Green with envy | Wicked | Book 1/3

Nessa

I feel like I'm falling.
I wake up suddenly, father is carrying me down the stairs, I look down and see Elphaba at the bottom with my chair.
Father gets to the bottom step and glances at me,
"Nessa your awake, I see you didn't sleep in your bed last night" he says, placing me gently in my chair.
"I asked Elphie to put me in the armchair, I must have fallen asleep" I say frantically, trying to spare Elphaba of fathers temper.
"Don't worry so" he says "I'm not angry"
Me and Elphaba both sigh deeply.
"Today we are going out" father announces triumphantly, "to the park."
There's nothing for me to do at the park.
"Why's that father?" I ask gently.
"You haven't left the house in a while Nessa, and I'd like for us all to get some fresh air" he says sweetly.
I would go out all the time if he hadn't taken me out of school.
Luckily the park is only two minutes away from our house so it won't take long.
"You and Elphaba go on ahed, I'll meet you there after I take an important phone call" father says ushering us out the door.

Elphaba takes my handles and begins to push me down the road, she stops paying attention and one of my wheels falls off the curb.
I cry out suddenly, Elphie pulls me back up and frantically mumbles apology's.
"It's fine" I say stopping her "don't make a big deal about it."
We continue down the path, people walk past us and stare, I'm not sure who at.
They could be staring for many reasons.
We are the governors children or the more probable answer: it's not every day you see a green girl pushing her paralysed sister down the street.

I spot the entrance to the park, Elphie pushes me through it,
"Where do you want us to sit?" She asks, I point to a clearing behind a tree.
"As long as we are in the shade I don't care" I say bluntly.
Elphaba takes me over to to the spot I pointed at and she sits down in front of me.
"Do you think if you took me out of the chair you could lean me against the tree?" I ask hesitantly.
Elphie shrugs.
"It's worth a try."
She lifts me out and carries me over to the tree and leans me against it, i slump sideways pathetically and my head hits the ground with a soft thud.
Elphie squeaks and holds me up,
I feel stupid.
"What do you want to do?" She asks.
I look around and make sure no one is staring at us.
"Can you sit behind me? I don't want to sit so high up" I say moodily.
Elphie pulls me over to her, she sits with her legs open and rests me in between them.
"Never mind" I say stubbornly "just put me back in my chair, I look foolish."
Elphaba does as I say,
I wheel myself closer behind the tree so I'm not seen by anyone.
Elphie leans up against the tree, the way I wanted to and takes out a picture from her jacket pocket.
"Look at this" she says handing it to me.
It's father holding me as a baby, his eyes gleaming, we are at the park.
"Where are you?" I ask pointing to the picture,
"I'm the one taking the picture" Elphie reply's,
"Oh I see" I say merrily, "how old am I there?"
Elphie takes the photo away from me to have a better look.
"Around a month maybe" she says, "you look so cute"
I don't think I was a cute baby, father would always make me wear these long dresses that hung below my feet, probably to cover up how red and horrible my legs looked.
They aren't red anymore, but I'm still really conscious of the way they look.
At least when I was a baby I could be carried everywhere.
"I don't really want father to come" I say solemnly, Elphie looks over at me,
"Why not?" She asks,
"He just makes everything more of an issue that it already is," I moan "like when I broke my leg, nothing changed but he still make people take me downstairs differently"
I can see that Elphaba looks irritated.
"Go on then" I say sarcastically "say what you want to say"
Elphie looks shocked
"I don't know what your talking about"
"Go on" I bark "tell me it's because father cares about me, tell me that I'm just being fussy"
Elphie looks away from me.
"Sorry" I whisper, "I'm just being mean for no reason"
Elphie turns back and smiles at me,
"It's okay ness" she chimes, I feel a bit better.
"But I swear if you find a way to break something  else I'm never talking to you again" she giggles, unknowingly resting a hand on my foot.
"You have no idea how much I want to kick you right now" I laugh back, Elphaba plays along and uses the hand that she has on my foot to move it and kick herself.
She pretends to cry with the pain, Elphie giggles then looks at me.
I'm not laughing.
"That's not funny Elphie" I sniff.
Elphaba stands up and hugs me,
"Sorry ness, I just got carried away"
I hear footsteps coming up behind us,
I turn my head thinking that it's father but it's some kids.
"Hey cabbage kid" one of them shouts pointing at Elphie, she blushes.
I spin myself round and glare at them.
"Leave my sister alone" I bark, I know I'm not very threatening but i feel as though I should say somthing,
"What are you gonna do about if we don't? Chase us?" One of them shrieks, they all run off squealing and laughing maniacally.
I can feel my eyes burn.
"Thanks for standing up for me Nessa" Elphie says, holding my hands.
"I want father!" I cry, big fat tears rolling down my face, Elphie hugs me again and I lean forward into her long black hair and bury myself in it.

We hug for a while until I hear fathers voice calling from behind us.
"Elphaba what have I told you about hugging your sister, you have to be gentle!" Father snaps, I don't care about what he says, I grab onto Elphaba tightly and don't let go.
Father gets to where we are and looks down at us both.
"Nessa? Are you crying?" He asks, crouching down and pulling Elphie off of me.
I hold out my hand towards her.
I just want someone to hold me.
"I just missed you" I lie feebly.
Father believes it and holds onto my hands.
"You know id never leave you my little rose" father says lovingly, I hear Elphaba laugh slightly, father turns to look at her and she fake coughs to disguise her laughter.
"If your going to cough can you do it away from your sister" father growls "I will not be happy if you make her sick"
Elphaba nods and turns her head away.