Chapter 1

When I started living with the Grey family I didn't believe that people could be so loving. My parents were very close with Grace and Carrick so when they got into a car crash I was chosen to live with the Greys instead of going into care. I got to keep my last name though, I didn't want to change it. Grace and Carrick were amazing people, and their kids, who I knew beforehand, were so welcoming. Well, Elliot and Mia were. Christian, the middle child, was not too happy about it. He looked at me like he hated me. I was nine when I started living with them, making Christian eleven. Elliot was fourteen and Mia was seven. Mia and I were inseparable from the moment we locked eyes with one another. Elliot was much older than me but we were still very close, for a few months Christian didn't want anything to do with me. It wasn't until he came home from school with a cut lip that he learnt he could trust me. I was home because I had been ill the night before, Gail, our new housekeeper was looking after me, but she checked up on me once every couple of hours so I was basically alone. Christian came home and there was blood all over his mouth. I gasped and he sneered at me. "What are you looking at?" I frowned at him and stood up.

"What happened to your lip?" He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You should see the other kid." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and winced at the pain.

"Christian do you need some help?" He looked at me for a second, as if he couldn't believe I had asked him.

"You want to help me?" I nodded. "Why?"

"Because I live with you now. I should help you. I'm supposed to help you, were supposed to be friends. So I'll help you and we can tell Grace and Carrick that you bit your lip eating something ok?" He looked at me suspiciously then nodded slowly. I walked forward but with me being ridiculously clumsy I tripped over the rug and landed straight on Christian, knocking him to the floor. I was on top of him with my hands on his chest. The look in his eyes will be something I could never forget, pure fear. He looked so frightened, and as I looked at him confused I saw his face soften and his breathing steady. I got off him and stood up, brushing myself off. "I'm really sorry. Im such an idiot." I said. He shook his head and got up, taking my hands. He slowly lifted them and placed them both on his chest. We stood there for what felt like hours, and when we heard the door open and shut we still didn't move. We looked into each other's eyes as my hands were flat against his chest.

"Christian?" Grace whispered. We both turned our heads to see the rest of the family standing in the doorway looking shocked. I took my hands away and walked towards Grace. I hugged her and she continued to look at me wide eyed. I didn't understand back then that no one was allowed to touch Christian's chest, so what just happened between us was massive. It wasn't something that had ever happened before. That was when it was made clear that Christian and I had a special connection. He walked forward and took my hand, Grace stared at him then frowned. "Christian Trevelyn Grey have you been fighting again?" He just smiled at me.

"It's nothing." He said, then pulled me off, up to his bedroom where we spent the rest of the day opening up to each other. I had never felt this close to someone and I was so happy that Christian liked me.

That was the first time we shared any sort of conversation and we've been inseparable ever since. I'm fifteen now and Christian is seventeen. I sit at the breakfast bar eating some granola and yoghurt, when Christian comes running down the stairs. As he walks past me he smacks the back of my head, so I put my spoon down and smack his arm. He winks at me and I roll my eyes. "Idiot." I mutter under my breath. He turns.

"What did you say?" I turn and smirk at him.

"Nothing." He walks behind me and puts his head on my shoulder.

"Did you just call me an idiot Anastasia?" He murmurs and I giggle.

"Never Christian." He grabs my waist and starts tickling me. I scream and try to fight him off but he lifts me up and over the back of the chair. I manage to turn around and start smacking him. "Stop!" I say, with tears streaming down my face as we laugh. He lets go of me as Grace walks in the room.

"You two are just ridiculous." She says laughing. I wipe my eyes and kick Christian subtly, while he hits my back. "Oh Christian before I forget my friend Elena wants you to clear some rubble, she had an extension and the builders haven't cleared it all. She wants you to go in the afternoon for a few hours." Christian looks at me.

"Can Ana come? For help?" Grace looks at me for a second while we both smile pleadingly.

"Well ok. But you have to do work. No messing around." We both nod and go and get our shoes.

When we return from what was quite frankly a weird day I hop in the shower. Elena didn't look at me the entire time I was there, like I had ruined her day just with my presence. She smiled at Christian and touched him way too often. It made me feel this weird thing in my chest, like anger but something different. I shook it off though and just got in the shower. When I've washed everything I get out and wrap myself in a towel, opening the door. Christian and I share a floor of the house to ourselves so our rooms are right next to each other. I go into my room and shut the door then walk into my closet and drop my towel, looking in my draws for my pyjamas. I realise I left them on my bed but with the towel already in the laundry basket I just walk into my room naked. I mean, who's gonna see me? And I've become quite confident about my body. I'm filling out before any of my friends at school, I already have boobs and curves. I walk into my room and see Christian standing in the corner. "Hey Ana can I borrow this- Oh my god!" I scream as he sees me naked and try to run into my closet but miss and smack straight into the wall. I stand up and pull the duvet off my bed, covering myself with it. With my cheeks flushed and tears threatening to appear from embarrassment Christian walks out not saying another word. I sit down on my bed and cry. I'm so embarrassed I just want to crawl into a hole and die. I get dressed then Grace calls us for dinner. I walk out my room and hear Christian breathing heavily. I frown and open his door, my eyes widen at the sight I see. Christian is lying on his bed, trousers and underwear off, one hand on the headboard and the other on his, thing. His eyes are closed as he rapidly moves his hand up and down. I freeze and just watch him. Don't ask me why, but I seem to have lost the ability to formulate words. Eventually I pluck up the courage to gasp and he looks up, stopping his movements. His cheeks go bright red and he covers himself with a pillow. "Ana! What the fuck are you doing?!" I splutter out something that should have been an apology. I just shake my head and leave, shutting the door behind me. Wait, was that because he saw me? No, it couldn't be. Could it? I always thought he was gay. Elliot and Mia were like siblings to me but Christian, well he was different. He was my best friend, not anything else. I made my way downstairs wth Christian following shortly afterwards. We eat dinner not making eye contact.

That night there's a knock at my door. "Come in." I say. Christian pokes his head through my door.

"Hey, can we talk?" I nod and look down as he makes his way in. "Ana." He says as he sits down on my bed. "I'm so sorry for doing what you saw me do. I'm getting to that age now and I- fuck, I'm sorry. I don't want you thinking that I'm some horny teen boy." He was apologising to me? This isn't how I imagined this conversation going. I just smile.

"It's ok. Just lock your door next time ok?" He grins at me and hugs me. "I'm sorry you saw me naked." He tenses and releases me.

"Let's just, forget it ever happened ok? I'm sorry I just walked into your room like that. I shouldn't have." I smile, letting him know I accept his apology. We're ok again. Thank god.

A/N - Hi guys! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! I've had this story for a while and I thought you might like to read it :) So many people have been asking me about Friends With Benefits so I'll just tell you on this one. The person who gives me ideas and helps me write it has stopped replying to me and honestly I'm lost without her. I'm not really sure what to do so if anyone has any ideas then please please help me! Anyways I hope you enjoy this:)

Sophie x