Here is chapter four. Chapter five will be out tomorrow or Wednesday.

I slam the alarm clock off my table to stop the horrid beeping. I open my eyes and sigh as I see the broken alarm clock on the ground. That is the fourth clock this month. I get up out of bed, and I go to my bathroom to get ready for the day. My first stop is the mirror. I put my long, brown hair up into a messy bun on the top of my head. I then take a cold shower to wake myself out of my sleepy haze. After I get out of the shower, I go to my closet and pick out my outfit for today. I put on a black shirt with black biker shorts and black combat boots. I also put on my defenders symbol. The defenders symbol is a necklace with an arrow on it. The arrow points up towards the sky.

I walk out of my room and run right into my younger sister, Astrid.

"Watch it. It may be your 16th birthday, but that doesn't mean you get to push me around," says my sister, irritated.

"Sorry, Astrid. I didn't see you there."

"It's fine. I hope you stay in Defenders."

"I hope so too."

After I get outside, I realize I forgot my tablet in my room.

I sigh, frustrated, and run back inside. I grab my tablet from my bedside table and go back outside.

I check today's schedule.

Today my schedule is:

8:00-9:00 Breakfast

9:00-11:00 Online class

11:00-12:00 Lunch

12:00-2:00 Workout

2:00-3:00 Training

3:00-5:00 Online class

5:00-7:00 Family time

7:00-7:30 Ranking

7:30-10:00 Aletta news

10:00 Bed

I have three active hours today, so I decide I don't need to run this morning. I check my watch. It is seven in the morning, so I decide to go on a walk around the Defenders Province before breakfast.

I first walk to my friend Genevieve's house to see if she wants to walk with me.

I knock on her door, and she comes outside.

"Hi Dia, happy birthday. I hope you stay in Defenders."

"Me too, Genna. Come on let's go."

Genna is a week older than I am, and she stayed in the defender rank.

Genna and I walk for an hour before I go to breakfast.

"Bye Genna," I say as I leave her house.

I run back to my house in time for breakfast.

"Hey Mom, Dad, Astrid, I'm back."

"Good morning and happy birthday Lydia," my father says.

"Thanks Dad."

I go over and hug him. I then go to my spot at the table and start eating my breakfast.

"So Lydia, do you have anything exciting on your schedule today?" My mom asks me.

"I have a two hour workout then an hour of training afterwards."

"That sounds fun."

I finish eating then I go outside with my holoprojector.

I look at the work I need done and decide to get done with my English and History, and I can do my favorite class tonight.

I start with English. I have to write an essay about my rank, and my favorite thing about my rank. I start by researching the Defenders rank, and then I start on my prewriting. I finally decide on what to put in my essay, and I start writing it. It takes me an hour to finish writing my essay, and then I turn it in on my holoprojector. Next, I work on my history work. I have to take notes on a chapter of my textbook. I finish that in half an hour which gives me another half an hour of free time.

I go to my room to grab a book. I pick out a book from my shelf. It is called the Selection. It is written by an author named Keira Cass. It is one of my favorite series.

I go back outside with my book, and I sit and read for half an hour before it is time to go inside for lunch.

I go to the table, and my mom comes out of the kitchen with a plate of sandwiches. My dad is following her with a bowl of fruit. My sister finally comes out with a pitcher of lemonade. We all start serving each other. My sister and I are pouring the drinks. My mom is passing out sandwiches to each of us. My dad is spooning some fruit onto each of our plates. Finally, when everything is served, we all sit back down and start eating.

"Lydia, are you ready for your ranking tonight?" My dad asks me.

"Yes, I am. I am so excited and really nervous."

"You will be put in what's best for you, and you will do well in anything."

"Thanks Dad."

I finish my lunch, and I go outside again to start my workout. I start by stretching, so I don't hurt myself. It is important to stretch before doing any physical activity. I bend down to touch my toes. I feel my back pop, and it feels amazing to finally stretch. After a thorough hour long stretch I move on to some ab work, so when I get to my hour of training I can just train. I do crunches and sit-ups for an hour before I go to my training room.

