Rising From The Ashes

Chapter 2

I pull open the front door and am greeted by my mom. "How did it go?" I shrug and take my shoes off by the door. I reach down and pick them up once they are off. I climb the stairs to my room, passing very little family photos on the walls. I open my door and throw my shoes in. I walk down the hall more, stopping in front of a similar door to mine. The door creaks as I open it, revealing a room eith just a desk and a bed. I sink down on the bed and reach under the bed. I feel what im looking for and pull out the small book. It was one of the books that my brother left behind when he left about a year ago. I havent read it but its nice to have something to remember him.

I hear the door open downstairs and assume its my dad. I slip out of Caleb's old room, softly closing the door. I go into my room and set the book on my desk. I take my hair out of its bun and let it flow down my back. My dad walks in, holding a black velvet rectangle box. "Beatrice, this is one of our familes traditions. Your mother and I picked it out for you to have incase you decide to change factions." He walks closer and holds it out to me. I hesitatly reach for the box and push open the lid. Inside there is a beautiful necklace. It has a pendant of the letter B which has diamonds on it.

"The tradition is that when a daughter of the family reaches the age for the apitude test, they are given a necklace with thier first intial." I lift the necklace out of the box and hold it out to my dad. I turn around and move my hair to the side. He gently clasps the necklace, letting it hang on my neck. I turn around and hug him. "I love you," I whisper, clutching him tighter. "I love you too, honey." Tears well up in my eyes but I push them back down. I release him and I hear my mom say dinner is ready. My dad goes down before me and I'm about to follow him but something catches my eye in the window. I quickly walk over to it and a man dressed in all black is walking up our driveway. He's from Dauntless.

I sprint down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Mom! Theres a man from Dauntless here!" I say, worried. She looks at me, a mixture of shock and confusion on her face. Mom heads over to the door and just as she gets there a knock sounds throughout the house. She opens the door and freezes. "Four?"

The man has dark brown hair and dark blue eyes. We stare at each other for a few moments before Dad walks in. "Four! Welcome! Come in, we were just about to have dinner. You can join us if you want." Dad offers. Four nods and follows me to the table. I sit down and he sits next to me. "Thank you, I came to make sure you were still annoucing the names tomorrow?" His voice is deep and I wonder how old he is. "I am. My daughter, Beatrice, is going to be choosing tomorrow with the others." Four looks over at me and I swear I can see something in his eyes like an emotion. Its a mixture of love and saddness.

Why would he look at me with love or even saddness? I dont even know him! I finish my dinner while they continue to talk. When everyone finishes I gather all the plates and head to the sink. I quietly wash the dishes, humming a song. Evenually I start softly singing it.

"Midnight moonlight shining through the curtain lace
Pants a perfect picture on your perfect face
One sweet angel sleeping in my arms
You are the promise I knew God would keep
You are the gift that makes my world complete
And you'll never know how much I love you
But I'll keep on telling you my whole life through
Now I believe in miracles, and you're the reason why
So dream on while I sing you my angel's lullaby." I finish the song at the same time I finish washing the dishes.

I hear clapping behind me and jump. "You have a nice voice." I regconize that deep voice. Its Four. I turn around, blushing. "Thanks, it was a song my mom used to sing to me as a baby." He smiles but then frowns. "What?" Four shakes his head, as if he doesnt want to say. "Nothing. Just I don't see my mom anymore." I feel bad for him and feel as if I should have known that. I shake that feeling off and walk up to him. "Sorry. I shouldnt have mentioned it." I have to look up at him since hes taller than me. "Its fine." We continue to stare at each other and suddenly I have the urge to kiss him. He leans towards me and I lean towards him.

Our lips are about to meet when my mom walks in. We jerk away from each other fast. I blush and try to hide my face. "Oh there you are. Beatrice, your father needs you in the living room." I nod and start to walk out. "Yeah I need to head back home anyway. Thanks for dinner Natalie." My mom smiles and Four leaves the kitchen. I go to the living room and watch from the window as he walks down the driveway. I watch him until he walks out of my sight. Who was he? I barely even know him. What am I talking about! I dont know him at all and I wanted to kiss him?! I sigh and go to my dad, thoughts running through my head about Four. I think he knew me before but why wouldn't I remember him?