A New Life

Chapter 2: Choosing Ceremony

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS, THEY BELONG TO THE VERY TALENTED VERONICA ROTH.

I stood outside with my mother and Marcus, the devil himself, waiting for Caleb and his parents. We agreed yesterday that we would go to the ceremony together, and of course my mother thought it was a lovely idea. Caleb finally came out of his house in his normal attire, gray pants, a gray long sleeve and a gray, baggy jacket. That's what most wear within Abnegation. He shook my mother and father's hand then hugged me. He's tall, a lot taller than me, as well as strong. After we made the normal chit chat, asking how everyone was to be polite, Caleb said his parents had already left to go to the Hub. The Hub was the largest building in the city, you could easily see it from where we live. The four of us head to the bus and climb on. We do the selfless thing by standing and allowing others to occupy the empty seat throughout the bus.

We arrive at the Hub and begin the long journey up the stairs with the fellow members of our faction. Once we actually arrive to the room the ceremony will be held in, twenty flights of stairs later, I can't help but think of the last time I was here. It was two years ago for my brothers choosing. I can still remember the way he looked at me after letting his blood drip into another bowl. I couldn't help but let the tears stream down my face that day, I know it was selfish of me to want him to stay when he would probably be happy elsewhere, but still he's my brother and I love him. He was all I had. It is sectioned off by factions around the room we currently stand in, and I don't try to stop letting my mind wonder if he is here. I walk along side my parents and Caleb to the Abnegation section and greet Caleb's parents with a small, kind nod. I then hug my mother she whispers to me that she will always love me. Caleb and I walk across the room to join the other members of our age group leaving our parents behind possible for the last time.

Right before the ceremony begins Celeb and I talk quietly and say our goodbyes. I lean on my toes and wrap my arms around his broad shoulder hugging him.

"You know I have to leave." I whisper in his ear.

"Do whatever you have to Bea, I will support and love you no matter what." He whispers back wrapping his arms around me as well. I have to fight the sting behind my eyes threatening to flow out onto my cheeks as he pulls away and puts his hands on my shoulder. He then slowly leans down and kissed my cheek letting his lips linger, public signs of affection aren't common in Abnegation, however that never stopped Caleb and I from showing our love for each other in simple embraces.

"I love you too Caleb, blood or not you will always be a brother to me." I say and throw my arms around him again. I feel his strong arms against my back, and I have to keep reminding myself not to let the tears fall, I can't show weakness. We pull apart for good but before we separate completely he promises to visit me on visiting day. Our age group gets in alphabetical order as I look towards the center of the room at the five bowls, one representing each faction, each of our choices. Stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, soil for Amity, coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor, on the front of each bowl is a faction symbol. Two hands, an eye, a tree, flames, and the scales. The ceremony is opened with a speech from Marcus, which I don't really listen too. Then one by one Marcus calls names and a sixteen year old, soon to be initiate, walks up, grabs a knife and drops their blood in one of the five bowls. I listen to the faction called out but not so much to the name of my peers making the choice, Amity, Candor, Abnegation, and so on. That is until a familiar name catches my ear.

"Caleb Prior!" Marcus calls Caleb from the back of the line a few behind myself. As he passes me he touches my hand, the small gesture would go unnoticed by many, but to me it's to say goodbye before we go our separate ways. He walks up and takes his knife from Marcus' hands, he slides it across his palm then lets his blood collect in his hand in a deep crimson pool. He then holds his hand out over a bowl. Not the bowl of smooth gray stones, but instead he drips his blood into Erudite's water.

I know Caleb was smart but he was also so selfless I never imagined him in another faction. I see him look to me once again and smile, I smile back and he goes to join the sea of blue to be lost within them. There weren't many others called between Caleb and I, and it was soon my turn to make the choice that would decide the rest of my life. I heard my name escape my father's lips and slightly cringed at how many times he's used that name against me, how many times he told me I was worthless, that I didn't belong in his faction. Well he was right about one thing, I am not selfless. I walked to the front, took my knife and looked to Marcus facing him for a final time. I then walked to the bowls in the middle of the room and poked my hand with the blade, it stung more that I thought but it was bearable, and nothing compared to the pain I've endured in my own home. I stood there for a second. Should I go to Erudite to be with Caleb, I hadn't really thought about following him, but life without Caleb sounded depressing and scary, we have never been apart, we're inseparable. I also look to the other bowls. I saw the stones and thought of my mother, and felt the sting behind my eyes return, I hate to leave her with that monster. Then there's Dauntless. I could be free from my past and start a new life, a new me. I held out my hand and let my blood drip. I heard the sizzle of the coal in the silent room. The silence however didn't last long. The room erupted, Dauntless cheered and yelled, while the other factions gasped and whispered in shock as I walked to join my new faction, my new life.

AN: Here's a new chapter of A New Life, sorry it's kinda short. I hope you enjoyed it and continue reading, I promise it does get better later on. Please comment and vote, thank you, and until next week.