𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓
HERE'S THE BULK OF THE IRONY: for having a surname like Lovelace, Chantara had never understood the feeling of love. To care for another human without any strings attached. It was something she never seemed to grasp, becau...
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THE HALF MOON SHAPED ROOM was colored by the Factions, a dull rainbow marking out the personalities of people Chantara had never met. Her mother sat beside her, a hand firmly grasped around her daughter's forearm as she repeated the instruction she had told her that morning.
Chantara didn't listen, too busy watching the stone bowls in the center of the room, and as the Factions streamed inside the auditorium.
They were seated a few rows up, surrounded by families dressed in the deep blue color of Erudite, right next to one of the white pillars stretching from the floor to the ceiling. She leaned her head against it, the hurricane of thoughts in her head blocking out the noise.
Chantara noticed the two boys seated in front of her turn around and attempt to catch her attention. She recognized them from school, the Cohen Brothers (Benjamin and Adrian). They were twins but did not look a lot like each other, the only similarity being their raven hair and Asian features, other than that there was a big difference in height and muscularity. They were in the same class as her in school and had exchanged a few words here and there — nothing rememberable in her eyes, therefore she chose to ignore their stares and kept her gaze fixated on the wall.
"It's not polite to ignore people," Mother muttered in her ear as the twins turned around.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her jaw tensing as she felt her mother's eyes burning holes in the side of her face. Mother tightened the grip on her arm and was about to inject when the room fell silent as Jeanine Matthews (the leader of Erudite) entered the stage, a clipboard resting in her hands covering her abdomen dressed in blue. The auditorium erupted in applause as a smile grew on the woman's lips.
"The Faction System is a living being, composed of selves," she began, pacing in front of the table. "All of you." She stopped for a moment, her eyes focusing on the crowd. "And the only way it can survive and thrive, is for each of you, to claim your rightful place."
Chantara wanted to scoff, but she knew Mother's grip would tighten if she did, and decided against it.
"The future," Jeanine raised her voice, a certain seriousness in her tone, "belongs to those who know, where they belong." She turned on her heel and left the stage, being replaced by a man dressed in gray clothing; Abnegation. Chantara recognized the man as Marcus Eaton, remembering the time's Mother and Father would discuss their displeasure with the authorities in Abnegation.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world." His arms move around as he speaks, his gestures following along with his words which were harsh yet calm.
