Connected | Olivia Rodrigo

Prologue

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

Young Jacob Thompson had a dream, and his dream was to be Formula One world champion one day. He dreamt of standing on the podium, holding that trophy whilst the crowd cheered his name. He envisioned himself sat in the driver's seat of a Formula One car, racing through the streets of Melbourne at speeds faster than anything anyone could ever imagine. It was all he ever wanted since his father had took him to his first ever Grand Prix when he was four years old. There was just something about the sport that nothing else in the world could ever come close to. The fast turns, the need for split-second reactions, the adrenaline and the thrill of it all excited him. As soon as he could, he started karting and he would put all his time and effort into it, he would leave everything out there. Because that's what you needed to do if you wanted to be the best.

"This is the last call for passengers on our flight from Melbourne to London Heathrow."

For his career, for his aspirations, his parents sent six-year-old Jacob to England where he could possibly attract the attention of driver development programmes. The UK was good for motorsport, it was where the big teams were based. Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren just to name a few.

The Thompson family were well off, they were comfortable enough to afford to fund their son's dreams. It wasn't a cheap sport to get into, the costs would add up. So with the money the family had, they sent their son to a prestigious boarding school in the United Kingdom, hoping that they would propel him one step closer to his dream...

MONTE CARLO, MONACO.

Thierry Arquette was practically born into Formula One. It was like he was destined to race. His father Jean was an established mechanic and his godfather Michael Schumacher was one of Formula One's biggest names. Growing up it was all he was surrounded by, and he loved it. Thierry lived for the sport, it was in his blood.

At the age of six, his family thought it would be best for him to continue his karting career in England. He already had the connections to get him into the sport, he just had to prove he was worthy of a shot. So his parents enrolled him in a boarding school Michael recommended, there was someone at the school who would be willing to take Thierry to and from all his races and nurture his talent. 

Little did Thierry know...he was just about to meet someone who shared his love of Formula One and the same dream.

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

He knew it was the best for him and his mother, he just couldn't bring himself to move halfway across the world. Especially at his age.

Jaxon Kenner wasn't one of those kids who could buy their way into something. He was one of those kids who would have to work like hell to achieve his dreams. So when he was offered a sports scholarship in the United Kingdom at a boarding school his mother could never afford even in her wildest dreams, he knew he couldn't turn it down. They even offered to help his mother settle down, help her find a place and find a stable job.

There was something about Jax that set him apart, he had this unmatched drive and determination that fuelled him to be the best. He knew he would have to work ten times harder than anyone else if he ever wanted to make a name for himself.

So with a sports scholarship in hand to a school he never thought he would ever be attending, Jaxon made his way to a brand new country, unsure of what his future held for him.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Sophie Phoenix wasn't born into a rich family, in fact it was the total opposite. Her mother was a pre-school teacher whilst her father served in the police. They lived a comfortable life though, nothing they could ever complain about. It wasn't like Sophie could remember much of her life before her father passed away anyways. When her father died, Sophie could just remember there being a dark, gloomy feeling in her household. She was young though, she wasn't sure what to do to make her family feel better. In all honesty she didn't even really understand it herself, all she knew was that her dad wasn't coming back.

Her older sisters understood though, so she followed their lead when they tried to cheer their mother up. It was like this in their household before her mother moved on and remarried successful businessman Richard Johnson. The lifestyle the Phoenix's once lived completely changed, Richard was a cultured and classy man. He wanted nothing but the best for his wife and step-daughters. Whatever they wanted, he would give it to them. So when Sophie expressed her passion and love for theatre at a young age, he immediately searched around for the best school's that would develop her talent. She had this natural talent, something that couldn't be taught.

So her step-father sent her off to a co-educational boarding school where the theatre and arts department was supposed to be one of the best in the country.

And that's how these four random strangers, all from different parts of the world, were brought together. They each had a dream, and they were each as dedicated as each other to achieve their goals. That's what brought them together and that's why they all got along so well.

All four of them had the common goal of working like hell to make their dreams come true and not stopping until they got there.