Chapter 05: When Fates Cross Paths

Fragrant Pine Bathhouse

The cleaning for the morning was done… after some rigorous hard work.

"At this rate I might fall asleep before school starts," Karlyle said as he bathed under the shower. No one was around to look, so he was not wearing anything.

Under the shower, as water dripped down, the beads ran over his muscular body. Nothing was dragging his wild physique down.

Suddenly Daniel entered with a razor.

"Oi, catch this… shave neck down… You don't wanna carry them around, right?" He pointed to the parts of Karlyle's body that needed shaving.

"Hey bro what are you talking about?" He shouted, startled, and dropped the soap bar from his hand. A big man naked in front of him, anyone would be startled. “...as if I will walk showing these off...?”

"Punk… there will be beautiful ladies… you need confidence… not a bushman… walking with bristles underneath your dress..."

Daniel handed him a special aromatic soap and shampoo. "...and use this while you're at it..."

Karlyle frowned. "Come on bro… Am I going on a blind date or something… tsk." but took the items anyway, grumbling.

"For you to go up the ladder is to take the hand of a rich woman..." Daniel began washing himself and continued his fatherly rant.

"...then you can act righteous. Without financial back up you are bound to hit a wall hard."

"Yea yea… Dad… I hear you..." Karlyle grumbled as he continued with his hygiene.

Fifteen minutes of light conversation later, Karlyle came out of the bath area wearing a towel, covering from his navel down, flaunting his toned physique that he hadn't worked for in a gym.

Within the next half an hour or so, he had a light breakfast, then pressed his uniform, newly prepared, thanks to Daniel, got his books and other stuff.

"Bro wish me luck… a long fight ahead and I am the underdog… I need all the blessings I can get..." He shouted from the door as he put on his uniform shoes, polished so clean that they reflected the world around him.

"...and you are the only one left who loves me..."

Suddenly his voice slightly wavered as he finished tying his shoe laces.

Standing up, he looked back at the counter where Daniel lounged, watching TV. Karlyle smiled, then turned back toward the door that was about to open to a world of challenges unknown to him.

And that, this was his first step in the new world.

Wei Manor

The clock hit 9:30 AM.

From the Bright Side suburb, by car, it took only about twenty minutes to Ayodale Royal Academy, Liora’s school. But today she wasn’t taking one. She felt like moving low-key.

She walked leisurely on the pavement. From her house she and Sophie came out about ten minutes ago. They would have to walk another fifteen minutes to the Bright Side subway station, and then to downtown Ayodale. From there they would need to take a bus to Lanzhu Lin suburb, another posh area where Ayodale Royal Academy was—another half an hour.

Lanzhu Lin suburb was right on the edge of Ayodale’s north-east border, the education district with many famous, academically rivaling high schools and universities.

“Sophie… I feel so happy today…” Liora stretched her arms like wings and hopped a few steps, and turned toward Sophie who was enjoying the view too. She loved Liora like her own child.

After all, she had been present more than Liora’s mother Clara, since the baby was born. She practically raised the girl. I don’t know why, Clara, you can’t love a beautiful child like her.

“You have the right to feel happy… why would an adorable child be unhappy? Don’t let anything put you down… live with your head high, Liora. You are a proud Wei.”

“I don’t get all that family line and stuff… It’s just I feel something good will happen, maybe…”

Bright Side Subway Station

They were at the entrance of the subway.

“Next Train: Ayodale Central — Arriving in 5 minutes. Please stand behind the yellow line.”

Liora wasn’t accustomed to the subway so she didn’t know what to do. She looked at Sophie for help.

Sophie smiled to reassure her. “Hold my hand, Liora…” Seeing Liora fidgeting, she smiled again. “Big Girl… holding hands… You must feel embarrassed, but isn’t it better to hold hands than losing your way in the crowd?” Sophie looked at the busy crowd moving in and out of the station.

“No one actually cares if you hold hands… but they will stare at you if you hesitate and stand in their way. Here… come with me.”

“Oo… okay. I’ll follow you.”

Liora held Sophie’s hand, with an embarrassed smile on her face, and kept watching people to see if anyone’s staring. They… the eyes are watching… always watching…

Sophie squeezed Liora’s palm to divert her attention from the crowd. She kept talking in a steady voice to her so she wouldn’t go back to one of her social panic episodes. That would be very dangerous.

They walked down the subway stairs hugging the railing on their left to avoid collision, however, some bumps were inevitable as the other party was looking at the screen of their mobile phone. How rude… You can’t do that at home? People are walking here, Sophie thought.

After a long struggle against the busy flow of traffic on the stairs, they ended up on the main floor of the station. “Oh, It’s huge…”

“Of course it is! Do you know how many people commute through this subway?”

“Of course not. You?” Liora asked.

“Me neither.” Sophie burst into laughter.

“Not fair.” Liora pouted.

They asked a police officer for the direction for the Ayodale Central Line. “Do you see that massive bulletin board, you find the schedule there.”

“Sorry to bother you officer.” Sophie smiled at him. “And thank you for your time and patience.”

The police officer got swept away by Sophie’s bright blinding smile, and touched his hat for a short quick salute. “It’s my pleasure, ma’am.”

The both went to the massive bulletin board. On the pillars around the subway, there were massive posters and advertisement boards. There were many vending machines as well.

The navigated through the busy office and school hour crowd to find the bulletin board.

“There, platform number 5,” Liora said while Sophie was already searching for platform five. But they didn’t have to work too hard, they found themselves swept along with the crowd, even if they wanted or not.

