What if Beatrice talked to Caleb about her divergence and they chose erudite together? Feel free to review, I don't mind criticism. Thank you for reading
" Are you going to tell me the truth now?" he asks softly.
" The truth is," I say, " I'm not supposed to discuss it and you're not supposed to ask."
'All those rules you bend, and you can't bend this one? Not even for something this important?" His eyebrows tug together and he bites the corner of his lip, he hesitates slightly and then says in a softer tone, " I actually want to talk to you about my result too."
" We're not supposed to do that."
"I know but I..." he hesitates, " I need to talk to someone before I make this decision."
I think about it. Can I trust him? Tori told me to tell nobody, but Caleb is my brother, he has been my constant companion while growing up. If I can't trust Caleb, who can I trust?
" We can talk after dinner." I say, turning toward the kitchen. It's my turn to cook dinner tonight. Caleb joins me and together, we cook what might be the last meal we eat as a family.
After dinner when we head upstairs to our rooms, and Caleb gestures for me to enter his. I go sit at the edge of his bed as he shuts his door. His room is tidy, with a big stack of books on his desk. He lowers himself into his desk chair and faces me, with his hands clasped in front of him.
" I think I'm going to transfer to Erudite." he says softly.
I stare at him in disbelief, unable to form a comprehensible answer. Caleb, born for Abnegation, wants to transfer? To Erudite of all factions...
"I have tried all my life to be the perfect Abnegation member. I have studied those around me and tried to think what the most selfless thing to do would be in all situations. I have done everything I can to lead a selfless life, but the simple truth is that I hate it. I act selfless, but I do not value selflessness above all else, I don't want to forget myself, I don't want to be invisible. I want to know who I am. I want to know how the world works and I want to learn as many new things as I possibly can. My head is filled with thousands of questions, but if I stay here I will have to stifle them. I don't want to do that Beatrice. I can't." He delivers this whole speech in a low tone, but I can see him getting more agitated with every word he says.
" I can't believe it. I've always tried to be selfless by imitating you, and now you tell me that you can't be Abnegation."
" I know," he runs his hands through his hair. " Look, my entire life, I have tried to act the way I'm supposed to, but I have always felt the thirst for knowledge pulling me away from this life. My aptitude test only confirmed what I knew, that I wasn't acting selfless because it was a trait I value, I acted selfless, because I knew that it was my best option. I analysed our way of life, and I came to the conclusion that I have to act this way. I am an Erudite. I evaluate situations and then do the most logical thing."
" You're really going to leave," I say, realizing that he would see it as the most logical path.
" Yes. What about you? Beatrice, what happened with your aptitude test?"
I grow pale. Caleb has just trusted me with what might just be his biggest secret. It was only fair that I trust him with the knowledge of my divergence.
" You have to promise me that you will never, ever tell a living soul. This could cost me my life Caleb." up till now his expression had been contemplative, and mildly agitated, but upon hearing my words he frowns deeply.
" Why?"
"Promise me." I say, gritting my teeth.
" I promise Beatrice."
" My results," I take a deep breath and lower my voice to barely a whisper, " were inconclusive." his eyes grow wide and he moves closer to me.
" You're divergent?" he asks quietly, searching my face.
" Yes." I look down.
" Which factions did you display an aptitude for?"
" Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite."
" what are you going to do?"
" I don't know!" I say loudly, then realising my parents could hear us I lower my voice, "I don't know. I don't fit in here, but our parents will need someone to stay with them." Caleb looks like he is about to argue but stays silent and lets me finish, " Despite that, I don't think I can stay. I ruled out Erudite easily, but I have always felt drawn to Dauntless"
" Dauntless? Beatrice, are you completely insane? Do you have any idea what Dauntless is like?"
" What do you mean?"
" They have the highest rate of initiation drop out rates. I don't know what happens during their initiation but I can assure you that there are things more dangerous than jumping out of moving trains there. They might seem wild and free to you, but I can assure you that they are a vicious, cruel faction."
" You make them sound like animals."
" I just want to protect you."
" Then what do you want me to do?" I ask
" Come with me to Erudite." my eyes grow wide. doing so would be an act of betrayal against my faction and my parents. Two children of an Abnegation leader transferring to Erudite, would only add fuel to the fire between the two factions. sensing my hesitation, Caleb grabs my hand and looks into my eyes.
"Beatrice, divergence is dangerous, and no faction has less trouble killing than Dauntless has. You and I both know that you don't belong in Abnegation. I also know that there is tension between Abnegation and Erudite, but keep in mind that we have only heard one side of the story. Erudite offers you the widest choice of future careers. I know you, You are a curious person Beatrice, in Erudite, that curiosity will be seen as a good thing, not as a disgrace." he is right. I know that he is right, but I can't bring myself to agree
" I'll think bout it, I say, pulling my hands free and getting up to leave.
" Good night Caleb." he sighs.
" Good night Beatrice." I silently enter the hallway and then my room. That night I lay awake in bed, silently mulling over my options. Will I please my parents by being abnegation? Will I betray them and make my brother happy and transfer to Erudite with him, or will I risk everything, including my life and transfer to Dauntless, for no better reason than my fascination with them?