Hey, this is just a new idea I came up with. Hope you like it!
As long as I could remember it had been the five of us. We did everything together. Even before we were born, our moms were close. We were born all in the same year. Jake first and all of us following shortly after, me coming last; they never let me live it down. We've celebrated all of our birthdays together because they were all in within a month of each other. We have a big party in between all of our birthdays. We get closer every day.
On our first birthday party, our moms made a big deal out of it and invited the whole faction. As much as I remember it was a blast. I still have a picture in my room of the five of us with cake smashed on our faces with big smiles. I remember faintly that Kellen smashed his on his face first. We all thought it would be fun and did it as well.
Our third birthday was when we went to an art studio. Each of us choose a color of paint and put a handprint on a picture. The handprints were arranged in a circle so it looked like a flower. They copied it and we all have a copy. Mine hangs in my room. I know for a fact that the rest have it hanging too.
I have to say our thirteenth birthday was my favorite. Leslie's mom set up a pool in their front yard. Becca brought water balloons and water guns. She started the water fight later that afternoon. Me, and Jake were a team. Leslie and Kellen formed one too. Becca has always been the most independent out of all of us and insisted on being her own team. By the end, none of us could find Becca. Turns out she climbed a tree all the way to the top. After she climbed down my mom, always wanting to save memories, took a picture.
I guess I'm like her in that way. I love looking at our old photos. We all had our arms around each other in the picture. We complement each other well. We're all completely different, which makes me worry. What is going to happen at the choosing ceremony? If I'm right I'll be the only one left in Amity. I'll miss Kellen's laugh and his cake obsession. I'll miss Becca's adventures she took me on. I'll miss Leslie's red hair and her selflessness, always insisting I go first. Most of all I'll miss Jake. He was the closest to me. Our moms were the closest. I'll miss how he spouted off random facts. I'll miss them so much. I let one tear fall, and then I grab my bag and head out to meet them.
"Hey Lacy!" Jake calls as I walk onto my porch.
"Hey!" I call back. I join them walking beside Jake, with Leslie on his left, then Kellen, then Becca.
"What took you so long?" Kellen asks not bothering to filter what he says. I roll my eyes, and laugh.
"I was looking at our birthday photos," I reply.
"I miss the old days," Leslie sighs.
"Me too," Becca adds.
"Don't we all?" Jake says.
"We were a good team," Kellen tells us, even though we all know.
"I don't like how you used past tense," Becca says and she looks down at us.
"We all know we're completely different," he says.
I sigh, and hear a collective sigh down the row of us.
"Let's make the best of it right now." Leslie says.
"Always positive," Jake teases.
"Shut up," she jokes and shoves him lightly.
"Race you," yells Becca when the school comes into view.
I take off, digging my heels into the dirt. Becca passes me, unsurprisingly. She makes it to the parking lot and bends over to catch her breath. I am just about there when someone grabs me from behind and spins me around. I let out a yelp of surprise. The person puts me down, and Jake runs by and makes it to the parking lot. I laugh and shake my head, and then jog the rest of the way. Kellen and Leslie make it soon after, Leslie coming last.
"I was first again!" Becca says triumphantly.
"Yeah, yeah," Leslie pants, still out of breath.
"I got second," Jake announces.
"Only because you cheated," I protest.
"Okay, the only way to settle this is through a race to the school doors," Kellen decides.
"GO!" I shout, and take off. I'm almost there when I feel familiar hands on my waist pulling me back, and he runs past me. I catch up to him and jump on his back.
"Hey!" he laughs, but keeps running.
"I win!" I yell while laughing.
"No, I win!" he says still laughing.
"We win," I say decisively.
Kellen, Leslie, and Becca jog over laughing their heads off.
"That was awesome!" Becca shouts still laughing like the rest of us.
"I have my ways," I tell them still on Jakes back.
We've all calmed down enough, I realize I'm still on his back. "You can put me down now."
"Right," he says as he puts me down.
"We're gonna be late for class," Leslie says.
"We're dead," Kellen announces.
We all start laughing again as we run down the halls together towards Faction history. I might not have long with them, but I can enjoy these moments we have.
It's not long before the five of us are sitting in the cafeteria waiting to take the aptitude test. Right now, Kellen and Jake are debating which flavor of cake is best. I know great way to spend the day. Sarcasm.
"From Amity, Jake Bythe and Lacy Jackson," the lady calling names says. Me and Jake stand up and walk towards the hallway. He puts his arm around my shoulder and gives a reassuring squeeze. He drops his arm and walks into room four and I walk into room five.
An Abnegation woman stands by a machine, and a chair that you would find at a dentist. That brings back another memory. After getting two teeth pulled and having the gas that makes you loony, Jake came to my house. My mom had told him I was in my room. She thought I was in my room. I was sitting on the roof. I was listening to him from outside. He called my name many times before laying on my bed. He then said that my bed smelled good like me, and I had to stifle a giggle. The next morning, he woke up in my bed while I started laughing. He was so confused. I told him what happened the night before. His face turned beet red. I've never let him live it down. I laugh silently.
