A/N: Hi, welcome to the very first chapter of my new fanfiction, this chapter is quite long and I know that most chapters won't be this big, this is the first proper thing I've tried to write so I'm still getting the hang of it in the first few chapters, thanks and enjoy!
The letter came in the mail on a Monday morning, there was only two weeks left of school and I hadn't thought much of it then. It was just a letter right? So I was surprised when my mother waved it in the air at me excitedly, "This is from school, Tris", she was still wearing her nightgown and held a cup of coffee in her hand, she set the coffee on the kitchen table as her eyes skirted over the room for something to open the letter with.
I look at the pile of mail on the table as I pour myself cereal,"Did Caleb get one too?", my mother's eyes land on a butcher's knife and she grabs it out of its wooden holder, "Not that I know of", she tears into the letter," And this one says your name," she reads the letter quickly, her green eyes filled with pleasure. I look through the pile of letters again just to double check that there isn't one for Caleb. He'll be heart broken. Everyone at school knows about the letter, it is a pale powder blue letter that only comes for a select few of learners aged 15 to 18 in our local high school, McRye Academy. If the learners accept, they will have a attend a "camp" for the rest of their high school summers, most even continue after high school into college and beyond. My brother Caleb hops down the stairs just as my mother finishes reading the letter, I'm curious to what it has to say but I clamp my mouth shut as he walks past the hallway into the kitchen.
"Morning, Mom" he grabs a bowl and a spoon, "Hey, Tris" I smile weakly at him, shoving damp cereal in my mouth. "Look", my mother says to Caleb as my father comes out of the garage holding his toolbox,"What Tris got in the mail today", Caleb's mouth falls open and his eyes go wide as my mother holds up the envelope once again, waving the paper wildly,"You got the letter?", all of my family's eyes are now trained on me, "It doesn't have to mean anything" , I mumble into my bowl, the remains of the cereal still floating around the milk bobbing around clumsily. "Why do you say that?", my mother says the exact same time as Caleb exclaims "Of course it does!", I look to my father, he has put down his tool box and is looking straight back at me, he's face is unreadable. "Caleb, we better get going", I say as I scoop up the last of the contants of the bowl. I wave to my mom and my dad nods at me as I walk out the back door, I look to my yellow bike, the color has faded making it obvious how old it is, my mother keeps nagging me to repaint it, I nod along with her even though secretly I love how faded and worn it is. I managed to convince my parents to buy it for me at a vintage thrift store, my father seemed alright with it but my mother was a little sceptical, "Tris, if you want we could get you a bike," I had pleaded with her, "I don't want a bike, I want this bike", she had shook her head while she paid for it, "Its a health risk" she had said handing over the money, "And over priced". In the end my father helped me fit in new breaks and oil all the joints and it was as good as new in my eyes.
I unhook the bike and hop on its leather seat, throwing my school bag into the cage in the front of it. I leave my still damp hair hanging just beneath my shoulder balds, strainds of wispy blonde hair flying back as I pick up speed down our ancient subarb, most houses-including ours- look like something out of a 60s show, all green lawns and decorated porches, we still have a tire swing in front of my mother's perfectly manicured garden. I don't worry about how Caleb will get to school, his friends usually pick him up on the way, he could even walk if he wanted to, our subarb is one of the last ones you pass on your way to school , its unavoidable and one of the easiest routes there, I round the corner at the end of the street, humming a catchy pop song as I pedal down the familiar lanes. I try to think about the last two weeks at school but there isn't much, all thats left for us to do is wait anxiously as our teachers grade our exams. The next few days will be agonising for most of my classmates as our fate is being decided. But even though I try to distract myself I know what I'm worried about, that envelope probably still sitting on the kitchen table as my father kisses my mother goodbye and my mother pins her hair up in a bun, preparing to go to work. I shake my head to relise the feeling of tension as I turn into the school parking lot. It is crowded with people, most of whom I've known since we were little, people who go to McRye often stay there until they head off to college, even though there is another high school on the other end of town. I lock my bicycle into a bike rack even though I'm pretty sure no one would steal it and run a hand through my hair as I near the enterence of the school, our school badge stands on a statue just before you enter it, teenagers flood into the school doors splitting in half to make way for the sizable statue. Times like this my school looks ginormous, but in actual fact it has very tight knit classes there are about 40 learners in my whole grade, in most of the classes I take there are less than 20 students.
