CONVERGENT - [Divergent] ADOPTED

Chapter Three

[GERTRUDE]

If I had any coherent thoughts as I made my way home, I couldn't process them.

Danger. Divergent. Dead. Danger. Dead. Danger. Danger. Dead. Divergent.

I can't be, no. There has to be some kind of mistake, but I know there isn't. Something deep inside me always knew. I just hadn't even known, thought, or begun to comprehend the elaborate turn that my life would take.

My mind wandered back to the conversation that had taken place in the mirrored room.

A worried look crossed his features. His red shirt and yellow pants gave him a look that said nothing but kind and gentle. But the way he looked at anything and everything, he genuinely looked happy. Except for right now.

"Are you okay?" I asked, the first thing that came to mind. Although I was very worried for my results, maybe he wasn't okay.

His gaze snapped up to mine. "I am fine; I am worried for you."

"Me? Why? What were my results?" I am very unaccustomed to having any focus on me, whatsoever.

He paused, he seemed unwilling to say anything. It was a while before he said anything. "They were...inconclusive."

"Inconclusive?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes, meaning that...the test could not eliminate four factions. It could only remove three."

"Meaning?" I risked asking.

"You're what they call.... Divergent."

I repeated the unfamiliar word. "What does that mean?"

"You... you're not just a part of one faction, but two. Abnegation and Dauntless. And if it wasn't for that lie at the end, you would've gotten Candor as well."

I remembered what lie he was talking about. It was to a little girl, she asked if I'd be okay, I'd said yes, to calm her as I walked into the line of fire. I'd died for her; I'd said that because she seemed distressed. I didn't want her to worry about me, or live with that guilt.

"So... What do I do tomorrow?"

"I'm manually entering your results as Abnegation, stay in your faction. If you go to Dauntless, they'll find out about you there."

"Who? Who's after me? Why?"

"I don't know for certain. But you must proceed with caution. You can't tell anyone, friends, family, no one. You can't trust anyone. Keeping this secret is the difference between life and death."

Death? "But I can trust you?"

He nodded. "I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you," I gave him a small smile. "Thank you for your help."

"It's my pleasure." He returned my smile, but his seemed strained. "Now, I'll tell them you felt sick so I let you out the back. Go straight home, you have a lot to think about."

"Thank you, again." I got off the chair and he walked me to the back door I hadn't seen before.

"Good luck, you'll need it."

It started to rain, but I didn't bother going under cover. I let the rain soak me to the bone. Instead of going straight home, I took an altered route to a factionless area. I've met some people there, and generally, they're really nice, kind and generous. Although, they're still angry at the fact that they can't fit into our world and have been kicked out instead of having a chance.

There's a young mother, Claire, she has a fourteen-year-old daughter, Ava. She wishes, more than anything, that they'd let her daughter take the aptitude test, so she'd have a chance at fitting in, moving into our world. But it's not possible. Just like she tried getting her into the school, although she was a little nervous about that. Considering they would know she's factionless, she'd be a target.

Claire became factionless because she stood up for a Candor citizen. She was from Amity, but doing so, she resorted to blows, against everything. She said that she couldn't stand by and watch the innocent fall any longer. And they took it as a direct betrayal. But she said that it was worth it. He comes and goes, makes sure that she and her daughter are as okay as they can be. But he can't do anything more. Not without raising suspicions.

I made it to their block and walked up to their door, knocking loudly.

"Coming!" A moment later, the door opened to Claire's familiar face. She smiled when she saw me. "Miss Gertrude. What a surprise! Shouldn't you be in school?" Claire tried to scowl but couldn't.

"Hey, Claire. It was the aptitude test today, I left early."

"Oh, that's right! It's that time of the year! Come in, come in."

I walked into the familiar apartment and took a seat on one of the only pieces of furniture. Since they're factionless, they don't get the housing like we do. They make their own homes and find all the pieces that they can, creating a somewhat homey feel.

"So, how'd it go?" Claire asked.

"Um, yeah. Okay." I tried to sound fine. "Um, here's some food." I got up, removing my pouch from my shoulder putting it down on the table – if you can call it that. It's a flat-ish piece of wood held up by square-shaped pieces of anything from wood to plastic, to try and keep it high enough and steady enough.

"Thanks, dear. We really appreciate it." She smiled, taking the food out of my bag, into a box. "So, tell me, what did you get?"

"I'm not allowed to say, I'm sorry, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. But surely the rules don't apply to factionless, now does it?" Claire smiled innocently.

"I don't know, but I'm still not saying. I'm sorry, Claire. But I will say, I'm trying to decide whether to stay, or go."

"What does your head say?"

"Stay."

"And your heart?"

I sighed. I know what my heart says, but the way they're raging against each other I'm not sure what to do. I can't lie, even my soul yearns to go, to go and explore all that life has to offer.

"Gertrude?"

"It says to go."

Claire smiled sadly. "Then go."

"But my family, what about them? I can't leave them. And what about you? Who will bring you food?"

"Your family will always love you, no matter what. They'd want you to follow your heart. And Ava and I will be fine, we'll live and there are always more Abnegation that'll help us out."

I sighed. "I suppose you're right."

Claire smiled again. "I'm always right." She laughed. I couldn't help but smile.

A/N: What do you think?? Any good? Bad? Needs work? 

Lots of love!

~wolf-gabby23

[edited]