"Get comfortable," the woman says.
I sit in the chair. She gives me a small glass with a blue liquid, and I trust her so I drink it. Then I fall asleep.
When I wake up, the woman is gone and instead there are two tables. "Choose," a voice says. I pick up the meat. A mean looking dog comes at me. I bend down in front of it and hold the hand with the meat in it. The dog eats the meat tickling my hand in the process. I giggle and look at it again. It doesn't look mean anymore. A girl comes into the room. I motion for her to come over and we pet the dog together.
The scene changes and now I'm on a bus. A man with scarred hands sits in front of me. "Do you know this man?" he asks as he shows me a picture. I'm about to say no, when I see the picture and realize I do know him. It's Jake! "You could save me," he says. "No, I'm sorry. I don't." I can't get Jake in trouble.
I wake up in the metal chair. The woman punches a few buttons. "What was my result?" I ask. The one word she says could change my life.
"Amity," she informs me.
"Okay, thank you."
I get up and walk out at the same time as Jake. He gives me what he hopes to be a reassuring smile, but I can tell he is stressed. We walk back and take a seat with our friends. Kellen and Becca are called next.
"How'd it go? Was it bad?" Leslie asks.
"It was fine," Jake answers shortly and looks down at his shoes.
Leslie exchanges a glance with me and I shrug. Leslie and I make small chat until Kellen and Becca return. Leslie goes to take her test. We all sit in silence, probably thinking about our decisions tomorrow. Leslie returns, and we all stand up to leave.
We walk in the same order we did on the way here. We go to our secret spot. Kellen pushes aside the vines and we all duck into the spot. Each of us sits on a beanbag, each of their colors match the color of the handprint we did on our third birthday.
"Guys, we need to talk," Kellen says and we all nod in agreement.
"We've been like siblings since before we were born," Leslie says.
"All for one," Jake starts.
"And one for all," we all say in unison.
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much," Becca tells us.
"Are you all leaving?" I ask quietly.
"We all knew this was coming," Jake says just as quiet as I was.
"We're all different and we don't fit here, except for Lacy." Kellen says.
"I bet I can guess that none of us are staying," Becca says and her voice cracks.
"I am," I say, and tears fill my eyes.
"I'm going to Candor," Kellen says just loud enough so we can hear.
"Abnegation," Leslie says.
"Erudite," Jake says, and that's when my tears start pouring.
"Dauntless," Becca says through her tears.
I move to the floor and sob. Jake slides to the floor next to me and put his arms around me. Leslie comes next putting her arms around me too. Kellen and Becca move to the floor at the same time and now we're all in a group hug. Me and Becca are bawling our eyes out. Leslie is crying a little less than us. Kellen and Jake are trying to be the men they are, but they start crying too; certainly not as much though. Slowly one by one, we stop crying; me last of course.
We stand up, and walk out and towards our houses. Kellen's is first. He gives us each a hug. When he gets to me, I start crying again. "Hey, it's okay," he says, "You have to take care of our hideout. I'm gonna miss you, but I'll come on visiting day if I can, or you can. This isn't goodbye though." He smiles, and I laugh through my tears. He gives me a hug, walks to his porch waves at us one last time then walks inside.
Leslie's is next. She started crying again too. She gives us each a hug as well. "I'm gonna miss you so much," I sob. "I'm gonna miss you too. Visit me on visiting day, okay?" I nod. She hugs me tight. Then she walks to her porch. "Love you all!" she calls. I wave.
Then Becca's house is after Leslie's. She gives Jake a hug. Then she comes to me. "Oh my gosh, you and Leslie were like the sister's I never had," she says. I laugh through my tears that are slowing down, "You have sisters!" She laughs too. "Exactly," she tells me, "I'll be thinking about you all the time, visit me okay?" I nod. She gives me a long hug then walks into her house, hopping up the steps.
Jake's is right next to mine. I look at him, and my tears start all over. He wraps me in his arms, and gives me a minute. I slow them down enough to talk to him. He pulls back so he can look at me. He has tears in his eyes too. "Lacy, I don't know where to begin. You are the best friend anyone could ask for. You're like the sister I've never had like Becca said; maybe more. I'm taking pictures of you with me." I laugh. "And the rest of them of course," he adds. "I'll never forget the day we spent on the roof. Goodbye, Lacy," he says. "Why do you have to go?" I ask him still crying. "Because I don't fit," he tells me. "But you could," I cry. "I couldn't," he says. He lets go. I smile weakly. "Bye," I choke out. "Bye, Lace." He turns and walks into his house.
When I get to my home, I'm still sobbing. I put on the first pajamas I can find and cry myself to sleep.