Divergent Contest: Contestant #10

Task #6 (technically #3 for me)

Her genuine smile lit the whole room and I almost had to turn away from its blinding brightness. But I didn't. Instead I tried to concentrate on the words coming out of her lips.

"Now, initiates, as you all know the anniversary of the beginning of our factions is drawing near."

Everyone nodded along with excitement, but I couldn't help, but groan inside. Seriously? It happens every year, is it THAT important? I knew my divergent side was partly involved in my thinking because without the factions, I could be me, completely. Besides, it's not like I was gonna be jumping off any buildings to celebrate, like I normally did in my Dauntless faction.

Instead of openly showing my emotions, I plastered a smile on my face. If Amity was gonna be my new home, I would have to get used to being happy, even if it went against everything I every believed.

"So, we are having our annual party to celebrate. And, as always, the initiates are in charge of planning."

My fake smile disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"Now, don't think of this as a task, more like an opportunity to show your worth."

Still seemed very much like an unnecessary and grueling chore to me. I backed father away than I was, which was pretty near the end of the crowd. Excited chatter was going on all around me and it gave me a headache as quickly as the teacher's blinding smile had. I stepped back even more only to bump into the only person I could tolerate, Violet.

Over the past few days, we had gotten closer as friends and I could almost be as honest with her as I had my old friends. Almost.

"Aren't you so excited?!" she basically screamed in my face, mimicking everyone else around me.

"Yea," I replied, trying to sound as eager as I was dreading.

She seemed to accept my lie, probably because she had never grown up with anything else, and went on talking about everything she would be doing for her party.

I only partly listened. Way too many things were flying through my mind that distracted me. For instance, how was I going to pull this off?

I had always been Dauntless, and will always have a part of Dauntless in me, no matter how many times I fake smile. I wish I hadn't chosen to leave my home, my brother. It would be easier to fit in. But, it would also be easier to tell my secret. I had known everyone in the Dauntless for my entire life, there would be no way I would keep my secret if I stayed there.

Before I knew it, Violet was waving goodbye and I was on my own to plan a party.

I automatically walked over to the spot I had done most of my thinking at, a giant weeping willow with bright green branches almost touching the ground. Every since the first day here, it had been my go to spot, maybe because I thought it could somehow relate to my pain. It was weeping for me in a way. As soon as I had sat down against the truck, the question I had been pondering resurfaced again.

How was I going to pull this off?

---

I couldn't help, but smile a little at what I had accomplished. Who knew a Dauntless born divergent could actually come up with something that seemed completely Amity?

Rainbow streamers hung from trees. They looked like little pixies spying on the ground below.

Wow. That sounded poetic. I guess I could be Amity after all.

Nice wooden tables lay in rows with nice colorful centerpieces that matched the streamers above. There wasn't a single bit of black in the entire party set up, and I couldn't be more proud. Or more embarrassed.