Hi! First I have to apologizes for the first chapter, I promise I'll get better at this. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Right before the bell rings for lunch in Biology there is an intercom message: "Good morning learners," our cherry principle, Ms. Wilsonette rings out to the school,"As some of you may know, this years official McRye letters have been sent out to the chosen learners aged from 15 to 18", the reveal sends a wave of murmurs through the classroom as kids turn to one another, something is different: they never make any announcements on the day the letters have been sent, only at the end of the year assembly. "And because some of the learners may not know yet if they have been accepted, I have decided to read out the names of this year's chosen", Oh no. "In no particular order, this year's chosen are: Nathan Black, James Tucker, Mirren Clairmount, Uriah Pedrad, Marlene Roberts, Lynn Hackett, Ezekiel Pedrad, Christina Mercer, Danielle Pohler, Tobias Eaton, Natalie Pope, Geoffory Yates and Beatrice Prior," I cringe when I realize that my name is the last to be called, it rings in the are like a ghost.
"Because of the chosen, we have decided to let school out early today, to let our students ponder the options before they make any hasty decisions, school will be suspended for the rest of the day; be safe, children." Ms Wilsonette ends just as the bell signaling lunch blocks out the excited cheers of learner as they quickly pack their bags and head out the door.
I take my time packing up my bag neatly,"So looks like we both made it." I look up to see Nathan Black, a beat up brown bag slung over his shoulder, I smirk at him, tossing my own bag over my shoulder and walking towards the door, he follows me, keeping up with my pace. "Yeah, I did," I reply,"Congratulations... I guess", he chuckles, "You, too,its supposed to be a big honour." I shrug at him, "I guess", I repeat as he turns toward his locker that's further down the hall, he lifts a hand at me as if his waving but he still faces his destination, I stare at his shaggy dark brown hair down the hall and then turn the opposite direction to my locker.
What is this camp? And why is it so prestigious? What if I don't want to go? Do I want to go? I shake my head as if to get the questions out but instead they keep tumbling, more and more of them. "Tris!" I turn around to see Tobias jogging towards me. I slow down my pace, letting him catch up to me, "So you did get one," Tobias says as we reach my locker, "And you accepted." I whip my head around to meet his eyes,"I have not!" He looks down at me,"Why else would they announce all the names so early?" I knit my eyebrows together, confused. "I... don't know," I turn to open my locker,"I guess so...but I still haven't accepted, I still haven't read the letter." I admit, throwing my bag into my locker and shutting it. Tobias bites his lip,"So your not going?" I turn to face him again,"I didn't say that, just that I'm still thinking about it","Well you should make up your mind.", "Well, I guess I will." I say defensively. "Okay then," Tobias starts to head the other direction,"I hope you make the right choice Tris." I stare at his retreating figure. What does he mean? And why did Ms. Wilsonette announce the names so early?
I walk through the school halls slowly, almost sluggishly. People congratulate me as I walk towards my bike, people I didn't even know knew my name are suddenly patting my back and high fiving my hands. It is surprising how much power this letter has. I reach my bike and unlock its chain, it creaks as I twist it towards the school exit.
As I turn out of school I hear Christina shouting behind me, I brake quickly and whip my head around,"TRIS!" she yells again as she jogs-more like skips in those shoes- in my direction. "Yeah?" I answer, she places her hands on my breaks, keeping me from pedaling away.
"Uhm, so I kinda told some people that we would meet them up for lunch," l cringe as she finishes,"Christina, I don't really feel like hanging out with anyone right now" I feel like crawling into my bed and reflecting on my very existence right now, but of course I didn't tell her that. "Please, Tris, you know I hate going places alone" That was true, Christina wouldn't even go to public bathrooms alone, or private for that matter. I look into her pleading eyes, she gives me the same look her dog, Chunker, gives me when I have a piece of chicken, "Can't you just go with Will?". Will is Christina's boyfriend as of 9 weeks ago (they keep me updated) and one of my best guy friends, her face crumples,"He's all gloomy because he didn't get a letter". I sigh, this is one of the reasons why I hate the letters, they tear relationships apart, no wonder Christina was so happy that we were both chosen, she's right: What are the chances?
"Do we have to?" Christina gives me a look,"Yes, we do" I bite my lips,"Okay," I give in,"Lets go". Christina claps her hands and hops around,"But I can't promise you that I'll stay long," I warn her as she climbs on the tiny seat on the back of my bike, she grips my shoulders tightly. She is almost as weary about my bike as my mother is. "I really hate your bike,"Christina says once we're riding along the street,"And you should really get a helmet!" she continues over the wind whipping in our faces. My lips tug up involenterally, my grandmother said the exact same thing.
By the time we arrive at the restaurant-Burger King, classy- our friends have already pulled together two tables and lined chairs up next to them. Tobias is the first person to see us walking up to the entrance . He nudges Zeke who sits with his arm around his girlfriend, Shauna, who happens to be Lynn's big sister. I hadn't realized that some siblings got chosen over others like Caleb and I, I mentally tick off another reason why I hate the letters. "Tris! Christina!" I move my gaze from Shauna to Uriah, Zeke's brother and the only sibling pair who were both selected. I cringe at how loud he is as I slide into a seat next to Marlene, her blonde hair is hung loosely around her shoulders and although she is 16, like me, she already has faint laugh lines around her mouth.
She hugs me sweetly and while she does I see Lynn, who is sitting on Marlene's other side, roll her eyes and stick a finger into her mouth. I stick my tongue out at her as Marlene releases her hold of me. Christina is already babbering away about some other type of make up to Shauna and the boys seem to be having a kind of competition including napkins so I turn back to Marlene and chat about her day. "Oh my gosh, it was so embrassing when they announce the names during the middle of the lesson," Marlene confesses to me after we have all collected our food,"I was the only one in the whole class who was chosen" I nod along with her, I tell her about my encounter with Nathan in Biology.
Only after I've finished reciting our quick exchange that I realize that everyone is listening intently at my conversation with Marlene, even Uriah is silenced by my words. I blush when I see everyone staring,"Its no big deal, guys..." My words trail off as I look down at my mostly eaten burger. "Well, I guess we're talking about the letters now" says Zeke as he takes a gulp of soda,"Who's going?" The tables fall quiet, this is something we all aren't sure about.
All characters belong to Veronica Roth.