A/N This is the original 2nd chapter but I edited it to thaw with the first one. This chapter and any chapters after this are written by me but some little ideas will be from bellarox2002 :)


Lauren's POV:

"Wake up! It's the aptitude tests today." My mother tells me. Even when she's waking me up she has a superior tone to her voice.

I only groan in response as she leaves me to get dressed. When my mom closes the door, I roll out of bed. I go over to my clothes and pull out a light blue button down dress, that stops at my knees, with a pair of navy flats. I take the clothes that I picked out into the bathroom with me.

I shrug out of my pajamas after I turn on the water for the shower. I barely notice the temperature of the water as my mind wanders to possible outcomes of today. I could be Erudite like my 'perfect' older brother was. I couldn't really imagine myself as an Abnegation as I'm far too noisy and I lie way too much to be a Candor.

Once I've finished my shower I hop out and dry myself off. I throw on my undergarments before I dry my hair with a blow drier and brush out the knots. I pull on my dress and button it up. I look at myself in the bathroom mirror as I dab on bits of makeup on my face and along the bottom of my hazel eye, which look green right now, to cover up what signs I could have of being tired. I sigh as I slide on my navy blue flats because I believe that it's kind of stupid that we have to wear so much blue. I walk back into my bedroom after I brush my teeth.

I saunter over to my mirror and brush out my long blonde hair. I twist two pieces of my hair at both sides of my face and clip them back. I take my black square glasses from my bedside table and slide them onto my face as protocol of being an Erudite.

When I get into the kitchen I notice my mother has left two pieces of buttered toast and an apple for me to eat. High energy and healthy foods for breakfast for brain food. I sit at the table alone and munch on my breakfast as I read the note my mom left for me.

'Lauren,

Off to work early today as Jeanine wants to test a new medicine. Good luck with the aptitude tests today, I know you're an Erudite.

Love,

Mother'

If only I believed I was an Erudite. The only problem is I don't know what other faction I'd belong to. Guess I'll find out today!

I check the time and notice I'm running a little late so I grab my brown shoulder bag and rush down to the bus stop to meet my friend Jacob. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I met Jacob in school when we were always sat together because our names are alphabetically next to each other. He's also one of the smartest people I know and tells you exactly what you're doing wrong and how to fix it. I'm positive that he is an Erudite through and through.

"Good morning Lauren." Jacob smiles at me.

"Sup." I smirk at him.

"That's incorrect grammar." He frowns at me but I can tell he's trying not to smile.

"I know. How about this? Hello my fellow Erudite. How are you on this pleasant morning?" I ask him sarcastically.

"That's better." He chuckles at me as the bus pulls up.

I climb onto the bus and sit down toward the middle. Jacob claims the window seat so I sit on the inside seat. Jacob and I sit in silence for the bus journey and there isn't much interruption with the bus except for when it stops to pick up the Candor. I notice one girl with blonde hair who looks down at her lap out of nervousness after her friend says something to her. I believe I've seen the two girls in my Faction History class so she must have been asked about the aptitude tests.

The bus comes to a stop outside of Upper Levels so I climb out along with Jacob and head to the cafeteria. We wait with the others to be tested. A lady comes out and calls a few names before she very clearly calls Lauren Cassidy and Jacob Casey. Both my friend and I stand and show each other a reassuring smile before we walk off to our designated rooms.

When I first walk in I see an Abnegation girl who can't be much older than me. The girl is sitting at a chair beside a creepy looking dentists chair. The Abnegation girl tells me her name is Suzan and she explains about a serum and the aptitude tests before she gets me to sit on the chair and drink the serum. After about 60 seconds I feel the serum begin to work it's way through my system causing me to close my eyes.

When I reopen my eyes I'm back in the school cafeteria but this time there is only one table that holds a chunk of cheese and a knife. A voice tells me to choose so I panic and grab the knife without a chance to second guess myself as both the table and the cheese disappear.

A door on the opposite side of the room opens and large dog comes in growling and baring its teeth. The dog is obviously being aggressive so I try to remember something I read about dogs. I remember reading that you should be calm and not show aggression back and to stand your ground.

As the dog comes closer I assume a calm and relaxed but firm stance to show the dog that he is not in control. When the dog approaches he notices my stance and backs down so I go over and pet the dog. The dog is wagging his tail when a little girl comes in and runs over to the dog. The dog starts to get aggressive and charges at the little girl so I throw myself on the dog with the knife prepared in my hand.

I fall and expect myself to land on the furry dog but instead I bump into the cold hard ground outside the Factionless part of the city. I see two situations fold out in front of me. On one side of the road a Factionless man is robbing an Amity girl of her food and on the other side there is a Dauntless soldier prepared to kill an innocent man. I look around as though the answer to what I'm supposed to do would be there. But it's not.

The Dauntless soldier stares me down before shouting to me. "Do you want to live?"

"Y... Yes." I stutter out.

"Then leave and don't turn back." The Dauntless soldier yells at me again.

"What makes you think I won't get someone? I will!" I retort in an idiotic act of bravery even though I know what I'm saying is false.

"If you value your life you won't."

I decide to value my life and leave the two situations without glancing back. I quickly walk towards the Erudite part of the city but my surroundings all start to disappear. I'm immediately jolted back into the aptitude test rooms with the frightened looking Abnegation girl.

"Um..." Suzan looks lost for words.

"So what am I?" I prompt.

