Secrets

Chapter 1: Test

{I do not own Divergent, Insurgent, or Allegiant. I am not Veronica Roth, nor am I pretending to be Veronica Roth.}

I wake up to the smell of my mother's pancakes, and roll out of bed, landing hard on the black carpet.

"OUCH." I mumble just loud enough for my mom to ask if I'm okay over the sound of plates clicking together.

I am about to answer her when I remember what today is.

What I'm doing today.

"The test!" I croak.

"Yes sweetie -- Nothing to be nervous about. We all know you have a Candor honest heart."

I shiver and don't answer, sliding open my dresser and pulling on a black short sleeved shirt and fitted white jeans. I run a comb through my hair and brush my teeth before running down the steps into the kitchen.

A note is left by a plate of pancakes prepared the way I've always liked them -- A swirl of whipped cream in the middle, with blueberries on and surrounding the pile of two. I shovel the pancakes into my mouth quickly as I read the note;

"I love you! Don't be worried about the test. I will see you after work, I left the house key on the counter for you."

I, for some reason, keep this note. She leaves them all the time, but I feel attached to it somehow, so I slide it in my pocket with the house key and pull on my sweater. I lock the door on my way out just as the school bus stops in front of my house.

I step into it greeted by squeals.

"LILY!"

"Hey, Ari, Sam." I wave to them and slide into one of the seats in front of them and turn around.

"Aren't you excited! Today is the.. You know, the test." says Sam, looking at me giddily.

This sends Ariana into a fit of babbles.

"I'm SO excited even though I already know I'm a Candor. You know, I just can't wait to start my future. I wonder if Seth is going to stay in Candor. I hope so. Can't you just see us togeth-"

"Ari. Calm it. Anyways, Lil, wanna go shopping the day after Choosing Day?"

The day after choosing day.

They're so sure they'll stay here, that they're already making plans. They've been my best friends my whole life. I would hate to leave them.

I cough quietly and pull my thumbs into the holes I made for them in my sweater.

"Sure. Of course."

"Wait... You ARE planning to stay in Candor, right?!" Ariana says, a little too loudly.

Thankfully the bus saves me by screeching to a stop in front of the school. I watch the Dauntless leap off the train and run into the school. I hear the first bell and grab my bag, saying goodbye quickly and running to class.

The day began normal, just like any other day. At lunch I feel so sick I can't eat, so I don't. I just sit, waiting for what's to come.

They've already started calling kids in, and I realize they could call me any minute now. My chest feels heavy as I wait, checking my watch every so often. Three minutes. Seven minutes. Then I feel a light tap on my shoulder. An elder Abnegation woman stands before me, and says delicately,

"Are you Lily? Lily Walker?"

I nod and she beckons me into a room.

I sit on a chair in a room that seems full of lights, and the chair reclines without warning.

"Oh, sorry dear. These darn chairs."

She mumbles about the Erudite spending all of the city's money on research as she prepares what I assume will be jabbed into my neck.

"This," she says, referring to the needle, "will go into your neck. Then the stimulation will begin. Any questions?"

I shake my head.

"Okay, then. Good luck," she says as she leans toward me, inserting the needle into my neck.

Everything is black. Then a table with a block of cheese and a knife on it appears before me.

"Choose one."

"Wh-"

"Choose one."

I take a few moments to think, before deciding on the knife since it would do me better in a situation of defense. Everything around me changes and I am standing before a dog. A growling dog.

I should have chosen the cheese. The dog looks like my dog I grew up with. The sight of him brings back to many memories..

I raise my arm so that the knife separates me and the dog.

"BACK!!" I scream, causing the dog to back away and begin to whimper.

It calms down, and stands, staring at me blankly. I lower my knife.

"Good dog."

A small girl appears next to me. The dog approaches the child, snarling and snapping.

I jump in front of the girl, pointing my knife in front if me once again. The dog continues to approach and I decide I need to take drastic measures, not only to protect the girl, but to protect myself. I bend my knees and say behind my shoulder quickly,

"Kid. Run."

I tackle the dog, and everything stops. I now appear to be on the bus. I grab the pole next to me instinctively and look around. A man next to me reading the newspaper turns and looks straight at me.

"Do you know this guy?"

He points to another man pictured as a murderer on the newspaper. I look closely at the picture. I do recognize the man, but I don't know where from.

I freeze as my Candor instincts kick in. I want to tell him the truth, but I feel like it would be dangerous to do so. I think and think and think, for who knows how long. The man looks at me expectantly.

"Well? Do you?"

I hesitate.

"No." I say as casually as I can, looking away.

"You're lying. Yes, you do know him."

"Nuh-uh. Sorry."

"Please. You can save me."

He looks into my eyes desperately.

"I'm sorry, Sir."

I wake up in the testing room. I've never, ever, been that relieved to see such bright lights.

I look at the Abnegation woman and say in a shaky voice,

"That was almost as bad as the truth serum!"

She chuckles and looks through notes she seemed to have taken, and scrolls and types on a computer for what seems like forever.

"Now, Lily. You shocked me there. You bravely handled that dog. Very, very, bravely. And when the little girl appeared, you could've handled it the Abnegation way, but you saved yourself, and the girl, so that too counts as an act of bravery. However, the fact that you didn't harm the dog in any way suggests Amity, but you chose the knife over the cheese so that is ruled out." I let out a small sigh. "What surprised me the most, was on the bus, you, a Candor raised girl, lied."

"I... lied."

"You did."

"So, my result is.."

"Your result," she sighs, with a flicker in her eye, "your result is dauntless."