I hope you enjoy some of the characters I've introduced. I like Realm's POV but tell me who's POV you want me to do. Next chapter I was thinking Tobias' POV. Tell me what you think :) RR please.
Chapter 24
Realm POV
He hits me again, this time I taste blood. I'm getting tired of making excuses of how I get these bruises. He hits me again. I spit the blood out on the floor. "Get cleaned up," he says. "Choosing Ceremony is soon and your aunt will kill me if you're late." I hate how he acts like none of this just happened.
I go to the washroom and rinse my face in the sink. I fix my glasses which are big and square. When I peek my head out my dad is straightening out his tie. He wears dark blue dress pants with a matching dress shirt and tie. His face differs from mine. The only thing similar between us is our eyes. It's the kind of colour where you don't know if it's blue, green, or gray. He wears his hair gelled back. I wear the same suit as him. It looks like a jumpsuit. I comb my hair away from my face. The sides of my head are shaved. My brown hair freshly cut. I bleached the top of my head blond, but my roots are already coming through.
My dad would hit me if my tie was crooked so I make sure it looks proper before leaving the washroom.
When I walk out the front door Sloane is already waiting for me. Sloane is my best friend. She's practically my sister. She understands me more than everyone. Which is ironic considering we are complete opposites. Her dad doesn't know she even exists so she lives with her mom who doesn't try to hide the fact that Sloane ruined her life. Her mom got pregnant with some Dauntless guy's baby when she was seventeen. And, well my mother… I don't want to talk about it.
Her blond hair is done up in a messy bun that falls off to the side of her head. She doesn't care about her appearance. She cares about her brain.
When I get closer to her I hear her mumbling something under her breath. "Erudite. Dauntless. Candor. Amity. Abnegation. Erudite. Daunt-"
"Sloane?" I say resting a hand on her shoulder. Her bright blue eyes find mine and she gives me a closed mouth smile.
~ P A G E B R E A K ~
When we get to the Choosing Ceremony room, all factions are already there. Sloane and I walk across the front while everyone is talking. I catch a glimpse of my aunt Jeannine standing with the other faction leaders.
The seat between Kayla Maunder and Ryan Miggs is empty so I assume that's where I'm issued.
"Hey, sweetness." I say as I sit down.
"Sorry, I don't speak idiot," Kayla says looking away from me. She has always had a problem with me. Jeannine glorifies her because she always comes first and has the highest grades. Meanwhile I failed three of my classes last semester.
"That's interesting considering you boyfriend," Ryan says leaning across from me. "Plus, Realm's gay."
"Just because I'm not interested in Erudite girls doesn't mean I like Erudite boys any better," I say back.
Before he can say something back Johanna Reyes starts to speak.
"Wake me up when they start calling names," I nudge Ryan. I look past him into the line of soon-to-be-initiates. The mixtures of colours seem odd when behind us is organized into factions. I follow the line down till I spot Sloane. She sits between a Dauntless girl with blue hair and an Abnegation girl who looks like someone clicked Control-C and pasted it to the other stiffs. You never know though, she might be Dauntless. They've gotten two transfers in the past three years. Erudite and Candor are the main factions who transfer to Dauntless.
"Today we celebrate our youth on their journey to become full fledged members of society," Johanna continues. I rest my head on the back of my seat and wait for it to be over. I can't stand long speeches.
As she finishes her speech I try to stay awake as she starts calling names. "Lia Adkins," she calls. I watch as the Candor girl flicks her jet black hair over her shoulder. She strides up the the bowls and takes the knife out of Johanna's hand. She cuts her hand and flinches as she moves her hand over the Candor bowl.
I don't pay attention to the others, until the girl who went up places her hand over the Dauntless bowl. She's from Candor. Her dark skin matches perfectly with her hair. Each strand of hair curls up and falls below her shoulders. I try to remember her name but nothing comes to mind.
"Dauntless," I hear Johanna say. The list goes down and I get lost in my thoughts when I hear my name.
"Realm Matthews." I get up incredibly fast and walk steadily over to the bowls. I stare at the water which is now a deep pink. I've already made my decision. I can't just change it now.
She offers me the knife and it takes me a second to grab it. I cut my hand and place it over the coals. My blood drips and I see the blood sizzle on the coals. I don't bother looking up to see my father's reaction.
