The Choosing

Chapter One

I roll over, hearing the loud noises of my springy mattress. Nerves fill up inside me. Choosing Day.

My head feels like it's full of cotton balls of stress. Every single bone and muscele in my body aches because of the pain that lies ahead. I know that Candor is not for me, my aptitude test proves that I'm Dauntless, and I feel it as well, inside and out. I pull my head from my tear stained pillow, and realise my older sister, Natalie, has been watching me

"Natalie?" I ask.

"Shh, Jasmine is sleeping."

"Why are you here?" I inquire.

Natalie sighs, "I'm worried about you, Veronica!" She shouts quietly.

"Why?" This is usually what happens; Natalie is afraid that I won't choose Candor over any other faction that I decide to choose.

"Please choose Candor, Ronnie!" She pleads, "I don't want to lose you like we lost Aidean!"

"Nat," I start, "the faction I choose, is because of me, not you, not mum, not anybody. It will because of me, and my aptitude test. OK?" A tear rolls down Natalie's cheek. She nods. "I'm gonna get changed." I say to her. She leaves, and I let out a sigh of disappointment.

I change into my white Candor T- Shirt and a pair of denim jeans. I walk into the bathroom and pull my long, straight blonde hair into a high ponytail. I then apply some foundation, mascara and lip gloss, and then I make my way downstairs.

Everybody eats in silence. Between the awkwardness, I play with my eggs, and eat the bread softly due to braces. When my plate is empty, I push out my chair, and take my plate gracefully to the kitchen.

When I am cleaning my plate, I look out the kitchen window and see Micheal leaving his house. I drop my plate in the warm water, grab my bag and push myself through the front door. "Bye! See you at the Choosing Ceremony!" I shout over my shoulder.

I run across the street to where Micheal is walking.

"Hey Mike." I manage to say.

"Hey! Ronnie! What's up?" He says as we hug. He is beautiful in every single way. Today, his sleek brown hair is gelled back, he wears a white Candor shirt, and a pair of denim jeans. Same as me.

"So," he says, "what faction are you choosing?"

"You'll have to wait and see!" I tease him, smiling.

"Well, I'm choosing Erudite." he says. His words echoing in my mind, ringing in my ears. ERUDITE?! HOW COULD HE CHOOSE ERUDITE?!

"Micheal, I've gotta go. See you at school." I run ahead. My quiet sob turning into a loud cry. When I reach school, I care about nothing but choosing Dauntless, I want to get as far away from him as I can.

My love for him: Shattered.