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"Jo! Look, it's snowing!" Josephine is greeted by the excited voice of her friend Dorcas as she wakes up. It is a Saturday, and all she wants is a bit more sleep.
"Wake up, Josie!" Dorcas calls out again, urging her to get up and see the snow.
Reluctantly, Josie sits up and glances outside. True enough, snowflakes are gently falling, covering the world in a white blanket. She knows that she and Dorcas have a tradition of having a snowball fight whenever it snows for the first time.
Dorcas hands her some winter clothes and says, "Get ready!" with an enthusiastic smile. She has to quiet down their dorm mates who are complaining about the noise, but she doesn't seem to care. "Yeah well, if you don't like me yelling, then leave!"
Amused by Dorcas's energy, Josie finally gets up and stretches. She sorts through the winter clothes her friend has pulled out from her trunk and picks what she needs.
Heading to the bathroom with the clothes in her hands, Josie prepares herself for the day. She is grateful to finally wear layers to keep warm.
Outside the bathroom door, Dorcas knocks impatiently, urging her again, "Come on, Josie!"
"Just a minute!" Josie replies as she finishes up and glances at her reflection in the mirror. She looks decent, though she brushes aside any negative thoughts. It won't be a bad day as long as she can bundle up. Pushing away the brief self-doubt, she opens the door.
"Let's go," she says with a tight smile, and Dorcas eagerly grabs her hand, pulling her along. "I'm not prepared to run!" Josie protests as they hurry through the halls. Despite her protests, laughter escapes her lips as Dorcas playfully drags her.
Dorcas weaves through students, even bumping into a couple of professors, until they reach the courtyard doors, where they finally catch their breath. "Merlin, I think my heart stopped working," Josie gasps, placing a hand over her chest.
"Don't be dramatic," Dorcas teases, leaning against the wall.
They step outside, greeted by the enchanting winter scene. Josie has always believed that winter has a unique smell, and just stepping outside confirms it. It's a sharp, cold scent that defies description but is unmistakable.
The trees are adorned with a fresh layer of snow, and fortunately, it hasn't snowed enough for them to sink too deep into it as they venture into the courtyard. They seem to be the only ones outside, probably because of the intense cold.
Josie and Dorcas exchange glances before dashing to opposite sides, building makeshift walls of snow to hide behind. As they engage in the snowball fight, Josie notices her usual nagging thoughts fading away.
"Are you ready!?" Dorcas shouts. Josie surveys the pile of snowballs she has made and replies confidently, "Yes!"
Crouching behind her small snow wall, Josie carefully peeks around the corner, experiencing the cool sensation that makes her shiver. Suddenly, a snowball from Dorcas hits her in the face, prompting her to retaliate blindly, resulting in a satisfying yell from Dorcas, indicating a successful hit.
