Hope And Faith ✓

16. Faith

Author: What would you say is the closest path to happiness?

Hope: Being at peace. When you're not at peace you're worried, always on your toes. But the thing is sometimes we just have to pause our hectic lives, find beauty in things we thought were common, take a deep breath, then carry on with our day.

~Hope Manchester.

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"Oh gosh, how are we going to get home?!" Hope asked a worried look painted on her features.

I shrugged. "Um. . . Our feet?" I offered unsure of what would reassure her. Honestly, I had walked here, not only was it great exercise but with my music, it had helped me relax.

We walked out of the woods and her clothes were luckily not wet, just a bit sandy. The same as mine. She dusted underneath her feet before wearing on her sandals again.

"Like I knew you would say that!" She muttered not so quietly under her breath. "Lacey is going to kill me, dang it! Dad's still home! He's going to think that I don't even care about him! I mean, what type of daughter leaves when her Dad just comes home! I'm a terrible one, oh my gosh. Maybe he's going to—" I put a hand over her mouth and I felt her take a breath in.

"You talk a lot," I observed. "Anyway, who's Lacey?" I removed my hand from its former position.

Hope looked flushed. Not from talking a lot, but from worrying too much. She was too busy worrying to pay attention to other things around her.

I mean, she could just walk. It would help blow off some heat.

"My Stepmom,"

"Evil stepmother type? With the evil stepsisters cliché?" I asked her genuinely curious and she giggled softly.

"No, she's not evil. A little protective maybe," she told me, then added. "Besides, I don't have a stepsister or stepbrother. I do have a half-brother though." She concluded and I didn't want to pry anymore into her personal life when she unexpectedly asked. "What about you and your parents? I know you have brothers but you barely ever talk about your parents,"

"Neither do you,"

"You never asked." Fair point.

I wanted to run a hand through my hair but I refrained from doing so. "My parents and I have not and probably will never be close. I pretty much grew up without them, they were more active in my brother's lives than mine." I was being so honest that I hardly recognised myself. Just like earlier today. The honesty was making me feel weird. I was more of a reserved closed person, who liked having my personal space and hated people who loved bursting my bubble.

Hope's eyes widened and her lips parted. "Yikes, I didn't know. Sorry." She apologised to me as she dusted off her clothes, making sure there wasn't a trace of sand left.

I found it amusing though. She could care so much about a little sand being on her. She didn't know anything about life. Or how cruel it could be when it wanted to.

I soon found myself drowning in a memory I wanted to forget.

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