A line of light shines through my window, easing me out of my wonderful sleep. I pull the covers up, closer to my chin. I feel so good in this bed. Suddenly, a reminder of what today is wakes me up completely. Today is the choosing ceremony.
My aptitude test results were inconclusive. The dauntless lady who tested me said I was divergent between abnegation, dauntless, and erudite. Tori, I think her name was. I have ruled abnegation out. I don't fit in here. Although it will hurt to leave my family, I know I cannot live here.
I jump out of my cozy abnegation bed for the last time. I run to my grey-filled closet and pull on a grey tank-top, grey sweatpants, and a grey hoodie. Everything is so grey. I long to wear some color.
"Beatrice," Caleb stands in my doorway, stiff as a board. "Breakfast."
"I'll be right down." I say, almost a whisper. Caleb nods and goes downstairs. I take my time lumbering down the stairs.
Nobody talks during breakfast; we are all to nervous. My mother tries asking what we think we are going to choose, but fails.
"Umm, I don't know." I say, without taking my eyes off my eggs and toast. Not abnegation, I want to say, but I know I cannot. Caleb does not even answer. I don't know why he's so nervous. He is abnegation all the way. I think he knows that I am not staying.
We arrive at the pavilion and file out of the car. Erudite, Dauntless, Erudite, Dauntless... All I could think entering the pavilion. My father hates the Erudite, and therefore it would be most logical to choose Dauntless. Wait, what was that I said? The most logical? That was erudite thinking. I made my choice. I will be Erudite, despite my father's objections.
I stand with the grey-clad Abnegations as the ceremony starts. After what seems like ages, the abnegation born are choosing. Our neighbors, Susan and Robert, choose. Susan remains Abnegation, but Robert is now Amity. No big surprise there.
Snapping me out of my daze, I hear Marcus call Caleb Prior. I watch my brother take a deep breath, and shakily walk to the faction bowls. He accepts the knife, and his blood drips into the water of the Erudite bowl. He is Erudite. At first I am shocked. My selfless brother, now a smart Erudite. Then I am relieved; I will not be alone in Erudite! Then I realize what my father will feel like. Both of his children will transfer to his least favorite faction.
"Beatrice Prior!" Marcus calls. Everyone is looking at me. I realize that I had zoned out and had not heard my name called the first two times.
"Beatrice, choose." Marcus' cold eyes stare at me as I silently walk up to the bowls.
Erudite water, or Dauntless coals? I have no choice. I am Erudite. I take the knife from Marcus' calloused hand. I slit my wrist. As the blood starts to billow up on my wrist, I reconsider my decision. I could be Dauntless! No, I couldn't. I tilt my hand and my blood drips into the water of Erudite.
