The Way to Your Heart

Chapter 1 Reunited

Cheltenham, UK.

Within the city of Cheltenham in the UK, the streets glowed with luxurious cars and motorcycles. It was a rainy day and some areas were flooded. In one of the rooms inside the dormitories of Wilkshire boarding school, 17-year-old Cody Herington was sleeping like a baby. He stood tall at 182 cm with chocolate brown hair, captivating brown eyes, a slender but muscular build. He had a mix of Korean and Caucasian heritage. Some people mistaken him for a Kpop idol. The young man was unaware of the violent thunderstorm outside. He had a terrible dream. Everything seemed blurry and unfocused. He found himself reminiscing about his past when he was 11 years old. A little girl with wavy brown hair and amber brown eyes appeared, but he couldn't see her clearly.

Girl: Hey, Cody! I have great news to share with you.

Cody: I pretended to be nice to you before, but I can't continue tolerating you anymore!

Girl: What happened? Why are you saying this?

Cody: Don't talk to me again! I despise poor people like you! Stay away from me. You're repulsive!

The girl ran off crying. His stepmom, Simone, appeared.

Simone: Well done, Cody! You don't need any friends in your life. If you make any, I'll treat them just like you.

Cody: Mom, please don't hit her...

Simone: She slapped him on the cheeks. I'm not your mother!

Cody: He cried. Don't hit me like that!

Suddenly, he woke up from his dream. He was breathing heavily and his entire body was covered in sweat.

In the depths of his thoughts, Cody pondered at the thought of returning home in a week after spending six long years away at the boarding school. However, he couldn't truly refer to it as home, as his real mother had tragically passed away twelve years prior. Since then, he had been devoid of any genuine care or love from those around him.

His thoughts run wild, "I feel sick just at the thought of seeing my wicked stepmother and that insufferable brat, Diego, my stepbrother, again. Especially my dad – what kind of father is he? He never once visited me during my time here."

At the same time in the city of Sydney in Australia, the weather outside was sunny and cool. It was 22 degrees Celsius and everywhere was calm and bright. The wind moved gracefully among the tall trees, the flowers had bloomed double in size over the months, and birds chirped happily near their nests.

At ABIS International High School, there was a student named Erica Liwang. She was a 17-year-old Australian-born Chinese girl with olive skin, wavy brown hair that swept past her shoulders, and light amber brown eyes. She was of average height, 160 cm tall, with a petite figure. Her friend Joy McAdams was the same age as her, but had a curvier figure and pale white skin.

Joy: I have to work today after school.

Erica: I have to help my mom at her flower shop today too.

Joy: People at school are awful! They always discriminate against us and put us in the lowest class.

Joy: But you're lucky, Erica. Your dad won a $400 million lottery. You're actually rich, while I'm really poor.

Erica: Don't say that, Joy! You are the top student! You're intelligent, which is why you earned a scholarship to this school.

Joy: True, otherwise my parents wouldn't be able to afford the school fees.