Hey, it's me!
I really wanted to write something about Tris' father and Tori some time ago, so I decided to do this fanfic about both of them. It's just a short story. Please tell me if you like it. By the way, I don't own anything.
"Remember, Andrew, this is your last normal day of school. Enjoy it and make us proud of you." Mother always says that. She wants me to be the best student of my grade. At least I have to be better than the other factions. That's Erudite, if you aren't smart enough, you have to pretend to be, otherwise you will be kicked out. I have never been smart enough.
My friend Tori and I meet at the entrance of our school. Her real name is Victoria. We gave each other nicknames when we were about seven years old. Mother says nicknames are illogical, but I don't care about that. The two of us have always been Andy and Tori.
School goes by quickly. I am a bit nostalgic because it's my last real day here. The day after tomorrow is the Choosing Ceremony where I will decide whether I want to be the stupid Erudite for my whole life or try to be someone else. Tori hasn't told me about which faction she is going to choose, but we talk about it as often as possible when we're alone.
Today we sit on the floor in my room. I want to enjoy the last day here, but I can't stop thinking about tomorrow. Testing Day. Tori seems to be pondering about the same thing because she suddenly asks: "Did you ever consider transferring?" "Of course I did," I say. "I don't belong here." She nods.
"What about you?" "I don't know. I mean, I could imagine myself living here. I would clean up the mess the smart people made." She smiles a little. Maybe that's true for herself, but I don't want to be a slave for know-it-alls like Jeanine Matthews. I bet she will stay here; she has always looked down on me.
The next day it's stormy outside. It fits my mood perfectly. I can't find Tori anywhere on my way to school. I just spot her in the crowd when we arrive in the cafeteria for the faction test. Because I am Erudite I know a bit about it. We will be put under a simulation that shows us what to do. Sounds easy. Tori's name is called and she follows a woman wearing grey into a room. I don't see her coming out before my name is called.
The person who is going to run my aptitude test is an elderly man. He is an Abnegation volunteer as most of the people who run the tests. He smiles encouragingly and connects wires to my head. Then I go under the simulation.
I stand in the cafeteria and in the front of me there's a table with a knife and a cheese on it. I know I have to choose. What would be smart? I guess that the cheese would be for the Amity and that's a faction I never really considered, so I take the knife. It could come in handy.
Suddenly a beast appears in front of me. It's a mixture of a dog and a lion. I drop the knife. I have never seen such a creature in my life. It scares me to death. The beast blows his foul breath into my face. I have to do something. Over the last few years I got well on pretending to be smart. I am just thinking about what I have read about wild animals when a little girl appears at the other side of the room. The beast turns his attention on her. I can't let it kill her. I run over to her and stand in front of her. She is crying now. I want to cry too, but I can't break down now. All I can think of is protecting her.
I close my eyes. Just when I feel the foul breath on my face, it vanishes. I open my eyes and I am on a bus. Next to me is a man with a newspaper. He shows me a picture. "Do you know this man?" he asks. I shake my head. I feel like I know him, but I can't remember. "Are you sure? If you know him, you could save me." I think about it. It's my duty to help him. "Yes, but I don't remember where I have seen him," I say.
My surrounding changes again and I am on the street in front of the school. Someone nudges my arm. A little boy points to a woman in a wheelchair. "That's my mommy," he says. "The doctor says she will never be able to walk again, but I don't believe him." I know for sure what this part of the test is for. Either I will tell him the truth and say the doctor was right or I can be Amity and comfort her. I look down at the boy. "You just have to believe in it," I say.
I am back in the room with the Abnegation man. He smiles at me. "This was interesting to watch," he says. "I will explain it to you in a second." He pushes a few buttons at a machine and removes the wires.
"Okay, Andrew Prior, here's your result. Because you took the knife instead of the cheese, Amity was ruled out. However you didn't attack the dog which stands against Dauntless. Letting the dog rather kill you than the girl would be Abnegation, as telling the truth to the man on the bus has been. Speaking the truth could be Candor, but I think that one was ruled out in the end by lying to the boy. Comforting him would normally be Amity, but considering that was ruled out before I guess it's a sign for Abnegation." I nod. Abnegation. The Erudite have never liked the Abnegation. I don't know why.
"I'm not finished yet. Not attacking the dog when you knew you wouldn't be able to win also could be a hint for Erudite. That means," he lowers his voice. "You're Divergent. It's very important not to talk to anyone about it. Never. Do you understand that?" I nod again. Don't talk about it. I never would, I think no one would believe me anyways. "But… that means there's not just one faction I could choose?"
"Yes. Tomorrow it will all be down to you. Choose the faction you feel you belong to. You don't want to regret your choice, do you?" "No."
The next morning I wake with a sudden. It's Choosing Day. I have to choose between Erudite, the place where I have lived my whole life, and Abnegation. Tori and I are silent on our way there. She looks pale. "Don't worry," I say. I don't believe myself, maybe that's why I can't be Candor. I wonder what her test told her. I can't imagine her transferring, although she doesn't like it here, she would stay just because she knows the place and feels at home. I should do that too. Stay here, at home, for her.
We stand in a circle around the five bowls that symbolize the factions. The water that stands for Erudite and the gray stones for Abnegation. I don't know. I don't pay attention to the people who choose before me. I see Tori's brother walking to the Candor man who leads the ceremony this year. I don't know him well, but I suspected him to stay. He doesn't. His blood drips on the black coal that represents Dauntless. Wow, that's a surprise.
Now Tori steps forward. She takes the knife and cuts her hand. She has never liked to see blood; I hope she won't pass out. I see her shivering, but at least her eyes seem alert. I will do it, stay with her. I don't care about me, but I would do it for her. She closes her eyes. Her mouth forms senseless words. She shifts her hand. Her blood on the coals. She didn't stay. She decided to be brave. Dauntless.
When it's my turn, I know what to do. Tori didn't fit in here, neither do I. I was ready to stay for her. I think that's a clear sign. I am selfless. My blood leaves red spots on the gray stones.