War Hope by Stevie J. Cole

Hope—I followed my best friend to London thinking it would be an adventure full of excitement and bright lights, only to find myself in a shitty little corner of the city. I’m now immersed in a world of bad boys and dirty fights. My saviour complex is stretching to Finn West. He’s dark, mysterious, grouchy, and a fighter. I can’t help but want to push his buttons and see if I can crack that surly frown into a smile. Maybe the connection I feel with him is real, or perhaps it’s just the fanatical imaginings of a lonely girl, wanting a lonely boy. After all, who wants to be alone?

Finn—I just want to be left alone, stick to my routine, but no. Hope McGrath sure as hell can’t let that happen. I like order, control, I need it. She’s like a tornado of sheer chaos, trying to rock my very structured life on it’s foundations. She annoys the shit out of me on a daily basis, but somehow, I’ve come to enjoy her dragging me to her weekly bingo outings. No matter how gnarly I am, she always comes back for more with her long legs and her loud mouth. I don’t need her in my life, even if I find myself thinking about her, her lips, her body…I don’t need her.