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

“Opal? What are you doing here, child? You should be moving into the dormitory, shouldn’t you?”

Breathless, Opal shook her head, heaving gulps of air and trying to steady her racing heart. “No…no, I…I’m looking for a friend.”

Mrs. Shaffer looked at her with a puzzled expression. “A friend?”

“Yes, the boy who was banished to the Undecided sector,” Opal patted her chest over her heart, still trying to catch her breath. “He is my friend.”

“Oh, no,” gasped Mrs. Shaffer, a wrinkled hand raising to cover her mouth.

“Where would he be taken? I just found out he was sent here directly after the Declaration Ceremony.”

“Oh, Opal, I’m sorry, but I don’t know, dear.”

Opal rested her hands on her knees, taking in several large breaths again before panting out. “You don’t have any idea? Do you know of anyone here who would? Please, Mrs. Shaffer, I need to find him.”

“I am so sorry, Opal, but I don’t. It’s really best if you head home. You shouldn’t be here at this time. There are a lot of people here who are upset at what your friend did. They cannot believe someone would choose a life such as this.”

“I know, I can’t believe it myself, but I’m sure he’s scared. He’s never even been to this part of town before and he doesn’t know anyone here. I just want to…I just want…” Opal bit her lower lip, trying hard not to cry.

“You just want to comfort him. Show him a familiar face.” Mrs. Shaffer reached out and grabbed Opal so suddenly that Opal raised her eyebrows in surprise. She wrapped her in a tight embrace, rubbing her back comfortingly. “It’s all right, dear. I understand. I’ll ask around and see if I can find anything out. I’ve been here long enough that no one will wonder why I’m asking. It also helps that I’m an old lady. No one pays much attention to us anyway.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Shaffer.” Downhearted, Opal began admonishing herself for thinking it’d be easy to find Garrett in the Undecided sector and that she’d be able to see him before moving into the dorms. She should have stayed with him longer after the Declaration Ceremony even after her dad insisted she leave the Gibbons family alone to process Garrett’s decision.

“Go ahead and return home before the last transporter line stops for the night,” urged Mrs. Shaffer.

“I will. Thanks again, Mrs. Shaffer, have a goodnight.”

“You as well, Opal. I’ll still see you next Fourth Moon?”

“Of course,” responded Opal.

When she returned home, Mrs. Steinworth had already left, and she had to explain to her parents why she’d left so suddenly. They weren’t happy about it, but they both understood.

“Well, we’d better take you to the dormitory now. We don’t have much time left.”

“Does that mean we can use the personal transporter?” wondered Gabrielle enthusiastically.

“Yes, we can. Besides, we can’t take all of Opal’s belongings on the public transporters now can we?” Her dad planted his hands on his hips.

The family transporter was rarely used due to the expensive price of fuel, so the family reserved it for special occasions.

“Yes!” erupted Gabrielle, throwing her fist into the air and bringing it back down to her side. “This is going to be amazing!”

Gabrielle fled out the door to the transporter parked in the back of the house. Opal and her parents laughed at her excitement while they gathered Opal’s bags, two apiece, and loaded them into the back of the personal transporter. Due to the high cost of the personal transporter, the Carneths weren’t able to purchase one with an ample rear storage compartment, so the girls were forced to wedge a few of the bags between them in the backseat.

Mr. Carneth took the driver’s seat and backed them onto the alleyway behind the house. Cutting onto the main road, he directed the transporter into the traffic of the other personal transporters headed to the collegiate academy across town.

While her father drove, Opal stared out the window at her home passing by. She knew once her classes started she’d be too busy to visit often, so she tried to memorize everything as she’d known it for the past seventeen years of her life.

At last, the slight traffic let up and her father drove at a regular speed through the city. As the familiar locations of City Hall, Anaxia Library, and her academy passed, Opal’s excitement grew. Soon they’d reach the School of Law and she’d be one step closer to helping those in the Undecided sector as a lawyer. A twinge ignited in her chest as she realized there was a real possibility she could be representing Garrett one day.

Pushing the thoughts of Garrett aside lest it forced her to break into tears, Opal continued to admire her city until her father announced, “We’re here.”

Twisting around to take in the building they’d parked in front of, Opal’s eyes widened in surprise. The dormitory was enormous! Eight stories rose towards the blue-black sky and extended outward so far it took up an entire city block.

“Wow, Opal, this place is huge!” exclaimed Gabrielle, her jaw dropped so low it nearly touched the ground.

“Yeah, I know,” agreed Opal apprehensively, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she realized this would be her new home for the next several years.

A closed campus except for the few days of the year such as Declaration Day, the Academy of Higher Learning boasted some of the most highly academic achieving students. The administrators believed the closed campus allowed the students to remain focused on their studies rather than being distracted by outside friends and family. Not every collegiate academy functioned in that way, but this one did.

“Holly, do you remember which room they notified us Opal was in?”

Opal’s mom took out her interwave and double-checked it. “Room 806.”

“Ah, you got