Choosing- Again!

The ceremony is packed to the brim with people, and I spot Al going up in the lift.

"There's something I need to do." I tell my family, and slip away.

I meet him at the top of the stairs.

"Al. Don't choose Dauntless. Choose Amity if you need to. Your parents aren't the one who has to live with the choices. You are."

He gulps. "How did you know? How do you know my name?" I don't want to reveal myself to him.

"Abnegation watch people a lot." I knew I'd never choose Candor.

He nods. "I just don't want to disappoint them."

"You will be brave and honest by choosing who you are, selfless by sparing a ranking, smart for going with who you are, and kind to yourself by giving yourself a chance."

"Okay."

I get to the Hub.

"What did you do?"

"Hopefully, I saved the first person on my list."

"I hope I can help."

"You will. Just…remember who you are, okay? Don't let her convince you of why Abnegation need to go."

"I'll try."

We head to Mom and Dad, while some Factionless bring the bowls in.

"I'll try to change things."

"And I'll try not to be the traitor I was. But if you see me with Jeanine…"

He whispers the next bit

"…I'm spying for you."

My parents nod.

"We'll go to many houses to have dinner tonight. They'll all greet us with condolences. But we'll know that you're being selfless in another faction. Where you're born makes no difference."

I know what she refers to, and so do the rest of the family.

They hug us- even though physical contact is discouraged, and slip away into the grey that is Abnegation. I feel nervous, but for a different reason.

Will this universe be better, or worse?

The Choosing starts. Most people drip their blood onto their families' materials, and are welcomed back with smiles and hugs. James Tucker trips, and looking back at his family one last time, cuts his palm and becomes honest.

I wonder how easily I will transfer.

Finally, "Prior, Caleb."

He slits his palm on Erudite, giving a fleeting glance at my parents, looking resigned, and runs to his new faction.

"Prior, Beatrice."

I walk up. The knife stings for a bit, before I pool my blood over the coals, and drip it in.

I have faced worse.

I look at my parents, smiling a sad smile, before I sit down. A member finds a seat at the back, which has been reserved.

"Pedrad, Uriah."

He slits his hand over Dauntless,

He then sits next to his brother, who cheers himself hoarse.

"What? I wasn't going to go to Amity and be a drugged-up hippie!"

We laugh at this.

After a while, Lynn, Marlene, Christina and Will have gone. Finally, after spotting two Erudites arguing- which as they move down the line, I see are Edward and Myra-

"Hooper, Albert!"

He looks determined. His parents look with hope as he dangles it over Dauntless-

I shake my head, invisible.

He takes a deep breath, and moves to Amity.

They welcome him. Amity will work wonders for Al.

Myra is up next.

"Helix, Myra!"

She looks back quickly at us, then at Edward. She shakes her head, and cuts herself to go to Abnegation.

She must've dumped him, I realise. But how?

Edward chooses Dauntless again, with Peter, Molly and Drew walking to Dauntless.

Can't have everything, I suppose.

The last bowl is packed up, and I run through the hall, catching up with Christina and the others, who look just as they did before the war.

"Shame we can't keep our muscles."

"We'll build them up. And the SECOND we do, we are getting new clothes."

Christina looks thrilled.

But I want to avoid another incident.