Galinda turned in to her dormitory nearly an hour after Elphaba did, but Elphaba was still awake. Galinda giggled, stumbling slightly as she closed the door behind her.

"Good evening, Miss Elphie!" Galinda sang as she threw off her shawl and kicked off her heels.

"Good evening, Galinda." Elphaba replied, arching an eyebrow as she observed her roommate.

"I hope you had a wonderful time at the party," Galinda said, "I know I did."

"I enjoyed it," Elphaba smiled, "thanks."

"Oh, don't thank me! It was my pleasure to dance with you."

Elphaba's stomach twisted.

"I…" Elphaba started, "I enjoyed it, as well."

Galinda smiled even wider and rolled onto her bed, "Elphie?"

"Yes, Galinda?"

"Now that we're friends," Galinda began as she twirled a lock of yellow hair around her finger, "will you let me do something nice for you?"

"I…I suppose so. If you'd like."

"I've decided how I'm going to help you." Galinda said, sitting up and facing Elphaba. "I'll fix your hair and your clothes, and your attitude, too! They'll all see you as I do, and surely they'll love you!"

"You don't have to do that." Elphaba protested as Galinda flitted from her bed to Elphaba's.

"I know." Galinda said as she nestled against Elphaba's side, and Elphaba smelt the thickness of wine on her breath. "But I want to."

"Galinda, are you—"

"No, no, no, Elphie! Now is not the time for questions!" Galinda twisted her fingers through Elphaba's long plait, combing her fingers through the silky dark strands.

"Wear your hair like this," Galinda instructed as she positioned a few waves of Elphaba's long hair in front of her shoulders, "you have beautiful hair and you have to let everyone see it. That's what it's about, Elphie, accentuating your finer points, and then the rest will follow. Now, for your lips. Makeup isn't putting on a different face, it's about making what you already have more beautiful."

Galinda drew a tube of lipstick from her cleavage and removed the cap with her teeth. "Open your mouth,"

The green girl did as she was told, and Galinda spread a layer of pink onto her lips.

"Now," Galinda instructed, "Like this," she pressed her lips together and opened them so they made a soft 'pop.'

Elphaba imitated Galinda, and tasted the sweetness of strawberry flavoring on her lips, what her lips taste like.

Elphaba blanched, and kicked herself for having thought.

Galinda took a step back to admire her work.

"Entrancing," she breathed as she ran her fingers lightly over Elphaba's hair. "Do you feel beautiful?"

"I don't—I don't know." Elphaba managed as she attempted to swallow her queasiness.

"Have you ever kissed anyone, Elphie?" Galinda asked, her hands resting softly on Elphaba's shoulders.

"No."

"Do you know how to?"

"I…I never thought--" It was a lie. She had thought.

"Now that I've helped you realize your beauty, boys are going to want to kiss you. And how will you kiss them if you don't know how?"

"I don't know."

Galinda laughed a little, "Shall I show you?"

"Show me?…what?"

"Hold still." Galinda let her hands drop to Elphaba's waist where she linked them behind the green girl's back.

"I'm finding that…" Elphaba stammered as she struggled to ignore the heat of Galinda's arms circling her waist, "I'm finding that quite difficult."

"Nonsense, Elphie. Kissing is easy." Before Elphaba could respond or protest Galinda's mouth was on Elphaba's.

"There," Galinda said when she pulled away. "That's how you start, with little kisses, like this," she kissed Elphaba again, briefly before giggling as Elphaba sat stunned.

"And then," Galinda continued, "when you've warmed to each other," Galinda's hand traveled up the length of Elphaba's back to her neck, then to the back of her head.

"When you've warmed to each other, you…" Galinda's lips were warm and soft on Elphaba's. As Galinda's mouth opened, Elphaba's did too, and when Galinda's tongue slipped between Elphaba's lips, Elphaba shuddered.

"Pretend I'm a boy." Galinda breathed as she kissed Elphaba with more fervor. They melded together, their bodies flush against each other as Elphaba tasted strawberry and Galinda's mouth.

"Well," Galinda sighed when she pulled away. Her cheeks were red and she was breathing heavily. "Now you know."

Elphaba was trembling. Her mouth was slightly open and she couldn't meet Galinda's eyes.

"Did you feel anything?" Galinda wondered.

It stirred. It seethed and it twisted with unrest and wanting, until Elphaba swallowed it down, shook her head, and feigned composure.

"No," Elphaba said in even tones that did not betray the stirring, "I didn't feel a thing."