confusifying | wicked | book 3/3

Elphie

Bocs openly panicking, he's been pacing around the room and wringing his hands for ages.
I've been unusually silent, I'm trying not to slow the sheer fear that's rolling around my head.
"Elphaba," Fiyero whispers, "Are you sure you're alright?"
Before I can answer, Fiyero marches over to Nessas capsized chair, no one has tried to stand it back up.
Fiyero bends down to move it when suddenly Boc stops in his tracks.
"Don't touch it!" He barks, Fiyero takes a frightened step backwards, "it's hers, it belongs to Nessarose and you can't move it!"

Boc looks shaky, he drops to his knees and sobs before Nessas chair, I stride over and sit beside him.
"Shes gone." Boc mumbles "I'm so sorry Nessarose, it's all my fault."
Fiyero looks at me in dismay, I can tell he's unsure of what to do.
"Boc," I whisper gently, he looks over to me and raises his eyebrows "You know it's not your fault, Nessas probably just gone to take some time off" my voice shudders as I speak, I'm sure Nessa wouldn't forget to take her chair with her.
It's been a month since Glinda left and already I miss her optimism.
Boc places a hand on to the golden wheel of Nessas chair, I can tell he's riddled with regrets.
"If she doesn't come back, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself," Boc whispers. "I don't want her to be gone but if she comes back I'll kill her for giving me such a fright" Boc chuckles emptily.

Without warning, there's a blinding flash of deep red.
The color fades and Nessa is lying on the floor, Halen in hand.
Miraculously enough, Glinda is with her, crouched down and holding her hand tightly.
"Nessarose!" Boc cries rushing to be with her.
Glinda stands up, leaving my sister on the floor.
Glinda looks rather different, I've never seen her in green before, we look quite the pair.
I dash next to my sister practically shoving Boc out the way.
Fiyero and Glinda begin to chat.
"Nessa where have you been?" I demand to know, folding my arms angrily.
Glinda pipes up.
"Emerald City, she gave me quite the fright."
Nessa is still on the floor, her eyes focus on her toppled chair, she looks terribly upset.
"I'm sorry, I had to go and clear my head." Nessa mumbles sadly.

After placing Nessa into her chair, she looks around herself, a strange expression resting on her face, as if she's deeply upset about something, I'm unsure what, but she seems rather distraught over it.
"You look like something's on your mind," Fiyero says, mildly concerned.
Nessa shakes her head unconvincingly but as she does so, Glinda gives her a stern look.
"Tell her," Glinda whispers far too loudly.
Nessa shakes her head, she looks at the room uncomfortably.
"Tell me what?" I ask curiously, "If it's bothering you then you might as well let me know."
Without hesitation, Nessa pushes herself towards the door, she stops and faces us.
"I am an adult, who has adult feelings and can deal with those feelings in a very adult way."
And with that, she leaves the room.
Everyone glances around awkwardly.

"Glinda, you look beautiful." I mumble.
"Should someone go after her?" Glinda asks, completely ignoring my compliment.
"I think we shouldn't, she wants to be alone, let her be alone" Boc says sternly.
He then turns to Glinda,
"Did you come back just to help Nessarose?" He asks, pulling Glinda into a hug.
She seems very shocked at first but nods to answer Bocs question.
"Thank you." He whispers.
"Glinda." I say bluntly, ruining the lovely moment between her and Boc "what is it that Nessas upset about."
Glinda smiles pleasantly.
"It's not my place to say."
I understand that but I'm extremely curious as to what it is.
Fiyero puts his hand on my shoulder, I lean my head against it.

A few minutes later, Nessa comes back, she lingers in the doorway and gazes at us apologetically.
"I'm willing to talk about it, if no questions are asked"
We all nod in agreement.
Nessa clears her throat, Glinda seems to hold her breath.
"As it turns out Elphaba, you weren't the first Thropp daughter to visit the Emerald City. Father took me when I was three years old, to beg the wizard to fix me." Nessa pauses, her voice cracks slightly.
She looks around uneasily.
I do as I'm told and don't ask any questions.
"The wizard lied, he told father that I was too unwell to handle the magic needed to repair my legs and so that aided father on his over barring crusade."  Nessa stops, I have so many questions that long for their answers.

Why would Albert never mention this?
How could he just lie like that?
I want to ask so many things.
Nessa nods abruptly and leaves the room once again.
Boc looks furious.
Fiyero removes his hand from my shoulder and places it upon my left hand, he holds it gently.
Boc slams his hands down into a nearby dresser, the noise rattled the room.
"Nothing ever gets better!" He hisses.
Glinda puts her arm around him but Boc insists that he's fine though it's a blatant lie.
"Boc it's alright." Glinda whispers "you've done nothing wrong."
"But I've done nothing right either!" He cries.
Boc breaks free of Glindas grasp and storms out into the hallway.
I'm desperate to go after him to stop him from bothering Nessa.
"I'm going home," Boc shouts from the hallway "let me know when Nessarose is feeling better."
And just like that, he's stormed out the house.
I dare to think how Nessa will react.
I'm sure she will be fine, it's just a lot of memories are coming back at once and I'm sure that's scary.
It's bound to be scary.
"I'll go and check on Nessa." Fiyero says suddenly.
I have no time to respond, he's off into the  hallway.
Now it's just me, Glinda and a whole room of emotions.