<span style="font-family:EB Garamond">It’s a red envelope, with Greek lettering on a black seal.<br/>
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There was an intermediate period on the courtyard, where students are either on their way out or on their way inside. Adrian is stopped in this rush, by a boy stuffed within a black blazer with a golden pendant pinned onto his lapel. Besides, that was an enamel pin.<br/>
<br/>
It’s of a wolf, teeth bare, and mouth gaping red.<br/>
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“Here, intake is tonight. Don’t be late.”<br/>
<br/>
This courier turned on his heels and left without another word, pushing past a wall of students and disappearing on the other side. Because his business didn’t end there. No, he was wanted south of the campus, ‘soon as he was finished,’ had been the order. Where shade grew sparse, the heat blistered, and people were shouting. The tennis court is busy; a flurry of quick footwork, boys, dressed in ivory whites were moving fast.<br/>
<br/>
But when Auden caught sight of their newest spectator, he stopped completely. The ball slammed down within bounds, and his opponent smirked. The men behind him cheering, slapping his back in praise.<br/>
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“Time out,” Auden called. Someone standing to the sidelines tossed him a towel. Which he caught and immediately used to blot the sweat, his hair damp and eyes scrutinizing the boy standing in uniform not far off. Yet he greeted him all the same. Their handshake too fast, rehearsed. Auden pulled the other near, shoulders knocking together in a quick meeting. He speaks when they’re close enough, “did you make the deliveries?”<br/>
<br/>
When they pull apart, there’s a nod of confirmation.<br/>
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Tension seemed to sap out of Auden; his shoulders lowering, but his lips still wrought in disapproval. He knocked his racket against his thigh, looking over at the others who had stopped to catch their breath. Though his attention seemed to be specifically stolen by someone, his adversary. Who was giving off a glow from a mile by the attention being given, gluttonously. When he lifted his head, his sunglasses caught the sheen of sunlight and Auden knew they were looking at him.<br/>
<br/>
Auden grinned, waving his hand in a show of sportsmanship.<br/>
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But when he spoke, “we’ll have a spot freed up soon. Now’s the time to be watching for people to fill it.”<br/>
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The white towel he’d used to dry off was folded, neatly. Auden placed it beneath his arm and turned his head. “We’ve got a long night ahead of us, you get back early.”<br/>
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The active nodded, obedient to the grave. He took out his phone and sent off a mass message, recruitment was at nine. They were making cuts and every brother was attending. That would be enough to haul them all on their feet, because if Pi Kappa Alpha had a quirk about itself, it was this: they snipped members like they were the frayed ends of a tightly braided rope, but in spite of this, they had an intimacy that was living.<br/>
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“I’ll see you tonight, brother.” Auden nodded, already heading over towards the winner to give his own applause.<br/>
<br/>
After the humility he would suffer tonight, he earned it.</span>