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

caught sight of Simon Smunkle. Quirking her eyebrows in surprise; she hadn’t expected to see him at all.

“Don’t worry, Opal,” encouraged Crystal, “he’ll be here soon. I’m sure. And if I see him, I’ll send him your way.”

Opal knew Crystal meant well, but if she told her not to worry one more time, she was going to lose it and worry even more. As Crystal walked away to Opal’s relief, she increased her pacing back and forth, crossing her arms and nervously tapping her fingers against her upper arm.

“Opal, dear, I’m so excited for you and all of your classmates today. I will admit though, I am most excited to read yours and the confirmation of your acceptance of course.” Mrs. Steinworth came up to Opal with a smile, a clipboard in her hand.

Per tradition, the homeroom teachers for each student during their pre-submission year would be reading the notice of acceptance or denial along with the highlight of the student’s Life Plan.

“Thank you, Mrs. Steinworth.”

Scanning over the students already gathered, her long hooked nose pointing skyward, Mrs. Steinworth asked, “Where is your friend, Mr. Gibbons?”

Sighing, Opal stopped tapping her fingers against her arm and opened her mouth to respond when Mrs. Steinworth added, “Ah, there he is. Mr. Gibbons!”

Eyes flashing to where Mrs. Steinworth faced, Opal saw Garrett moving through the crowd with a similar expression to the one he wore yesterday. With concerned eyes, she watched him as Mrs. Steinworth’s impatient gesturing for him to hurry up increased.

“Come on, Mr. Gibbons, we don’t have all day. I’m going to start lining you up by alphabetical order in a few minutes.” Without another word, Mrs. Steinworth left Opal and Garrett standing there alone.

Opal wanted to speak first but didn’t know what to say. She’d gone to Garrett’s house last night to talk to him, but his mom said he wasn’t agreeing to see anyone—not even Opal. She had been worried that she’d gone too far when she gave him an earful at the library. Based on his refusal to see her, she guessed it was true. The two of them had rarely fought to the point where they weren’t speaking. To hear that he didn’t want to see her hurt more than she cared to admit.

“Hi, Opal,” mumbled Garrett, at first looking down at the grass, but then his gaze rose to meet hers.

“Hey, Garrett.” Opal watched him closely. She could discern his melancholy from yesterday had continued into today, but it’d been marred by something else. Hope?

“Guess you’re the lucky one. You’ll have your Life Plan read aloud first.”

Opal chuckled nervously. “Yeah, I do, but I’m nervous as can be.”

Garrett pulled the corner of his mouth up into a small smile. “Don’t be. You have this in the bag, Opal. You’ve been preparing for this your entire life. You know your Plan is going to be approved and the highlights of your Plan won’t be longer than 60 seconds. If you get too nervous, think of some of the shenanigans I’ve pulled in the past. It’ll make you laugh for longer than the 60 seconds you’ll be onstage.”

“Garrett, I’m not sure laughing on stage in front of thousands of people when your future plans are being read aloud is the best thing.”

“Eh, yeah, maybe not. Anyway, you probably won’t laugh because your nervousness will prevent it, but the thought will cheer you up.”

Opal smiled. “True, I’m sure it will.”

“Okay, my students, start lining up by last name now. I want the A’s over here and then all the way down the line until you get to the Z’s,” instructed Mrs. Steinworth.

Opal started to join the line of students lining up, then looked over her shoulder at Garrett. “Good luck out there.”

Smiling, Garrett responded. “You too.”

Finding her spot in line, Opal stood and waited patiently. To her surprise, not long after she found her spot, arms wrapped around her from the side and she turned to see Garrett there.

“I’m sorry about the last few days, Opal. No matter what happens today, we’ll always be friends.”

Opal nodded and hugged him back. “Yep, best friends forever.”

Garrett returned to his spot just as the other stragglers found their places in line.

Satisfied that her students were in their proper positions and triple-checking their placement, Mrs. Steinworth stood in the middle of the line off to the side and advised, “This may be the most important day of your lives, but you should be happy and proud, not nervous. Each one of you has worked very hard to be here and you deserve to be celebrated by every single citizen of the city. I hope you all will look back on this day with the greatest of fondness. Now when you get up there, smile for the crowd even if you feel nervous. All is to be as it should be.”

Mrs. Steinworth’s words rang in Garrett’s mind as he followed the students to the end of the stairs. The previous choosing class had already gone and was almost done. Mrs. Steinworth awaited her introduction and then pranced up the stairs like a gazelle.

With her name ending in C, Opal had seven other students ahead of her. Grateful her last name wasn’t Appleridge like the first student, she breathed in and out, trying to calm her breathing so she wouldn’t puke on stage. She remembered what Mrs. Steinworth said, she’d worked hard for this day and she deserved to be celebrated.

The raucous clapping after Mrs. Steinworth completed her short speech and beckoned Janice Appleridge to the stage made Opal’s heart pound faster. She counted the moments between inhalations and exhalations as the time for her name to be called drew closer.

At last, Opal stood on the step awaiting her name to be called, her heart hammering in her chest.

“Opal Carneth!”

Automatically, Opal launched up