The Flame

Chapter 2

"The Selection is only a month away" the prince says, his voice becoming static on the TV as I pack an apple for Four, getting ready to head off into the woods once again, "I look forward to seeing beautiful ladies there" He winks at the camera.

I sigh. Prince Tobias is awfully handsome, but who knows what kind of person he could be under this mask he is hidden behind?

"Remember, your sheet for the Selection is due is due by August 5th and then the picture day will be August 9th" he says, and he flashes his white teeth, and gives us a thumbs-up with his left hand. Everyone knows he's left-handed. The next show comes one. I turn the T.V. off and sigh, closing the bag and throwing it over my shoulders. I walk out of the house, as Caleb sits, reading. He's always wanted to be Erudite, but it's not possible.

I look around, and step behind the now gigantic bush hiding our mini hideout.

I throw my bag at the trunk of the tree, where it rests, and I grab a dull knife, and I sharpen it. The metal causes noise, but we know that we are far enough away from the gravel road for anyone to hear us.

"Got it" someone says. I don't need to look; I know it is Four.

"Got what?" I ask, putting the knife with the others.

"Got your Selection fill out form" he says, showing it to me, his voice muffled by the mask he wears.

I laugh, "I thought you were kidding"

"I wasn't" he says, sitting down, "We are going to fill it out together"

I laugh again, "Okay, fine"

I sit cross-legged across from Four, who holds a pen in his left hand.

"I never knew you were left-handed" I say, tilting my head.

"That's because I don't write while I'm fighting" he says, looking at the sheet, "Full name?"

"Beatrice Elizabeth Prior" I state sternly. He smiles, and writes it down.

"Current Age?" he asks, looking at me.

"Sixteen" I state, as he writes it down, "You know all this stuff, you answer it"

He rolls his eyes, "I don't know your birthday"

"That's because we're not allowed to celebrate birthdays" I say, "Every January we simply know we've grown another year"

"Well" he says, "That doesn't sound any fun"

"It's not" I retort, "The Dauntless celebrate birthdays. I still couldn't, because I don't know it, but if I did know my birthday, I would celebrate it"

"Okay…" he starts again. He fills more out, until he chuckles a little, "You're still a Virgin, right?"

That's when he blurts out laughing, and heat rushes to my cheeks, "We're not allowed to, even if I had wanted to, and I'm not saying I do, because I don't. So, yes. Yes I am. What about you?" I ask him awkwardly.

"In my dreams, no" he says, laughing.

"You horny teenage boy!" I practically yell at him, laughing.

"Alright, now that that's been covered" he says, clearing his throat, "Parents?"

"Natalie Prior, and Andrew Prior" I say, smiling.

"They're pretty important in society" he says, nodding.

He finishes filling out the sheet, I check it over to make sure it was accurate, and it was.

The sun touches the tip of the castle, and I know it's time for him to go.

"Just turn this in by next Friday" he says, reassuringly, "I've got to go"

"I know" I say, "but take this apple" I toss him the fresh apple I packed earlier, "Don't get eaten by wolves" I call out to him.

"Won't!" he yells back, disappearing. He always had to leave as soon as sundown began. I sigh, and head home, wanting to tear the sheet to shreds.

PAGEBREAK

"You are going to laugh when you see what dress I'm going to wear" I say, looking in my bag.

"It better be good" Four says, tapping his foot.

I hold up the dress.

"It was the only dress I had besides this one" I say, motioning down to my dress "Plus it's dirty since I fought in it the one time you tried to win a fight over me"

He stood there, examining the dress, though it seemed impossible. His mask was made of a material from which where he could see me, but I can't see his face.

"We need to 'Glam it up'" he says, "As my, err, friends would say"

"Four" I say, cautiously, "It's against the rules to attract attention in Abnegation. It's self-indulgent"

He shrugs his shoulder, "It could show you don't want to be Abnegation"

The corners of my lips turn up, "That's perfect!"

"I am a genius aren't I?" he says, a hand on his heart.

I roll my eyes, and we practically remodel the dress, giving it ruffles and cutting the neckline lower, cutting off the sleeves to make it shorter, and in the end, it looked amazing. And somehow, Four knew how to do hair. He took out the pin holding my hair in its place, and his fingertips skimmed along my scalp, taking chunks of hair with it, pulling it in certain directions, until, my hair lay twisted on my shoulder.

"It's a French Braid" he says, "My mom taught me, before she died"

He puts a hand on my shoulder, and I touch that hand. It's so warm. I can sense him smiling.

"You see," Four says, "This is perfect"

"You're right" I say, glancing at the dress. I did not have the option of wearing makeup ever. But even in this, make up wouldn't make much of a difference, considering my dress already attracts enough attention. I smile.

"You're right"

LATER THAT DAY….

My opponents look at me in shock. I smile proudly. I know what they must be thinking. An Abnegation showing some skin. Wow.

I am the only Abnegation competing.

"Smile for the camera, Liz from Amity" the man holding a very large and overly complicated camera said to a girl from Amity. There are so many Amity competing.

After two more girls, it will be my turn.

The Candor girl in front of me.

The Erudite girl in front of her.

"Ooh" a girl behind me says, "A Stiff"

"She'll never make it in" another girl says, "Too strange"

I massage my temples, and see the Erudite girl in front of the Candor girl take her position. Then the Candor girl.

It's my time.

I step into the bright light, and the man says, "Smile for the camera" he pauses to look at me, his eyes widening just a little bit, "Beatrice of Abnegation"

I smile. Not good enough. Think of the time you and Four threw a knife together. A more natural smile finds its way. The time where he put his hands on your hips. The smile grows. The time he hugged you.

Even I wanted a better photo, it was too late. The man had taken the picture, and it would be sent to the prince.

"Next" he said, and I scurried off stage. I sighed, and looked at the others. I have no chance of making it in. Not with these girls with shapely bodies signed up.

I changed in the bushes, hopeful no one saw me change, and I put on a regular Abnegation, ankle length dress, that covered my arms.

I shook my hair out of the French braid, and left my hair down, since I did not know how to do a bun.

I walked home, and as soon as I opened the door, my father greeted me with the scariest death glare I've ever seen.

"You" he said quietly, "You applied for The Selection"

"What if I did?" I say, eying him.

He doesn't say anything, just his fist collides with my jaw, and he punches my stomach two times. I don't understand. Why is he acting like this? I cry out, pain over coming me, and father steps back, his eyes widening, seeing at what he'd done. I clutched my stomach, and he put his hands on his mouth, cowering to his room.

I walk back to my room, and see a bluish-blackish spot appearing on where he punched me. I check my stomach, and it seems fine. I just lay down, and try to to think of a reason on why he would hurt me.

Ha ha! A twist! Beatrice gets punched by her father!

Anyways, the actual selecting will be next chapter. Wait and see. I am full of surprises :)

Isi