"I think your hair is beautiful, Mary. Here, lets add some flowers, hmm?" My sister braided my dark hair deftly adding flowers with her nimble fingers. "There, perfect." She turned me around and smiled at me. Her blue eyes, the complete opposite from my forest ones, looking down at me, shining. Those eyes that could see no evil, always finding the good in everything. She took my hand and led me from our living room to our dining room, which was really just square red pillows circled around a coffee table. "Mariah, this really isn't needed." I complained. She shushed me. "Nonsense, sit down?" It was not an order, it was a request. No one ever barks orders in Amity, that's not peaceful. I sat on the pillow, my yellow dress billowing around me as the air caught it. Mariah followed my lead and sat beside me. My mother and father, in all their yellow and red glory, came in from the kitchen holding a chocolate cake made espacially for me. My guilt grew heavier. My mother sat the cake in front of me. I smiled gently and whispered a thank you. "Happy birthday, Mary. Please, have a piece?" Again with the requests. I cut myself a piece and ate it silently.
"Are you feeling alright, Mary?" My father asked, cutting mother a piece and then himself. Mariah went last. I knew why he was asking, I was rarely ever behaved, or silent. My father joked that I should choose Dauntless.
He was only joking.
I considered it often.
I nodded. "Oh, I'm fine. Just nervous, I suppose." Today was the day we had the aptitude test. Tomorrow, was the Choosing Ceremony. My father patted my hand re-assuringly "You'll be fine, Mary. It's just a simulation." My mother agreed "It's not real, no matter how real it feels. Just keep at peace, Mary." I steeled myself from rolling my eyes. Rolling your eyes was a hostile gesture, the Amity are anything but hostile. Instead, I looked at my cake. I hated it here. My mood went unnoticed as my family picked up the dishes and watered the plants outside, because it was my birthday, I was exempt from chores. Finally, my mother walked us to the bus station. Our transportation to school in Abgenation. The bus pulled up, belching black smoke and smelling of burnt fumes. I cringed lightly, but mother and Mariah, forever unfazed by the bad, said happy goodbyes. Mariah stepped onto the greyhound and disappeared from view. I started to follow, but mother took my arm, looking me in the eye.
"Mary, I know you want Dauntless. So choose it. Do it for yourself. Do you understand? I'll come visit. Your sister, she's cut out for Amity. But you, you have fire. We all know what's going to pop up on your test." She kissed my forehead and smiled down at me. My siter and my mother looked exactly alike, sea eyes and golden hair, but I, with my raven black hair and my green eyes, have always looked more like my father. And yet, my mother was always my hero. I beamed up at her. "Thank you." I breathed. She loaded me on the bus and waved goodbye.
I found Mariah in the very back seat of the bus getting hassled by a Candor. I rolled my eyes, Mariah was too preoccupied to mind. I quickly made my way to them, ready to defend my sister. The Candor man was tall, with a black suit and a black tie.
"That's my seat Amity, and I don't like you sitting there." My sister apologized politely and moved seats. I sat down in it before he could. "Didn't you hear me, Amity? That's my seat." I looked blankly ahead.
"Mary, come along. There's no reason to argue." Mariah had a pleading look in her eyes. I stood, and looked directly in the Candor's eyes. "That wasn't for you." I hissed. He glared and sat down. I sat by Mariah, expecting her to scold me for not keeping the peace, but instead she smiled at me and said "I admire you, Mary." I gave her a dubious look. "Admire me?" She nodded "You've got fire." Instead of answering, I fixed my gaze on the scenery through the windows. When the bus finally stopped in front of the school, I had forgotten that the aptitude test existed. Sluggishly, I exited the bus and walked towards the school. If Mariah and I didn't hurry, we would be late to our first period. We made it just before the bell, sitting in our desk before the teacher could notice us. Because of the test, our classes were cut short. The test would be held after lunch.
The day was uneventful, to say the least. Until after lunch. We were ushered in the cafeteria again, officials were calling out groups of ten to take the test in one of the many rooms that we weren't allowed in until now. My sister was called in before me. When she came back, she was smiling serenly.
"Let me guess, sister, Amity to the core?" I whispered. She gave me the slightest head nod and then sat down at the table.
"Mary Stanley!" Her eyes found mine "I'll be here when you get back, don't worry." She patted my hand and sent me torwards the official who had called my name, a bland Abgenation. She led me, along with another Amity girl down a hallway lined with doors. "Room ten, please." She opened the door for me. When I was fully in, the door shut behind me wih a thud. I looked up into the brown eyes of a pink haired Dauntless woman. She grinned down at me. "Hi, my name is Trisha. Go ahead and get comfortable in that chair over there." I did as instructed. The chair was sterile, and something you would find in a dentist's office. The room was a gigantic mirror. I looked nervously around, bouncing my foot as I watched Trisha prepare a few electrodes and attach them to my forehead, the last one, she put on hers. She handed me a tiny vile full of filmy liquid.
"What's this?" She shook her head.
"Don't ask questions. Just drink it, and you'll see."
I knocked it back and handed her the vile. I closed my eyes.