Hey Everyone! I know the boarding school/high school idea has been used multiple times. However I have decided to write one and add a more suspenseful twist. It'll take a little bit to get into the nitty gritty of the plot, but stay tuned! All the usual ship couples happen in their own time of course. I don't believe in prematurely throwing them all together. Its unnatural. I hope you enjoy! Read and Review, I'd love to hear from you!
Disclaimer: Divergent and all the characters are owned by Veronica Roth.
Unknown POV
I watched her exit the vehicle with her brother and felt my heart begin to race. Beautiful. I had to have her. I had to get closer. No, no no. Too soon. Not yet. Her blonde hair caught the sun and even through her grey attire I knew she was perfect. I had to have her. She is mine. My palms began to sweat and I began to tremble in the anticipation. This year is going to be different. This year she will finally be mine.
Tris POV
Ouch. Thank god this is the last time I have to purposely wear my hair like this. My hands fluttered over my blonde hair pulled back tightly into a bun in an attempt to relieve the constant pulling to no avail. My clothes were a dull grey and hung shapelessly from my dainty frame. While I may have the body of a twelve year old, these clothes certainly weren't helping.
"Beatrice" my brother Caleb's tone was fraught with warning and I instantly dropped my hands to my side and lowered my gaze. We were raised Abnegation and selflessness came much more naturally to Caleb than myself. I was sure Caleb had never had a vain moment in his life and had certainly never felt the need to discover what more there was to life as I had.
My parents had insisted my brother and I be afforded the same education they had received, and while I was reluctant to leave them behind I was secretly curious. My father was the right hand for the Chicago mayor, Marcus Eaton, and my mother was a humanitarian and sat on the boards of numerous charitable organizations, including the Abnegation Coalition which focused primarily on providing for the homeless. I attributed it to her and my father having chosen Abnegation during their time here. Anyone who was anyone sent their children here. Rumor had it that despite his Abnegation upbringing Marcus Eaton's son had defected to Dauntless. I could not imagine betraying my parents like that. My parents. A wave of shame inundated my thoughts as I looked to the ground. I can't believe I was complaining about my hair. I have no reason to wear it otherwise. There are so many in need that I can't afford to be distracted by vanity like the other factions.
I slowly trudged towards the main building of Chasm High Boarding School. A sign hung above the door, swaying in the breeze that read 'the Hub'. Unable to help myself I stared longingly across the courtyard, watching the others arrive. Those from the Candor dorms wore black and white and could be heard debating loudly across the way. Abnegation had arrived much earlier, unwilling to force anyone else to wait on their behalf and to set up the room for the Choosing Ceremony for the incoming juniors. Erudite were easily noticeable in their blue attire with their tablets and other technological gadgets in their hands as they walked, engrossed in their latest attempts to solve world hunger and cure the common cold. Amity was making their way in from the school garden, having already been awake with the sun and tending the grounds. Only Dauntless was missing.
I frowned, disappointed. Out of all of the factions I had been curious about, the rumors and whispers of Dauntless had always fascinated me the most. I began to turn to follow Caleb, but stopped when the blaring of a horn reached my ears. I swiftly turned and my eyes settled on a moving trolley. Even from here I could easily make out the outlines of people hanging out the sides from the doorways. I expected it to stop and allow the people off, but my heart leapt into my throat when I watched the first person jump. They rolled and darted to their feet and took off at a run towards the Hub. The rest of the people followed suit and I found myself pressed against a wall as they flooded past me and into the building, a sea of black and red and chaos.
I placed my hand over my chest and released a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and attempted to calm my racing heart. I shut my eyes and leaned back against the wall, only to be yanked towards the auditorium by my brother.
"Beatrice we are going to be late! We absolutely cannot be late! You could have gotten killed. Those Dauntless are insane!"
I just rolled my eyes and followed along quietly, pulling my arm from his grasp and taking my seat next to him in the Abnegation section. Chasm High Boarding School operates on the principles of "faction houses". It is a requirement to be a legacy in order to attend, meaning one's parents had to attend, save for special cases. The first two years of high school are spent in your parents' faction. In the case of Caleb and I, Abnegation. At the beginning of junior year, all rising juniors are required to attend a Choosing Day in which they prick their fingers with a lancet, similar to what a diabetic might use, and allow their blood to drip into the bowl of the faction of their choosing. More often than not people choose to stay where they are but each year there are a handful of transfers. This year will be no different, I'm sure.
The head of the school stood and began to make her way across the stage, her uniform a solid blue. She reached the microphone and leaned over the podium and began her speech. "Hello everyone, welcome back to Chasm High Boarding School and to your Choosing Day. I am Jeanine Matthews, head of Erudite and the head of Chasm Hill Boarding School this year. This is a big day for all of you juniors and is not something to be taken lightly. Today is the day you will choose your faction and begin your initiation for the entirety of the first semester. Be warned, however. Should you not complete your initiation your parents will be notified and you will be asked to pack your belongings. There is no changing your mind once your choice has been made. Without further ado, let us begin! Good luck."
I leaned back into my seat and zoned out, unwilling to watch each individual person make their way to the bowls and prick their finger. I dozed off, exhausted from the morning's drive that had brought us here and had taken four hours. I felt Caleb shake my arm and jumped awake. Caleb Prior. I stiffened. Caleb looked different, unsure. I studied his face as he made his way to the stage and to the bowls. He accepted the lancet and pricked his finger, wincing slightly as he did so. He turned and glanced at me over his shoulder with what appeared to be regret. I tilted my head and held my breath. What is going on?
Caleb made his way to the Abnegation bowl and studied it thoughtfully for a moment. I relaxed. Maybe I had been seeing things when he looked back at me. Then, quickly as though to avoid being able to change his mind, he flung his hand over the bowl to the right of Abnegation and let his blood drip into the water. "Caleb Prior, Erudite."
WHAT!? My brother an Erudite?! I jumped up before I could stop myself but hastily sat back down, only to stand once again as my name was announced. I watched Caleb's retreating figure as he moved to sit with his new faction and mentally screamed at him to look at me, but he did not. He accepted the seat offered to him and the tablet that was placed in his lap and smiled wider than I had ever seen. I felt the tears prick at the corners of my eyes and forced them back. I couldn't leave Abnegation. I couldn't disappoint my parents like he just did.
I trudged to the stage and accepted the lancet and pricked my finger, not even noticing the slight pinch of the needle. I made my way to Abnegation, my head down. I held my finger over the stones and then I froze. My gaze flickered to the Dauntless bowl, to the burning coals. I thought back to what Caleb had told me this morning as we were leaving the car. You have to think of the family, Beatrice. But you also have to think of yourself. Is that what Caleb had done? If Caleb, my selfless brother what had never had a vain moment in his life hadn't been meant for Abnegation then how could I be? I took a deep breath and before I could second guess myself, I let my blood drip onto the coals, relishing the sizzle it created.
"Beatrice Prior, Dauntless."
