Chapter 2

I'm in a forest, a dark green one that is not familiar, not like any forest is familiar to me. How did I get here? I look down, I'm wearing the same thing as yesterday. My ruby red summer dress and my red bow that I wear everyday. I decide to walk around to see where I can get out of here. When I hear a yell. The moment I hear it I sprint to where I think it's coming from. Who is it? When I hear the yell again I realize it's familiar. I've heard this voice before, but from who? I keep running even when my lungs gasp for air. I'm not the fastest but I have the trait of never stopping, which is hard for a lot of people. I hear the yell once more and stop running. It's Tobias, I'm sure of it. I snap out of my 10 second daze and keep running. These shoes seriously aren't made for sprinting, but they'll have to do, since I don't have any other shoes with me. I run until I see a giant tree blocking my way. I can't see where it starts or ends, so I decide to go over it. I jump and thankfully get over it. But some kind of moss is on it so I slip off the trunk and the moment I hit the ground my alarm goes off, and I wake up.

I try to slap it close, but end up just hitting my dresser. Oh yeah, I forgot that I put it across the room so I had to get up from bed in the morning. I sit up and look into the mirror that is across from me. Nothing's changed, I'm still the 16 year old girl I knew last night, except today I will make the biggest decision of my life. Stay with my family, or go? I've already chosen but the answer feels foreign to me. Like it's in a different language. I get up and slump over to the mirror and sit on my bed so I'm just inches away from the dresser that holds the mirror, and turn off the alarm. It's probably the most annoying thing I have ever heard in my life. Then I get myself ready. Brush my hair, put on my cherry lip gloss that I put on everyday, and put on a red and yellow plaid dress. I then take my red bow and put it on. I don't go anywhere without it, I'm not sure why though. I feel it gives me good luck. I look around me room. Why aren't I nervous? Is that normal? I will never ever see my family again and I act like it's no big deal. What's wrong with me? Whatever, that's just who I am I guess. I get up and walk around my room. Is there anything I'm aloud to take with me? I then find a photo of my mother and father and me. I find myself smiling. No matter what I feel and think, I will miss them. I take the photo and fold it in half and put it in one of the pockets in my dress. I then make my bed and clean my room for what will most likely be the last time, and take a deep breath. Then I walk out of the room.

When we get to the building that will hold my faith, I take yet another deep breath and walk in. My dad's hand placed on my back to help me get to where I have to go. I have never been here before because I don't have any brothers or sisters, who would've had to choose their faction before or after me. Just me. That's the hardest part, knowing when I leave them, they'll be alone. When we get to the doors, mom gives me a kiss.

"I'll give you and your father a minute." she says. She knows my relationship with my father is unbreakable, and I feel kind of bad sometimes, that I'm not closer to her. I nod and turn to my father, he kisses my cheek and before rising, he whispers in my ear.

"No matter what you choose, I will always love you, and I will visit you on Visiting Day, if it's the last thing I do." He looks into my eyes and I smile, tears about to run down my cheeks but I don't care. I hug him so hard, if he was my structure and my height, he probably wouldn't be able to breathe. He looks at me and pats my back. "See ya soon kiddo." I look at my mom and wave goodbye, she knows I'm leaving, so I might as well prepare her, and look at my dad and blow him a kiss. I turn around and go through the doors, without looking back.

The actual ceremony is really boring. A man from the Abnegation government, who says his name is 'Marcus' or something, recites some speech that sounds like he's practiced this by heart. I'm too bored to hear. But I hear him state that they'll start from last names starting with 'Z'. Great, my last name is Brown. I'll be so close to last. So I decide to watch the parents' faces when they find out their child is a traitor to their faction. Thank God my mother and father won't think so. By the time they get to the 'F's I am half asleep when I hear his name. "Tobias Eaton." Marcus says into his microphone. Tobias walks over to the middle of the room. I watch him closely but I don't know why I'm so interested. He takes the knife from Marcus without even looking at him, and without a doubt in his mind, cuts his hand and let's the blood sizzle on the coals of the Dauntless. Gasps come from the audience, but all I can do is smile. He will be an initiate in the Dauntless compound with me. But then I see that Marcus gasped with the rest of the Abnegation. Why? Maybe he knows him personally or something. I don't get to much into it, though I know I really want to. He walks up to the group at Dauntless who stare at him funny, he's the only Abnegation kid there, he looks odd with them. With his clothes, but you can easily see that he belongs with them.

A bunch of others pass, when I hear my name.

"Emma Brown."

