You die, I die too

Prologue

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."

― Aristotle

Tomorrow is the day that will determine my future. Tomorrow is the day I take my aptitude test.

My name is Candice Heart and I live in the city of Chicago, where our society is divided into five factions: Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a "perfect society." At the age of eighteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. I myself am from Candor, but you wouldn't think that if you just met me. Despite the clothes, I look like Amity. My mother was from Amity and I loved her to death, but do not mistake me for belonging in Amity. I'm anything but peaceful, just ask anybody at school, they'll tell you everything they think they know about me. You see, I'm kind of the talk of the school. Not that I'm popular or anything like that, I'm kind of a loner. No, I have a reputation of being too forward with things. I don't stand back and let people harass others, I hate bullying. And I will tell you straight to you face what I think, I'm not a coward. I will tell you the truth, and if you can't deal with it than that's not my problem. My motto is "Hurt me with the truth but never comfort me with a lie."

Just like my mother was from Amity, my father transferred from Dauntless. They met during initiation and fell in love, and a few years later they had me. My life was pretty normal until my mother died from an illness when I was twelve. After that, nothing was the same. Dad started drinking and took all his anger out on me. My father is a proud man, and everyone likes him, especially Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite. But they don't know what a sadistic jerk he really is, I'm the only one who knows, and my father has made sure of that. We may be candor, but behind closed doors, well let's just say that's an entirely different story.

This is the story of how I, Candice Heart defied my father, transferred to Dauntless and found my happy place in life. Not to mention, the love of my life. But before I got my happy ending, there was some struggle and I almost died before I even had the chance to live.