Dauntless // #Wattys2016

•Chapter 1•

I sat at the table staring into my bowl of oatmeal. The cheapest kind there was. The taste was bland, honestly, it's like eating a cardboard box.. Well it's better than living in a cardboard box, I guess. Let me just say, that living in poverty isn't all that glamorous.

We heard a knock on our door, I perked my head up to see one of my best friends -Well my only friend- I could see threw the screen door, that his hair was messily quiffed as the morning sun beamed through it, and glazed the side of his face. He wore an over sized grey shirt, with baggy kakis as he held on to his messenger bag, and had a warm smile drawn on his face.

My mother wiped her hands on her apron, and turned the stove down low.

"Mornin' Ms. Helzer." He smiled.

"Morning Lucas," She opened the door. Luke walked in. "Are you guys ready for the Aptitude Test, today?" She asked.

Luke just stared blankly and bit his lip, "Uhm.." Luke looked over at me. I stared back, I kinda drifted my eyes away.

I honestly had no clue how I felt about it. When I was younger, I was excited. But, it seemed the closer and closer it got, the more terrified I got.

"It's okay," My mother turned back to the stove and stirred the oatmeal. "Remember, Trust the test." She smiled.

Luke sat down, across from me.
"Lucas, would you like some oatmeal, before you leave?" Luke looked over at me.

I widened my eyes and slowly shook my head 'no'.

He softly chuckled, "No, Thank You, Ms. Helzer." His Australian accent was thick.

"You should probably get going then?" My mother suggested.

"Um, yeah. I'll just grab my bag." I nodded and excused myself from table.

I walked and grabbed my bag from my room as I slowly passed the bathroom.. I stopped.

I know mother forbids me to look into the mirror, because it will make me less "Selfless".

I quickly slipped in, and pulled off the cloth that was covering the mirror.

I just stared at myself, I brushed my fingers through my hair. I looked down at sink, where I found a black hair tie.

I picked it up, and twisted my hair up in a bun, and tied it. I took a deep breath and gave myself a internal pep talk.

Mother turned the corner to the bathroom, "Gabrielle." My mother scolded stern, "You know already. You're Selfless." She said as she put back up the cloth, "You don't need to abuse that." She said softly.

We stood there for a moment, "Please," she kissed my forehead and hugged me, "I love you." She whispered. "You better get going before the lines are long."

I nodded and walked out into the small kitchen area. "Lucas, good luck." She smiled. I began walking out the door, with Luke following behind.

"Thanks." He smiled as we took a step out.

I gave a loud sigh, "When will your mum stop calling me 'Lucas'" Luke laughed.

"I have no clue." I sighed, and took a moment.

"To be honest, I'm scared of this test." I admitted.

"I'm not gonna lie, me too." Luke smiled nervously down, kicking around a pebble.

"I just want to right thing, at the choosing ceremony." I sighed again, "You know?"

"Yeah, my parents expect me to choose Erudite.." He told me.

"Erudite? They don't want you to stay Abnegation?" I asked.

"No, they want me to make money so our family can survive.. or at least keep down our house." He told me.

I stayed quite, "What about you? Staying Abnegation?" He asked, I looked over at him with his attention on me.

"My mom wants me to choose. She says anything I choose, she'll stand behind me. But, my whole life she's been saying "Selfless. You're selfless!" I can tell she's been dropping hints." I told him, "But, I also want to support her too."

He nodded, understanding. "I mean, she's jobless; Factionless. We've been living by the shares of others, I just want to be stable." I told him.

"It's whatever you want." He smiled.

"..and I have no clue what it is." I rolled my eyes.

"Do what you want, what makes you happy." Luke said, "What do you desire most?" He asked.

"Umm, Abnegation?" I said.

"Is that a question or a statement?" Luke laughed.

"Okay, what about you?" I playfully punched him.

"Oh, I don't know. I thinking maybe Erudite." He shrugged.

"Erudite? The one your parents want?" I laughed, "You know you should take your own advice.. "Do what you want, what makes you happy." " I mimicked.

"You're not going to make this easy. Are you?" He laughed.

"Nope." I laughed back.