The summer sun shone brightly on the three girls as they sat languidly by the lake. Galinda's face ran the gamut of emotions when she saw the entourage approaching. Boq was calling to her, but she didn't notice him. Elphaba was the only person that she saw.

"What are you doing here?" gasped Galinda.

"The letter," said Elphaba.

"What letter?" asked Galinda.

"The one you sent asking me to come."

"I sent no letter! You are mistaken."

Pfannee burst out laughing, and her cruel trick was revealed. Elphaba handled the insult rather well, though Galinda noticed how her face fell when she realized that she was the butt of another joke.

"How rude," Galinda told Pfannee coldly as Elphaba disappeared inside of the house.

"I didn't think she'd actually come!" protested Pfannee.

Soon the joke was forgotten, and Galinda sat in silence as the others chattered. She couldn't contribute to the conversation; she was too busy thinking about Elphaba. Elphaba would share her room, naturally, since there was none other available. There was only one bed, which meant that she and Elphaba would become more than roommates – they would become bedmates. Was Galinda ready to share her bed with the green girl? Her skin crawled at the thought, but it wasn't an entirely unwelcome sensation. The summer had seemed entirely too long without Elphaba, and she had been wishing for autumn so that they could be together again.

"Galinda? What do you think?"

Galinda snapped back to the conversation and blushed. "I think I'd better check on Elphaba. She's been gone a long time."

Galinda entered her room to find Elphaba face down on the bed, her head resting on her forearms.

"Why are you hiding?" asked Galinda.

"It will be easier for both of us this way."

"It would have been easier for both of us if you hadn't come," corrected Galinda, frowning. Her words didn't hold the coldness that Elphaba had expected.

"I'm not coming out," replied Elphaba steadily.

"Fine. We should just leave."

"If we leave, we admit defeat. We can't let them win."

Galinda bit her lip and turned to the window. She watched as the others rowed across the lake in the boat. They seemed to have forgotten the girls that they had left behind.

"If their object was to make me miserable by having you here, they've lost," murmured Galinda. Her words floated through the open window and into the outside air, and Elphaba thought that she had misheard

Galinda crossed the room quickly. She waited for Elphaba to sit up, but when she didn't, Galinda pulled up one green arm, quickly falling onto the bed and sliding beneath it.

Elphaba sat up partially, surprised by Galinda's sudden move. Galinda wriggled onto the bed underneath Elphaba, and suddenly Elphaba found herself lying on top of her roommate. Galinda pressed both hands against Elphaba's chest, watching her closely.

"Galinda, what-" But the look in Galinda's eyes cut Elphaba off. The blonde's body was warm and small underneath her, and Elphaba felt herself blush at the inappropriate possibilities of their situation.

Galinda raised her mouth to Elphaba's, pressing their lips together fiercely and taking Elphaba's breath away. She broke away as abruptly as she had moved in, and Elphaba was left to try to hold herself up while gasping for breath.

"Aren't you mad at me?" she asked at last.

"No," replied Galinda firmly.

"But…but…you didn't write for me."

"I'm glad that you're here. I wanted you to be here."

"But Pfannee and Shenshen…"

Galinda pressed one hand to Elphaba's mouth, silencing her.

"Pfannee and Shenshen are horrible. They never should have played that joke on you. That was why I was upset. Nobody should hurt you – don't they see how beautiful you are?"

Elphaba returned Galinda's gaze of adoration with one of wonder.

"You think I'm beautiful?

Galinda stroked Elphaba's cheek slowly. "Yes, I do."

Elphaba shook her head. "Galinda, if this is some sort of cruel joke-"

Galinda let out a groan of frustration and pushed Elphaba off of her, slipping to the ground and burying her head in her arms. "Elphaba, why won't you believe me?"

"It never occurred to me that you could care for me."

"Well, I do. So let it occur to you now."

But it wasn't so easy for Elphaba. This turn of events was novel and unexpected, and she had to give it time to make sense.

"I…"

Galinda sighed and stood up, straightening her skirt. "Just forget it, Elphie. I'm not good enough for you, that's all." She fled the room quickly, closing the door behind her and shutting Elphaba with all of the memories of their brief past together.

