Hope And Faith ✓

1. Hope

This is my first novel, I wrote this book for Nanowrimo, in a rush and just with the intention of writing. I hope you still enjoy it - and ignore the several plot holes.

Love, Mimi

Author: What's one of the life lessons you have had to learn the hard way?

Faith: That the only way you can ever find yourself is through you. If you let anyone else do it they'll screw you over.

Life is that brutal.

~Faith Jennings

••

There's a difference between living life and letting it live you.

There's a difference between being free and being caged.

But of course, I didn't know the difference. I thought I was living life, not the other way around. I thought I was eager to make friends and catch everyone's attention because I was Hope Manchester, it was my duty to be everyone's friend, everyone's shoulder to rest on.

I thought all of this back then but looking at it now when I needed them the most they were never there. When I needed a shoulder to rest on they disappeared. They left me alone and hurt.

They left me broken.

Leaving me to pick the pieces of my heart that were shattered all on my own.

I thought they were still my friends, I thought they just had things going on in their life and they didn't want more things on their plate. I would still believe that if she didn't come into my life.

The rude, snarky and nonchalant Faith Jennings. The girl somehow managed to look so innocent yet deadly all at the same time. She made me realise it all, and for that, I'll always be grateful.

But this story doesn't start with this, it starts three months ago just after I had graduated from high school.

Before I found out I was broken.

Before Faith made me realise I was the only one who could pick up the pieces, on my own.

Before everything.

••

I sighed and tried to pat my wild brown hair but to no avail. I frowned at myself in the mirror. Wild curly brown hair that was flying all around the place, my hazel eyes were looking dull and my skin looked more pale than usual.

Lacey is going to point this out. I thought, referring to my Stepmom, Lacey. She was observant and would probably pick this up.

"You look amazing, Hope. I don't know why you're still in front of the mirror," my boyfriend, Jacob said from his spot on my bed. He had just walked in a few minutes ago after telling me how much time I was wasting. I pouted when I saw he was not even looking at me, why was I dating him again?

Oh yeah, I have feelings for him.

I grunted and turned back to face the mirror, which seemed like the only honest thing today. My eyes scanned my outfit, I wore a plain t-shirt with a denim jacket over it and paired it with skinny jeans and white sneakers.