A/N: This is AU so not everything will be like the book series. However, I will try to keep it as close as possible. I'm going to leave this chapter up to see the response it gets- if good, I'll continue posting chapters, and if not good, I'll mainly just be sad but still post a few chapters. Lily's backstory sounds a little bit like Four's, but I actually wrote her backstory before I read about Four's, so it's a coincidence.
Disclaimer: All rights stay with the talented Veronica Roth. I do not own anything besides my OC.
Chapter 1: Annoyances
The Choosing Ceremony is soon. The whole school knows it. All the teachers are wrapping up their lessons and giving us life advice, and each faction is preparing for new initiates.
The weight of picking a new faction or staying in the same faction rests on the of-age kids, myself included, but my situation is a little more delicate.
I happen to glance over at India, my younger sister, who sits with a group of Erudite animatedly chatting. She looks a lot like our mother- bright red-brown hair, brown eyes, light freckles ghosting her nose, full lips and tanned skin. The only feature I received from my mother was the tanned skin, full lips, and hazel eyes. The rest of me has my father's dark hair and strong features.
Never have I been called beautiful or easy on the eyes. My facial features are too strong, so when I receive compliments, they have been catcalling or whistling. More objectifiable than anything.
Continuing to stare at India, my lips tug down, because I know what this means. Everyone has always known it. Deep down they know India belongs in Erudite. She is far too curious for a Dauntless born. For example, when told to do something, India asks questions. The other Dauntless kids and I would do it without questioning or ask questions later. Her eyes light up when she watches Erudite leaders on T.V. or the Erudite kids at school, and she tends to associate more with them.
I know I belong in Dauntless, and in a couple of weeks I take my aptitude test, a test that helps sixteen year olds choose a faction based on their attributes, to confirm it.
The only problem, the delicate situation, with being Dauntless is that it means I have to deal with my father for the rest of his remaining life. As horrible as it sounds, I would actually choose another faction to get away from him, but if I did that, he'd take his anger out on India and she would not be able to transfer for another three years. I can't do that to her.
My father is a drunk, and an angry one. Ever since my mother died, no one has been able to calm him down, she was the sole reason he kept it together. He's always had a temper, but my mother somehow was able to help him control it. Now it runs loose like a stampede.
"Earth to Lily, Lily Grey." George, my best friend, snaps his fingers in front of my face, "You in there? You've barely eaten your lunch, something wrong?"
George is Dauntless too. We have grown up together mostly inseparable. We are the same age, so he'll be taking his aptitude test soon as well. I have never been able to quite put my finger on where he belongs, which faction, but if I had to guess I'd say he's more Candor than Dauntless. The kid cannot tell a lie if his life depended on it.
"You know you can't stop her from choosing Erudite, right?" He sighs while following my gaze over his shoulder at my sister sitting with the Erudite kids.
My eyes are still fixed on India, "Yeah… maybe it will be for the best, though. At least she'll be able to start fresh."
George snickers, "Is that really you talking? Yesterday you were saying how hard it would be to see her leave, and how you were going to keep her from transferring factions and now you're all 'It's for the best'?"
That was before last night, though. Before my father nearly killed her for ditching her combat training to go read in the library, and yes, Dauntless has a library, albeit a small one. No one can see the bruises under her shirt, but I know they are there. When she winces or catches herself weird, she plays it off, but I know she's hurting.
At the time it happened, I was gone with George and my other friends, so the only help I was to her was helping her lie down and take some meds for the pain when I got home. Later I confronted my father, drunk and pathetic, but he wouldn't remember my screaming or fury when he sobered, in my books that would not be worth it, so I ended up leaving him on the ground of the bar.
"Hey people can change their minds overnight, you know." I punch him in the arm, and steal some of his fries while he cradles his arm.
"Ow, eat your own!"
He tries to snatch my food but I hold it just out of his reach grinning, "You're way to slow, man."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yep," I pop the word while eating the fry I stole, but my victory doesn't last long when he swipes my drink and runs from the table.
On pure instinct I drop everything and sprint after him passing the Erudite table who all roll their eyes. Most people would call this childish, and over a drink nonetheless, but it's not even about the drink, it's about testing who is faster and stronger. A couple Dauntless kids pound their fists on tabletops and holler at us as we play cat and mouse in the lunch courtyard. Much like if we were in the Pit back in Dauntless.
George uses tables and chairs to put something between us while I circle around or jump over them. One table breaks when I crash into it. Finally I gain the upper hand by jumping on the Abnegation table, the kids there quickly move out of the way, and tackle George from behind. We crash to the ground with me straddling his back and pinning his arms with my knees. He tries to kick out but I grab my drink he managed not to spill before he can.
"Ha, what's that… 31 wins for me and 15 for you?" I chuckle in his ear before standing up and spinning on my heel to walk back to the table. To my right Hunter Lawson, an Abnegation guy, wears a look of disapproval. He won't say anything because he's Abnegation. It irks me the way the Abnegation run things. They claim to be selfless, but I've always seen it as they don't have any thoughts of their own. People who follow rules blindly. The opposite of Dauntless in every way.