When Galinda entered the room that night, Elphaba pretended to be asleep. Galinda undressed by the light of the room, taking off her dress and undergarments and pulling on her nightgown. She crawled into bed softly, careful not to disturb the green girl already in her bed.

Galinda took care to lay as far away from Elphaba as she could. Her arms yearned to hold the other girl, but she knew that she had no right.

Galinda was just drifting off to sleep when she felt the bed shift. It stopped, then shifted again, and Galinda felt something warm pressed against her back. She jumped when Elphaba's lips brushed the back of her neck.

"You're right; you're not good enough. You're a great deal too good," whispered Elphaba. Suddenly Elphaba was looming over Galinda, her body pinning the blonde's in place.

"Oh, Elphie," sighed Galinda. That was all of the encouragement Elphaba needed. Their mouths met, and Elphaba traced Galinda's lips with her tongue, begging for entrance to Galinda's mouth. It was obvious to Galinda that Elphaba had no experience in these matters, but her passion more than made up for it. Soon Galinda's lips were swollen, and she felt as if she would collapse if the bed wasn't holding her up.

"I've always thought you were beautiful," murmured Elphaba, her hands brushing across Galinda's collarbone. She pushed aside the fabric, growling when the buttons obscured her intent. She quickly unbuttoned them and pushed them aside, revealing Galinda's breasts. The skin was smooth and yielding to her touch, and she caressed them gently, marveling at how different they were from hers. Elphaba watched in wonder as the nipples hardened beneath her fingers.

"Elphie," gasped Galinda, her eyes fluttering shut. Elphaba smiled. She hadn't known that she could affect Galinda in such a way.

"Yes, sweet?" asked Elphaba, verbalizing her endearment for Galinda for the first time.

Galinda shivered, arching into Elphaba's touch.

"What is it?" she asked again. She lowered one mouth to Galinda's breast, and Galinda moaned softly, her hands rubbing Elphaba's arms. Elphaba smiled against Galinda's skin, her breaths blowing cold air against the blonde's nipples.

"I…you…"

"You what?" asked Elphaba innocently. Galinda clenched her legs together, willing herself not to go crazy from the ache that taunted her mercilessly.

"I love you," whispered Galinda desperately. "I love you, and I have missed you so much this summer."

Elphaba froze. The words she hadn't expected to hear had been ripped from Galinda's throat. She stayed still for a moment, giving Galinda the chance to take them back. When she didn't, Elphaba slid back up her body and kissed her lips soundly. She stroked Galinda's cheek tenderly when she pulled away.

"Do you really?"

Galinda nodded solemnly, her eyes reflecting the light from the moon. Elphaba kissed her once more and slid down her body, pushing up the nightdress as she did.

"What are you doing?" questioned Galinda breathlessly.

"I want all of you," replied Elphaba. She ran her hands over the heat at Galinda's core, cupping her. One finger circled Galinda's entrance, causing Galinda to gasp and shift in surprise. Elphaba stroked it again, eliciting the same response. She slowly lowered her head, flicking out her tongue to taste Galinda. The taste was tangy and bitter-sweet, unlike anything Elphaba had ever tasted. She was instantly addicted.

Elphaba placed the flat of her tongue against Galinda. She moved her tongue up slowly, prodding the throbbing bundle of nerves that she found.

"Elphie!" gasped Galinda.

"Hold on, sweet," Elphaba murmured against her, thrusting two fingers inside of her. Galinda gasped and tensed, then moaned as Elphaba began to thrust her fingers.

"What do you need?"

"You. Always you."

Elphaba thrust harder, and soon Galinda was quivering with desire. Elphaba bit the bundle of nerves softly, and Galinda cried out, her voice carrying into the summer night. Her whole body tensed and arched, and then she collapsed against the bed, panting.

"Elphie," she murmured, lifting one weak hand to Elphaba's cheek as Elphaba crawled up to lay next to her.

"Yes, sweet, I'm here," whispered Elphaba, taking Galinda into her arms. Galinda drifted off to sleep and Elphaba cradled her, marveling at the sensation of holding Galinda the way she had always wanted to.

"I love you too."