I go into my training room and grab my knives. The weight feels natural in my hands. I have been training with knives since I was ten. I have perfect accuracy when I throw them, and I can do even more in close combat. I first walk up to the target area, so I can practice throwing. I start a training simulation and start practicing. I get a perfect score three times in a row before stopping and moving on. Next, I go to the close combat training area, so I can improve my hand-to-hand combat. After I finish, I look at my watch to see I have half an hour left. I pick up a bow from the weapons table and check the weight. I start training with the bow. It is best when you can use multiple weapons. I spend fifteen minutes with the bow before I go to take a shower.

After my shower, I go to get my holoprojector, so I can finish the rest of my work.

I go back outside to work on my classes. I only have math and science left, so I get to work on those. I start with math. I have to work on a hundred problems. It seems like a lot, but it actually isn't I get through them in an hour. I start working through the first half of the problems. It is pretty easy. I get through them pretty quickly before I start working on the second half of the problems. The next set of fifty problems are a little bit harder, but they are still pretty easy. I finish in about an hour, and I start on my science work. Today my science lesson is about DNA and the different chromosomes that are found in the DNA. I work on my science stuff for an hour before family time. After that, I go back inside to the kitchen to help my parents set the table.

I bring out a pot of soup and set it on a coaster on the table. I go back to the kitchen and grab the silverware we need for tonight. I set a knife, fork, and spoon at each spot. I then grab the glasses from the kitchen and fill each one up with lemonade from earlier. After I finish, I sit down at my spot. I wait for my parents and my sister to get to the table. When they do, we all start serving each other the different parts of the meal. We all eat and talk about the rumors that have been going around Aletta. We heard from another defender family that the princess was placed in a different rank and an adventurer girl was to be the next royal. I don't believe any of the rumors because one they are rumors and two that has never happened before. That wouldn't happen now after almost a hundred years of rankings. We finish dinner and go outside.

When we all get outside, my parents start a small fire, so my sister and I can roast marshmallows. My sister and I run around playing tag like we used to. I trip over a root and fall to the ground. I start laughing really hard, and my sister starts laughing too. Our joy is interrupted when an official walks up to us with my letter. I get up off the ground and take it from him.

"Thank you," I say, trying to be respectful.

"Happy birthday Miss."

He leaves, and I open my letter.

"What does it say, Dia?" My sister asks.

"Dear Miss Castellanos,

Happy 16th birthday. We have looked at all of your work, and we have taken what you are good at into account for your ranking. We are glad to inform you that you have been placed in the researchers rank. On Friday two officials will come to collect you for your new life. You will be trained in the research province with the other new researchers. You will be trained in looking for cures for the incurable disease that has taken many lives. Congratulations on your ranking.

Sincerely,
The Government of Aletta."

"I'm not a defender anymore. I thought I would be a defender."

"You will do so well as a researcher, Lydia. No matter what rank you get we will always be proud of you," my dad says hugging me.

"Thanks Dad."

I then realize something.

"I need to tell Genevieve. She needs to know that I won't be in the same rank as her."

I run to Genevieve's house and knock on her door.

Genevieve opens the door right away.

"Lydia, did you get your rank?"

"That is what I am here about. I got moved to research. I wanted to say goodbye. I will miss you so much."

"Oh Lydia, I will miss you too. I also have to tell you something. I have discovered I have feelings for someone."

"Who is it?"

"It's you. I love you, but now we can't be together because you are being placed in a new rank and-"

I cut her off with a quick kiss.

"I love you too. I will find a way to make this work. I promise."

"How you know it is illegal to be with someone outside of your rank."

"I think there is something wrong with the ranking, and I want to fix it."

"Please be careful."

"I promise."

I run back to my house with a smile on my face.

"What made you so happy?" My mom asks me.

"Nothing, Genna just talked me out of my funk about this."

"Okay Dia."

I go to my room to change into my pajamas. I grab a loose top and some comfortable shorts. I quickly get changed and I go back into the living room to watch the news with my family.

"Anything interesting tonight?" I ask my parents.

"No, same old same old. Nothing worth watching tonight," my dad says.

I sit down between my parents and watch the news with them for an hour before I decide to go and pack my bag for my new life.

I make a quick stop by the training room to grab my knives. I don't want to leave them because they were specially made for me. I get to my room and take out my special bag. I chose this bag because there is a hidden compartment in it that no one can find except for me. I finish packing my bag, and then I go to bed, ready for whatever my new life brings.

This took me a while to write.

Thank you for reading,
Asya Esenia Romanova-Barnes