by Eliza Taye
Opal paced behind the raised stage in the park with the other Submitters, soon-to-be Declarers. She was so nervous she didn’t know what else to do other than pace back and forth.
“Opal!” Crystal shouted, running over to Opal.
“Nice outfit,” commented Crystal smiling and giving Opal a quick hug.
Opal looked down at the pale blue dress she’d saved three months of allowance to buy. The shade of blue complemented her hair and skin tone perfectly. As the faint blue light from the distant sun cast the perfect glow on it, she realized the radiant effect had been better than she’d envisioned inside the store.
“Thanks, Crystal, you look nice too.”
Crystal spun in a circle, the flowing ends of her cherry red dress twirling around her, wrapping around her knees once she stopped. “Thank you, my aunt made it for me just for this occasion. It’s a pretty big day, isn’t it?”
Opal tried to laugh, but it came out as an exhalation of air. “It is.” She began wringing her hands together.
Crystal noticed and broke Opal’s hands apart by taking one in her own. “Don’t worry about today, Opal. We’ve got this. Very few students submit their Plans for pre-approval. We already know it’s going to work outright.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about the approval of my Plan. I’m just nervous about getting in front of the entire city and having highlights of my Plan read aloud in front of everyone. I mean, there are thousands of people out there, Crystal. Have you looked?”
Crystal nodded, not a crease of worry on her face. “Yep, I’ve looked out there and I’ve seen how many people there are, but I’m not worried. If you get nervous up there, just look to your family in the audience and pretend they’re the only ones there.”
Opal started nodding nervously, bobbing her head up and down more than necessary. “Yeah, yeah, that’s what I’ll do.”
“Where’s your friend Garrett? I rarely see one of you without the other.”
That was the other issue causing Opal’s nervousness. Garrett hadn’t arrived yet. Most of their classmates were already there. Only thirty minutes remained before the Declaration Ceremony was scheduled to begin, he should have been here already.
Raising her gaze and scanning the crowd of other 17-year-olds, Opal searched for Garrett. She found several of her other classmates scattered around chatting excitedly to one another, each one of them dressed in their best formalwear. She even 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 awaiti
ng her name to be called, her heart hammering in her chest.
“Opal Carneth!”
Automatically, Opal launched up the stairs and walked across the stage to stand in the center like so many students had done before her since time immemorial.
Gazing down at the clipboard which digitally updated with each new student’s appearance, Mrs. Steinworth read with the biggest smile she’d ever made, “Opal Carneth’s Life Plan has been approved! She will become a lawyer and attend the Academy of Higher Learning School of Law. She plans to marry, have two children, and in her retirement, she will do charity work for the Undecided.”
At that moment, Opal’s eyes caught onto a group of familiar faces way back in a row so far away it was hard to see, but she clearly recognized Mrs. Shaffer, Leena, Annie, Minnie, and Danny. Although they were too distant to see their expressions, she could imagine the pride beaming from Mrs. Shaffer’s eyes. Seeing Danny, Annie, and Minnie there reminded her that in her old age she’d be fighting for people like them. People she loved and cared for after spending her whole life doing the same.
The applause reminded her that her segment and moment of glory was over and she needed to disembark from the stage. Following the edge of the stage, she sat in the frontmost rows with all the other newly Decideds waiting for their friends to be presented.
Crystal came next, her smile beaming brighter than all the stars in the sky as her Plan was approved and Mrs. Steinworth highlighted where she would attend college and that she would become a heart surgeon.
Many other students followed Crystal until finally, it was Garrett’s turn.
“Garrett Gibbons!”
Opal’s heart leaped when she heard her friend's name. She hadn’t had time to ask him about what he put into his Life Plan. She kicked herself for not asking sooner. Instead, she’d have to wait with everyone else to see what he’d chosen to be.
Garrett stepped onto the stage, eyes scanning the crowd for his family and Opal. He found his parents first, each of them giving him a nod. Opal beamed brightly at him and gave a tiny wave.
When Garrett stopped at the center of the stage, his gaze fell upon someone he hadn’t expected to see in the crowd—April. She must have noticed him looking at her because she smiled wide and gave a definitive nod and thumbs up to him from her place near the back with the other Undecideds.
Proudly, Mrs. Steinworth announced, “Garrett Gibbons’ Life Plan has been approved.”
She grinned into the crowd as a series of hops and hollers came from some of his classmates. Garrett smiled at them. His parent’s wide, shocked eyes made him realize they really hadn’t believed he’d written his Life Plan.
Mrs. Steinworth took a moment to nod proudly at him before returning to her digital clipboard to read the specifics. As she started reading, she froze, the only movement coming from her shaking hands. A huge silence fell over the crowd as she struggled to find the words to voice what Garrett’s Life Plan had been.
“Ga…ga…Garrett,” Mrs. Steinworth cleared her throat and addressed the crowd. “Excuse my unprofessional stuttering.”
Garrett glanced at Mrs. Steinworth to see her entire face had turned white. Feeling too ashamed to look at her, he locked gazes with April tens of rows from the front line where Opal was glancing back and forth between Mrs. Steinworth and him.
Breathing in deep and letting her words out upon her exhalation, Mrs. Steinworth read, “Garrett Gibbons will become one of the Undecided as specified in his Life Plan.”
Chapter 19
The audience froze in their seats. A pin clattering against a metal floor would have sounded like a thunderstorm in the silence that ensued.