This sudden burst of rush put Liora in a panic mode but Sophie kept holding her tightly.

At last, they both safely got on the train and found themselves a suitable place to sit.

“Ah, Liora… you okay?” Sophie put down the school bag on her lap and looked at Liora. She was shaking.

This was her first time experiencing the morning crowd.

“Y… yes. I’m fine.” Liora was completely stiff.

“Relax, the hard part is gone. Now, we will just have to get down at Ayodale Central station, and find the bus to your school.” She spoke as she observed Liora’s change of expressions, calming down… Good.

“Well, you got to experience something that you have never seen in your life. The other side of daily life. It’s tough isn’t it? But thousands and millions of people around the world have to go through this everyday of their lives.

"Luckily you are among the top few one percent that don’t go through this, ever. So, what should you do?”

“Ummm, I don’t know. Be thankful to… be… alive, I guess?” Liora stuttered.

“Right… that’s my young miss. So, from now on always be thankful… you are beautiful and amazing. Always be confident.”

The train waddled as it skidded on its track, making a monotonous sound, almost hypnotic. It had the power to put people asleep.

Liora looked around with her eyes full of surprise, people were actually sleeping? Some were reading a newspaper, some were talking over the phone. There were many school students as well, chirping among themselves.

Liora searched for a glimpse of any other student wearing the uniform of Ayodale Royal Academy. But there were none…

Wait… there is one…!

To her surprise, a boy was on his seat, squeezed between other people, at the end of the compartment. Liora forgot that she had been staring at the boy for a long time, as if she had been asking to be stared back, but the boy was… he is sleeping too? Is it his first time too? Maybe he left his car back home, just like me.

Liora felt glad that there was someone just like her, taking the train for the first time.

All of the students in our school are rich… I wonder who his father is? Some big businessman? A council man? A celebrity?

Sophie suddenly noticed Liora staring at someone, as Liora relaxed her grip inside her palm. Who has the power to calm our princess? She got curious and looked in the same direction. Oh my! That’s one fine young man!

She looked at Liora again. Does she know she’s smiling now? and… at a boy? A faint playful smile appeared on Sophie’s face as well…

“Like what you see, miss?” Sophie whispered.

Liora, tranced, replied, “Yes…” and then realized what she said. She quickly looked away from the boy, then to Sophie. She coughed, embarrassed. “What do you mean, I like what I see… nonsense.”

"As if…" Sophie didn't bring it up anymore as the announcement said—

“Ayodale Central… Ayodale Central” as the train began to slow down near the platform of the Ayodale central station.

Ayodale Central Subway Station

“We’re here, hurry up. Others will get in if you miss the chance then the train will move to the next station.” Sophie jumped up grabbing Liora’s arm. “Hold tight miss. Don’t miss. We will just follow the crowd.”

The train came to a halt at the platform, and as always, the crowd swept the two toward the platform. It took only a few minutes to be swept out of the subway station and onto the pavement near the bus stop shed.

“Now, which bus do we take?” Sophie asked herself. Her voice was a bit loud.

“What… you are asking me?” Liora, startled.

“Well, you don’t have to always know. But just follow one who knows… that boy…”

“What boy?” Liora followed Sophie’s gaze.

“Ah, but what about him?” Liora.

“Silly girl, if he’s wearing your school’s uniform, he must go to your school, no?”

“Y… yes?” Liora stuttered.

“Then we just follow him silently.” Sophie was already on the move, pulling Liora toward that boy she saw on the train.

The boy had a confident stride. Every step he took, inspired trust and faith on the people around him.

That was how Liora and Sophie felt at that moment.

He was walking straight to the bus stop and stood under the shed. Looking toward his left. The bus must be coming from that way… Sophie thought.

She and Liora stood just a few paces away from the boy.

A mild breeze from the right brushed past the boy and wafted toward Liora. Ah, smells so fresh! What kind of perfume is he wearing? Liora thought, eyes closed enjoying the after-effect of the smell.

Suddenly she felt a rush around her. As she opened her eyes she found herself standing in a line for a certain bus, positioned a bit on the left and ahead of them. This put her right before the boy as Sophie stood in front of her in the line, she needed to pay the bus fare.

The boy stayed a bit away from her, very gentleman-like, not pushing or anything. He even nodded with a faint smile on his face, when their eyes met for a swift moment.

Liora just froze… Hazel eyes… just like mine. She hurriedly turned away from him.

But then her eyes fell on the crowd inside the bus and it was much more congested than the train compartment. “Sophie, can we take the next bus? This seems full?”

“What do you mean by full… this is how every bus would be for the next hour as well. It’s the rush hour, you know?” Sophie pulled Liora without giving her much time to think.

“Just follow me… stay with me… and breath… breath normally… you know how, right?”

Liora nodded, and began the Box Breathing technique—inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4, then repeat.

Liora walked as she continued her breathing, following Sophie from behind.

Sophie stepped inside the bus, paid the fare for two, and then moved inside the bus.

Liora followed her but as she took the first step, she stumbled…

She panicked as she watched herself falling face flat on the sharp edge of the boarding steps…

Sophie looked back and in that very moment time seemed to stop for her in panic…

Liora was falling…

My god, if she falls, her face will be scarred forever… the people who noticed all screamed involuntarily.

For the first time in her life, Liora wished herself to be not cut from the accident… she closed her eyes and left herself to her fate…

But suddenly she felt a strong arm embracing her from behind, and heard a deep voice, “Watch your step girl… do you have a death wish?”