Eric's Sister

Chapter 2

I am sitting in my room staring at a picture of my friends and I from last year's visiting day where we all spent the day in the woods by the factionless area climbing trees and having a picnic. I wonder if any of them got the same test results as I did.

Divergent.

I sigh, and slowly open up the frame, carefully I remove the photograph and place it on the table. I will make sure to put it in my pocket tomorrow before heading to the choosing ceremony so it will be with me wherever I end up going.

"Dinner." 

I hear my mom yell. I find myself sighing again as I open the door and walk down the hall for what I know is my last meal with my parents. I should be happy finally able to be free from my father but I know I will miss my mom, and once I am gone then she will have no more children. My brother is gone and soon I will be as well, I just have to figure out where that is. I sit at the table. Tonight we are having roasted chicken with banana bread and rice and potatoes. A time consuming meal to make, I thank my mother for making it and we eat silently. After dinner I hug my mom while my father just stares at me. He knows I am not staying. I never really fit in with the smart people, shoot I barely passed science in school. I go back to my room and wait till I hear my parent's door close. I open my window and jump to the large tree branch outside and start to climb up the familiar tree one last time to the fire escape on the side of the building. I make my way to the roof to see my friends for possibly the last time.  I sit there with Anne our feet dangling off the roof. We talk about our past and we say that we will find some way to stay in touch if we end up in different places. How I am not sure, but she is so good with computers I am positive that she could figure out a way, if she meant it. We get up and join the rest of the group when they arrive. We lay on our backs on the rooftop and stare at the night sky. Mari turns to me our eyes meet.

"So D, how does it feel to know you won't have to see your dad again?" 

I close my eyes. I knew my father cared for me, but I don't know why he changed so suddenly.

"I guess..." I say opening my eyes again. "I feel free for the first time in a while, I will miss my mom though, but hopefully she will visit. You know you guys can always visit too." 

I wonder if my brother felt free when he left.

"Promise me something guys." Anne says. We all look at her. "In two years we will all met by the bridge on visiting day and spend the day together just like we always have." 

We all nod. I wonder if any of us will actually show up. We get up and give a group hug, we don't say good-bye those in our minds make it final, so we just say "later".

I climb down the fire escape onto the tree and climb back into my window. I slip onto my bed, shed a few tears as I fall quickly to sleep. I hear a knock on the door, my mother telling me it is time to get up. I shower get dressed in the darkest blue shirt I own and a pair of black gaucho pants. I pick up the photo of my friends and place it in my pocket. I place my hand on my doorknob turn it and don't bother looking back. I walk to the hub with my parents silently. When we get to the ceremony hall my mother gives me a hug and my father shakes my hand, no words are exchanged. I get in my place in line. Behind me is all my friends. I will be going first in my whole group since it is all done in reverse alphabetical order. It is Candor's turn to host and Jack Kang walks up the microphone. I don't hear his speech, I don't hear the first name called but I watch a Candor boy with blonde hair slice his hand and place it over glass. He will stay in Candor.

After what seems like a mere few seconds my name is called I walk up, receive my knife, cut into my palm and when the blood starts to flow, I freeze. My arm nor my hand moves a drop falls to the floor. I look back at my mom she is smiling. I look at Anne her eyes are wide, I look back at the bowls and I move. I hear the sound of hot coals and I walk to my place behind the cheering Dauntless. A smile forms on my face.

I zone out of the ceremony until I hear the first of my friends names being called. 

Mari drops her blood into the water. She looks at me and I nod, she smiles faintly. 

Greg drops his blood onto glass, he looks to Mari and then me and walks to Candor. 

Brandon drops his blood into water, he doesn't look at me and I sigh. 

Sunshine drops her blood onto soil the most obvious choice for my Amity friend, she winks at me and walks back to her faction. 

Courtney drops her blood into water, she nods to me and sits by Mari, they hug.

 Anne's name is called. She looks at me and I know by the look in her eyes that she will not choose Dauntless. I smile at her and mouth the words "It's okay." She smiles and walks up to the bowls takes her knife and drops her blood into the water. She looks at me once more before taking her place with our, no her friends. I feel overwhelmingly sad and put my hands into my pocket. I feel a photograph and I force myself to smile.

Once the ceremony is over I leave with the Dauntless. We run and we fill the street with people screaming and yelling, and I am running with them. I am no longer Erudite but Dauntless, and I run. I run up the stairs to the train platform, and when the time comes I run and jump onto a moving train with the other initiates. I sit in a corner of the train car so I don't get blown out by the wind, as I sit there it finally hits me that I am alone.