Jack and I stayed a little while longer in the shop - thanking the herbalist for his help and trying to stay warm as the temperature began to drop. Glancing over at the window, just then I noticed snow falling outside. I grinned in excitement, strands of my brown hair falling in my face. This time of year back home, there was never any snow! I pulled my jacket around me tighter and exited the small apothecary. My boots crunched on the fallen snow as the biting wind nipped at my skin.

But I didn't care. It was snowing! I smiled widely and walked through the town, unbelieving of how different it looked covered in a blanket of white snow. I noticed some stairs ahead of me that led to a balcony that looked out over the streets. Climbing them two at a time, I was soon at the top. The view before me took my breath away!

Snow dusted the rooftops of every shop for miles. Even the awnings of the vending stalls below were blanketed with it.

"So beautiful..." I breathed out in awe.

"It's true. Really a wonder how something so beautiful can exist." a voice said suddenly, making me jump.

Putting a hand to my heart, I whipped around to see Jack gazing at me. Small white snowflakes fell in my brown locks as I laughed.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!"I told him playfully as I rested my hands on the railing.

He smiled sheepishly, "Sorry..."

He come to stand beside me and looked over the town before turning to me.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," he said, tiny flecks of snow landing in his curls.

I shrugged in response.

"I was just enjoying the snow... Reminds me of when I was younger, Dorothy and I would play in it for hours before we'd be called into the house," I said softly, the memories coming back to me in flashes.

Jack leaned on the railing and tilted his head.

"You don't really talk about her," he commented and slowly, I nodded.

"We, um...we don't seem to get along these days. Once upon a time, she used to be my best friend but now it doesn't even feel like she's my sister anymore..." I told him, trailing off.

A moment of silence passed between us then but it wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, I felt more comfortable with Jack than I did with anyone else.

"What happened? To make you two so distant now?" he asked, breaking the silence.

I pursed my lips and twisted my mouth to the side before shrugging.

"Our adoptive parents preferred her. And...no matter what she always thought she had to be better than me. At anything. No matter what it was. Somehow it just...broke us, I guess," I said quietly, my tone becoming sad.

It almost surprised me at how vulnerable I was with him. I hadn't even known him that long but I felt so drawn to him -like I could trust him with anything. His silver-gray eyes met my brown ones through the hot tears that unknowingly had started to roll down my cheeks.

"It's gonna be okay-" Jack started, putting his hands on my arms but I shrugged him off.

"Stop doing that!" I told him, feeling my walls go up again, "It's not okay! It's not gonna be okay!"

With every word, I became angrier and angrier at my sister. For all the times she'd made me feel like nothing, like I wasn't good enough.

"But now Dorothy is out there probably making everyone fall at her feet and the worst part is - I'm still here!" I shouted into the night as Jack took off his bag.

He dug around in it before retrieving an emerald-encrusted dagger - the same one from Mombi's house. He held it out in front of me.

"I stole it for us," he explained, "We can sell the emeralds, we can stay together no matter what!"

He set it down onto a crate then. I held my breath and glanced up at him.

"You really want to stay with me?" I asked him softly.

Those beautiful misty-gray eyes gazed into mine before Jack cupped my cheek with one hand. His lips connected to mine and my eyes fluttered closed. In that moment - that one blissful moment - I didn't think of consequences or who would disapprove. I just kissed him back with all I had in me. His lips were soft like rose petals as they glided over mine gently and he tasted like cotton candy. Butterflies erupted in my stomach and the anger I'd had previously melted away.

All I could think of was how good it felt to have his lips on mine. Just as my fingers tangled themselves in his sandy brown curls, I was ripped away from him violently.

"What are you doing?" she screamed at Jack.

"Tip-" he started but she shoved him away.

"You can't do that!" she shouted childishly.

"I like-" he tried but she pushed him forcefully a gain.

"Stop it!" I shouted, trying to pry her off of him.

"Her of all people!" Tip cried out in jealousy.

"But I like her!" he said defensively, raising his voice slightly.

"SHE ISN'T ME!" Tip yelled out deafeningly, giving him one last forceful push..

Jack stumbled back against the railing and with a loud creak, it broke free. He fell through the air and I let out a blood-curdling scream as he landed on the snow-covered ground with a sickening crunch.

"NO! JACK!" I shrieked, rushing over to glance over the edge.

My brown eyes filled with tears. He lay there below, blood splatters on the white snow around him. He wasn't moving.