I walk over to the Dauntless who are whooping and cheering. One pats me on the back. When I sit down down I take off my tie and undo three buttons on my shirt.
I sit there for what feel like an eternity before Sloane's name is called. She gets up and walks very slowly over to the bowls. She takes the knife just as slow. You can tell she hasn't decided yet. She belongs in Erudite, but how can she stay there with her mom. I know why I didn't get Abnegation, I was too selfish to think about Sloane.
Sloane cuts her hand and I have to bite on my finger to compose what stress I have for her. When she puts her hand over the Erudite bowl my heart aches for her. I feel sweat on my forehead and go to wipe it.
"Dauntless," I hear Johanna say. I jump out of my seat without warning and hug Sloane as she comes to sit down beside me. She hugs me back.
"You didn't have to follow me," I tell her as the next person is called up. Sloane stares at me for a second before answering.
"I replayed the odds in my head," she starts to say. "Thirty-four percent chance I wouldn't survive Dauntless initiation. And although that's a lot to be betting on, I calculated a eighty-two percent chance of happiness." Sloane smiles at me.
~ P A G E B R E A K ~
It takes about twenty more minutes before the Dauntless are all running out the door. We take the stairs down and Sloane is on my heels as we run. When we get to the ground Sloane and I are almost wheezing. I look at her and she starts laughing. Maybe we can make it.
We start jogging, when we see where we're going my jaw drops.
"Are we supposed to get on that?" I ask Sloane as I stare at the train tracks above us.
"Yes," she answers breathlessly as she starts to climb. I start climbing after her waiting every other rail for her to get higher. I keep forgetting I'm probably two feet taller than her.
When we get up I see the train on its way. You can tell it won't slow down for anyone. This could be it if I don't make it. Factionless.
I start to stride and place my hand on the cart as it goes. I place both hands on the door, using my arms to lift my whole body in. When I turn around Sloane is holding onto the outside of my cart. When I look down the rest of the path is gone. Sloane grips my shoulder and I grab her other arm and she falls on me sending me backwards. I slam my head on the back of the cart.
"Ouch," says the girl I saw choose Dauntless from Candor. "That's gotta hurt."
Next to her a guy with shiny black, buzzed off hair stand looking over her. He's really tall, probably just a couple inches shorter than me though. His green eyes meet mine and I help myself up and extend a hand to him.
"Realm," I say. He grabs my hand but doesn't make eye contact, he seems really shy while the girl next to him laughs while helping Sloane up.
"I'm Marlon," he says. He wears a loose collared white shirt with black pants. Candor, like the girl. I know I shouldn't be hitting on guys but I can't help myself. I'm curious.
"Are you two…?" I ask nodding towards the Candor girl.
He scratches the back of his neck, "almost," he says.
"Almost what?" The Candor girl asks. She ignores the question she just asks and extends a hand to me. "Hi, I'm Chloee. Can I just say you are so hot."
I laugh while Sloane stands next to me. "This is Sloane." Sloane puts her hand out in front of her. She looks tense and excited at the same time.
"Girlfriend?" She asks. Candors can't help themselves. "No, friend." She corrects herself.
I sit down and wait for the train to get to the Dauntless compound. While I sit down I notice an Amity boy who traces circles on the ground with his finger. I want to introduce myself, but everything about him says I shouldn't. It's strange to see an Amity so sketchy.
~ P A G E B R E A K ~
"It's time," says a voice from the other cart. It's hard to hear over the wind if it was a transfer or not. I get up and this time I help Sloane up too. We walk over to the door where Dauntless-borns are jumping.
I don't wait for anyone. I step back and run to the edge of the cart before jumping off. My foot hits the ground and then the other. I landed!
Sloane comes after and her foot hits the ground sending her forward. I grab her under her arms before she falls on her face.
Everyone's jumped except Marlon. "Come' on, Marlon!" Chloee shouts. Marlon steps back and jumps hitting the edge of the building before falling face first on the pebbles. I step towards him to help him up but he refuses the help. His face has a scratch below his jawline.
"Behind me is your only way into Dauntless," says a man with dark skin and black hair with spots of gray. "Which initiate will go first?" He steps out of the way and all of us look at each other to who will go first.