Chapter One. A New Day
April 17 2013
Ana POV
I'm woken up with a jolt as my alarm clock is screeching on my night stand next to my bed. The weekend was not long enough, I thought to myself. I drag myself out of bed and head towards my bathroom. As I flip on the lights I stare at myself in the mirror. Same ocean blue eyes staring back at me but not the same girl. I don't know who I am anymore. This is my third school in the last two years and I just want to live a normal teenage life already. I'm glad that I decided to move back with my stepdad Ray in Seattle. Carla, my mom, was not the women she use to be. Fun, bubbly, and full of life, Steven Morten made sure that the old her no longer existed and I couldn't take it anymore. If my mother wasn't going to do anything to help herself then there was nothing that I could do to help her and no reason for me to stay and suffer with her.
I start the water and begin my normal routine, wash my hair, rinse, put conditioner in it, wash my body, rinse my hair and body and finally wrap myself in a towel and hop out of the shower. I meander into my room and pick out my clothes for the day. Not that there is much for me to choose from. My new school is very elite and requires their students to wear a uniform Monday through Thursday. Friday we are allowed to wear whatever we like as long as it's all in good taste.
Walking down the stairs I see that Ray is already down in the kitchen nursing a cup of coffee. "Good morning Annie, you excited for your first day of school here?" he says, glancing up from the sports section of the Seattle Times.
"Yeah, Dad." I lie "I'm super excited! I just hope that I'm not going to be the weird outcast and have to deal with all that normal teen drama that come with being the 'new girl'" I say with a smirk. Ray and I both know I couldn't care less about what people thought of me. If you don't like me that is fine cause I won't change for anyone but myself.
"Well I'm glad that your sense of humor is still intact, don't worry the kids at your school are going to love you! I'm just glad that I was able to get you into this school. You're far too smart for public school and I think Seattle Prep will be a good challenge for you. I doubt that you want to drive to school with me and I have a meeting after school with a potential client this afternoon so I had bought you a car, it's in the drive way." Ray says with a smile as I stare at him in disbelief. He bought me a car. No freaking way. I smile and jump up and give him a hug catching him off guard, "Oh Daddy thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squeal and grab the keys that he offers me.
I walk out of the house and get into my new car, a pale blue vintage 1949 Oldsmobile Series 76. I slide into the driver's seat and start the engine and wave to Ray, who is now standing on the front porch waving as I pull out of our drive way. I can't believe that he bought me my dream car! I had no problems with riding with him to school since he is a respected lawyer there and is part of the reason that I was able to get into Seattle Prep in the second semester. None the less this car will make my life a lot easier and I am very grateful.
I pull into the school parking lot at 7:25 A.M. and I can't help but laugh. This is just like it is in the movies, girls and boys leaning against cars talking and laughing, kicking soccer balls around in the grass, or walking to class. The only thing missing is the lack of difference in the outfits of the student body, due to our lovely uniforms. Girls are required to wear a navy blue shirt that is fingertip length with a white or pale blue shirt and the ever lovely sweater with the schools crest on the right breast or a plain jacket, but as I look around most people are wearing their sweater with an extra jacket. The boys get more of a choice when it comes to their dress, they can wear khakis or navy blue dress pants, with a white or pale blue shirt and of course our lovely sweaters.
I turn my music down, not that I was paying attention to it much on the way here, and turn off my car. As I step out I half expect for everyone to stop what they're doing and gaze at me as I make my way through the crowds, but no such luck. As I walk up the side-walk to where I hope the front office is a raven haired girl approaches me with grin that should not be there on a Monday morning. "Hello, are you Anastasia Steele? My name is Mia Grey and I'm part of the welcoming committee here at Seattle Prep. I'm supposed to give you a tour of the school and make sure that you can find your way around the school and introduce you to people" Mia says holding out her hand.
"Wow uh, cool…" I say shaking her hand. Do they think that I'm not able to read a simple map of the school grounds? I know I'm shy but do they think that I'm not able to make friends on my own? My thoughts are interrupted as Mia practically drags me over to a group of girls that I can only assume are he friends.
"Anastasia I would like to introduce you to Lily Adams, and Vivian Smith."
"Hi I'm Ana." I say as each girl greets me
"So Anastasia, I'll bring you to the front office to get your schedule and then I can give you a tour of some of the school grounds before class starts, depending on your schedule I can walk with you to class and show you around some more, come on let's go!" Mia says taking my hand a walking to the front office.
"Yeah sure, but please call me Ana." I say
"Sure thing Ana!" Mia laughs as we walk through the front office door.
Mia looked over my schedule and was overjoyed that we have English, History, and Math together. Mia went over the rest of my classes and told me who she knew in them, cute boys, who I would pay no attention to, in my Leadership and Photography class, Vivian, Lily and I had Economics together and study block and we all had lunch together. Mia didn't know anyone who would be in my Chemistry class because she was only in Biology along with Lily and Vivian.
Mia walked me through the halls and showed me where the gym was, the court-yard, the cafeteria, library and things like that. As we walked down the hall towards my first class of the day, Chemistry, she tells me to meet her by the doors to the court-yard for lunch. I agree and thank her for showing me around a being so kind to me but she says that it's no big deal and she truly enjoys my company.
As I enter my Chemistry class I realize that I am the only sophomore in this class, everyone else is a junior in here. Awesome. The teacher Mr. Buckles starts to take role and is going down the list of names until he gets to my name. "Anastasia Steele, oh it seems we have a new student her. Miss. Steele would you mind coming up to the front of the class and introducing yourself?" I stand up and make my way to the front of the class, knowing this is just a taste of what the rest of the day will be like.
"Hi I'm Ana." I say blandly.
"Why don't you tell us a little about yourself Miss. Steele?" Mr. Buckles says as I sigh and close my eyes taking another calming breath before reopening my eyes.
"I'm a sophomore, I just moved here from Las Vegas and I live with my Dad. I'm a gymnast and I like to read." I quickly make my way to my seat as Mr. Buckles go on about how I'm the only sophomore in this class and it is unusual or some crap like that. As I sit down I notice a pair of striking grey eyes looking at me. I quickly look away, not sure if I'm saving myself from the embarrassment or the copper haired boy from the embarrassment of getting caught staring.