I woke up to my mother gently tapping my shoulder on the morning of my Aptitude Test. When I drew my sleep-laden eyes to her, she gave me a gentle smile. I wish I could look more like her, with her dark hair and green eyes. But both I and my younger sister have the same blonde hair and blue eyes. Even compared to the rest of Abnegation, I'm nothing extraordinary to look at.

"Charlotte, you don't want to be late." She said. She hesitated before asking me a question. "Are you nervous?"

My heart is screaming Yes! Yes! But I choke this down and just nod. My mother takes my hand and rubs small circles on it.

"Whatever the test says, just know that we're proud of you." She tries to assure me. But I know that Father wants me to pick Abnegation. I can't really see myself choosing any other faction aside from this one, though.

Mother leaves the room, giving me time to get up and get dressed. I swat my hair out of my face and attempt to stand up, even though most of my muscles are still heavy. I drag my feet over to my white dresser and take down the standard-issue gray Abnegation robes. Once the coarse fabric is on my body, I can go downstairs for mother to cut my hair. Coincidentally, this is also the day where I'm allowed to look at my reflection. While I imagine that the girls in other factions obsess over themselves in the mirror, I've been taught to reject vanity. I really shouldn't care about what I look like, but sometimes I can't help but wonder.

I soon find myself downstairs in front of the mirror. My once elbow-length, light blonde hair now drops to just below my shoulders. When I look at myself, I can see that nothing has changed. My nose is still too long, and my eyes are still too big for my thin face. People say that Beatrice is going to look just like me when she's older, the only difference being that my hair is a little bit lighter than hers. But for now, she's only 13 and has time before any of that sets in.

After my mother closes the mirror, she sits behind me and runs a brush through my hair before tucking it into a bun at the nape of my neck.

"You'll do great today." She says. I tilt my head slightly.

"How can you be sure?" I ask. This is the only time I've let her in on my fear of the Tests. My voice drops to almost a whisper. "What if I don't get Abnegation?"

She takes a deep breath. "I can't tell you what your result will be. But whatever you choose, I hope you'll be happy." She says with sincerity.

At this moment, Caleb and Beatrice run down the stairs, signaling that it's time for them to go to school. Normally I'd go with them, but today I have to wait to head to the Schooling Compound with the other Abnegation 16-year-olds. Before heading out the door, however, Beatrice stops in front of me. When she's standing there, I can't help but agree with the people who say that we look alike.

"Good luck," she says, "for the tests."

I chuckle. "Thanks. But we both know that it's not luck that determines the results." She nods seriously when I say this. Without warning, I bend down and wrap my arms around my little sister. She hesitates for a short moment before doing the same to me. Shortly after, we break apart. Beatrice smiles at me again before turning back to join Caleb.

Not even ten minutes later. My father walks down.

"Are you ready?"

We walk outside and begin our walk to the train. The air is cool and dry, almost as if nature is trying to soothe us. Once we're boarded on the train, I start to talk.

"Did you always know you were going to pick Abnegation?" I ask my father. He turns his head towards me.

"Yes. I had always known that I was meant to stay here." He says.

"Oh."

He rests a hand on my shoulder. "I can see it in you, Charlotte. You'll choose what's best for our family." He pauses. "And for our Faction."

I close my eyes for a few seconds, until the train comes to a stop in front of the school's building. My father squeezes my hand and the corners of his lips turn up in a smile before I exit the train. I then take my place in front of the doors with everyone else from Abnegation. Quickly, I become immersed in the sea of gray. I glance around the block and I get distracted by the multi-colored lines of Amity, the dark blue of Erudite, the serious black and white hues of Candor, and the Black and windswept hair of the Dauntless.

I lose track of time, and before I know it I'm ushered into the building. Several others, mostly Candor, push past me. I can hear them calling me a Stiff, but I just turn my eyes back to the ground.

I take my seat in the Cafeteria by the other Abnegation girls, and before I know it I hear my name being called.

"Charlotte Prior."

With shaking limbs I rise from my seat. No one has any idea of what to expect, since we're not allowed to prepare for the tests.

I'm guided to a white door marked with the number "19". Inhaling sharply, I slowly push the sliding door aside.