an: I know just over a page isn't much… but I updated. taDA! Just be happy I wrote something. My current writing goal is to write at least one chapter a month, preferably alternating between this and "Sophie's Curse" (If you haven't read Howl's Moving Castle, I suggest you do. AWESOME book. 10x Better than the movie.)

Chapter 19

As the semester continued on, life was beginning to look better again. Glinda was slowly becoming happier as Fiyero went through the motions to date her, and with Boq as his roommate it was easier to keep an eye on both him and Nessarose. The fact that Boq annoyed the heck out of him was something he simply had to deal with.

However, their already strained relationship finally snapped one afternoon while walking to meet the girls. It started with a simple statement. One that Fiyero supposed Boq had been wanting to make for quite some time. "You don't look happy."

Fiyero smiled halfheartedly while still looking ahead and asked, "What makes you say that?"

Looking directly at Fiyero, Boq elaborated, "You're always staring off into space. Even when you're around Ga… uh, Glinda."

"I suppose I do." Fiyero stopped walking and turned away, uncomfortable with where this conversation was taking them. "What's your point?"

"My point is, you're not happy. I don't think you really love her."

"What?" Fiyero turned back, suddenly angry. The short kid knew nothing of what he had gone through, "What gives you the right to say something like that? I may not be in love with Glinda, but at least I genuinely care about her!"

Boq stared at him blankly for a moment before continuing. "And so you date her, leading her on? What a brainless thing to do."

"Oh, so you think I'm stupid, do you?"

"You forget that I am in love with Glinda. If you do anything to hurt her, you'll pay."

Fiyero sighed. "What are you going to do, pull out your little Munchkin powers?"

"I love her! I always have. I won't stand for someone pretending to love her like that!"

"I do love her, but I'm not in love with her. And I've never once told her that I was. Unlike some people."

"What's that supposed to mean," Boq said just a little too dramatically.

"Oh I don't know, Mister Lets-pretend to date Nessarose to get Glinda's attention. Got it. I may not love Glinda wholly and completely, but at least I care about her well being and I'm with her because I want to be. I want to take care of her. You know Nessa thinks you love her. I may not know the girl too well, but she is Elphaba's sister and someone needs to protect her."

"And I do protect her! She's my friend, she-"

"You don't care at all about her. You're trying to impress my girlfriend by dating her lost best friend's sister. You heartless son of-"

"Hello boys!" a high voice suddenly pitched in. They simultaneously turned their heads to see Glinda running to catch up with them. Nessa was rolling along a few feet behind her. "Is anything wrong?"

"We'll finish this later," Fiyero whispered menacingly into Boq's ear before turning back to his girlfriend. "No, not at all, dear. Sorry we're running late."

"I guess that's okay. But we've been bored all day!"