"I was going to say 'excessive,' but that works too."
Drew leads us to Arena 3, where, to absolutely no one's surprise, the Theta Pi Nu sorority is waiting. Emily stands front and center, hands on her hips, flanked by at least fifteen sorority sisters in matching purple beanies.
"Well, well, well," Emily calls, a mischievous grin on her face. "If it isn't the boys of Delta Psi Omega, ready for their annual humiliation."
"Annual? This event just started, didn’t it?" My question isn't as quiet as I would have liked it when Emily's eyes swing my way.
"Emily likes to establish dominance early," James whispers. "Just go with it."
Drew steps forward, spreading his arms. "Ladies! So glad you could make it to witness our superior snowball skills."
The sorority sisters boo good-naturedly while Emily rolls her eyes. "In your dreams, Jones. My girls have been practicing."
"They've been practicing throwing snowballs?"
"Theta Pi Nu takes competition seriously," James explains. "Last year, they demolished us in the charity volleyball tournament. Emily ran drills for weeks."
Leaning towards James again. "I thought Drew and Emily recently started dating?"
"They have this whole on and off again thing. I don't get it. Once you break up with someone, that's it… I mean, it's in the word, isn't it? Break?"
James nods as Gavin begins dividing us into positions: forward attackers, the defensive line, and snipers. Somehow, James and I both end up designated as "right flank specialists," whatever that means.
"If Emily's on the other team, we're screwed," Mark mutters. "Drew won't let anyone target her."
"Facts," Noah agrees. "Remember capture the flag? He put Ian in a headlock for tagging her."
Drew overhears and groans. "Look, guys?—"
"Don't worry, boys," Emily interrupts, sauntering over to our huddle. "I am absolutely fair game." She pokes Drew in the chest. "In fact, if you don't come at me with everything you've got, everyone's gonna know how weak DPO really is."
"Ooooooh!" Her sorority sisters holler behind her.
Drew's smile turns predatory as he catches Emily's finger. "Is that a challenge, Baker?"
"That's a promise," she shoots back, then grabs his collar and pulls him down for a quick, fierce kiss. When she releases him, she smacks his ass and laughs. "I'm coming for you, Jones."
Drew's eyes darken. "That's for after the game."
Hoots and hollers erupt from both teams as Emily saunters back to her sisters.
"Well, that was borderline inappropriate," the comment is directed at James, who's trying not to laugh.
"Welcome to the Drew and Emily Show," he says. "They were like this in freshman year, and it's only gotten worse since they got back together."
As we get into position, I can't help wondering what it'd be like to have that with someone, to joke around in front of everyone, to be so secure together that everything else is fun and games.
James and I take our places behind the right-side barricade as the staff member in the elf hat raises a whistle.
"You any good at this?" James asks, eyeing the pile of snowballs at our feet.
"I have two older brothers and a family estate in Vermont," I deadpan. "I've been in snowball fights that would qualify as war crimes."
The corner of his mouth quirks up. "Good to know."
The whistle blows, and chaos erupts.
Snowballs fly in every direction as both teams charge forward. The sorority sisters prove immediately that theyhaven't been bluffing about practice; their throws are coordinated and accurate, focusing on taking out our front line first.
