If this is the case, in my opinion, you should start with networking. Learn about TCP/IP, the protocols, how they interact with one another and get as much in-depth knowledge of networks as you can. This is a very useful and free resource -
http://www.tcpipguide.com/ . You can do your research for some more.
Learning linux will be a great idea and I'm sure you are going to have a lot of fun with it. In my opinion, this is essential. Knowing the ins and outs of linux will give you a big push forward.
Learning to code at least a little bit is the next part. Programming/scripting knowledge is a must. You may not need to become a programmer if you don't want to but it is quite easy these days. You can pick up Python and bash(for example) without much trouble. There are a lot of resources on the web. If you are completely new I would suggest you check out coursesa and the Python class they have from Rice university.
As a whole, becoming a pen tester(or any type of hacker for that matter) generally requires having a wide variety of abilities. A vast skill set in networking, operating systems and programming is required. If you want to do this for a living, it's not a bad idea to work a few years in IT to build up experience and learn how systems work. It is absolutely essential to understand this stuff because you have to exploit it. You can't protect or hack something if you don't know what it is and how it works. How you choose to gain this knowledge is up to you. The important thing is to have it. You may find better ways than those I have suggested.
Getting started with those things will not be that hard as there is a lot of material. Just don't get ahead of yourself and be patient. It is going to take time. Loading up Kali linux and running tools mindlessly might make you feel like a hacker but this is a false sense of accomplishment. Take the time to learn step by step(that would be learning linux first in this example).
When you get a little ahead in these areas and some others I haven't mentioned, I can tell you a ton of great books and if you hang around in here, there are a lot of knowledgable members you can learn from. One step at a time
I hope this helps. In case you need something more specific I will be happy to help with what I can.
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