The Other Prior: Candice Prior || Divergent Fanfiction

Chapter 2: Different

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Tori and I have agreed what I am to do in order to stay safe. Or rather, Tori told me what to do and I agreed. She explained to me that no divergent was safe. She told me how Dauntless and Erudite are looking for divergents. And killing them.

We came up with a plan: I am to go home early, saying that I got sick, which wouldn't be straying that far from the truth seeing as I threw up all over Tori's shoes somewhere after I told her to log my results as anything other than Abnegation, but before she ushered me out the door looking extremely annoyed. She would manually log my results. I don't know what she logged it as in the end, but I know she didn't log it as Abnegation. I walk the streets back to my house in the Abnegation side of the city, hoping to reach home late enough that I don't need to spend much time alone with my thoughts. The sidewalks and roads get less and less refined as I walk farther and farther away from the Hub, the center of the city, my city. I walked straight past the factionless, not stopping to give them the extra bread in my backpack as my faction mandates I must. A shudder escapes me involuntarily as I pass them. The factionless are the section of people who have either not succeeded in their chosen faction or were kicked out. The live even farther from the city than the Abnegation, doing the jobs no one else wants to do for a living. I'm staring at them harder than I intended when I suddenly realize that they didn't belong. They didn't belong in the faction they chose. Are they divergents? Is this where I'm going to end up? A janitor depending upon the Abnegation for food? I pick up my pace, walking straight past them, hoping, and praying that I don't become one of them.

I reach my small, two-story gray house in the afternoon. I pull out the key, knowing the house would be empty, with the help of my watch. My mother is at a food drive, to collect food for the factionless. My younger brother and sister are still at school, and my dad is at work. I hear the lock click as the I turn the key in the keyhole. I open the door and slowly let myself in, trying not to fall as I stumble into the living room, my head dizzy with the developments of today. I drop my bag on the sofa, fully knowing it would earn me a reprimand later today and walk unsteadily up the stairs and to my room. A million questions are whirling in my mind, and I'm unable to answer any of them. Tori, refused downright to speak of my divergence for one more moment after she had instructed me how to keep myself under the radar.

What is divergent?

Why can't I tell anyone?

What is happening?

What do I do tomorrow?

Tomorrow is the choosing ceremony, and the aptitude test was no help whatsoever. I still have to make a choice which will affect the rest of my life in 24 hours, and I still have no idea what to do.

The test ruled out Abnegation and Dauntless.

I can't believe it. It doesn't make sense. How can the test rule out the two factions I feel most connected to?

The test results leave me with Candor (Again, what the hell?!), Amity, and Erudite. I rule out Candor by myself, because I am not a Candor, despite what the test says. Amity and Erudite are left.

The problem is, I don't feel a strong pull towards either of the two. I don't hate either one, my dad dislikes Erudite, but I don't hate either of them. I don't understand what happened. I don't understand how I got the results I got. And I don't understand what to do with the choice which will affect the rest of my life.

"Di! Honey are you home? One of your classmates told me you went home sick" My mom's voice echoes through the house. Her choice of words and tone immediately tell me that she is alone. She would never publicly call me "Di" – Nicknames are a violation of Abnegation's rules. My mom is the perfect Abnegation, except with me. It feels like I bring out the human side of her. I've always felt that Abnegation, selfless as they are, are cold. inhuman even – How can you connect with someone that isn't supposed ti have any personality?

"Di?" My mom's voice echoes through the house again, this time more worried and urgent.

"Yeah mom, I'm here. The serum made me sick, so my administrator sent me straight home." I say, as Tori and I discussed.

"Okay," she says, appearing in the doorway of my room. "Do you need anything? I can make some soup." She asks, Abnegation as ever. She doesn't ask about my test. Curiosity is as good as a sin in Abnegation, and there are some traits you can't forgo, even with the people you trust most, I suppose.

"No, mom, I don't need anything. I'm fine, thank you" I say snappishly. My head is pounding, I'm not able to think straight.

She leaves me, even though I want her to stay. To yell at me for snapping at her. To do something to distract me, but prying, even to save your own daughter from going insane is banned in Abnegation.

+++

It is dark outside, and my family is gathered around the dinner table like it is another normal day. I pick at my food, but nobody seems to notice. My father is talking to mother in hushed tones about his work and about Erudite. My mother, while listening to my father, is also telling Bea to eat her one-month-old-half-frozen peas. Bea, totally ignoring my mother, talks to Lebby about school. For a few minutes, to an outside observer, we would seem like a normal family. Until the observer realizes that every time a dish is asked to be passed there is almost a competition to see who passes it first. Until that observer realizes that everyone wears only gray. Until that observer realizes that this is not a normal family, but an Abnegation one. And nothing is normal about an Abnegation family.

"We are going to clear the plates today. Candice, you have a big decision to make, so as our faction dictates, we will leave you tonight, to be with your thoughts." My father says.

It takes a great amount of effort not to cry out in frustration, not to slam my plate on the table and yell and scream that nobody understands. Because nobody does. Nobody understands what it is like to have the test which is supposed to give you direction make you feel even more lost. Nobody understands what it's like for expected comfort to turn into pain. Nobody understands that one more minute of being with my thoughts would lead to my brain exploding.

I sigh deeply, trying to compose myself. "Yes father." I say, as calmly as I can manage. I rise slowly, trying to hide my shaking limbs from the rest of my family as I push my chair in and walk up the stairs leading to the upstairs bedrooms. I hear my family resume their after-dinner chatter. My dad begins doing the dishes, even though tonight was supposed to be my turn, and my siblings begin helping him, not thinking about the other fun things they could be doing instead.

"Di" My mom says quietly, as though scared someone would hear her. "My choosing was a challenge as well, everybody wanted me to choose... Well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that your choice tomorrow has to be yours. Because we, that is to say your father and I don't have to live with what you choose. You do. It's your life, choose for you. Just remember: we love you, no matter what." She says, before turning and heading back down the stairs to help her husband with the dishes. Her words give me strength, but I'm not sure what they give me strength for.

Defying my dad? Choosing Erudite?

Choosing safety with Amity?

Not choosing at all?

It feels as though the very ground upon which I stand is shaking. I may not know a lot, but I do know one thing:

I am different.

Guys, I've decided I'll post twice every week, so please be on a lookout! I want to know what you guys think, any ideas for the story, so be sure to let me know in the comments!!! Vote if you liked what you read!!