she drew her braid over one green shoulder, and entered the Ozdust Ballroom, the picture of self-satisfied confidence. And immediately wished she'd never been born.
It was nothing new, being laughed at, being mocked, but she had never been so unprepared for it. She caught a "look at her hat!!" from some screeching female whose name she hated too much to remember, and reacted instantly, pulling the hideodious thing from her head and clutching it against her. She couldn't decide what was worse: the boiling anger that seared through her veins or the sick hurt that made tears prick at the back of her eyes. Galinda had set her up.
Elphaba walked to the center of the room, every step slow, deliberate. Galinda stood next to that silly rich boy, clutching her shiny new training wand. The wand Elphaba had insisted she be given. The rage boiled higher, and was lined with shame. She'd never felt such a fool. At least Galinda had the decency to look ashamed.
Fine. If this was the way it was, then fine. She would... She would... She would stay here and have a good time, and they could all be damned. Elphaba slammed the hat back onto her head, closed her eyes and began to dance. The room was dead silent, so she simply let her body flow. Let the current of hurt and anger and shame slide through her as slow fluid movement. She pretended not to hear her roomie’s date say she didn't "give a twig" what anybody else thought, pretended Galinda didn't see right through her and tell him it was just an act. She heard loud and clear when Galinda said she felt awful, though, and it nearly made her falter.
When the blonde asked if she could cut in Elphaba was prepared to be humiliated again, and did nothing to mask the disappointed ache she was feeling. Not trusting her voice to be steady, she gestured for the Most Popular Girl in School to go ahead. Make her a fool again. But she didn't. Instead, she imitated Elphaba, her arms moving in a jerky arc over her head, her body not quite as sure as it usually was. When the blonde urged the green girl to join her, and they settled into an easy pattern, the urge to weep was nearly overwhelming. Nobody had ever done anything like this for her before, and Elphaba Thropp had the distinct feeling that her life would never be the same again.
~
Nobody laughed at her for the rest of the night. Nobody paid much attention to her at all, save Nessa and Boq, and Galinda and Fiyero. And, oh, Elphaba could see why the girls fell over Fiyero Tigular. He was handsome and charming, and had eyes that hinted at an underlying discontent, though she doubted any of the other girls had noticed, too fixated on the surface. The surface that currently seemed to be fixated on her.
“Yes, I want to dance with you, Elphaba. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’m well aware that I know none of the popular dances, Fiyero. Galinda put you up to this didn’t she?”
He just shrugged a shoulder. “I was planning to ask you anyway. I like the way you move.”
One dark eyebrow quirked. “You do?” she challenged.
“Yes,” he pronounced, grabbing one emerald hand and yanking her body against his. The song was a slow, throbbing number meant for lovers and made Elphaba instantly uncomfortable.
“Shouldn’t you be with Galinda right now?” One hand slid experimentally onto his shoulder, the other still gripped in his.
“You know, I’m beginning to think you don’t like me,” Fiyero teased, sliding his free hand around her slim waist.
Elphaba felt her temperature rise and prayed to Oz she wasn’t blushing. Elphaba Thropp didn’t blush, and certainly not over boys. “No, that’s not it. Not at all. I’m just… I’m not used to dancing with someone,” she admitted.
“Well, you’re doing fine,” he assured her, pulling the hand linked with his to join her other at his shoulder. The result was her body pressed more flush against his, the heat of his body warming hers through layers of cloth. “You’d do even better if you relaxed a bit.”
In her head, Elphaba laughed hysterically. Relax? With his hands stroking up and down her back, his eyes studying her face, her stomach doing little somersaults. Not likely. One corner of his mouth lifted, and his eyes seemed to laugh at her. There was no denying the blush this time; it was so hot and strong she wouldn’t have been surprised if the ballroom had glowed green around her. He was obviously enjoying her discomfort. A slight shift in body position as they danced revealed just how much he seemed to be enjoying himself and her eyes popped open so wide she feared her they might pop right out. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of bright pink headed their way. She’d never been so glad and so terrified to see Galinda in all the time she’d been at Shiz University. “Galinda’s back,” she breathed, extricating herself from his hold.
“Oh, don’t stop on my account!” Galinda insisted from a few feet away, looking pleased as punch that Elphaba had been dancing.
“No, that’s alright,” the green girl insisted. “I need some air anyway. So many people…” Elphaba couldn’t make it to the terrace quick enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The party was in full swing, the strains of melody floating through the open door mixing with the joyous voices of those dancing their cares away inside. Elphaba was nervous, and more than a little excited. Galinda Upland had given her a hat. She didn't particularly find it attractive, but Galinda said it was and Galinda was, well, Galinda. Placing it carefully on her head, she drew her braid over one green shoulder, and entered the Ozdust Ballroom, the picture of self-satisfied confidence. And immediately wished she'd never been born.
