I probably should have stocked up on food beforehand.
These were Jeff's thoughts as he drove to Shirley's house. She had called him a few hours earlier to check in and see if he was all right after the snow storm that had blanketed Greendale last night. As he was talking to her he let it slip that he was probably going to try ordering a low fat organic pizza since he didn't have much food at his apartment. So of course she told him to come over to her house for dinner. He tried turning her down, but she was incredibly insistent ("I know you pride yourself on looking good, but it wouldn't kill you to get a proper home cooked meal in you every once in a while"), and wouldn't take no for an answer. She even said she would send him home with some spare groceries if he came over. And since his refrigerator and cupboards were pretty much empty he finally relented and agreed to come over.
As he carefully maneuvered through the snow packed roads he acknowledged to himself that he was a little apprehensive about spending the day at Shirley's house. If it was just her or even just her and Andre it wouldn't have been bad. But Elijah and Jordan would be there, and he was always wary about being around them. It wasn't that they were bad kids. Jeff even liked seeing them play if he was a safe distance away. But they could be really energetic and rambunctious most times. Unlike Troy and Abed, who seemed to fit right in with them, Jeff always felt so out of place whenever he was around them. He just hoped he could survive being with them for the entire day.
When Jeff finally pulled into the Bennett driveway he saw something unexpected as he got out of his car: a familiar looking red hatchback parked in front of the house. Is that, it can't be Annie's, he thought. He looked inside and saw a decal on the dashboard of a light bulb with the caption Be Like Edison and Imagine the Impossible. That confirmed his suspicion, since every time he got in her car and saw that decal he couldn't help smiling. He tried to fight the feeling of happiness and relief creeping up on him as he walked up the walkway and rang the bell.
He only waited a few moments before the door opened, revealing Shirley's smiling face. "Jeffrey. Come in, come in. I haven't been out since yesterday. How is it out there?"
"Little tricky driving, but not that dangerous. How's everyone here?"
"Ben and Andre are at his mother's. Florence was watching Ben and Andre went to pick him up last night, but ended up staying when the snow got really bad. He called and said they should be home this evening after he shovels her driveway and does a few things around the house. Elijah and Jordan are having a blast. They've made a snowman and snow angels. They're outside having a snowball fight with Annie right now."
"I saw her car when I pulled up. So she and the guys came over too?"
"No, just Annie. Troy and Abed spent the night at Britta's last night. I called them today and invited them over, but they said they're spending the day keeping warm with liquor and s'mores while playing Truth and Dare." She huffed as Jeff grinned at her disapproval. "So I invited Annie over since she was just sitting by herself."
"That's good. Do you need any help?"
"Oh, Jeffrey. That's sweet, but I've got it. Go make yourself at home, since dinner won't be ready for a few hours."
Jeff went over to the back door, watching Annie duck and dive as Jordan and Elijah pelted snowballs at her. He had hoped Troy and Abed would be here too, since they would keep the boys entertained for the afternoon. But from the look of things Annie seemed to be doing fine on her own.
Jeff opened the door and stepped outside. "Hey Annie!"
"Jeff!" She stopped moving as she saw her friend walk over to her, getting hit in the face and neck for her lapse. "Boys, truce! Cease fire!" She wiped the snow from her face as Jeff stopped in front of her.
"Elijah, Jordan." The boys said hi and ran off as Jeff looked at Annie's pink face. "Shirley paying you to play chaperone?"
"We're just having fun. What are you doing here?"
"Shirley invited me over for dinner, which I'm guessing is why you're here."
"Yup. It's hard to say no to Shirley."
"I think the fact that we both wore baby Jesus bracelets our first year easily proves that."
Annie laughed as the boys came running over both armed with a snowball. "Halt, it's the tall spikey haired snow monster! Get him!" Jordan yelled.
"Jeff, come play with us," Elijah asked. "Then we can have a snowball fight with actual teams."
"I'm not really a snowball fight kind of guy."
"Boys, why don't you let me talk to Jeff." She waited until they were away before looking at Jeff with a softer version of her formidable face. "Why don't you want to play?"
"Annie, I think I'm a little old to be in a snowball fight."
"Oh, okay," she said with a smile. "Said the guy who apparently once tried to show Abed and Troy what Krumping is."
Jeff looked at her in disbelief at hearing that she knew that. "How did you find that out?"
"I live with Troy and Abed. Remember? We share things. The point is that in spite of always trying to be suave and cool, you do loosen up and have fun at times. Just do that now."
"Annie, look at me," he said as he gestured to himself. "This is a North Face insulated jacket, and my gloves are made of leather. Not exactly stuff you want to get covered in snow. Plus there is my hair, and I doubt anyone would want it to not look its best."
As he continued to point out why he couldn't play Annie scooped up a handful of snow. Before he could stop her or realize what she was doing she reached up and threw it on his head, rubbing it vigorously into his hair. He shook his head and glared at her as she covered her mouth to try and stop her laughter from escaping. "You did not just do that."
She continued to giggle, waiting for the inevitable yelling to begin. Instead she saw a playful glint in his eyes. Realizing he was going to make her pay she quickly scooped up a handful of snow before he grabbed ahold of her tightly. She playfully yelled as he grabbed a handful of snow and pulled her knit cap off, dumping it on her head. She wiggled out of his grasp and threw a snowball square at his jacket as Jeff tossed a snowball at her, hitting Annie in the stomach.
Before they could further assault each other they heard Elijah and Jordan yell out, "Get them!" They had just enough time to silently declare to join forces before they were bombarded with snowballs. Jeff and Annie quickly scooped up handfuls of snow as they flung them at the children.
"Get behind me!" Jeff yelled. He blocked her from the brunt of the snowballs as they both formed a quick impromptu assembly line: Annie making snowballs and speedily handing them off to Jeff as he threw them at Jordan and Elijah. Jordan continued throwing snowballs at Jeff as Elijah ducked around to get at Annie. Annie raced around Jeff as Elijah chased her, laughing hysterically at how absurd this was.
"ELIJAH! JORDAN!" The boys stopped throwing snowballs as Shirley called at them from the back door. "You've been outside for three hours. Come inside for a while so you don't catch cold."
"But mom-."
"Boys!" she said in her stern mom voice. "I made hot chocolate. Dry off and help set the table and then you can have some."
Jordan ran inside as Elijah looked happily at Jeff and Annie. "That was fun," he said before running inside.
Annie smiled as she looked at Jeff trying in vain to save his hair style. "Did you have fun?"
"Shockingly, I did. Even though my hair isn't going to forgive you or them for this."
"I'm sure it can use a day off from looking perfect." She shook her head as she started brushing snow off of her jacket before raking her fingers through her hair.
"You okay?" Jeff asked as he saw her shiver.
"Yeah. My hands are just cold because water seeped through my gloves."
"Here," Jeff said as he took off his own gloves. He pulled her gloves off before gently grasping her hands in his. "Better?"
Annie nodded her head as she looked at her hands encased in Jeff's. She knew they were a tad dainty, but they looked miniature compared to Jeff's gigantic paws. "They're like a furnace," she told him.
"Um, thanks. I guess. Were your hands always this small?"
"They're normal sized. You're just a giant where every part of you is huge." Her face blushed furiously as she realized what she had just inadvertently implied.
"You want to try that one more time," Jeff said with a grin.
"Shut up."
"Jeff, Annie!" They turned around as they say Shirley calling out to them. "I have two cups of hot chocolate with your names on them."
"Okay!" Jeff yelled. He brushed a stray snowflake from Annie's eyebrow before holding his hands out. Annie smiled and took his hand as they went inside.