Chapter 1

My name is Elina Sparkwood. I have a big decision to make.

We're not allowed to tell anyone about our aptitude tests, so I decided I'd write everything down. I don't want to bear the weight on my chest feeling all alone, I mean, who would?

Therefore, in this little... diary? Yeah, I think I'm going to go with diary. I will tell you all about my story.

Allow me to start from the beginning. How about some backstory?

Like I mentioned before, my name is Elina Sparkwood. When I was younger, my older sister (Only by a couple hours), also my twin, could never pronounce my name right. She always called me Lina and it stuck.

My parents, Damian and Rosetta Sparkwood, are high up in the Erudite social system. It's almost like a popularity contest, only instead of being voted most popular, you're voted up by your intellectual abilities.

My mom and Jeanine Matthews, leader of our faction, grew up together and are the best of friends. Since Jeanine is the leader, my family has... special privileges (Emphasis on the "Special" part). We are allowed in the most top secret of Erudite facilities, including Jeanine's personal lab and even her office, though, none of us take that privilege for granted. We only enter when we have to or are invited specifically by Jeanine.

My mom's position in our system is kind of a given, considering her role in Jeanine's life. My dad on the other hand is a totally different story.

He worked his way from the very bottom, the mail rooms, all the way up to head leader of all lab activity. He runs all the computer labs, the chemistry labs, research labs, testing labs, serum labs, anything you can think of, he runs it. He knows everything that goes on in every lab every minute of every day.

My sister, Emily, is barely an hour older than I am. We're twins, so we look exactly the same. Blond hair, blue eyes, thin frame, and bony fingers. She was cool, friendly and talkative. She's also pretty smart, especially when it comes to computer science.

There are two differences between Emily and I. Our hair, and the fact that I have a scar through my lip.

My hair is long and curly while hers is short (like Jeanine's) and straight. My hair on the other hand, and I don't know how or why, is extremely curly. I was born with it I guess. I'm okay with my hair, it's kind of pretty, but my only issue with it is washing it. I can't control it.

My lip is another story. When I was little, well, littler, my sister had gotten in big trouble with some of the Dauntless kids at school. I was nearby and overheard the commotion, and the last thing that I remember from that day was seeing a silver blade drawn on my sister's neck. My sister tells me that what I did that day she'll never forget, and always will be thankful for. She constantly asks me where I learned to do that, but I never know what she is talking about.

"You swung your arm at his wrist or something and knocked the knife right out of his hand! Then you tackled him but he grabbed the knife again and got your lip. That must have made you really mad because you punched him really hard and knocked the poor kid right out of his socks!" She exclaims.

I shake my head. "You know I don't have the strength, or speed for that matter, to do any of that. I don't think it was anything that I did. Were there other kids there that could have helped you?"

"No! That's the weird part."

I shrug and turn away, grabbing a book and heading to my room to read it. That's how the conversation always ends.

My family and I are like any normal family you'd see in the Erudite compound. Nothing was wrong with us, at least, on the surface.

My mother and I fought quite often over little things and big things, stupid things and intellectual subjects. But what really bugs me is that she never fights with my sister. It's always me.

Occasionally, my mom will fight with my dad, who usually seems so laid back about everything, and lose. He always tells her that there's nothing for her to worry about, but she argues otherwise.

I started school when I was 5 as a kindergartener and so did my sister. My parents, being big old softies, refused to have us ride the train or walk at such a young age, so they drove us to school in one of Jeanine's sleek black cars every morning.

Cars aren't as common as you'd think they would be in such a large city. Most people walk because it's better for you. Obesity is a thing that people hear about in stories or read about in a history text book. I once read a book about a man who ate at an eatery every day and died not ten years later from obesity. It sounds like a scary thing. I read about diseases and medical problems people would have if they feared obesity, but such medical issues like that don't exist anymore. If they did, Jeanine would find a way to be rid of it.

I was always the smartest in my class, even more so than my sister, except when it came to computers. Back when I was little, I would answer every question the teacher asked, but a few years had gone by and I gradually stopped doing so. I'm a pretty shy kid nowadays. I often stare out the window beyond the city, to the Fence that protects us.

The Fence has always looked menacing. Tall and guarded, I felt as though instead of keeping things out, it kept us in. I felt trapped. I wanted to roam, explore, discover. I hate being stuck in these crowded classrooms filled with people I wasn't so comfortable with.

I have three friends, whom I love to the sun and back (which is quite a long distance). Should I ever be without them, I'd probably die of grief. Sadie, Anna, and Bella are all from different factions.

Sadie is Candor, Anna is Abnegation and Bella is Dauntless. Factions don't usually mix, but we set that aside. The saying, "Faction before Blood," can be interpreted in many different ways.

Sadie and Anna were having trouble with their studies when we were eleven. Bella has never really cared. Though, at the time, she showed interest in one of the subjects we learned about at school and wanted to learn more about it, therefore she came to me. I tutored all three of them for one hour after school every day in a classroom that I'd asked my mother to have Jeanine set aside for us.