I slowly walk up to the middle of the room and quickly look for my parents, when I see my dad seated close to the back, winking at me, I giggle and wink back. I feel like crying. I feel horrible and guilty, but for the choice I'm about to choose, I should feel guilty. I now stand in front of the five bowls which signify the five factions. Pebbles for Abnegation, coals for Dauntless, water for Erudite, dirt for Amity, (oh does it smell like home) and broken glass for Candor. I feel like running home and cuddling around my blankets, regretting ever waking up this morning. But I can't do that. So I take the knife from Marcus and take another deep breath, those always calm me down. I take the knife and cut my hand. It stings but I can't wince, now is not the time. Before the blood falls on the carpet beneath my feet, I put my arm on top of the Dauntless bowl and watch my blood fall into the bowl. A bunch of gasps come from some of the Amity parents, and I instantly look at my parents, my mom looks a little disappointed, but my dad gives my a teasing wink and a thumbs up. I laugh, and people stare at me. Pull it together Emma, now is not the time for jokes. I immediately stop smiling and walk to the Dauntless group. The line continues, and I stop paying attention, I turn to Tobias who is a couple meters away, he doesn't stare back, I don't even think he noticed that I'm here. I can't blame him though, he must have been nervous about his decision. When the last person has gone and goes to stand in their group, we start leaving the auditorium and walk out the doors. I quickly turn around to see if my father is there, and sure enough, he's at the back of the room with my mother, he finds my eyes, and smiles. But he can't hide the tears in his eyes when he sees me. I quickly mouth "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head "Don't be, see you soon." he mouths, and smiles. My dad is so selfless, I'm surprised he's not Abnegation. I look more around the room right before we're past the door and I see Marcus, in a rage. Is it because of Tobias or someone else? Better not get involved. At least for now.

We go outside and stand in a group that is supposed to be in some kind of line I think. When I hear the train. Oh right, I forgot the Dauntless take the trains, except they don't walk on, they jump on. I go up to the front, it'll be better to be one of the first so I don't smash into someone I won't want to. When the train comes, me and a couple of Candor kids jump at the same time as me. I jump in the air as far as I could and hear my feet stomp on the train's floor. My feet buzz but I ignore it. I gasp, forgot to breathe. When someone jumps into me and I fall down. The kid falls down next.

"I am so terribly sorry." He says, extending his hand to me. I wipe my hands on my pants and look up. It's Tobias. I take his hand and stand up. "Thanks Tobias." I say.

He let's go of my hands and looks at me. "No probl- Oh hello. You're Emma right?"

He raises one of his eyebrows, it gives him an Erudite kind of look. "Yeah, that's me." I smile and he smiles back shyly. His lips curl when he smiles, it's kind of cute. When some kid bumps right into us.

"Oh sorry. I really didn't mean to." he apologizes through his glasses, which are obviously fake. Must be Erudite. I laugh. "It's ok, I'm Emma." No better time to make friends, I guess.

"Eric." He shakes my hand and looks at Tobias. "Hi." he says. "Hello." Tobias responds. Eric tries to shake Tobias' hand but Tobias just responds awkwardly.

"Oh sorry, forgot the Abnegation don't shake hands."

Others join the conversation but I just zone out looking at Tobias. He's so... not cute. No not cute, he's... Mesmerizing. That's what it is. Especially his dark blue eyes. I sigh, and my cheeks turn red. Oh God, I hope he didn't hear me. He turns around, he definitely heard me, but it doesn't look like he knows it was me, because he looks away.

When we finally reach the Dauntless compound, all I can see are buildings blocking our view. "I think we have to jump on." Eric states. "Jump on what?" a Candor girl asks. She has strawberry blonde hair and a button nose, she's pretty. "The building over there." Eric points at a seven story building that we're about to pass by. "That?" I exclaim. The Dauntless-borns look at me. "Duh" one of them says.

"It's not as hard as it looks." says another. He's tall and dark with green eyes. Something I don't see together often. When we finally get close to the seven story building, I decide I want to jump on first or at least second, so I don't bash into anyone when they come up. I move closer to the train's opening, and when I'm about to jump, a bunch of initiates, Dauntless-born and transfers, push me aside, some just walk along, not seeing me, but others push and shove. I am one of the last ones on, so I jump off as high as I can before I miss the building. I close my eyes and feel my fingers catch something, and suddenly, I feel like I have to support my own weight. I'm hanging off the ledge...I'M HANGING OFF THE LEDGE! Oh my God! "Help! Help! Someone please help me!" I scream, no one comes for a few minutes and I feel like me hands going to fall off, when the Dauntless-born that was nice to me runs to the ledge and offers me his hand. When I am finally on the roof I exhale and gasp for air.

"Thank you so much..." I say, waiting for his name.

"Oh, Zeke, and you are?" he says. "I'm Emma."

"Cool." he smiles and turns around, someone is talking, I move closer to hear what is going on.

"You guys will have to jump down." a voice that is not familiar says.

"Jump down?" the same Candor girl from the train asks. "Yes."

"Is there anything at the bottom?" Someone asks.

"You'll just have to find out, so who's first."

A few Dauntless-born battle to be first, and one of them jumps first and lands in a hole. I'm guessing that's where you're supposed to land, since he looks fine to me. A couple others go and a few transfers. Tobias is next, he hesitates and then out of know where, he jumps down. I walk forward to see where he landed and he's in the hole. When I think he's gotten out, I take a deep breath, close my eyes and jump. I hear yells from under me and open my eyes to see Tobias not out of the hole yet. I try to move so I don't hurt him, but it's too late. I end up landing in a net, on one of his legs and I hear a small wimp.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" I say. I look up at him and see his considerate eyes. "It's fine, really. Here, let me help you." He says as he lends my his hand, He helps me up and we both end up sitting and the ledge of the net with our feet dangling in the hole. I starts laughing and I don't even know why. He looks at me like I'm crazy and that makes me laugh even more. He starts laughing because I'm laughing. We move away from the hole so others can jump down, and we break down laughing. At these moments I realize why I am so interested in Tobias. Because he is different. More like me.