"Don't be such a spoil sport Susie."

Susan rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the same comment she'd heard for the twelfth time that afternoon. Her back to her brothers, Susan tugged harshly at the buttons of her coat, her fingers clumsily attempting to fasten them. She heaved a sigh, much larger than needed as she pulled her purple wool cap down over her ears.

The last thing she wanted to do was go sledding. But, as usual, she'd been outvoted. Peter and Edmund always banded together, and Lucy, who adored both her brothers, would often follow in their footsteps. In moments, Susan would be on a side all her own, and whatever she'd voted on was long forgotten.

A heavily bundled Lucy waddled over to her side, placing her red, mittened hand on her sister's arm. Her bright blue eyes were the only thing Susan could see, the rest of her rosy nearly hidden by her matching red scarf.

"Cheer up Su, we'll go skating another time."

Although Lucy's voice was greatly muffled, Susan heard every word. Even still, her sister's words did little to comfort her. Her siblings would always be on the opposite side, and sometimes Susan felt rather like an outsider. It just wasn't fair.

"I can't find my scarf!" Cried Peter.

At eleven years old, Peter was already well on his way to becoming a responsible adult, or so their mother said. He was so very organized, it was odd for him to misplace something.

"I had it just the other day; I can't understand where it could've gone?"

Peter began searching frantically through the hall closest, desperate to find it.

Edmund, already fully dressed, sweating and impatient to get into the cool air, spoke up.

"Why not just wear one of Dad's?"

This solution seemed perfectly sound to him, but Peter, who dearly treasured the scarf, would not comply.

"I can't lose it, it's the one Grandmother made!"

It was true, last Christmas their father's stepmother had given each child a matching set of winter things. Susan's has been purple, Edmund's blue, Lucy's red, and Peter's had been green. They were warm and comfortable, and Peter, like his siblings, was terribly fond of them.

"What's all the fuss about?" Asked Helen, pulling on her own coat as she walked into the hall.

"I can't find my green scarf, I've lost it!"

Helen looked genuinely perplexed; it was very unlike Peter to lose anything. That was more something Edmund was often known to do.

"Why don't you go check in your room darling, if you can't find it, I lend you my extra."

In a second, Peter dashed up the stairs his heavy booted footsteps plunking through the halls. The rest of them silently went about their preparations for the cold, listening to Peter's footsteps above.

"Mum," said Edmund miserably. "Can we please go sit on the front porch? If I don't get out of here soon, you and Su will have to mop me up off the floor."

Susan giggled slightly, the image of her brother turning into a puddle quite amusing. She could tell by the look on his face he was far from joking.

Helen nodded, an amused smile dancing in her eyes as Peter pounded back down the steps, his green scarf in hand. In a matter of minutes, the children and their mother were outdoors, tramping through the snow, heading down the street towards the nearest sledding slope, only a few blocks away.

The crisp winter air licked at their cheeks, and Susan noted it was a pleasant change from standing inside in their winter things.

Upon arriving at the slope, they were all thrilled to see they would have it all to themselves, as not another child was in sight. In seconds, Peter and Edmund flew down the hill. Edmund, ducking low against the wind, beat Peter to the bottom by a few short moments.

Susan, determined to have as little fun as possible, sat stiffly in her wooden sled, watching first as he mother rode down with Lucy. As soon as they were out of the way, Susan pulled her scarf up over her nose before plunging down the hill.

Cold, icy air whipped past her, adrenaline building as her speed increased. Large white flakes of snow bit at her exposed cheeks and Susan squinted her eyes shut as she slid to a slow stop at the bottom. Shaking extra snow from her nut brown curls, Susan blinked, tiny snow crystal forming along her eyelashes.

As much as she hated to admit it, she was enjoying herself, despite the brisk air, and her red nose. She realized she'd gladly trade a trip to the pond for this.

Turning back towards the top, Susan stood and watched as her brothers flew back down the hill, whipping up clouds of snow behind them. Waving, she smiled as they zipped past her, coming to a stop nearly ten feet past her.

Dusting themselves off, the brothers stood, and Edmund turned to face his sister, his dark eyes dazzlingly clear in the mid-afternoon light. Crunching snow beneath him, he raced over towards her, Peter not far behind.

"Want to race Su? It's really fun, Peter hasn't even been able to beat me today!"

Peter rolled his eyes, a teasing smile on his lips.

"Oh come on Ed, I let you win!"

Laughing, Edmund gave his brother a playful shove.

"He's just saying that to mend his pride!"

Susan shook her head fondly, but still giggled, nodding as she accepted her brother's invitation.

"Race you up to the top of the hill!" Said Susan gaily, sprinting up the hill, her brother's not far behind.

From behind, she heard Peter shout to Edmund. "This is one race you can't beat me at; your legs are too short!"

True to his word, Peter beat Edmund to the top, catching Susan on the way up. When Edmund arrived, they each placed the sleds alongside each other's, sitting down quickly.

"On your mark, get set – GO!"

All three of them began simultaneously, racing down the hill at a breathtaking speed.

Inching forward in her seat, Susan willed herself forward, ducking down against the wind as she'd seen Edmund do before. As she reached the bottom of the hill, Susan let out a yell of victory as Peter finished just behind her. Both siblings turned back to the hill, noticing that Edmund wasn't with them.

Just behind them, his head popping out of a snow bank, Edmund looked down at them, wiping icy chunks of snow from his face and spitting snow from his mouth. Susan laughed, Peter joining her as their snow covered brother trudged down the hill after them.

Sledding truly was fun.