This takes place after the death of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. It is a from Glinda's point of view, and tells of how she struggles with the many memories of her friend, and what happens after she finds out that Elphaba might not be dead...
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Entering my room I find Maizy is just finished drawing a bath for me. I smile thank her and inform her I can handle everything myself and bid her good night. As soon as she leaves my room I immediately shed my gown and undergarments, and then proceed to sink down into the steaming water.
Sighing I close my eyes. I feel drained and irritated, but the scent of lavender fills the air, and I begin to relax as I realize the water has been scented. As I breath deeply my mind again wanders back to my days at dear old Shiz.
"Miss Galinda, would you kindly hurry up! I need to get in there or at least let me come in and get what I need. You have been in there for 3 hours!" Elphaba snaps pounding on the bathroom door. "How long can it possibly take to get ready for a stupid party?"
Sighing, I drop my curling iron on the counter and storm over to the door flinging it open. "Miss Elphaba, it takes a great deal of time to look perfect. Time I am assuming from your looks you don't feel is necessary." I toss my hair over my shoulder and turn my nose at her.
She pushes past me and slams the door. "I have better things to do then to spend hours on superficial things such as looks!" I hear her yelling through the closed door.
I roll my eyes and proceed to begin looking for the gown I intend to wear. She is lucky I was finished in there or else! Or else what? I pause for a moment. I am not sure what I would have done. I mean, she has every right to upset.
I have just about finished applying my makeup when Elphaba emerges from the bathroom dressed in very plain, worn looking nightgown. A heavy, yet strangely sweet scent of several different essential oils fills the air. I look up in the mirror and realized the scent was coming from Elphaba.
"What is that smell?" I ask as she grabs one of the many books piled precariously on her desk, and crawls into her bed.
"What smell?" She asks giving me an odd look over the tip of her book. "I don't smell anything unusual or unpleasant."
Shaking my head I reply, "No, it isn't unpleasant at all! I just never noticed it before." I she remains quiet as she watches me. "It smells... it smells kinda like lavender, fresh air, and... and I'm not sure."
She laughs. No... cackles a little. "Miss Galinda, I believe you may be smelling the oils I used for bathing tonight."
"You use oils when you bathe!" My voice raises slightly in surprise. She nods and looks back down at her book. "I detest water. I always have, and so I found other means to clean myself."
"But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you detest water? I mean you kind of need water to survive."
She stares at me for several long moments, and I squirm slightly as those big brown, beautiful eyes seem to gaze deep inside me. Finally, she seems to come to a decision about something and nods to herself. "Very well, but first can you keep a secret?"
She is going to tell me a secret! What secret could she possibly have that I wouldn't know about already? Stupid she likely has many secrets you don't know. After all it isn't like she talks to very many people. I quickly nod. "Of course, I can!"
After a few moments more of silence she tells me. "You know how I told you I detest water?" Again I nod. "Well there is a reason. You see I have a condition that is quite rare known as Aquagenic urticaria." She must notice the confused look on my face because she goes to explain to me that basically that means she is allergic to water.
"You're allergic to water! How can that be?"
She shrugs. "That I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with my verdigris. You see Nessa doesn't suffer from it and neither does Shell. My father is convinced it is one more reason to assume I-" She goes silent and stares down at her book which she doesn't see. Although I want to know what she is was going to say I also don't want to push her. She has already opened up more than she ever has before.
I get up and cross the room, and sit down beside her. Putting my arms around her I hug her. She jumps, startled by my touch. "Sorry Elphaba, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to let you know it doesn't matter to me that you have an allergy to water. I just think that makes you all that more unique, and I mean that in a good way."
She smiles a little. "Thank you Galinda. You have no idea how that makes me feel." I return the smile and then go back to my own vanity to finish getting ready for my date with Fiyero.
Well, Lady Glinda, look what good her being more unique got her. You should have been there for her, and instead you betrayed her.
Sighing, I open my eyes, and realize my bath is now cold. I get out, prepare for bed, take a handful of my medicine, crawl into bed and manage to fall into a dreamless sleep.
