fire and ice | the divergent series

01: a new beginning

(beatrice)

today was a new beginning for me.

today is the day i will choose the faction which i will call my home.

it's a big decision, and i haven't decided what to do yet.

on one hand, my parents will always be supportive of me... but, i don't want to see them disappointed.

my brother, caleb, is perfect for our current faction.

he has absolutely nothing to worry about.

me on the other hand, i'm a mess.

i can't decide if i want to stay, or venture out into the unknown.

my family is kind of perfect, but in an annoying way that i hate.

we never stare into the mirrors for too long, and our hair must always be cut to a certain length.

i cannot live like this all of my life.

i need a change.

as caleb and i board the train headed to our choosing ceremony, i desperately wish that i could talk to him about how i feel.

in our society, it is tradition to not speak of your faction choice with anyone, and after my aptitude tests left me knowing that i am divergent, i feel worried.

caleb can't know. he would never accept me as a part of our family again, and my heart can't take losing anyone out of my already-small circle.

the train shudders to a halt as we near the building in which our choosing ceremony takes place.

caleb turns to me and smiles, "we're almost there."

key-word, "almost", this means i still have time to be alone in my thoughts.

we file out of the train and get into a long line leading into the building.

i turn to my right and see lots of people in sleek, black clothing jumping out of another incoming train.

i envy them. they can be free and do everything which i am incapable of doing in my current situation.

i smile, letting myself wonder what it would be like to feel free.

suddenly, i get hit with a rock near my shoulder blade. this breaks my trance.

caleb raises his voice, "knock it off, peter!"

i have never heard him yell before, normally he is so calm and collected.

peter snickers and turns around, "stupid stiffs, can't even stand up for themselves."

i frown. i never understood why some people are simply destined to be rude and heartless.

i'd like to think of myself as welcoming, but only to an extent.

peter was just awful, he's an erudite. the faction is filled with know-it-alls like him.

"let's just go inside," caleb motions me to go with him, so i follow him into the dark corridor leading inside.

once we get inside, we are filed into lines based on our last names.

shortly after, each of our names will be called and at that point, we must choose a faction.

i wait patiently in line for awhile until my name is called.

"beatrice prior" echoes the voice of marcus eaton throughout the hall.