I ride the bus with my dad to the Choosing Ceremony and I start to sweat from being so nervous. I still don't know which faction I will choose. I hate to leave my dad all alone. If I stay in Abnegation though, I'll always be pushed around and have to give up everything for other people.

I follow my dad off the bus and I squeeze my hands into fists to try to calm myself around so many people. I'm pushed with all the other Abnegation up the stairs. All the other factions, except Dauntless, take the elevators up to the Choosing Ceremony. Once I get in the room, I find my spot alphabetically with the other eighteen year old initiates.

I stare at the bowls for each faction on the stage. I refuse to look back and attempt to find my dad. It's rare for Abnegation initiates to not choose Abnegation. He is expecting me to choose Abnegation. Do I really want to disappoint him?

This is my choice. I have to do it for me and only for me. What's best for me?

"Welecome," Marcus begins the speech. I solely focus on his words, but the only words that echo in mind are FACTION BEFORE BLOOD. He isn't the one who says it, it's just something I remembered from school.

Each initiate begins to go up and choose their new or continued faction. Too soon I'm on the stage slicing my palm open. I stand to the left and left my blood drip into the faction that is meant to protect.

I'm sorry. The sizzling of coals echoes in mind as I walk away. I refuse to look at my father. I can't.

I stand with the Dauntless initiates until the last person chooses and then follow them as we exit the Choosing Ceremony. We start running down the street as we exit the Hub. I hear a train in the distance and I smirk to myself. I can feel the adrenaline rushing through me and I know I made the right choice. I grab onto the handle of one of the cars and throw myself inside. I try to catch my breath as I softly smile to myself. I watch as other transfer initiates throw themselves into the train. One girl doesn't make it and my smile falters. I glance at a girl beside me from Amity. I tap her on the shoulder to gain her attention.

"We need to sit down or we will fall down." I tell her and we sit down with our backs against the train.

"Thanks. I'm Ember." She grins.

Mallory is too Abnegation. "I'm Rory."

She hugs me quickly and I surprisingly enjoy it. Abnegation don't hug. My grandmother was the only exception. She was an odd ball out in Abnegation before she passed away. I miss her a lot. I can be more like her in Dauntless. She's the one who told me to do what was best for me when choosing a faction when I was little. She told me that my dad would be okay eventually no matter what faction I chose.

"We have to jump!" One of the initiates shouts.

"You want to jump off together?" Ember questions.

I nod and push down my nerves. We stand up and count down before jumping. I love the moment we are suspended in the air. It makes me feel free. We land hard on the roof and I wince, but feel joyous for making it this far. I hear a few screams and try not to focus on the people who didn't make it.

I take off my bulky grey sweater and throw it on the ground. I don't need it anyway. I'll be wearing all black clothes soon. I take my hair out of my bun and some guy whistles at me. I roll my eyes and start walking away. "Guess this Stiff, isn't so stiff after all."

"Hey! I'm Draven, one of your new faction leaders. Several stories below is the entrance to our compound. If you don't jump, you don't belong here. Initiates go first!"

The crowd parts for us. No one is eager to go first so I decide to get the show on the road. It should be a steady flow of jumpers after the first jumper. I glance at Ember and she nods. She'll go after me. I make my way to the ledge I hear scoffs as I go. I roll my eyes and step up onto the ledge. I take a deep breath. Everything will be okay. I'll survive. I jump and all I can hear is the wind rushing around me. I slam into a net that bounces me up and down for a minute. I grin and am rolled off. Someone catches me before I fall off and hit the ground.

A guy holds me steady and immediately releases me. "Name?" He grunts.

"Rory."

"First jumper, Rory!"