Mrs. Steinworth’s shaking continued as she stared at Garrett with both concern and pity fighting for control of her face. Opal’s wide eyes began burning with unshed tears. Mrs. Gibbons fainted into her husband’s arms as his father gawked at him in disbelief. April just kept shaking her head back and forth in disbelief.
Everyone stayed in place, not daring to move. Mrs. Steinworth didn’t ask for the next student to come onto the stage, neither did the audience clap or boo to prompt Garrett off it.
Never in the history of their world had anyone chosen to become one of the Undecided. It was unfathomable. And yet, someone now had. Even worse, The Council had approved his request to become part of the Undecided.
“Garrett,” urgently voiced someone.
Garrett turned to his right to see Mr. Gargen standing beside him. “What did you write in your Life Plan? This must be a mistake.”
Mrs. Steinworth clutched her clipboard to her chest and hurried over to join Mr. Gargen. “Yes, Garrett, there must be some kind of mistake. The Council would never approve something like this.”
Garrett’s gaze fluttered between each of them before he answered. “I wrote one line in my Life Plan: I wish to become one of the Undecided.”
Mrs. Steinworth stumbled back in horror, forcing Mr. Gargen to grab her before she tumbled backward off the stage.
“Garrett, what kind of trick is this? This must be a joke.”
Gathering confidence into his voice, Garrett responded, “No, sir, it’s no trick. That is what I wrote on my Life Plan.”
“And…and…and it was approved?” wondered Mrs. Steinworth appallingly, looking from Mr. Gargen’s stoic face to Garrett’s abashed one.
“No, no, no, this must be some type of nonsense.” Mrs. Steinworth checked her clipboard again, re-reading the notice from The Council regarding Garrett Gibbons of Galaxcion.
Mr. Gargen peered out over the crowd of people who’d unfrozen and began muttering amongst themselves. “Perhaps we should continue the ceremony, Mrs. Steinworth.”
Snapping out of it, she replied, “Yes, I’m sure you’re quite right, Mr. Gargen.”
Returning to her post, Mrs. Steinworth called the next student up while Mr. Gargen escorted Garrett off the stage.
“I don’t know what you’re playing at, Mr. Gibbons, but this time, you’ve gone beyond too far.” Mr. Gargen directed Garrett to the nearest open seat from the end of the platform stairs and pushed him by the shoulder down into it.
In silence, Garrett sat without looking at anyone. He knew everyone’s minds were on what he’d just done, not the next student who was up onstage. Well, maybe that student’s parents were, but he was sure everyone else was awestruck.
If he was honest with himself, Garrett was awestruck at what had happened. He never expected to have his Life Plan approved. No way would The Council approve someone wanting to become one of the Undecided. Instead, they should have simply rejected his Life Plan. Why had they approved it?
Although he couldn’t see them, he felt the penetrating gazes of his parents and Opal. Part of him felt terrible letting April waste her Third Moon going over material for his Life Plan with him. At first, he’d considered some of the professions she suggested. They sounded interesting, even the occupation of becoming a sciorb programmer, but in the end, nothing stuck with him. He didn’t bond with any of the ideas. Most of the people he knew had a passion for the occupation they were in, like that guy at the tour where they learned how their food was grown. Everyone he knew had a passion for what they’d become. Yet, he had never clicked with any of the occupations he’d seen. It seemed no matter what he did, he would become part of the Undecided anyway, so he might as well have chosen it rather than be forced into it.
The next student walked off the stage grinning and the next one was called out. On and on it went until finally, all the students from each of the choosing classes around the city had had their turn. Not one of the students had had a plan rejected. Not one of them would be going to the Undecided sector that afternoon because they’d failed to write their plan. Only one student would be going there—the one who chose to.
“Thank you everyone for coming to the Declaration Ceremony. This ceremony has been one to remember. For the sixth year in a row, no one’s Life Plan has been denied and that is thanks to all the par
ents, teachers, and members of society in our wonderful city of Galaxcion. I wish everyone a good evening.” The mayor turned to face the former students—now Declarers—sitting in the front. “And to all of you, best of luck on your future endeavors.”
As the mayor left the stage, people started to rise from their seats.
Opal was upon Garrett in seconds, grabbing his arm and whirling him around to face her. “Garrett! What on Taeopia? Why would you choose to become one of the Undecided? How? Why?” Opal let her words drift off as she didn’t know what to say next.
Garrett clenched his jaw, unsure of what to say to her. Nothing he said would make any sense to an overachiever like Opal.
A soft voice spoke his name from behind him and Garrett spun around to see April standing there, her eyes full of tears. “Yes, Garrett, why would you do it?”
April’s cheeks were red and her eyes had an ever-flowing stream of tears cascading down them. Yet, she kept her red eyes wide open, staring at him in anticipation of his response.
“April, I…” Garrett hesitated then explained. “I didn’t know what else to put. I’ve never known what I wanted. No matter how much I tried. No matter how much I forced myself to, I could never pin down exactly what I wanted out of life.”
“But you had a chance. You could have done anything. Why choose this life? Why choose the life I’m forced to live every day?” April’s tears continued and she began shaking her head at him.
Before he could say anything else to her, his parents arrived nudging April out of the way and clambering over to him. Turning, April fled into the crowd of other people and Garrett lost sight of her.
“Garrett…Garrett, please tell me it was a mistake,” pleaded his mother, grasping his hands.
“Opal, did you know anything about this,” demanded his father.
“No, no, Mr. Gibbons, I didn’t. Trust me, if I had, I would have talked Garrett out of it.”