Chapter 1
The girl who gave me the aptitude test looked at me weird, like she was scared.
Abnegation.
Dauntless.
Those were my results. Too many.
Too many.
I hear Caleb cleaning the hallway. It's what he does when he's nervous. The clacking sounds of him tidying up lull me to sleep.
It's my turn to make dinner tonight, but I don't care; I go back to sleep.
I never made my choice.
That's the thought that haunts my mind, from the time Mom wakes me up to when I'm standing in front of the choosing bowls with a knife in my hand. I cut my palm, ignoring the sting of pain.
I hold my hand out over the Abnegation rocks, and let out a breath.
I move my hand.
The Abnegation are mumbling and gasping; my blood sizzles on the Dauntless coals. Cheers erupt from the Dauntless and as I make my way to join them, they pat me on the back. Someone yells about me being the second Stiff transfer to Dauntless in three decades.
. . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. ..
"We don't have all day, Stiff," Eric says dangerously.
I jump.
Fuck my life, I think. I'm gonna have a heart attack at sixteen.
A net. There is a net.
A hand reaches out to me when I land. I grab it and pull myself over.
It's a girl. She has long, caramel-blonde hair, tan skin, and dark, hazel-brown eyes.
She wears a black leather jacket that exposes the form-fitting black tank underneath, and black jeans. I see the outline of a tattoo over the collar of the shirt.
She's talking to me.
I'm lost in her eyes.