Life Designed (Life Plan Series Book 1), Eliza Taye [great novels .TXT] 📗

out of bed at once, she slipped on her house shoes and made her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She wanted to look especially nice for her trip to City Hall to submit her Plan.

As she held her hair up in the mirror, then let it down then back again several times, she thought back to how things had gone yesterday. Not long after Garrett had left his house, she’d arrived to walk to class with him like his parents had asked her too. She’d been shocked to discover Garrett had already left and told them he was going by her house to pick her up. It hadn’t taken long for both she and his parents to realize he’d duped them all. In class, she’d sat there staring at his empty seat and wondering where he was. After academy ended, she’d searched everywhere she could think of but couldn’t find him. It wasn’t until 9pm that night that she’d heard from his parents that he had made it home, but refused to say where he’d been.

Shaking away her guesses at where he could have gone, Opal focused on getting ready for the biggest day of her life. Well, the second biggest day. Declaration Day would be the biggest day. Everyone who submitted Life Plans would have highlights from theirs read in front of the entire city. It was never anything sensitive, just what the person planned to be if they wanted to get married and how many children they wanted. If the Declarer had retirement plans what those would be. With so many Declarers to go through, they limited it to 60 seconds apiece.

Opal sighed in satisfaction, dreaming of what it’d be like to hear the words, “Plan Approved” spoken before the entire crowd gathered in front of Declaration Park in the city center. The park was used for only one purpose every year: Declaration Day. Those who couldn’t fit inside the park or wouldn’t be able to attend in person could watch on their sciorbs. An official Taeopian holiday, everyone received Declaration Day off work—even the Undecided.

Compromising with herself, Opal decided on a half-up half-down hairstyle. After showering, getting dressed, and perfecting her hair, she went down the stairs to the kitchen for a quiet breakfast alone.

However, to her shock, her entire family was already waiting downstairs.

“Congratulations, Opal,” shouted Gabrielle, setting off a little confetti popper.

Opal giggled as the confetti rained down upon her head, then hugged her sister. “Thank you, Gabrielle.”

Gabrielle hugged back, grinning wildly. “You’re welcome, big sis.”

“Opal, we’re both so proud of you as well.” Opal’s mom gave her the biggest hug she could muster. “Although your father and I never pushed you on the creation of your Life Plan, I hope you know we both had high hopes for you.”

Opal smiled and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Of course, Mom. I knew you did.”

Her dad clasped her shoulder squeezing softly. He struggled to put into words his feelings of pride in his daughter. Instead, he pulled her in for a hug and said, “Well done, kiddo.”

Laughing, Opal replied, “Thanks, Dad.”

“Well, enough of the hugging. We don’t want the food to go to waste.” Her dad gestured to the table.

“Food?” Opal turned to the table with wide eyes.

Fruit of all kinds were piled in the center along with several different types of meat, cheeses, and bread.

“Did you make all this this morning?” wondered Opal. No way her night owl family members had awoke before her and cooked all this food. They must have stayed up all night.

Gabrielle beamed up at her. “Well, it’s your last full day in our family home. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be a Declarer and go over to college. We won’t get to see you every day or have a breakfast like this again, so…so..”

As Gabrielle’s voice began to break and her lower lip trembled, Opal ducked down for another hug, pulling her sister close. “Don’t worry, Gabrielle. I’ll still come to visit. Besides, most kids with an older sibling going off to become a Declarer would be asking if they could have their room, not upset about it.”

Gabrielle gave a half sniff that sounded more like a snort. “True, but most kids don’t have an amazing older sister like you.”

Opal’s heart warmed at the love from her family. Both her parents remained staring at her with such admiration it melted her heart. Everyone was proud of her and saddened to see her go at the same time. It was like the same faces she’d been given at the children’s shelter in the Undecided sector. She was surrounded by so much love.

With a smile, she sat down to eat with her family, wondering how Garrett’s last day with his family was going.

Garrett stared down at the paper in his hand. He had finally written his Life Plan. Now, all he had to do was submit it and let the fate of his life take its course. Grasping the paper tightly, he read his Plan over and over. This was it. It was now or never. Even though the pre-submitters had the entire day to submit their Life Plans—well, until 6pm, he wanted to get it done and over with before some last-minute desire to make a change or edit made him reconsider.

Shoving his palms against his desk’s edge, his rolling chair sent him backward halfway across the room as the wheels glided across the slick hardwood. Garrett bounced up and strode over to his door, yanking it open. The smell of breakfast wafted into his nostrils from the kitchen downstairs.

Instead of going downstairs, he snuck across the hall into his parent’s office. Flicking the light on, he searched the drawers for a document protector for his Life Plan. It took several drawers of searching, but eventually, he found a professional-looking