A/N: Hey everyone so I got the idea for a Divergent fan fic after reading the books and watching the movie, so I figured I would finally write it. I was drawn to the Eric character because he is such a mystery to me and I thought he was perfect to center a story on. Characters like him I love to write around where you don't know a lot about them and you can kind of have a free span of options to write. In the books he is so harsh and cruel, so I wanted to give him reason for being like that. I've seen a few stories similar to the kind I am writing, so any feedback will be strongly encouraged. The story will follow Eric and my OC Danielle Conrad and their romance. It takes a years after Four and Eric transfer to Dauntless, so it would be the year before Tris transfers. The events in this story will be the reason why Eric is so ruthless and cold. I own nothing from Divergent or the series, only my OCs and original ideas.

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Danielle

I have always had this theory. Well it's not as much a theory as it is reasoning. I am supposed to be intelligent, you see. I was born in Erudite and brought up to be an eventual leader of the faction by my parents, but I didn't want to be Erudite. As much as I love my family and the people I have made the acquaintance of in my sixteen years, I was not meant to be Erudite. I don't have the want or desire to live in a classroom my whole life, but the only other faction that ever stuck out to me would be Dauntless. It wasn't because they were so different from the rest, it was because they were brave. Now this is my theory or reasoning:

Everyone is smart and there are different ways to be smart instead of just book smart. That's why I didn't like Erudite. Everything was based off of something in a book rather than learning from real life experiences. You know, life lessons. Abnegation never really stuck out to anyone, but my thing is that in this world, it is okay to be a little selfish at times. It is neither a crime nor a poor trait. The same goes for Candor. Honesty is a great virtue to have, but telling small white lies is sometimes needed. A person should not have to live their life telling nothing but the truth. It is one thing to lie time and time again, but it is another to tell a little fib once in a while. Then there is Amity who are always so kind and peaceful. The problem with that is some people don't deserve the kindness. And as far as the peacefulness goes, a world will never exist where there is pure peace. There will always be frustration and tension, even if the faction system is meant to create "ever lasting peace". If we had ever lasting peace, we wouldn't have a fence guarding the city.

But here is the thing about Dauntless: they are brave. Anyone can be intelligent, selfless, kind, and/or honest. But bravery takes a certain kind of strength and will. Bravery is a trait not everyone can possess. Some people are not brave to face their fears or step into the world of fighting. Fear can do two things to a person: shut them down or wake them up. Every Dauntless member I have met seems to get a thrill from the adrenaline rush and just come alive when they face something some would describe as terrifying. I mean they jump on and off trains and climb up buildings. They just come alive and are free. They are free.

I do not want to wear blue all my life and have long, stringy brown hair that is always pinned up so it doesn't fall in my face. I do not want to have a pencil tucked in my ear and a notebook in hand at all times. I want to wear black and have my hair down with piercings in my ear and a gun in my hand. All you do in Erudite is learn throughout your life. It's as if every room you are in is a classroom and everyone is a teacher in some way. Even when I'd get home from a day of school, I would still be taught by my mother and father on various subjects and topics because they always say that there is no such thing as knowing too much. But in my opinion it is sometimes to not know a few things. Mystery is a great thing in life and some things are better off not knowing.

Very few teenagers transfer every year from other factions. Normally about anywhere from five-eight will transfer from each faction so there are about twenty-five to forty transfers overall. Most of the transfers come from Candor and Amity because when you are born into Dauntless, Abnegation, or Erudite, you are raised to stay within your faction. If you leave Dauntless, you're a coward, if you leave Abnegation, you're selfish, and if you leave Erudite, you are foolish. I remember last year there were five transfers overall from Erudite. Three girls transferred to Candor and two boys transferred to Dauntless. The one boy I remember because when he left, his parents were crushed. His name was Eric. That's all I really remember about him. That and he was great at math and had these eyes that you could get lost in. They were a grey color and whenever you looked at them, it was like he was looking into your soul. They were just so…mesmerizing.

I know that the Dauntless initiation is difficult. They teach you to fight, to shoot, and have you face your worst fears in a simulation. I know this because my mother is one of the scientists who make the serums they use for simulations and my father is an Erudite leader. They expect me to be a version of them to carry on the Conrad name, but I will be doing no such thing. I don't care if my aptitude test comes back one hundred percent Erudite, we are allowed to choose whatever faction we want. Ever since I was young I knew where I belonged. I knew who I was and the life I wanted to live. The choices we make in our life make us the person we are. They define us. But bad people can make good choices and good people can make bad choices, too. The same way an intelligent person can make a stupid one. Maybe it isn't as much our choices as much it is our perspectives and beliefs. What we stand for and believe in. I think that's what makes everyone who they are. Jeanine Matthews always says that the future belongs to those who know where they belong. I will choose Dauntless. I will choose to be brave. I will choose to be free.

This is kind of short, but I wanted to just set it up for everyone reading. I promise the next chapters will be longer!