When I turn again to walk back, I come face to face with the vice principal who has a nasty glare on his clean cut features.
"Miss Grey, can you tell us what you were doing at lunch exactly?" The principal asks me in his office with his trusty sidekick, the vice principal, standing next to me with his arms crossed. The principal was Erudite while the vice principal was Candor.
"Having a little fun with my friend. Why am I here? No one got hurt."
"That may be the case but you and your friend damaged school property and could have easily harmed another student. Now I know Dauntless promotes reckless behavior, but here we have rules for all the factions to follow."
His remark rubs me the wrong way because it sounds like he's judging Dauntless. Erudite often stereotype Dauntless as brainless, adrenaline junky, troublemakers but we are much smarter than they believe.
"Oh yes, Erudite rules that allow no room for fun? You do know the meaning of the word fun, right? I'm sure you've read about it somewhere in one of your precious books," I say sarcastically.
The vice principal uncrosses his arms and turns red with fury, but the principal smiles and folds his hands neatly over his desk. He calmly says, "Do not let it happen again, Miss Grey. Otherwise I will be forced to remove you from this school, and I don't wish to see that take place."
Oh, I forgot; he can threaten to remove me from school which means I won't be able to take my aptitude test and then I will become factionless. That's an effective way to shut me up. Both principals have a victorious little smirk on their faces that I would love to smack off. Instead I sulk out of the room.
George sits outside waiting on his punishment. We give each other exasperated wide eyed expressions before heading different ways. Him into the office and myself to my next class.
As I sit down at my desk in Biology, late because of the trip to the principal's office, I hear someone snort next to me. My eyes lift up to see a blonde girl with striking gray-blue eyes quickly avert her gaze from me to her notes. She wears the trademark blue clothes from Erudite. Her name slips my mind mainly because she was the type that answered questions in class more than anyone else and I always thought she was a snob for it. I ignored her mostly and this was the first time we've ever made eye contact. Possibly even the first time I've looked at her.
"Do you have a problem?" I snap at her. I'm in no mood to be made fun of by an Erudite.
"Not at all."
"Thought so," I start reading over my short ill-taken notes, but out of the corner of my eye I see her glancing at me every so often with an expression of curiosity and evaluation.
Against my instincts, I ignore her and focus on the teacher for once.
After Biology, I make a point to leave before the Erudite girl can say anything to me. I'd prefer not getting expelled the same day I get a warning to keep my head low. School is still in for another three weeks before the aptitude test and then I can become Dauntless officially. Surely I can last three weeks without incident.
My next class is the last one for the day. It's my better subject- History. Learning about old nations, militaries, and military leaders always interested me. Sometimes our lesson would be all about how old militaries fought a long time ago and it was similar to tactics so I enjoyed it, usually.
However, today I notice the blonde Erudite girl is actually in this class too. The teacher is not keen on allowing interruptions, such as questions, so that's probably why I've never noticed her before now. What a pain. She sits at the front of the classroom in the middle row, so she can't see me staring at her with mild annoyance. She perks up at each detail or fact the teacher states, infuriating me, because I know she wants to ask a million questions.
I tear my eyes away unable to withstand the girl's irritable behavior much longer. I've never wished for this class to be over sooner.
When the bell rings, I jump out of my seat like lightning. It's unfortunate that I hear another chuckle from the blonde Erudite girl before I make it out of the room. The sound makes me stop in my tracks. All the other kids file out the room and as the blonde girl tries to walk past me I grab her arm and drag her to the girls' bathroom. A little more rough than I intended, though. She looks mortified.
"Obviously you have something to say to me so why not just say it?" I let her go and she stumbles a little backing away from me.
She glances at the door behind me then around the bathroom. I know what she's doing. She's looking for a way out, or for someone to help her. No one is here, though.
"Well?" I cross my arms in an intimidating manner allowing my muscles to show a bit. I'm not going to do anything to her, but she is unsure of that.
She clears her throat, "I just found it interesting how different you and your sister are is all."
"What?" That was not what I was expecting.
"Your sister. You two are nothing alike. She clearly got all the brains in the family."
"Yeah she's a smart one," I say tightly unsure whether I should ignore the insult to my intelligence or take the compliment for India's sake.
Before she said anything else the door to the bathroom opens and in walks my sister, her red-brown locks flowing freely and her brown eyes show relief, "There you are! The train is about to come, we've got to leave." She sees the blonde girl in front of me, "Oh hey Jeanine, what are you two doing?"
When she asks the question, she gives me a suspicious eye squint. My reply is shrugging at her pretending I don't know what she's thinking. She thinks I'm bullying her, or something along those lines.
"I'm simply having a chat with your sister, but I was just leaving. Wouldn't want you two to miss the train." The blonde, apparently named Jeanine, steps past us and out of the bathroom.
India is going to say something, scold me probably, but I walk towards the door telling her to hurry or we'll miss the train and have to wait on the next which will get us in trouble with dear-old-dad.