Mother combed back my dark brown hair, making sure every single strand was absolutely perfect.
I watched as her grey eyes stayed transfixed on my dark hair. Luckily, I'd gotten my father's blue ones which my brother has always been jealous of. We are twins, and although we look almost identical, our eyes always contradicted one another. He was like my other half, always there for me as I was for him.
As my mother hummed a soft lullaby I thought of what my best friend, Liam, would be doing today. Maybe I'd go over to his housing unit later to pay him a visit. We'd been best friends for our whole lives, almost like a brother to sister relationship. That's how Liam and I always saw it, but I feel as if our parents want us to one day get married and live out the 'perfect' life like they have, but I just don't see that happening.
"We're all done Rosemary." My mother exclaimed whilst stepping back and admiring her work.
"Mum, for the last time please call me Rose." I insisted for the thousandth time.
"I will call you by the name our government gave you!" She said loud enough for me to hear as I walked up the dusty stairwell.
"Still on that name thing, huh sis?" Ryder, my twin, leaned against the doorway of his bedroom with a smirk on his face. His own dark brown hair shot out in every direction, clearly he hasn't brushed it today.
"Please, I'm not in the mood for this." I said with a deep sigh while passing him and entering my own bedroom.
I laid down on my plain white bed, surrounded by plain walls, another thing the government chooses for us. The only other furniture in my bedroom was a nigh stand, dresser, and tall mirror which is leaned upright just near the door. I pass by that mirror everyday, cringing at the boring gray clothes we must wear.
Suddenly, I could hear my door slowly creaking open, "I really don't want your shit right now Ryder."
"Good thing I'm not Ryder then." I shot up at the sound of Liam's soothing voice. His hair was styled up today, his light brown hair at the perfect length.
"Did you also have your hair cut today?" I asked.
"Yes I did, and it looks like you did as well." He said with a grin, crossing the room and causing my bed to dip down as he sat in it.
"Yes, and my mother keeps calling me Rosemary, can you try and convince her to start calling me Rose instead? You know how much she adores you."
"You just started asking people to call you that, what, a few months ago? Give her some time to get used to it, I'm sure she'll come around." Liam said with a smile.
"Why must you be so damn good at giving advice?" I pondered. Liam simply chuckled, he's always been so kind, probably since our small district was known for that.
"Anyway, tomorrow is the big day, are you nervous?"
Tomorrow the government tests us, and determines what district the people in my class will belong to for the rest of our lives. Right now I am in District Four which is known as the kind district, we normally become teachers or therapists, not much is exotic about us.
"I don't know if I should be, if I'm placed in another district I will never see my family again, that's what probably scares me the most."
"I feel the exact same way, my parents would be heartbroken if we got separated, let's just hope the government makes the right decision."
"It shouldn't even be their decision." I say, disgust evident in my voice.
This is where Liam and I differ, he believes in everything the government does, and I don't. Before all of these laws were made, people could live however they wanted, and everyday I dream of what it must have been like to make decisions for yourself.
"They help to give us the best lives possible, Rose. Why can't you see that?"
"Because we aren't truly free, they say we are but we aren't Liam. Tomorrow they'll choose if we ever see our families again! Tell me how that's right."
"Listen, I don't want to argue with my best friend on what might be our last day together." Liam says, and I couldn't help but agree.
"What are you suggesting?" I ask.
"I'm suggesting that we go to our spot." Liam says, a childish grin spreading on his face.
Our spot has always been on the small roof of my garage, a spot where we can see our entire district glowing in the night.
"How about after dinner? It should be ready at six exactly." I suggested, the government also decides exactly what time we eat our meals and what they consist of.
"Sounds good to me, want to play some chess in the meantime?"
Chess, the only game we are aloud to play. The government say that it's stimulating and makes us use our minds.
"Sure, not like we have much else to do anyway." I say, a bit frustrated that life around here is so boring.
Liam got out the chess board, putting all the pieces in their rightful place. We played for a good twenty minutes, Liam winning four times once my parents called us down for dinner.
"Liam, I had no clue you were here!" My father said as we sat down, patting Liam on his shoulder.
"Richard, I told you we had company." My mother said while shaking her head.
"Rachel, how was I supposed to know that 'company' meant Liam?" My father asked while rolling his eyes.
"You two act like you're married or something." Ryder said with a mouth full of mashed potatoes.
"Please don't speak with food in your mouth Ryder, it's disgusting." Mother scolded.
"Sorry mum." Ryder grumbled before stuffing more food in his mouth.
"So Liam, are you excited about tomorrow?" Father asked, trying to make some real conversation.
"Most definitely, it'll be like the start of my new life, you know?" At that I rolled my eyes, this is such bullshit.
"I remember when it was my district day," he put his hand over my mother's "that's how I met Rachel. It was the best day of my life."
Ryder and I both made choking sounds, causing both of our parents to glare at us.
"That's really something." Liam said, smiling at them.
"Oh my god." I groaned before putting a piece of steak in my mouth and chewing on it until it could be swallowed.
There was some more conversation throughout dinner, not that I paid attention to it. As I finished my last bite, Liam did as well. "May we be excused?" I asked my parents.
"I don't think that's the best idea Rosemary, tomorrow is a big day and you need your rest." Mother said with a frown set in her features.
"Are you being serious?" I asked angrily, all I wanted to do was spend time with Liam.
"I'm not going to fight over this Rosemary." I looked to my father for assistance, but he was just nodding along with my mother like he was her puppet.
