The Second Day of Every Third Month - Chapter One
Arguably my least favorite day of every quarter of the year, and yet today is so much more special than any other that has come before it.
For as long as I can remember I have hated getting my hair cut, something about allowing it all the time to grow out and then cutting it all off just so you can wait a few months to repeat the whole process has always bothered me.
I was quite literally yanked out of my thoughts by my father tugging on my hair before snipping it off.
Brown tresses slowly floated down before settling by my feet. When I was younger my mother would cut my hair, but for the last couple years my dad has been taking pleasure in the event. If he wasn't so harsh about it I might admit that he did a decent job. Looking up through my lashes I eye the smirk on his face via the mirror before me. My eyes ghosted over my own face before settling on his.
His hair was a dark brown, almost black just like mine, but with age he had taken on the salt and pepper look, and it suited him. The lines around his eyes and mouth were faint, the only time you could really tell how old he was, was when he smiled, and the only time he ever smiled was when he cut my hair.
Part of me wants to paint my father as a cruel man but he isn't, he is selfless and he is loving. The only time he ever gets to show his love is on these days when we open the mirror, when we cut our hair.
Growing up in Abnegation I had always known that I didn't belong, but recently it has become more and more apparent that my father didn't belong either. Yes he was selfless and he believed wholeheartedly in the Abnegation manifesto, but I could always see something beneath that selflessness that had been ingrained in him since birth. Maybe my father longed to transfer, but had missed his chance, had made a mistake when his Choosing Ceremony came about, and now he regretted it, all too late of course.
"Penelope, I am done with you. Will you please go grab your little sister so I may cut her hair?" His tone was soft and loving, but looking at his eyes in the mirror before it closed I saw the regret, the need to escape, and for once in my life I felt bad for my father because he had missed his chance to leave because he didn't know who he really was, and here I sat before him one hundred percent assured in my decision even without the aptitude test I would take today.
"Yes, thank you Father." I rose from my seat keeping my head bowed towards the ground.
Downstairs my mother sat with my little sister Rose who looked a miniature version of my mother.
My mother had been an Amity transfer which anyone could tell right of the bat just looking at her. Her perpetually tan skin and beautiful golden blonde hair stood in bright contrast with the plain grey attire of the Abnegation faction. The same could be said for Rose, who was ten, with her tan skin and blonde hair, the only thing that separated Rose and my mother besides the age gap was the gap in Rose's mouth where her front tooth had finally fallen out. Deep inside a part of me I would never reveal to my family, I longed to be beautiful like my mother and sister, but I am quick to push the vain part of me down inside myself, vanity is not an Abnegation trait.
"Rose, Father would like to cut your hair now." Entering the room I felt the Amity glow diminish, another thing my mother and sister had in common was their ability to project a peaceful vibe out around themselves. Rose may not know it, my father also, but both my mother and I knew Rose was destined to transfer to Amity.
Sliding out of her seat at our table Rose made her way upstairs towards our father.
"You look lovely." Turning to me my mother dazzled me with her smile. Outside the house she wouldn't dare to smile so bright, but here, in the safety of our own home she was not afraid to truly be herself.
"Thank you." I say, seating myself at the table.
"Penelope Cline whatever happens today in the aptitude test and tomorrow with the Choosing Ceremony you need to know that your father and I will always love you. We are not fools, we have known that you don't belong here in Abnegation, and though your father hasn't said anything to you I am sure that he would want nothing more than for you to follow your heart, to listen only to yourself for once when making this decision. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Looking up from the table I meet my mother gaze, her eyes are a bright blue that only add to her beauty. "You want me to be selfish." I whisper, afraid that someone else might hear us that I may get into trouble.
My mother swallows hard before continuing, "That is exactly what I want you to do." She reaches out across the table and grabs my hand. "We all love you so very much." She pats my hand before rising from the table to go upstairs. "Penelope could you please prepare lunch."
She doesn't need to tell me to prepare everyone's lunches for the day, but I think she finds comfort in it, knowing that today will be that last day that I ever do.
Making lunch for the day is a mindless task that I take no pleasure in and it is over quickly. Everyone's bags are full of a plain meal in addition to the regular contents. In the side pocket of our bags is a bag full of dried up fruit for us to hand out to the factionless should we encounter any on our way to and from school, as is the Abnegation way.
Handing out food to the factionless, and assisting those who need help has never bothered me, what has bothered me however is that the Abnegation faction is the only faction who ever thought to help those who cannot help themselves.
"Penelope are you ready for school?" Rose asks from my side, breaking me out of my hateful thoughts.
"Yes, Rose I am." Taking her hand we step out of the door and onto the gravel pathway.
