Disclaimer, I do not own Divergent and do not own Mia either if anyone here knows who she is. Both are owned by Veronica Roth.
"Mia!" I hear my name ring through the fields where I'm gathering strawberries. I look up at the sky, realizing that my shift is over.
I scoop up my basket and run to the crate that we're supposed to deliver them to, trying and failing not to think about my test result.
They don't have to make our decision for us. I can still stay here in Amity with my family and all my friends; pick crops and play banjo in a circle, just loving everybody.
It's just… How can someone with a Dauntless aptitude ever belong in Amity?
The answer is simple: she can't. Whatever drove me to grab that knife-to kill that dog-only proves that I can never be a member here, where violence and weapons under any circumstances are the ultimate evil.
Tomorrow I have to make my choice: my blood soaking into the soil, or sizzling on the coals.
If I choose the coal, my family will have to come on Visiting Day, right? They'd have to forgive me. Forgiveness is a major focus of Amity's values after all and it isn't like I'm transferring to Candor. The Amity and Dauntless have always gotten along just fine.
I dump the strawberries into the crate and am hugged by the supervisor, Lief. "Nice work, Mia."
That is something I'll probably miss if I transfer to Dauntless. Here, there are no strangers. Everyone knows everyone's name and you will always be greeted with kindness and open arms both literally and figuratively.
"Sorry, I stayed a little late. Just a little distracted thinking about tomorrow."
"Every sixteen-year-old is, there's no harm done." Remember what I said about forgiveness? It always applies here and usually immediately though it is an important act of kindness to apologize.
I already know that the Dauntless aren't nearly as forgiving though the Dependents at least do seem to have a similar sense of togetherness. I've never seen just one Dauntless; they always travel in groups.
"I should probably leave you to work now though. It was nice speaking with you, Lief."
"It was nice speaking with you as well, Mia. And good luck!" he calls as I have already broken into a sprint through the fields-another trait belonging to both the Amity and the Dauntless.
I head straight home which, as all the buildings in Amity, has enough windows to be considered outside. Where there aren't windows, there's a plethora of beautiful artwork of different mediums.
It occurs to me that I have no idea where the Dauntless compound is or what it's like having never been there, just the people. Though I do see the Dauntless quite a lot both dependents in Upper Levels and the members surrounding our entire complex though. It's a rather unnatural alliance.
Valuing peace though there's no reason to hate or estrange from a faction just because we don't agree with or more so wouldn't be willing to practice their beliefs. Except the Candor, always flapping their mouths with no regards for a person's feelings basically stirring up conflict for no reason then being 'honest'. That hatred has run deep from both sides since the beginning. "Mom, I'm home!" I call out.
"In the kitchen!" I rush into the kitchen and hug her trying to act like the Amity I'm supposed to be. "How was work?" She asks and I feel a relief at the law that she's not allowed to ask about my test result and I'm not allowed to share it.
It would still be hard to tell her that I'm meant for Dauntless. We may be friends, but we're still exact opposites. She'd probably feel as if she hadn't raised me to be peaceful enough.
I nod swallowing a lump in my throat. "It was good; I was on strawberries." There's really nothing else to say on the subject. Even if you get stuck at the fence I'd imagine Dauntless jobs have much more interesting stories to share and I do know that the Dauntless have a strong sense of pack mentality. Even as an Amity transfer I should have trouble making friends, comrades or whatever they call them. That way I'd still have someone to share them with. "What's for dinner?" I ask breaking away from my own thoughts.
"Spaghetti, green beans, and garlic toast. It's almost ready, just waiting on the garlic toast."
Just like that I hear a ding. "Garlic toast!" I exclaim, rushing over to the oven. I grab a heat-pad and pull them out wishing they didn't have to cool. I love garlic toast or anything with bread really. Everyone in Amity does. It just always seems to make everyone so much happier which doesn't seem like it should be possible.
"You can go ahead and start dishing up the other stuff," she tells me and I grab a plate loading up with spaghetti and green beans but, of course, leaving plenty of room for the toast.
"It all smells great, Mom." I smile kindly at her.
She doesn't even hesitate to return the smile. "Thank you, Sweetie. Are you nervous about tomorrow?"
"Isn't everyone?"
"That they are." She nods knowingly. "I will always love you though even if you don't choose Amity. Unless you choose Candor then, I probably won't be coming over to the Merciless Mart to visit." She laughs when she says it, but I know better ever since my older brother transferred to those jerks, she refuses to acknowledge that he existed in the first place. Even Amity forgiveness has its limits.
I glance out of one of the many windows and see my older sister, Dawn, the eldest, skipping towards the house. Her decision to stay five years ago must have been so easy. Everything came quickly to her. She's always been the perfect picture of Amity... well... perfection. She moved to her own house with her painter husband, Sage, who was with her at the moment but at least if I transfer to Dauntless then they still have her here in Amity.
I rush out the door and hug them both. "You came."
"Of course we came, Mia." Dawn giggled twirling a lock of curly brown hair around her finger. "I have to see the night before my little sissy's big day!"
"Well, I'm glad you came. Come on in, you got here just in time for dinner."
"Great then, it's okay to be nervous though, Mia. I heard that even the Dauntless are nervous on these two days. They just hide it a lot better." It's a perfectly valid statement since as the name implies you wouldn't expect the Dauntless to be nervous about anything but... something about the way she says it... as if Dauntless is suddenly written across my face.
Maybe it had always been there… I had been sent to the Conflict Room many more times than anyone I've ever heard of.
I don't do it to be mean, but I just get so mad sometimes. God, I hate it in there though. Like, you have no idea.
"Right, I'll keep that in mind," I say, awkwardly heading back into the house. With Dawn and Sage on tail and one thought crosses my mind:
Cliffhanger! Please review and please do so like a Candor.
