Winter came to live with us when she was five years old. She was two years younger than me and I personally liked her very much. She was native and from what I had heard from my parents was that she was neglected and abused by her birth parents. I struggled with that fact and it often angered me that someone would do that to the girl I now called my sister. It was a normal busy Saturday at the local mall. I often visited the place with Winter and we shopped for hours. It was nearing the end of summer break and we were shopping for back to school clothes. I would been entering my final year and Winter would be entering tenth grade. "What do you think of this?" she asked and she helped up a cute green cardigan. I smiled at her. "I think it looks nice. Try it on," I said. She smiled and happily went to the changing rooms. After a few minutes I went to check up on her. "Are you good, Winter?" "Janine, can you get me a medium in this? Seems as though I am no longer a small!" I giggled to myself and I caught the shirt as she threw it over the stall. I returned quickly with the medium size and she tried it on. "I like it," she said and she came out with it. I smiled. "It looks lovely!" She smiled. "It's only fifteen dollars too!" She gleamed and she went back in the dressing room and changed back. "I'm going to look for more things too," she said. I watched her as she went back to the racks to look for more things. I myself started browsing before someone caught my eye. I had noticed her earlier too. She seemed to be following Winter around. I watched the lady as she watched Winter. She was wearing a name tag so I assumed she worked at the store. A few minutes had gone by and at one moment, Winter had gone to reach for her bag. "I caught you!" shouted the woman as she leaped out at Winter. Winter looked stunned by the woman and she made a face. "What?" "You little thief! I saw you! You were going to steal that shirt! Don't try to hide what you did, I saw you." "You must have me mistaken," said Winter. "I was just looking for my wallet. I wanted to see if I have enough money to buy this." "Don't lie to me. I saw you. You were going to put that in your bag," she said and she pointed towards Winter's bag. "No. I was-" "All you natives are the same. Stealing things that don't belong to you. Your race is a criminal race." Immediately I ran over there and slapped the woman across the face. "Janine..." "How dare you!" I screamed. "My sister always pays! She's a good hearted girl and would never do something like that! How dare you!" "Who are you to think that that was acceptable!" Shouted the woman as she brought up a hand to her face. "I am her sister." "You?" "Yes. She is my sister. She is a good and smart person. She would never steal in her life! Don't you dare accuse her! Besides, the clothes here aren't even worth stealing," I said and I grabbed the shirt from Winter's hand and threw it on the floor and stepped on it." "Janine!" shouted Winter. I grabbed the rest of the clothing Winter was hiding and threw it on the floor as well. "Come on. We're leaving," I said and I grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the store. "Janine... That was very impolite!" "That woman was far times worse!" "Yes but... that doesn't give you any right to be rude back!" she shouted at me. I bit my lip to refrain from screaming. Everyone. Everyone treated her like this. She wasn't any different from them. She was smart and talented and growing up I had always wanted to be more like her. I was just an average student and plain. I hated whenever someone treated her with disrespect because she didn't deserve it. "You don't deserve it. I don't understand why you're so calm." "I understand that I stick out. I understand why people are wary. Just like mom and dad, I watch the news. Most of the crime that happens in our city is caused by natives like me." "But you aren't like that. You were raised in a white home! You are pretty much white yourself!" "I know. But they don't know that." I looked away from her. "All I'm saying is that you don't deserve comments like that, Winter. You're a good girl." She smiled at me. "You really think so?" "Yes." "As long as you think so then I am happy." I smiled at her. "You won't ever be one of those people on the news Winter. You are a good person and you will go far." "I hope so," she said. "Anyways, let's shop some more!" "Of course," I said. "Where do you want to go next?"