Transparent: A Divergent FanFiction (Book One) ©

Chapter 10

The sunlight warmed my face, and I basked in the silence for what seemed like an eternity. Today was the day our futures would be created. I was ready.

My sleep had been oddly peaceful and deep. Somehow, either after my talk with Randi or during the course of the meal, I'd managed to come to terms with the fact that what I wanted ultimately didn't matter; the test would tell me what I needed to know, so any worries I had were really illogical and unfounded. Our whole life we'd been taught that our way of life was what had saved us from destruction, what kept our world balanced and at peace; there was no need to panic when our decisions would essentially be made for us.

With all my fears obliterated by my sudden realization, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Rising early the next day, a bounce in my step, I got ready as I always did and even beat Vera and Annie to the bus stop.

"What gives? Thee Sage Stronghold, here, and on time? I must still be snoozing up in my room," Danny joked as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"Nice to know you think of me even in your sleep," I laughed, reaching down and picking up little Annie when she held her arms out to me. "Well, can't say I blame you, I am quite dreamy, aren't I Annie?" I cooed as the toddler giggled and swatted at my nose.

"Hah! Dreamy, yeah right, more like a nightmare," Danny retorted, flicking Annie's little pigtails in an attempt to make her laugh. "Go on Annie, tell Sage he's a silly meathead."

Annie squealed in delight at the attention, reaching towards Danny. Slightly annoyed to have lost her undivided interest, I bounced a little on my feet, drawing her interest back to me with the movement. "Whatever, she loves me."

"You two spoil her way to much. What am I supposed to do once you're gone?" Vera teased as she shook her head.

For once, the mention of the upcoming test didn't even faze me, instead I chuckled and gently placed Annie into Vera's waiting arms.

"Shower her with even more attention, duh." Danny responded good-naturedly.

My high spirits never faltered, not during the bus ride, and not even we'd reached our school. Though the atmosphere buzzed with anxiety and tension, I remained calm; only having to remember that the choice would basically be made for me.

The day flew by in a blur, and I was eager to get the aptitude test done and over with. Our classes had been cut in half today, so we'd actually been able to attend all of them. During lunch I ate quickly and barely tasted any of what I'd actually consumed; all of my attention focused on what was about to happen. After the bell rang, indicating that lunch was over, all of the sixteen year olds stayed at their tables as the rest of the younger students were allowed to go home early.

Abnegation volunteers made up the bulk of the testing administrators, though there was also an erudite, a dauntless, an amity, and a candor volunteer in the other rooms so we could all be tested by someone not from our own faction.

Patiently sitting at the long cafeteria tables, we all waited in silence for our names to be called. The testing administrators would stand at the head of the lunchroom and announce ten names at a time; two from each faction. Slowly but surely, the population in the cafeteria began to thin out until there was only about half of the people we'd started out with.

Danny's name was called out in the next group, and he shot me a smile before he marched off; his swagger confident and sure. He knew where he belonged, he always had, and soon I'd be like him as well; even if not in the same faction, I'd at least know my place in life.