Disclaimer: I don't own it

Dedication: For anyone who's ever been betrayed by a friend

They sat, as they always did, at the main table of the on-campus café. These Saturday luncheons were traditional, a time for tea cakes and cattiness. They had only one rule; no one was immune to their sharp tongues. Not even Galinda, their leader, though admittedly mostly all they ever discussed about her was how whoever was speaking at the time would make Fiyero a much better match, the sexy thing.

But today, people-watching, their were no prime targets about. Filinda wasn't out, no sightings of Biq nor Wheelchair Girl to prompt any vicious monologues on how unflattering stalkers are, not even an awkward ingénue with a distasteful feature (Miss Elphaba, heaven knew, had not graced the café since the first weekend of the term.)

And so the two girls sat, bored, gazing across the nearly bare grounds without hope. Pfannee had given up completely, merely nibbling on one last, little scone before starting the no-carb, but Shenshen's cold blue eyes stayed alert, watchful.

After a moment, a wicked grin lit across her face. Pfannee instinctively followed her gaze; two boys sat at the lake bank, appearing to be in the middle of a quarrel.

"Looks like trouble in para-dise!" Shenshen sang.

"Oh, do you think they'll have a fistfight?" Pfannee asked eagerly. "It's been so long since we've seen a proper duel."

"I doubt it- though if they do it might add sexual harassment as well as assault to their records," Shenshen cooed, savoring the scandal.

"Whatever do you mean?" inquired the other girl.

"Careful not to wrinkle you face when you do, darling, but if you squint you'll see that's Tibbett and Crope!"

Pfannee was still puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"My dear Miss Pfannee, don't you know?!" Shenshen was positively gleeful. "Their lovers!"

"What?" Pfannee was sure she'd heard her wrong.

"Their lovers, I tell you! Beau and beau!"

Pfannee blinked. She'd never even heard of such a thing before. "Is that… allowed?" she asked blankly.

Shenshen let out a nasally cackle. "Of course it's not allowed, my ignorant little bumpkin, it's disgusting! Not to mention a waste, I mean-" she glanced back toward the pair "-the one is almost cuter than Fiyero."

It was too much to digest at once. "But...why?"

"My Oz, don't you see the way his hair moves in the wind? Fiyero's never does that, it's too heavily gelled-"

"No, I mean-" Pfannee lowered her voice uncertainly. She hated being out of the loop about things. "Why is it so disgusting?"

Shenshen stared at her for a good thirty seconds without speaking, a new record for her. "Lurline preserve us, Miss Pfannee!" she cried, incredulous to the core. "I-it's unnatural! It's unsightly! I-I- Oz, I can't believe I actually have to explain this! Honestly, Miss Pfannee! Imagine if you tried to kiss me! Wouldn't that be gross?"

Unlike most girls in her social set, Miss Pfannee did not speak quickly. When she was young, she had had a lisp, and she always checked herself before speaking in order to avoid an embarrassing slip and be labeled a retard. Though, she was rather slow at times with absorbing information, particularly shocking information at that.

This is why she hesitated. If only for a moment, but for a girl as fast-paced as Miss Shenshen of Gallantry Grove, it was enough to signify silence as an answer.

"Oh…my…Oz…" she drawled, looking horrorstruck.

"What?" Pfannee demanded. Then it hit her. "Oh, Oz, Shenshen, I didn't-"

"You hag," Shenshen spat, gathering up her things, "You disgusting, sick little hag!"

"No- but-Shen!" Pfannee cried, using the nickname that, months before, Shenshen had declared that only she, her mother, and other close friends could use.

"Don't you dare give me a pet name, you scheming little shrew," she hissed, kicking her chair over as she grabbed for her reticule. She writhed as Pfannee made to grab her elbow, holding her in place. "Don't touch me, you lesbo!"

Pfannee didn't know what the name meant but it cut her like a knife. She was stunned, frozen as Shenshen gave her one last death look and then promptly rushing away, no doubt off to spread the word and make the high-status life Pfannee had built up for herself crash around her diamond-studded ears.

To be continued…