Hope and Faith

SEVEN: FAITH

Faith was sitting on the grass somewhere, blissfully intoxicated and gazing up at the night sky, which was brightly lit and booming. She was seated next to two boys by the names of Carson and Jake.

"So, why do you hate girls, exactly?" Jake asked her.
"It's not that I hate girls," Faith said. She didn't want to keep coming across as a misogynistic bitch. "I just prefer the company of males."
Carson and Jake exchanged a glance, slight raise of the eyebrows.
"Not like that," Faith quickly interjected. "I have a boyfriend. Don't get any ideas."
"Where is he, then?" Carson asked. "This boyfriend of yours."
"Not here," was all she said.

Hours earlier, after coming to the conclusion that she would do this whole firework-be-social thing by herself, Faith had felt much better. She had convinced herself that it would all be fine. What was she so afraid of? Having a little company? Being judged for being alone? There was nothing wrong with being alone. It was just that she had relied on the company of others (read: Sebastian) for so long that he sort of became a crutch. She grew accustomed to the life of just the two of them, never needing anybody else. Was that bad? Was it preventing her from going out into the world and living her life?

Was her own crutch crippling her?

She drank some water, shoved a few crackers down her throat, and headed off into the night. There was no alcohol in her new house yet, and she didn't want to risk getting carded at the local liquor store. Instead, Faith went out in search of people. People that could enable her lust for intoxication.

That was when she met Jake and Carson, wandering around by the park at the lake, clearly intoxicated themselves. She approached them with ease.

"What are you lads up to?" she asked, flicking her long dark hair behind her shoulder and keeping her chin tilted high.
They both stopped what they were doing and looked at her. "Nothing out of the ordinary," the tanned one with dark hair said. Carson.
"You guys headed to fireworks tonight?"
The other one – dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes – took a step towards her. He stumbled slightly in his walk and Faith smirked. They would suffice.
"We are indeed," he said to her. His eyes traveled the length of her body, then met her eyes. "I'm Jake," he stuck out his hand.
"Faith," she said, and shook it.
"This here is Carson," Jake turned around and nodded to his friend.
"Great. So what are we drinking?" she walked towards the swing set and took a seat.
They exchanged a glance and followed her. "Well, we're drinking whiskey and rye."
"I'm new here," she said, pushing her legs outward and swinging backwards.
"What?"
"New. To Meadow. I just moved in."
"When?"
"Three days ago."
"Where abouts?"
Faith thought for a moment, trying to remember her street name. "Applewood."
"Ah, you're on Applewood," Jake remarked.
"Is that a good or bad thing?"
"Depends how you look at it."
"This whole town looks like a bad thing," Faith said.
They both laughed. "Why'd you move here then?"
She gave them a look. "Do you think it was my choice?"
"How old are you?" Carson asked.
"Why does it matter?"
"Well you want to drink with us."
"So? I didn't know there was an age requirement for having fun."
They laughed again. Faith was becoming their main source of entertainment for the night.
"Okay, Faith," Jake said her name. "What do you drink?"
"Anything with an alcohol percentage over sixty."
"You like moonshine?"
"Did you make it yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Does it look like I have a death wish?"
Jake laughed. "What about gin?"
"Gin will do," she said.
Neither of them moved.
"Well?" she said. "Where is it?"
"Not here, silly girl."
Faith planted her feet in the sand and stopped swinging. "Then what are we still doing here?"
Jake looked at Carson, then they both looked at Faith. "I like her."