I don't own anything!

Chapter 1

Tris

Today is choosing day. All of the sixteen year olds make our way to the Hub where we will make the choice between the five factions and decide our future. Sometimes I don't think that a sixteen year old is old enough to make this kind of choice. When we had our aptitude test, mine said that I was undetermined. I am equally suited for Abnegation, Dauntless, and Erudite. I don't think I am selfless enough to stay in Abnegation and Erudite is completely out of the question, I have no desire to study for the rest of my life. My heart tells me that I Dauntless would be the best place for me, but can I leave my family behind? I look over at Caleb as we make our way up the stairs to the choosing ceremony. He has always been the perfect Abnegation. So selfless that it almost makes me sick. After our aptitude tests, he told me that I should think about my choices and think about myself. This choice will determine my future; there is no going back once the choice is made.

We enter the room in which the choosing ceremony will be held. Abnegation is hosting this year so one of our leaders, Marcus Eaton is standing on the stage in the front of the room with the five bowls depicting the five factions in front of him; water for Erudite, hot coals for Dauntless, grey stones for Abnegation, earth for Amity, and glass for Candor. They call all the sixteen year olds in reverse order so Caleb will be called to choose before me. I'm sure that Caleb will stay in Abnegation, but I am still undecided. I just don't know what I'm going to do.

I turn and scan the people in the auditorium and find my parents. My father looks stern but his eyes deceive him, there is apprehension there. He is worried about what we are going to do. My mother locks eyes with me and she smiles encouragingly. She told me this morning that no matter what my decision is, she would love me. She has always understood that my first instinct is not selflessness it is self-preservation, something that is not an Abnegation trait. But I look at my parents and I'm not sure that I can turn my back on them and leave them behind. Faction over blood is the motto of all of the factions. We are to be loyal to the faction that we choose, so it would be inappropriate to long for your family if we choose to leave them.

As I scan the rest of the audience, I see a young man standing in the back of the room. He is Marcus' son Tobias Eaton. He stands there with the same grey Abnegation clothing that the rest of the men from our faction wear. He also wears the same stern look as my father, but like my father his eyes betray his icy exterior. His eyes are warm and good-natured, but there is a hint of malice when he looks toward his father. Suddenly he drops his eyes from the stage to our group and he locks eyes with me. We stare at each other for a long moment and my heart flutters. He is quite handsome, but older than I am. He gives me a small smirk and I drop my eyes and turn around. I almost feel as though his gaze is still upon me even though I have turned my attention back to the front of the room.

This is not the first time he has caught me looking at him. He used to live across the street from us with his father before he became a full member of Abnegation two years ago. So I would see him as we walked to the bus to school and home, also when he was performing outside chores around the neighborhood. Once I was washing windows at our elderly neighbor's house while he was cutting her grass and I couldn't help but to watch him as he did her yard work. For an Abnegation man, he is very muscular and in spite of his Abnegation clothing you can see his tone body quite well while he does manual labor. I got distracted watching him and he caught me watching him through the window. He often stayed to himself, but that is a normal Abnegation trait. It is hard to make friends when they believe it is selfish to talk about yourself, but how do you get to know people if you don't talk a little about yourself?

Marcus begins speaking about choices and the seriousness of the choices that we are about to make. He begins to call names in reverse alphabetical order and we stand quietly and wait our turn.

When he calls Caleb, I am positive he will be Abnegation. I am shocked when Caleb cuts his hand and reaches it over the bowl of water, choosing Erudite. How didn't I know that he was going to do this? He was always the perfect selfless person. But in school he did have a thirst for knowledge, and I once saw a stack of books on his desk in his room but I assumed they were for school.

"Beatrice Prior," Marcus calls.

I am so lost in thought that I almost miss my name being called.

I make my way to the front of the room and on to the stage where the bowls sit. Marcus hands me the knife and I slice my hand. I scan the crowd for my parents again and my father now looks sad and worried, his face no longer displaying its usual harsh expression and my mother nods and smiles encouragingly. Then I look up and meet Tobias' eyes. His look is one of curiosity and hopefulness. I wonder what that means.

Marcus clears his throat behind me. I have stood here long enough for the blood in my hand to pull and for a couple drops to hit the floor in front of me. I walk forward and place my hand between the Dauntless and Abnegation bowls. I look toward where the Erudite are and think about what my parents would do if we both left them. What would happen to them? I close my eyes and let my blood drop into a bowl. I open my eyes to see that my hand is over the Abnegation bowl. I will be selfless. I will be lost among the Abnegation for the rest of my life. I will never be able to be myself.