JAX [1]

•Chapter 1: The Test•

Jacquelyn's POV

I tied the laces on my boots.

"Jacquelyn!" I heard my mom say from downstairs. "Are you ready yet? The bus leaves in 30 minutes!"

"I'm almost done!" I said. Today's the day I take a test that will tell me what faction I should be in. When I was done tying my laces, I stood up, getting off my bed. I turned and checked myself in the mirror. I nodded, my look being acceptable. I heard my door open. I turned to see my mom walk in.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said. "I'm good to go." She walked up to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"It's going to be fine." She said. "You're going to get a good score and it'll all be over soon."

"What if I don't get Amity?" I asked. "What if I get Dauntless, or Erudite? What if I get nothing? I'll be Factionless!"

"Jacquelyn!" She said, making me stop rambling. "Whatever you get, I will never love you any less. Alright?" I nodded. She hugged me and kissed my forehead. "I love you, sweetheart." We pulled away.

"I love you too, mom." I said. She smiled.

"Has anyone seen my 16-year-old daughter?" I heard someone ask from my doorway. I looked and saw my dad standing there. He chuckled as I smiled. "Mi hija!" He ran over and hugged me. I hugged him back. He pulled back. "I can't believe today's the day of your aptitude test." He started fanning his eyes. "I think I'm starting to tear up."

"She's not leaving us, Ant." My mom said.

"I know." He said. "It's just...I don't want my baby to leave me." He hugged me again.

"Oh, papi." I said. He pulled away.

"Jacquelyn Cruz is the worst sister ever." I heard. I looked to see my older brother standing there. "She hasn't even said hi to me yet." I chuckled as I ran up and hugged him. He hugged back.

"Hello, Mateo." I said as we pulled away.

"Hey, sis." He said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Shouldn't you be in Candor right now?"

"Well, I asked Mr. Kang and he said that I could come to see you off." He said.

"Well, make sure to tell him we thank him." Mom said.

"Got it, mamma." He said, saluting her. We laughed.

"I don't want you to leave." I heard. I looked behind Mateo to see my little brother standing there. I walked over and kneeled down to his height.

"Don't worry, Carlos." I said. "I won't decide if I'm going for another day. I promise. I'll come back home tonight. Okay?" He nodded. I hugged him and he hugged back.

"I love you, Jackie." He said.

"I love you too." I said, rubbing his back.

(Time Skip)

"What are you hoping to get?" Mateo asked me as we walked.

"I don't know." I said.

"Well, you don't have to do what the test says." He said.

"You don't?" I asked.

"No." He said. "The test is more like a...a suggestion, really. For example, I got Erudite, but I wanted to be in Candor. So, I chose what I wanted, not what anyone else did. You don't have to trust the test. You just have to understand what it's telling you." I nodded, looking up at him. Suddenly, I ran into someone. It was a girl from Abnegation. Her bag fell onto the ground.