Dauntless Rising

Fear

Arabella's POV

Anastasia disappeared after the test. When I needed her most. She's always been there for me, and she chooses now to leave. Where could she have gone?

I walked home alone, for the first time in my life. I marched in the house and burst through our bedroom door.

There, sitting on her bed, was Anastasia. She stood up as soon as I walked in the room. I slammed the door.

"Where have you been?!"

"I got sick-"

"Yeah, right. Don't even try to lie to me." Before she could speak, tears welled up in my eyes. "I needed you today. And you weren't there for me."

She looked concerned. "What happened?" She patted on the bed next to her. I sat down.

I sighed heavily. "I know we're not supposed to talk about it, but I need to tell you my test results. I'm scared." Anastasia looked super nervous, but not nearly as much as I felt. "I showed aptitude for two factions. I won't tell you which two, but the man who administered my test told me it was a bad thing, that I needed to conceal it at all costs. He called it Divergent."

Anastasia was shaking. She looked up at me. "You can't tell anyone, Bella. You shouldn't have even told me, but since you did I'll help you. But you have to understand how dangerous this is."

"Wait- how do you know so much about this?"

She hesitated. "I read a book on it."
Oh right, Anastasia reads a lot. She's always been smarter than me. She's probably going to pick Erudite tomorrow. But I don't belong here.

She put her hand on my knee. "It'll be okay." But she didn't sound so sure.

I looked her in the eye. "Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? No, nothing's wrong. Just... nervous about tomorrow, that's all."

She was holding something back. Knowing Anastasia, I wasn't going to get it out of her anytime soon. I guess we'll find out tomorrow, at the Choosing Ceremony.