I open my eyes to a blur of lights and a kind, plain face peering at me. "You're awake," she stated. How long had I been out, I wonder. The aptitude test seemed to take forever. The Abnegation woman who had administered my test glances back at her papers. "I have your test results," she mentioned softly. Her fingers are currently bouncing carefully on the small white table next to me, and she seems anxious. Her strange attitude makes me nervous, and for the first time in my life, I wonder what would happen if I didn't get Amity as my test result.
"Are you going to tell me then?" I demand, suddenly needing to know.
She sighed, "I just want you to know that you don't have to choose what the test tells you."
"What do you mean?"
"Danielle, something that will bring a lot of destruction is coming soon, and you need to think about who the perpetrator is"
I have no idea what she is talking about, what would the Amity ever do to anyone else? We believe in peace, and in unity. "Wait, what are you talking about? I got Amity, right?" I reply a little too vehemently, apprehensive of her reply.
"No," she avoids my eye, "you didn't."
" Just tell me what I got then!" I reply.
She mutters, so softly I almost can't hear it, "Your results came back as Erudite."
I walk out of the testing room with a feeling of betrayal. My brain is solely focused on the fact that I didn't get Amity as a result. I had always thought my whole life was laid out for me... until this. Am I not good enough for Amity? Why didn't I get Amity as a result? There must be something wrong with the system! When I return to the cafeteria my friends are still sitting in a circle on the floor, playing one of our favorite games. I squish back into my spot between Rochelle and Sabrina, and everyone welcomes me back with a smile. No one else seems surprised by their results, so I play and sing along, but my mind still wanders.
When I return home I realize that I have less than 20 hours until I choose. Life had always seemed laid out for me, I would choose Amity like my 3 older sisters, marry a fellow Amity, and our children could play the same peaceful singing and hand clapping games I always had. When my mind switches to the Erudite, I don't know what to think. I never noticed before how vague my knowledge of the other factions is. One moment I am leaning towards choosing Amity, it's how I want my children to grow up. But then, I remember how angry and rude I was with the test administrator earlier and I think, I'm not good enough for Amity, not peaceful enough. My parents give me time and space but I'm assuming that's just routine, there is probably no doubt in their mind that I will choose Amity. That's the question though, will I choose Amity, or transfer to Erudite?