Author's Note: Thank you guys for the follows and favorites! They make my day :) This chapter is shorter, but hopefully the next few chapters will start getting longer. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent.

Chapter Two: The Choosing Ceremony

I had already been up since 6:02AM that morning when Ari came into my room to wake up me. There were two knocks on my door before I answered.

"Come in." I said.

Ari pushed the door open and watched me pick out my last outfit from Abnegation that I would be wearing.

"About last night…" She trailed off.

"I remember. Don't worry Ari. I'll read the letter and I won't seek revenge." I said.

She smiled, but it wasn't a reassuring smile.

"Auntie?" I asked.

She looked like she was lost in her thoughts. "Auntie." I said again.

"Oh I'm sorry." She smiled. "Breakfast is ready. Shower and meet us downstairs. Carl and I want to share this morning's breakfast in your company." She said.

The door shut close behind her. She was acting weird this morning. I wondered what was in the letter that I could only read after the choosing ceremony and not now.

I had chosen a light grey t-shirt paired with a dark grey bottomed tights. They weren't much clothing, but the weather was warming up and this was the perfect outfit. Spring was here and the temperature would rise. My choice of clothing didn't keep in too much of the heat, and it didn't expose my skin enough for Abnegation to disown me right before the ceremony.

Before leaving to the ceremony, I explored the house one last time and changed my mind and decided to bring a jacket just in case. I took the letter that Auntie gave me the night before from my nightstand and carefully tucked it away in a pocket deep inside of the jacket that I had just taken out from my closet. My hair was left down, now reaching my mid-back since I slept on braids last night. It was more curly than wavy this morning. I liked this new style to my hair. I took a few elastics that were just lying around in the room and kept them around my wrist.

I was making my way to the school's stadium where the choosing ceremony was going to be taking place. On my way there, I spotted the leaders of all of the factions. The Priors were the first to greet us.

"Pleasant morning today, isn't it?" Ms. Prior asked us. She was a sweet woman.

"Perfect enough for the birds to leave the nest." Ari responded politely.

"Is Leanne choosing today too?" Mr. Prior asked.

Before Ari could answer, Jeanine interrupted our conversation and directed her attention towards the Prior family. "I'm Caleb…And this is my sister, Beatrice." Caleb introduced himself and his sister when Beatrice didn't make an effort to talk.

"I see. And who might you be?" Jeanine asked looking at me.

She was feigning ignorance. Everyone knew who I was. Even though I wasn't a Candor, I knew that she was just being polite.

Everyone knew about Carl and me. My parents were murdered a few years back, but their case wasn't solved yet. There were never any more leads to follow. We were pitied children of Erudite but it was Abnegation who took us in. Erudite had too much on their hands, and besides, my biological aunt was in Abnegation and she welcomed us with open arms. But I didn't hold a grudge against them, I just didn't was to be a part of them. I wasn't going to go back to Erudite.

"I'm Leanne and this is my younger brother, Carl." I responded.

She nodded, trying to look interested. But we all knew that she probably knew more about my life then I did. She was an Erudite leader for God's sake.

"And you're all - " She motioned towards me, Beatrice and Caleb, "choosing your factions today?" she asked.

"Yes we are." Caleb answered for all of us.

"I wish you good luck then. I hope you choose the right faction for you." Jeanine said.

"Well, I guess we should be taking our places now…It was great speaking with you today." Ari said while shaking the Erudite and Abnegation leader.

There were many more people filing into the stadium right now. The Dauntless were the last to arrive, of course, but they weren't late; they were never late.

We took our seats in the row behind the Priors. I was seated on the edge, ready to go to the front when they called my name.

"The world belongs to those who know where they belong." Jeanine said. I missed out on her speech; it was the same one that we heard before taking the Aptitude tests plus that line.

Marcus, another Abnegation leader, took initiative and listed every sixteen year-old in the room to come up and choose their faction. Meanwhile, I was observing the reaction of the family and parents whenever someone transferred. There were reactions ranging from frustration, devastation and relief. I wonder what Ari and Carl are going to feel, while knowing that I wasn't staying.

"Beatrice Prior." Marcus named. I looked at her as she slowly made her way to the front. She looked hesitant but took the knife that was offered to her by Marcus anyway. She cut her hand open and waited for her blood to drop in the Abnegation bowl, however, she changed her mind to Dauntless at the last second. "Beatrice Prior. Dauntless." There was a cheer from the Dauntless faction. I looked over to see her parents in shock and sadness. Two of their children had just left them. Caleb left to Erudite and Beatrice left to Dauntless. It wouldn't be too soon now until my name was going to be called.

It was after a few other names that Marcus called mine. "Leanne Courtney." I gave my family one last look before leaving to the front.

I took the knife from his hand and looked at each bowl.

"Choose." I could hear a woman say in the back of my mind. I cut my palm deep enough to draw out blood but I closed my hand. I was still deciding. "Choose." The voice in my head repeated. I clenched my hand into a fist and I could see the blood leaking out from my enclosed hand until I heard the voice again. "CHOOSE!" she screamed. I held out my bloodied hand over a bowl and heard my blood sizzle as it hit some stones.

"Leanne Courtney. Dauntless." There was a loud roar from across the room where the Dauntless were at. I let out a breath of relief that I didn't even know I was holding.

I smile and accepted Jeanine's offered band aid as I passed by. I could hear Marcus call out the next person on the list. "Christina…" But everything was getting hazy. I could see some Dauntless members coming towards me when I stopped walking. I felt like my head was going to split into two. I grasped my head in my hands and screamed. There was a pounding pain in my head, it was like someone was taking a hammer and pounding it on my head. I swear my head was going to split into two any moment now.

I was on the brink of fainting when someone finally caught me. My eyelids shut tight but I could feel someone shaking my body lightly. "Leanne….Leanne! Stay with us!" There were many other voices in the distance, but they were quickly fading away just like my conscious was.

Author's Note: AND A CLIFFHANGER! How could I not leave one? Anyway, we're going to be getting a glimpse of Eric in the next chapter, but it won't be until chapter four until Leanne and Eric interact... Unless I change my mind ;) This hasn't been betaED so if you recognize any mistakes, please let me know. Please review and thanks for reading! Criticism is much appreciated!