It was nothing new, being laughed at, being mocked, but she had never been so unprepared for it. She caught a "look at her hat!!" from some screeching female whose name she hated too much to remember, and reacted instantly, pulling the hideodious thing from her head and clutching it against her. She couldn't decide what was worse: the boiling anger that seared through her veins or the sick hurt that made tears prick at the back of her eyes. Galinda had set her up.
Elphaba walked to the center of the room, every step slow, deliberate. Galinda stood next to that silly rich boy, clutching her shiny new training wand. The wand Elphaba had insisted she be given. The rage boiled higher, and was lined with shame. She'd never felt such a fool. At least Galinda had the decency to look ashamed.
Fine. If this was the way it was, then fine. She would... She would... She would stay here and have a good time, and they could all be damned. Elphaba slammed the hat back onto her head, closed her eyes and began to dance. The room was dead silent, so she simply let her body flow. Let the current of hurt and anger and shame slide through her as slow fluid movement. She pretended not to hear her roomie’s date say she didn't "give a twig" what anybody else thought, pretended Galinda didn't see right through her and tell him it was just an act. She heard loud and clear when Galinda said she felt awful, though, and it nearly made her falter.
When the blonde asked if she could cut in Elphaba was prepared to be humiliated again, and did nothing to mask the disappointed ache she was feeling. Not trusting her voice to be steady, she gestured for the Most Popular Girl in School to go ahead. Make her a fool again. But she didn't. Instead, she imitated Elphaba, her arms moving in a jerky arc over her head, her body not quite as sure as it usually was. When the blonde urged the green girl to join her, and they settled into an easy pattern, the urge to weep was nearly overwhelming. Nobody had ever done anything like this for her before, and Elphaba Thropp had the distinct feeling that her life would never be the same again.
~
Nobody laughed at her for the rest of the night. Nobody paid much attention to her at all, save Nessa and Boq, and Galinda and Fiyero. And, oh, Elphaba could see why the girls fell over Fiyero Tigular. He was handsome and charming, and had eyes that hinted at an underlying discontent, though she doubted any of the other girls had noticed, too fixated on the surface. The surface that currently seemed to be fixated on her.
“Yes, I want to dance with you, Elphaba. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’m well aware that I know none of the popular dances, Fiyero. Galinda put you up to this didn’t she?”
He just shrugged a shoulder. “I was planning to ask you anyway. I like the way you move.”
One dark eyebrow quirked. “You do?” she challenged.
“Yes,” he pronounced, grabbing one emerald hand and yanking her body against his. The song was a slow, throbbing number meant for lovers and made Elphaba instantly uncomfortable.
“Shouldn’t you be with Galinda right now?” One hand slid experimentally onto his shoulder, the other still gripped in his.
“You know, I’m beginning to think you don’t like me,” Fiyero teased, sliding his free hand around her slim waist.
Elphaba felt her temperature rise and prayed to Oz she wasn’t blushing. Elphaba Thropp didn’t blush, and certainly not over boys. “No, that’s not it. Not at all. I’m just… I’m not used to dancing with someone,” she admitted.
“Well, you’re doing fine,” he assured her, pulling the hand linked with his to join her other at his shoulder. The result was her body pressed more flush against his, the heat of his body warming hers through layers of cloth. “You’d do even better if you relaxed a bit.”
In her head, Elphaba laughed hysterically. Relax? With his hands stroking up and down her back, his eyes studying her face, her stomach doing little somersaults. Not likely. One corner of his mouth lifted, and his eyes seemed to laugh at her. There was no denying the blush this time; it was so hot and strong she wouldn’t have been surprised if the ballroom had glowed green around her. He was obviously enjoying her discomfort. A slight shift in body position as they danced revealed just how much he seemed to be enjoying himself and her eyes popped open so wide she feared her they might pop right out. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of bright pink headed their way. She’d never been so glad and so terrified to see Galinda in all the time she’d been at Shiz University. “Galinda’s back,” she breathed, extricating herself from his hold.
“Oh, don’t stop on my account!” Galinda insisted from a few feet away, looking pleased as punch that Elphaba had been dancing.
“No, that’s alright,” the green girl insisted. “I need some air anyway. So many people…” Elphaba couldn’t make it to the terrace quick enough.
- Yero, the Wonder Winkie
- Dee, the Talented Tongue
