Two Parts Of A Whole~A Divergent Group Story

I run my fingers though my hair; it's long, dark, and wavy. Just like my sister. Regina and I were twins. We weren't identical, we were similar in some aspects in our appearance but dead different in others, like height.

I don't know if this trait made me feel like I had to protect her. Well yes, though that's not the main reason. Regina was trusting, innocent, kind, she saw the pure goodness in people. Something I try to do but struggle with.

Anyways I am playing with my hair, pretending to read the book in front of me. I really don't want to read about math, it's annoying. However our faction dictates all of our behavior, we don't have a personal preference; and since I am in Erudite, math it is.

"I wish they would just call me already!" I am throughly annoyed by now. I don't want to try to understand, whatever this was before my Aptitude Test! Regina understands my expression and lightly touches my arm in warning. I've been known to explode.

I look over at the other groups of people. My eyes skim over the Abnega-Stiffs. I remind myself this firmly. Our faction also dictates our thoughts. Though, it wasn't only the Erudite that called them that. I bristle at the Amity playing hand games. I don't know why, maybe it was envy at their freedom.

My eyes last longer at the group of Candor in a debate. Unlike a lot of my faction members who avoid the Candor's and their frankness, I find it refreshing. The Erudite are manipulative and hide it behind big words and complex equations.

I skim the Dauntless; not like I did with the Abnegation, which was out of boredom more than anything. The Dauntless are so alien from my clean, dull world of books. They aren't somber like the Abnegation, they don't have a polite laugh like the Amity, they don't speak in hushed tones like us, they are loud and free and different. It's hard to adjust to it.

"What," Eric asks smirking. "Calculus isn't good enough for you Esmeralda?"

I sigh and slump down in my seat. People have wondered how me and Eric were even friends. I mean he was ruthless, that was undeniable. However he was also a good friend, at least to me. And he was my best friend, much to Regina's despair. Eric made her edgy.

"Eric I can't understand it. It's just difficult." He grins and pulls my book away from me. He looks at it staring it down. "This is baby stuff Esmeralda, and you call yourself an Erudite."

I pull my book back and close it with a snap. "I said no such thing," I told him with a glare. I've been working on it. I'm saved from having to say more. An Abnegation volunteer is calling the next batch of us.

I don't know any of the other names from the other factions but I do know Regina and Esmeralda Greè. Eric grabs my wrist as I am leaving. "Good luck," is all he says before letting go. I swallow the lump in my throat, my hands suddenly clammy. I'm nervous. What if I end up being stuck here?

I shake my head as if to clear the thoughts that have formed. I ought to day something, thank Eric. Maybe wish him luck too. Instead I let my brilliance show and say the fateful words; "you have a coffee stain on your shirt".

Then I turn on my heel a blush forming on my cheeks. Really? Did I really just say that? Did I say it as a thank you? God, I can't get Erudite, all I have to do is let my mouth start and it's all over.

Then a dark, dismal, thought starts to loom over me. What if I fail this test? What if I don't have an aptitude for any faction? Would I be forced to go and live with the factionless, without even trying to pass a factions initiation? What would my parents say?

I usually look out for Regina, I see myself as the stronger one. However I am the one deathly white right now, and Regina is steadying me. "Did Eric say something?"

Regina can see the good in everybody, except for Eric. I've heard the stories about him, but I've never actually witnessed the malice. I don't believe he is capable of such things. Sure, Eric was undoubtably dropped on the head more than a few times as a baby, but he wasn't evil.

I shake my head no, which was a bad choice. The room was spinning enough already. Regina grabs my arm and steadies me. She also leads me towards the Abnegation lady. "What is it then?" She sounds worried.

"Aptitude test," I say as we inch closer and closer to, if I was melodramatic I would say, doom. Regina laughs, her light airy laugh. "You will do fine," she exclaims. "What's the worst that can happen?"

Everything, I think, always a pessimist. I think Regina knows I am thinking that because she smiles at me in the fashion of our mother. Except her smile is warmer than mom's.

The we are led separate ways. Regina waves back at me a silent 'good luck' lingering in the air. I force myself to give her a thumbs up. I hope she understood I meant that as thanks and as a way to wish her luck too.

Now lets get this test over with.