Across the way I see we are right on time, our neighbors Beatrice and Caleb are also exiting their home. Without thinking I remove my hand from Rose's and straighten my dress. I check my watch before grabbing Rose's hand again and going to meet Beatrice and Caleb halfway.
"Good morning Prior's." I smile.
"Good morning Cline's." Caleb responds before stretching his hand out towards Rose.
Quick as a jack rabbit Rose rushed forward to hold Caleb's hand and they start the walk off toward the bus ahead of Beatrice and I.
"I know were not supposed to say anything, and I know you don't know if Caleb is going to leave or not, but if you could ask him, if you could…" I stumble over my words for a moment. "If you could just ask him too look out for Rose or if you could look out for Rose if you decide…" I pause looking up to Beatrice hopeful that she will save me from further embarrassment.
"Yes Penelope, of course. I will pass your message along." Beatrice smiles and I have never been more grateful to have befriended her.
Beatrice is the only person I have out rightly told I would be leaving, and even though it is against the rules she has still continued to support me.
"Have you decided which faction?" She whispers.
We leave early for the bus every morning, but still there is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to breaking the rules.
"Yes." Is my only response. I want so badly to let her know which faction I plan on transferring to but for some reason saying it out loud would make today all the more real. "Have you?" I ask.
I had never been sure of whether or not Beatrice really belonged in Abnegation, we were both so similar in that aspect. Being selfless didn't come naturally but we could still make do, we, or at least I wasn't totally averse to helping others.
Beatrice looked around quickly before grabbing my wrist and pulling me closer to her so she could whisper in my ear: "I'm going to leave, I think." The hesitation in her voice struck a chord with me.
Like me Beatrice was probably struggling with having to leave her family, with the possibility that she may never see them ever again. I pat her forearm before pulling away from her, around the corner will be the bus, and without a doubt there will be people, and so we must stop discussing this forbidden topic.
Caleb and Rose have stopped walking and are standing right in front of us. "Don't worry Rosie" Caleb says pulling my sister close to him in the crowd of people. "You can sit next to me." He smiles down to my sister and she beams back up at him and for a moment I am happy because I'm sure Caleb will stay in Abnegation and my sister will be sad that I have left but Caleb will be with her so she will be alright.
When we get on the bus I seat myself next to Beatrice giving her the window seat. At the next stop Caleb gives his seat up to a Candor man and I can't help but smile as Rose moves to stand next to Caleb, also giving her seat up.
Getting off the bus Beatrice stumbles over the Candor man and grabs my arm before moving to exit. Once we've all gotten off the bus we must part ways from Rose.
"Goodbye Rosie." Caleb pats her on the head and Beatrice pulls my sister into a quick hug before I kiss her on the top of the head and wish her a good day at school.
"Aptitude tests today." Beatrice chirps next to me, she is standing in the middle with Caleb and I at her sides. For a moment I am envious of their relationship, if Rose was older I am sure we also would be capable of the silent communication that I often watch between the Prior siblings. Beatrice has asked her brother is he is worried and I can tell he is not because he clearly knows where he belongs in this world.
"Are you?" Caleb turns asking her.
I look at him for a moment and he meets my eyes and we both know that she is worried and that she has been for a while but we don't say a thing.
"Not really." She smiles.
"Well... have a good day." He smiles before turning to leave us to go to his Advanced Mathematics class, Beatrice and I have Faction History together.
The halls are overflowing with a mix of factions, today is more hectic than usual. The last day off classes, nobody, not even the Erudite children it seems are intent on learning today, too excited to be done with school and too nervous to really think about the aptitude test that will take place after lunch today.
"Out of the way, Stiff." An Erudite boy pushes past us knocking Beatrice to the ground.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I shout back and for a moment everyone turns to me. It is completely out of character for an Abnegation to raise their voice. As quickly as the moment has happened it is abruptly over and I am pulling Beatrice back onto her feet.
"Penelope." She chastises me.
"I know." I whisper into her ear before she pulls me up in front of a window so that we can watch the Dauntless arrive. "I am sorry Beatrice, it was wrong of me to raise my voice at that boy." My words are hollow and my gaze does not even meet hers because I am too busy watching the Dauntless boys and girls fling themselves off of a moving train.
Beatrice looks on with me for a moment before pulling me away and in the direction of our Faction History class.
I turn back for a moment as she drags me away and I am filled with happiness. By this time tomorrow I will be on that train, going where I don't know, but I'll be with the faction I truly belong in, and that us all that matters.
Thank you for reading! Please feel free to let me know what you think! This is going to be a slow burn Eric/OC. EMPHASIS ON THE SLOW. Constructive criticism is golden, so let me know what you think.