Life Designed (Life Plan Series Book 1) by Eliza Taye (mini ebook reader TXT) 📕

I wanted to be married at.” They were all lies of course, but she didn’t need to know that.

Opal looked impressed. “Still unsure about your profession?”

“Yes, that’s the one that’s still bugging me.” Garrett paused for a second before adding, “Which was why I was wondering if I could go with you to pick up your pre-approved Life Plan from City Hall?”

Staring at her friend with a confused face, Opal asked, “How is that going to help you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe if I see the inside of City Hall…where I have to go to submit my Life Plan, I’ll feel a sense of urgency and get inspired to make a decision. I don’t know,” he repeated, leaning over and cradling his head in his hands. “I’m just starting to feel so overwhelmed.”

Opal thought of reminding him that that was the reason why she had continued to pressure him about writing his Life Plan weeks and months ago. Something about seeing him cradle his head in his hands, bent over in stress and confusion made her decide against it. Once again looking at the pile of shredded paper that filled over half the trash can, she felt sympathy for Garrett. “Okay, if you feel like it will help you, you can accompany me to City Hall. I was going to go today after I visited you anyway.”

Garrett lifted his head, grateful that she’d fallen for it. Part of him felt bad that he was using his friend, but the other part of him that was intent on finding answers quieted the other half. “Thank you, Opal. You really are my best friend.”

“I know.” Opal patted him once on the back. “Why don’t we go ahead and go now. We can work on your Life Plan after that.”

“Awesome.”

“Although, I think you should at least change your clothes and comb your hair. You really do look like you slept in your clothes and just climbed out of bed.”

Garrett looked down at himself and he had to agree with her. “All right, I’ll get ready and see you downstairs in a bit.”

Opal left the room as Garrett began to gather clothes from his closet to take into the bathroom. Shutting the door behind her, she walked down the narrow staircase and down into the living room.

“Hi, Opal, are you two done with his Life Plan already?”

Opal let out a small laugh. “Not yet, Mrs. Gibbons. Garrett’s going to go with me to pick up my pre-approved Life Plan at City Hall and then we’re going to come back here to work on it. He seems pretty overwhelmed. He worked on his Life Plan all last night and fell asleep at his desk.”

“Really?” The genuine shock on Mrs. Gibbons’ face morphed into worry for her son. “I was afraid he’d wait until the last minute and stress himself out like this. Last night I caught him looking for a Life Plan he’d drafted in academy when he was a little kid. He’d torn up the room and was insistent on finding it. Poor thing.”

Sitting on the couch, Opal nodded in agreement.

“Oh, I completely forget to tell you congratulations when you greeted me this morning on your way inside! Congratulations, Opal. We’re all so proud of you. We knew you were destined to achieve everything you wanted in life. You’ve worked so hard ever since you were little. I remember when I first met you at Garrett’s academy. You were the most studious child there.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Gibbons. I do work hard and it’s good to feel like it’s finally paying off.”

Opal couldn’t help smiling to herself as she recalled how she first met Garrett in the third grade. She had just moved from her old home into the one she lived in now and was forced to change academies in the middle of the year. In the chaos of the move and her dad starting his new job, her mom had forgotten to pack her lunch. Opal didn’t have any trecins to buy food in the cafeteria, so she’d sat in the corner alone and reviewed the notes she’d taken in class, trying not to feel so alone and out of place.

Three boys had approached her while she sat reading. They began bullying her and making fun of her for not having a lunch to eat. Garrett had stepped in and told the boys to take a hike and then offered his last piece of soven to her. At first, she’d been surprised that another kid had stood up for her. But as he sat with her until the end of lunch talking with her a mile a minute about how he couldn’t stand those bullies and how they’d bullied him until he finally stood up to them, she began to feel less lonely. At the end of the day when his mother picked him up from school, he introduced Opal to her as his new friend. From then on, they’d become the best of friends.

“Okay, I’m ready,” announced Garrett from the top of the staircase, pulling down a slate gray shirt over his head.

“What are you rushing for, Garrett? You could have taken your time getting dressed upstairs,” admonished his mother, throwing her hands into the air in defeat. It seemed that her son never listened to her.

“No time, Mom. There’s lots to do today. I have an entire Life Plan to write.”

“Yes, Mrs. Gibbons. I have to admit that I’m extremely excited to pick up my Life Plan.” Opal flashed a barely contained smile.

“Very well, get going.” Mrs. Gibbons threw her thumb behind her in the direction of the door as she returned to the study.

Without another word, Opal and Garrett left the house.

Chapter 11

 

Together Opal and Garrett made their way to the transport station and took the nearest line to City Hall. The government