-taps the mic-

Galinda scrunches her face up as Elphaba sits down, slightly upset. Oh, she should’ve just convinced Elphaba to not quit after Galinda already passed in the green girl’s essay…

"Well usually classes aren’t this hard!" Galinda argues. By this she means that she’s usually able to pay or flirt with the teachers to just let her pass the class without trying.

"I was sick when we learned about levitation spells," Galinda continues. She was actually hungover from partying with Fiyero, but it was the same thing in Galinda’s mind. "It isn’t fair to make me write an essay that I didn’t learn! C’mon, Elphie, just this once?"

   “You could have caught up from the book, or asked me or Morrible,” Elphaba replied, easily deflecting Galinda’s protestations. “It’s really not that hard of an essay, Galinda, and you’ll be doing yourself a favour by actually doing it. Otherwise, how will you answer any questions in class?”

   Morrible was rather fond of grilling them, especially Elphaba, on what they knew. It would not be fun if Galinda handed in an essay claiming she knew about levitation spells, but when asked would know nothing at all.

That was a question Galinda was hoping she would never have to answer. It wasn’t always so simple to determine the reason why anyone did anything. It would always be up for debate. The blonde wasn’t exactly sure as to why she now wanted to be Elphaba’s friend.

                         ❝Does it really matter?❞

      “I suppose not,” Elphaba replied, still staring at the bottle. But then her eyes lifted    to look at the blonde. “But I said it did. Would you answer?” 

"That’s not fair!" Galinda complains, her voice whining, "couldn’t you just write another essay and change your handwriting?"

"C’mon, Elphie, I wanna sleep!" She pouts, though she stares up at Elphaba to see how she reacts to her nickname now.

"Would you just tell me what to write if I’ write it?" She offers now, trying to bargain for the best deal possible. Truthfully, she had absolutely no knowledge on any levitation spells…

   “No,” she answered simply, pushing past her roommate to plop down on her bed, legs folded beneath her. “I’m tired too, from actually doing my work. I’ll help, but I’m not writing it for you, nor dictating to you.”

   If the blonde wanted to get anything out of their class, then she would have to actually do some of the work required. 

Galinda frowns slightly at that news, a troubled look crossing her face. If her and Elphaba were still friends, could she get away with just stealing the paper.

"Well, that doesn’t seem fair," Galinda argues, finally dropping her hand off of Elphaba’s arm. "You did already promise me it…"

"And it’ll be good practice for you to write another," she says, flicking a curl of hair over her shoulder.

   “I didn’t promise it, I offered it,” Elphaba corrected her, holding up a finger. “And now I’ll offer to help you write your own. Do you really think Morrible wouldn’t notice both have the same handwriting?”

   Eyebrows lifted further up as she awaited a response. She had worked hard on that essay, as she worked hard on every essay and assignment, and she wasn’t going to give up on it that easily.

"Of course I like being your friend," Galinda says, trying to make her voice as quiet as Elphaba’s. She couldn’t help think back to her arguments with her parents. Galinda would always threaten to run away, and she truly believed that her parents hated her for not letting her go out with her friends.

Galinda reminds herself that Elphaba is practically no more than a child socially.

"It’s fine, Elphaba," Galinda smiles, squeezing Elphaba’s arm. She still uses Elphaba’s full name, though she glances at Elphaba’s face to see her reaction.

"Does this mean you aren’t quitting?"

   Making rash decisions while angry was a bad habit of Elphaba’s and her cheeks warmed at the final question. 

   “I’m not quitting,” she replied, before a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of her lips. “Which means I need my essay. You’ll have to write your own.”

Galinda stares up at Elphaba, silent for a moment. Even though the green girl stood much taller than her, Galinda wanted nothing more than to rock her back and forth.

She wasn’t positive who ‘he’ was, but Galinda could assume that Elphaba was talking about her father… A new level of hatred rises up in Galinda’s throat.

"Well…" Galinda bites his lip, "arguments are just… Y’know.. They just… I mean, I used to argue with momsies and popsicle all the time." Now is an acceptable time to use their nicknames, Galinda decides as she reaches over and places a hand on Elphaba’s forearm.

"And I’ve had lots of friends. So maybe it’ll even out?" She suggests, squeezing Elphaba’s forearm a bit, "because I like being your friend, Elphaba." Galinda did plan on using Elphaba’s nickname again, but she felt as though they were still on thin ice. And if Elphaba truly hated her nickname…

   “You do?” she asked softly, looking at the blonde with eyes that were wide and surprised. Surprised to hear that even Galinda would argue with her parents, surprised that her roommate liked being her friend. Surprised eyes that stared down at the hand on her arm, her bare arm. Her bare green arm. 

   “I--I like being your friend too,” she continued, in an even quieter voice, as if she were imparting another heartfelt secret. And in a way, she was. 

   Elphaba had always played the role of never needing friends, or company. Her sister and her books were just fine. But having Galinda there, having a friend, even just one--it had been nice. Better than nice.

"It isn’t a stupid name!" Galinda asks, anger coming back to her voice. How dare Elphaba make fun of her nickname?! It was cute!

"Elphie Elphie Elphie Elphie!" Galinda shrieks, trying to annoy Elphaba before she realizes that Elphaba was still threatening to quit.

"I’m not dropping you! We’re still friends!" Galinda argues, yanking on the door again, "why would I humiliate you?! We’re just in a little argument!" Galinda groans, placing one foot on the wall to try to help her pull open the door.

"Just because we’re fighting doesn’t mean we hate each other! It doesn’t mean we aren’t still friends!"

   Such words had her freezing in place, hands relaxing from fists and eyes widening. For a few seconds she remained in silence, before her hands gently unlocked the door, letting the thing swing open after warning the blonde the lock was unlatched. 

   “Where I’m from arguments are a sign of hatred,” she said softly once her face was revealed. “Arguments, cold behaviour, over formality. It’s how--it’s how he makes his point.”

   Even as she stood tall, Elphaba felt like she was shrinking inside. This... this was Galinda’s way of fighting with someone?