I walk past the receptionist into the hallways where the lockers are. I open my locker and take out my first three subjects, History, Creative Writing and Biology. I check my hair in my mirror, looking into my own blue-gray eyes, I look down for a second trying to find a hair tie and when I look back up, I'm greeted by unusual dark blue eyes in the mirror's reflection, I turn around and nearly smack into Tobias's chest. "Hey", I say as he takes a step back, he smiles at me goffily,"Hey, yourself", I roll my eyes at him. I wouldn't say we were best friends but his dad is over a lot for meetings with my father to discuss details for the corperation that they both work for, his like an old family friend. We see each other almost every Saturday, though sometimes I think he just comes to discuss computers with Caleb. "So, have you heard the news?", I look up at him quizzically,"I don't think so", he's eyes shine and his mouth spreads into a grin,"This years letters arrived this morning", my heart pounds in my chest at the thought, I fold my arms over my chest,"And how would you know?". He smirks, looks around the hallway and then leans into me to whisper in my ear,"Because I got one", I eyes widen with surprise,"Seriously?", he nods his head and then places a finger to his mouth,"I don't really want to deal with all the hassel", I nod my head understandingly, there is always big drama about who got the letters and who didn't, it is announced in all the classrooms on the last day of school but by that time most people have already let it slip, its like having a mob of adoring fans, except that they bombard you with eargent questions. "So did you get one?", Tobias questions me, I'm about to tell him about this morning when I hear my name being bellowed through the hallway, I wince,"Christina", I reply to Tobias, he nods his head,"Christina", as the words leave his lips a crowd of people clear as my best friend Christina leaves a crater in the path she makes towards my locker, Tobias smirks as Christina comes into vision, she wears a shimmery top and heels even though she's already sky high tall. Her dark skin looks smooth even in the harsh foresent light as she reaches me with ease. "Hey, Four", Christina says calling Tobias by his strange nickname, "Hi, Christina", he replies,"You mind if I borrow Tris? I promise I'll give her back," Christina asks Tobias, her brown eyes twinkling at him, she is slightly taller than him in her heels. "Yeah," Tobias answers, ushering her to me,"Be my guest" he tells Christina and then turns to me,"Lunch?", I nod at him,"Lunch." I agree. "So," Christina rambles as Zeke-Tobias's best friend- grabs his arm and drags him away, he waves at me as his pulled through the crowd, I give him a weak attept of a wave back,"Guess what I got this morning", Christina continues pulling out the letter from her purse. "Christina!", I exclaim,"I know!", she replies jumping up and down excitedly. "Did you get one?", she asks me,"Uhmm", I look down at my sneakers,"Yeah". Christina's eyes bulge and she squeals delitedly. People around my locker snap their heads to us,"Christina!" I hiss at her as more eyes bore into my neck. I grab the rest of my books and lock my locker before picking up my bag dragging Christina's hand to the bathrooms. "This is gonna be the best summer ever", Christina babbles,"I mean what are the odds?", we round a corner,"I know our school isn't that big, but its a miracle isn't it?", once we reach the girl's bathroom I push all the stall doors open, checking to make sure no one is in them."Look", I turn to Christina,"I don't even know if I want to go". "But-", Christina starts to object but the bell rings, I grab my bag from the counter and turn to hold the door open for Christina, she huffs as she picks up her bag and walks out the door, I follow her lead letting the bathroom door shut behind me.
A/N: I hope you enjoy, I'm not sure how frequent I'll be able to post but I'll try my best. Disclaimer: Characters belong to Veronica Roth