"Well it seems that you have an aptitude for two factions. Your results show that you are Dauntless and Erudite. When you chose the knife it ruled out Amity and when you told the Dauntless soldier you would tell someone it ruled out Candor and when you didn't help those people it ruled out Abnegation. Having an aptitude for two factions isn't very safe; it means you are a Divergent and some people don't take kindly to them so I advise you not to tell a soul." Suzan tells me in an urgent and hushed manor.

"Okay." I answer skeptically.

"Choose wisely Lauren and good luck. Go home and think on your decision." Suzan dismisses me so I walk back to meet Jacob so we can walk home.


I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock going off. I groggily rub the sleep out of my eyes and throw the sheets off of me as I climb out of bed. I do the same routine as yesterday but I put on more makeup. I pull on a pair of denim shorts and a blue button down collared shirt. I roll up the sleeves of the shirt to my elbows and grab my brown gladiator sandals and put them on. I put my hair in the same pinned back way and slide on my black square glasses and walk to the kitchen to meet my family.

"Good morning Lauren." My older brother Daniel greets.

"Good morning Daniel. Are you having breakfast with us?" I reply politely as I sit down in front of a plate of strawberries and toast.

"No. I already ate but I thought I would come to your Choosing Ceremony." He smiles at me.

"That sounds excellent." I smile back.

Once I've finished eating we all go to the Hub for the Choosing Ceremony. We all walk into a room that glows with blue lights . My parents and brother sit as close as possible to the front.

"I know you'll be a great Erudite but if you choose otherwise I will still love you. I know you'll choose Erudite though from statistical and predicted data." My mother smiles and gives me a hug.

I try and smile but I'm sure it's more of a grimace. "I'm sure."

"You'll do great in whatever you choose." My father smiles and kisses my forehead.

"Thank you." I smile.

My brother goes in to hug me but holds on and whispers in my ear. "Choose what you believe you could do. Don't do anything for mom and dad but only for you."

"That's probably the most Erudite thing you've ever said to me." I whisper back to my brother with a hint of a smile.

When my brother pulls back we just smile at each other for a minute before I nod. That moment was the first time I've ever felt close to my brother in any way and it was a nice change from the normal distance we share.

"I love you. Good luck." My brother smiles at me.

"I love you all too. Thank you Daniel." I give a warm smile in return.

I find Jacob in the crowd of people so we can stand in line with the other sixteen year olds awaiting their turn in choosing a Faction. My mind is racing as Jeanine Matthews from Erudite starts the ceremony. I zone out at the beginning of the ceremony because I heard it at Daniel's Choosing Ceremony and to be blatantly honest I couldn't care less as we had to memorize the facts when we were younger in Erudite.

When I finally zone back in they are calling the girl I had seen on the bus yesterday. I believe they called her name as Abigail. The girl walks up to Jeanine and takes the knife from her hand. The girl cuts her hand and stands before the bowls but I believe I saw her hesitate, even if it was subconscious, just before she let her blood fall in the flaming coals.

Before I know it, it is Jacob's turn to choose his Faction. Jacob walks over to Jeanine confidently and gives her a curt nod before slicing his hand and letting his blood spread into the water. It's my turn.

I stiffly walk up to Jeanine who smiles at me. She was always a friend of the family as my mother was in her initiate class and they soon became 'work partners' or friends as normal people call them. I give her a nod with a blank expression as I take the knife before I slice my hand. My hand throbs with pain as I stand before the bowls that I have an aptitude for. Erudite? Or Dauntless? I feel like I've been standing here for hours when it's only been seconds. I go and make the decision to stay with Erudite so I bring my hand over the water. Wait! I don't want to be stuck with people who mostly have intellectual debates! I want to be free and brave! I move my hand as quickly as possible over the flames and let my blood sizzle in the coals.

I am a Dauntless Initiate.


Trains. They want us to jump on a moving train. I can do that... I hope.

All the initiates run with the Dauntless to the trains and the transfers have already figured out that they are making us jump the train. It was pretty apparent to those of us that were Erudite except for one girl.

It was exhilarating to be running along side a moving train with the Dauntless. It gave me a thrill to feel the wind in my hair and the momentary leap of my stomach alongside the leap I take into the train car.

I notice that the girl from the bus struggles onto the train so I reach down and grab her hand. I pull her into the train car and give her a smile.

"Thanks." The girl breathes out.

"No problem, I'm Lauren." I tell her as I extend my hand to her.

"Abigail." She informs me as she takes my hand.

"They're jumping off!" Somebody shouts from the front and I see that some are indeed jumping.

I peak out of the train car and see we are extremely high up but I don't care. Abigail gives me a shy smile and holds her hand out to me, silently asking to jump with me and I grab it willingly. We jump and I assess the Dauntless' footing before I jump and land, as they did, on my feet. I guess Erudite's assessment techniques pay off.

I beam to myself as a man with black, greasy hair greets us in an enigmatic riddle as to how we get into the compound. I zone out long enough to miss the fact that we need to jump off a seven story building into a black pit. I almost volunteer to go first before the blonde Candor girl that I've started to befriend steps forward and takes a deep breath before she runs to the ledge and jumps. I hear faint cheering which makes me curious as to what is below.

When the Dauntless leader calls for another jumper, I step forward. I take steady steps and take deep breaths as I near the ledge of the building. I look down at the black pit that leads to the unknown and step on to the ledge. I look back at the crowd of people giving me different looks; some looks of curiosity, some of judgement, and some of sheer excitement or even some quizzical looks. I only take two seconds to realize that the judgmental looks are seeing if I could do this so I take one more deep breath and force myself off the building.

I glide through the air until I'm swallowed by the darkness.