"It's really alright Rose, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight everyone." Liam stood, exchanging goodbyes with everyone before walking out the front door. The entire table was silent after that, besides the sound of Ryder's obnoxiously loud chewing.
"I'm going to bed." I said, getting up from my chair without asking for permission and making my way up to my room.
As I laid down my thoughts raced about tomorrow. Whether I like it or not, the government will be deciding the rest of my life, and no matter what they choose, I'll have to live with it.
I'll have to live with it.
-
The alarm clock went off at seven exactly. I got up, stretching briefly before putting on my plain gray clothing. I picked up my brush off the night stand, walking over to the mirror and combing it through my hair.
Today is the day of testing.
Just the thought of what might happen made me want to be sick, but I quickly swallowed the uneasy feeling. Today I must be brave and face the inevitable. I turned my head as my door creaked open, revealing a sleepy looking Ryder.
"Breakfast is ready, sis. How are you feeling?" He asked with a yawn.
"Extremely anxious, how about you?"
"I feel absolutely fine, whatever the government chooses is what I'm meant to do in life," he says with confidence.
"Wow, that's pretty deep Ryder," we both laugh, an odd moment considering how we may never see each other again after today.
"Oh, shut up. Breakfast is waiting, come on." He disappeared from my doorway, probably heading downstairs to demolish the eggs and bacon waiting for him. I quickly finished up my hair, tying it up into a ponytail. As I made my way downstairs the smell of maple syrup consumed my senses.
"Goodmorning darling." Father greeted me as I walked into the small and plain dining room, a perfectly portioned plate of food already sat in front of my seat.
"Morning," I replied as I sat down. Ryder was already nearly done with his food as was father, "Where's mum?" I asked, noticing she wasn't in her seat.
"Still in bed, she's not feeling so well. I think it's because of today." My father says, frowning as he speaks.
"Won't she see us before we go?" I ask in concern.
"If she doesn't we will see you at the ceremony anyway. Don't worry Rosemary, eat your breakfast."
I huff before picking at my food, not really interested in it. Today is already giving me stress, and I haven't even left the house yet. Although I don't want to, I finish the plate of food just in time to catch the train with Ryder. We both get on, grabbing two empty seats which are side by side. The train lifts up, air pressure allowing it to literally float before pushing off at two hundred miles per hour. We get to the testing center within minutes, some familiar faces from our class getting off as well.
My nails dig into my palms, nervousness taking over. Ryder tugs at my forearm, forcing me to walk into the testing center with him. He checks us both in, although our wait will be long. We will have to wait until the R's are called to go back and have our future determined.
As I sit there in the plush waiting chairs picking at my cuticles, seconds turn to minutes which then turn to hours.
"Rosemary." My head shoots up when a petite woman wearing all white calls my name.
"Good luck, sis." Ryder stands, hugging me tightly before giving me a light push towards the waiting government worker.
She gives me a fake smile before motioning for me to follow her down a narrow white hallway. Eventually she turns into a room, one metal chair in the center.
"Please sit," she commands. I do as told and sit in the extremely cold chair. Unexpectedly she connects a wire with a padded type of bandaid on the end to my forehead.
"I'm going to have to put this needle in your arm Rosemary." She takes out a clean needle, sticking it into my arm and injecting a clear liquid into my veins.
"Your test will begin shortly." She says with yet another fake smile. My palms become sweaty with anxiety, what is going to happen?
Suddenly, my eyes close. When I open them again, I am in a night club. Loud music is pounding all around me as sweaty bodies dance.
"Want a drink?" A good looking man asks with deep blonde hair asks.
"Sure." I say, this isn't real so what's the harm done? He quickly hands me a pink liquid, and I swallow it in one gulp.
Suddenly, screams erupt throughout the club. People are running left and right, but the young man who gave me the drink remains still. Out of the corner of my eye, a gun glistens under the strobe lights.
"We have to get out of here!" I scream at the man, but he doesn't move.
I can either leave him here to die, or help.
As the criminal nears us, I finally gain courage to face him. He has sleek black hair and a viscous smile on his lips.
The gun is pointed right at me.
Instinct kicks in and I go after the shooter, kicking him in the gut. He hunches over, gun clanking to the ground.
Somehow the scene changes, I'm at home in my room. There is spray paint covering my walls. Never in my life have I had color on walls, and it's absolutely beautiful. I simply smile, taking in the different splashes of pink, red, blue, purple, and green among some of them.
Then, everything goes black and my eyes open. I am back in the testing room, the wire being detached from my forehead.
"You can go now." The government worker says. I nod before standing from the chair, and going back out to the lobby. Ryder is sat in the same chair I left him in before.
"What the hell happened in there Rose?" He asked worriedly, eyes wide.
"We aren't supposed to tell others Ryder, you know that."
"You were in there for two hours!" He says quite loudly, drawing attention.
Two hours?
Usually it just takes a few minutes for a test to be completed.
"I have no clue what happened, let's just get home and get ready for the ceremony." I say, Ryder pinches the bridge of his nose before nodding.
Not too long after we are back home, just hours away from our fate.
____________________
You guys keep commenting "this will be just like Divergent/The Giver/The Hunger Games." First of all, I've never read "The Giver" so if it's similar to that sorry, lol. Second of all, I plan to make the plot my own and it will not follow the story line of any of those books whatsoever.
How'd you like the very first chapter of Outsider? I'm so excited to begin a new story for you all!
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