Snowflake
"We are like a snowflake, all different in our own beautiful way."
-Unknown
Jack smiled as he walked towards a small but familiar house. His feet shuffled as he carefully stepped over the layer of white, evidence that the winter season had begun.
It had grown dark and stars had begun to shine, adding an enchanting effect that winter evening. Jack took a moment to look up, feeling someone watching him. Moonlight shone brightly against the snow. His eyebrows furrowed. He didn't see anyone and he didn't feel any danger so he decided to ignore it and move on.
Jack shook his head and took off his old cloak as he opened the door, shaking off any excess snow that had clung to him in his trip outside.
"Jack? Jack!" His sister excitedly yelled upon seeing her brother.
He laughed as she tackled him. "Hey, Rosie."
The elder sibling ruffled her long brown locks and took in the appearance of her flushed cheeks. He then noticed the dried traces of tear tracks on her face.
He frowned, concern showing in his eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"
The little brunette stayed quiet.
He smirked mischievously.
"Hey," he said lifting her into the air as she giggled in surprise.
"If you're not going to tell me," he paused for dramatic effect, eyes sparkling with mischief, "Then," he said laying her down on a table, "I'm just going to tickle it out of you!"
The girl squealed as he poked her stomach. "Stop! Stop it! Jack!"
Her brother chuckled as the girl giggled. "Well? Are you going to tell me now? Or will I have to continue your tickle torture?"
Rosie laughed, "No! Anything but the torture!"
Jack raised a brow. Rosie sighed, "Fine."
She took a deep breath.
"MyfriendssaidthatI'mnotanyspecialandthatIdon'tdeserveanawesomebrotherlike you," she mumbled.
"What?" Jack replied, clearly not understanding a thing she just said.
Fiddling with the bottom of her skirt, she whispered, "My friends said that I'm not anything special and that I don't deserve an awesome brother like you."
A frown made its way to her brother's face. "Is that so?"
"Yeah…" Rosie whispered softly, afraid of what her brother might say. That they were right. And that he'd leave her.
The teen chuckled. "You wanna see what I think of that, Rosie?"
The little girl looked up and shrieked in surprise as he brother picked her up, carrying her outside. As he opened the door, she feared the worst and imagined him throwing her out of the house.
He set her down. She winced, closing her eyes and prepared herself for the inevitable. Instead, her kind brother asked her a question.
"What's this, Rosie?" She opened her eyes and saw him pointing toward a small fluff of white floating in the air.
"Snow?" she guessed, puzzled.
Jack smiled. "Yup, it's a snowflake. See?"
He brought her closer. "You see those tiny patterns on it?"
Rosie nodded. "They're pretty."
"Well," he continued, "No snowflake is ever the same, so they all have different patterns."
He looked down into his sister's eyes. "Those snowflakes are us. None of us are the same and we're all unique in our own way, " he paused. "Just like you, Rosie."
The little girl grinned, her chocolate brown eyes sparkling. "Really, Jack?"
He smiled. "Yup. Pretty aren't they? Just like you. You're my little snowflake, Rosie," he said poking her nose. "Nothing will ever change that."
The girl hugged him as tight as she could. "Thanks, Jack."
"Hmm…tell you what, let's go ice skating tomorrow," he suggested.
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
"Yup! I want to spend some time with my little snowflake."
The child laughed as they moved back into the house.
"I love you, Jack!"
Her brother blinked at the sudden display of affection, but smiled nonetheless.
"I love you too, Rosie."
And he did.