-6-

"My parents are out and my brother is at work, so we've got some time." Snowie told Tanner. She was excited to finally be spending some time alone with him outside of school.

"Oh."

"I'm so happy to be spending time with you." Snowie told him. 

"Jack Winter finally let you out of the house huh?""

"Yeah, and it's all thanks to Jaylee too." Snowie grinned, "Or maybe it's Egypt I should be thanking."

Tanner didn't answer. "What's wrong?" Snowie asked.

"I've got a  lot on my mind. Do you love me Snowie?"

"Tanner you know I do."

"I don't think so."

"What?"

"It's strange you know, you're supposed to me by girlfriend but you keep me in the friend zone. I can kiss you but I still can't get past first base. I'm not asking for much Snowie, but first base? Are you kidding me?"

It was Snowie's turn to fall into silence.

Tanner took Snowie's hand and led her over to the hopscotch area. For a while they played in silence. It was Tanner who ended the silence. "Are you going to Jennifer Rolls' party?"

"I want to."

"Snowie, that party is your last chance to prove that you love me."

"I don't understand."

"My friends are calling me a wuss, they're calling me pussy because I can't touch my own girlfriend." Tanner said coldly. Darkness fell upon the teens, Snowie stood toying with her hair. 

"Basically you're saying that you want to have sex with me, and if I don't you're leaving me. Am I correct?"

"Yes."

"You don't love me Tanner. If you did sex wouldn't be so important to you that you would leave me if you didn't get it. You know, I love you so much that I considered it, but I've got to love myself first. Goodbye Tanner."

Claus sat in silence watching as his baby sister toyed with her piece of pie. Snowie was not one to play with food, she ate what was given to her quickly and then tried to steal other people's food. He had eaten two plates and Snowie hadn't even taken a bite of her pie. "What's wrong with you?" He questioned.

"Tanner gave me an ultimatum, he wanted me to prove that I love him by having sex with him or he would leave me. Claus you know how much I loved that boy."

Claus felt a lump form in his throat. "You..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. Not his baby sister! He would kill this Tanner boy.

"I left him. Jay told me to wait until I was sure that I was ready and in that moment I knew that I wasn't. But Tanner kept pressuring me," She took a deep breath, "So I left him."

Snowie rested her forehead on her brother's shoulder and burst into tears. Claus breathed a sign of relief and rescued the pie, then he pulled Snowie onto his lap and rocked her like he did when she was little. Claus' heart swelled with pride, Snowie had faced one of the most intense moments in a teenager's life and she stood her ground, she stood her ground and she beat peer pressure. "I'm so proud of you Snow," Claus murmured. "You won't believe me now but things will get better, and then you will find the person who will love you as much as you love them."