The Interview

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Or so she'd thought. Until tonight. Thanks to Fiyero, she was already as good as back to where she'd left off and frightened of the ghosts of her still rather recent departure.

At least for the moment of their reunion, she briefly forgot about all of it. Toting around no more than her duffle bag and a purse, she quickly ran towards him the moment she spotted him on the platform. Fiyero, still searching for her, was caught unaware and floundered a little when her body collided with his.

"Whoa, what the—!"

"Surprised?" she giggled, giving him a mighty squeeze from the side.

"Yes!" exclaimed Fiyero before composing himself just enough to turn around and reciprocate the hug, lifting her off the floor.

"Oh good. I hoped you'd be."

After putting her back down very gently, Fiyero took a step back. He rested his hands on her shoulders, so he could give her a quick once-over.

"Oz, Glin. I was so worried about you, but you... look good."

"Well, I always do, don't I?" she replied, her smile suddenly growing taught.

"You seem cheerful, too," he added.

"Because I missed you so much. Being away for so long was harder than I'd thought. I never realised how addicted I've become to your presence."

"That doesn't bode well for Shiz, does it?" commented Fiyero through clenched teeth.

She shot him a warning glare, but it soon softened.

"Not now, please. Let's just pretend for one short evening that everything is absolutely dandy."

Fiyero picked up her bag and they began walking towards the exit. Grabbing his free hand, Glinda yelped in shock.

"Fiyero! Your hands are frozen stiff!"

"The train was late," he said in his defence, watching her with amusement as she took off her scarf to wrap it around their joint hands.

"Seriously, you men are such children," she chided him. "Always so careless."

He only laughed.

"So. Where are we going from here?" her asked. "Warm up with a drink?"

Casting him a quick glance, Glinda shrugged.

"Just home is fine as far as I'm concerned."

"Understood, ma'am."

"Gosh, I certainly hope I don't look that old," she chuckled.

"'Miss' then," he corrected.

They found his car covered in a thin blanket of snow, and he instructed her to sit down while he took out a small piece of plastic to remove most of it from the windows. When he finally plopped down next to her, he asked once more whether she'd changed her mind, but nodded dutifully when she declared that she hadn't.

"So, what did you tell your parents?" he wondered as he drove.

"That I'm visiting a friend."

He flicked her a fleeting look, eyebrows raised.

"And that's all? After all this drama, they didn't think that it would be weird for you to come back here just to see some random friend?"