"Why?" She asked, chopping celery.

"I'm tutoring some kids after school for the next week before we have to take our finals." We took tests all the time at the Hub, but none were as important as finals. Everyone wanted a good grade, or it was said that they'd be considered factionless as soon as they turned sixteen. I was never really afraid of it though. I never had anything to worry about when it came to taking tests.

"Why don't you go ask Jeanine yourself, Elina, I'm cooking dinner right now." She said, sliding her knife down the cutting board, pushing all the chopped celery in to a large pot full of boiling water. I sighed and turned to leave, when my mother called back to me. "Jeanine is probably in her office around now, so if you're going to ask, then I suggest talking to her in person. Try to be back before dinner. We're having potatoes, steak, salad and a new soup recipe I found." I nodded and left the apartment.

When I entered the main Erudite building where my mom said Jeanine would be, I found the place empty. I checked my watch. It was only 5:15. The work shift ends for most people at 6. I had a feeling that I was being watched, that there were eyes on me. Something was wrong here.

I pushed the feeling aside and called out. "Hello?" No answer. "Hello?" I tried again, taking a few steps forward. Still, I'd gotten no answer. That's when I decided to go up to Jeanine's office on my own, ignoring my hairs that were standing on top of my neck.

Jeanine's office was the third door to the left on the second floor. Nothing too special, as she didn't want people to think she wasn't so humble. I knocked and the door opened a crack. I pushed it open to find Jeanine, staring at the papers in front of her, blankly.

"Mrs. Matthews?" I said quietly. Jeanine shook her head and looks up at me, flashing me a pearly white smile.

"Hello, Elina!" She stood and walked over to me, setting her arm around my shoulder and walking me to one of the chairs in front of her desk. "How are you? It's been quite some time since you and I have spoken, hasn't it?" She asked, sitting back in her chair. I nodded and folded my hands in my lap. "How is Emily? Your mother? Damian?"

"They're all doing well, thank you for asking." I smiled at her. Something still didn't feel right about this meeting. "How about yourself?" Common courtesy.

"I am well, Elina, thank you for asking." I nodded and sighed.

"Great!"

"What can I help you with?" She asked, leaning forward on her desk, crossing her arms.

"I'm tutoring some kids this week and I was wondering if maybe I could use your classroom and resources to help them?" I pleaded with my blue eyes and tilted my head, blinking innocently. If Jeanine knew me as well as she should, she'd know I'm a person you just can't say 'no' to.

"Of course! But, I'd like to sit in on one of your lessons at some point if that's alright." I nodded. "Who are you tutoring?"

"They are kids from three different factions. Actually... You might know them." She nodded, "They are in your last class of the day, along with me. Bellatrix Furey, Sadie Haagan, and Anna Roth?"

She leaned back, leaving her hands folded on the desk, thinking. "I do believe I recognize them... Dauntless, Candor and Abnegation, correct?" I nodded. "Now, why would a Dauntless want to be tutored?" I shrugged.

"Bella has been very interested in the science behind the five factions, so she asked me to explain it to her, help her understand. She's honestly very smart." I leaned forwards a little bit and glanced behind me. "Just between you and I, when the Choosing Ceremony comes in 5 years, I wouldn't be surprised if she transfers to Erudite." I smiled and giggled. Jeanine smiled too, less amused. I leaned back and twiddled my thumbs. I was uncomfortable talking with Jeanine as I was talking with other adults. It makes me anxious, talking with people I'm unfamiliar with to a certain extent.

"You may use my classroom, afterschool every day for one hour. No more. The books in my wall library are available for your teaching purposes. But Elina, no funny business, especially with that Dauntless around, I don't want my stuff to be wrecked."

I leaned back against my chair and blinked, opening my mouth and unnoticeably furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. Dauntless were considered reckless, but for all of them to be spoken about in the same manner, as though wild animals, confused me and often made me angry.

I bit back venom and shook my head instead. "I should probably go, my mom was cooking dinner when I left and I'm supposed to be back by the time it's on the table." I stood, holding my hands together in front of my stomach and turned to leave. When I reached the door, I stopped, turned and spoke, "Oh, um, when I came in, there was no one around. Don't the Erudite work until six?" I glanced at my watch, "Its only 5:47 now and there is no one to be seen."

"I told them all to go home. It's been a rough day here."

"How so?"

"You're awful curious aren't you?" She smiled at me and shrugged. "I have a lot of paperwork here that I have to get done, Elina, plus, don't' you have a dinner to attend?" I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it and nodded instead.

"Thank you." I said, and left without another word.

I still don't understand what happened that night. I talked to Bella and Sadie about it the next morning but they told me to shrug it off and move on. So I did.

It's five years later and after much tutoring and many hard hours of studies, the four of us passed our finals and will be attending Choosing day tomorrow.

Where we'll all end up, I don't know. I hope we will be together.

Faction before blood, right?