Twelve

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I tell James as I peer down at the ground below us. The ski lift that we are on shakes slightly and I grab the bar for dear life, certain that we are going to fall to our deaths at any moment.

James, however, seems unfazed by the height or the shaking. "Relax princess," he says as he puts an arm around me. "We're almost to the top and then it's a quick ride to the bottom."

"Like you'd know anything about a quick ride," I mutter, snuggling into his side.

Despite the heavy snowsuit, two pairs of long underwear and socks, hat, gloves, scarf and mittens I'm currently wearing, I'm still freezing. I should be used to it by now since our family comes to the ski resort every year for Christmas until after the new year, a tradition we started when the parents got married.

James had taken to snowboarding right away and was usually only seen at breakfast and dinner while the rest of us liked to lounge by the heated indoor pool. My entire body sh