A/N: Below

Disclaimer: FSOG is not mine

Chapter 4

"Christian, you swore we'd never get caught but what's this?" One of the boys was angry and all Christian do was smirk at him. Four of them are now in the headmaster's office. They were caught drinking in the middle of the school gym at exactly two-thirty a.m. For fourteen year olds, they were gutsier than no one's ever been at school.

Looking at Christian right now, he had a cut on his lips like all the words he didn't speak have pushed through to come out, dark circles under his eyes as if they were the shadows of the face he sees before he couldn't sleep, and a total of three band aids, showing that no matter all the efforts, he refused to be healed.

"To be honest, bourbon tasted better than whiskey," Luke said.

Christian rolled his eyes, "Man, whiskey tasted better, I guarantee you that."

One of the boys requested, "Your filthy rich so let's have vodka next time?"

"Where shall we drink it?" Luke questioned.

Christian confirmed, "We're gonna drink it here."

"Here here?"

"Yes, the headmaster's office." The three of them planned their next drinking session disregarding the facts that they're just fourteen year olds and that they're about to be punished by the school headmaster for such violation. Christian knew that if his parents weren't huge sponsors of the school, he would have been kicked out for a long time ago. That's what pissed him most. He knew he deserved less but why do people tend to stick with him? He was cactus. Every bit of his skin could extremely hurt someone.

Christian never understood so he relied on his cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. He was lost in this world like a puzzle piece that realized that the puzzle was completed without it. Each time he drank, he questioned how the world could be so unfair. How can he find a girl but looks exactly like Ella? Each time he smoked, he wondered how a man could be so cruel towards his four year old self.

That brought him back to thinking of the present.

He heard Luke worry, "Make sure vodka tastes good, huh?"

The other boy named Boyce said, "You know who tastes better?"

"Who?"

"Anastasia Rose Steele," Boyce spoke her name like a pervert so Christian slapped both of their cheeks with full force. His nose was flaring since they were talking about her in a way she never deserves.

With so much bitterness, Christian asked, "How did she get into this conversation? How is she related to bourbon, whiskey, or vodka? How?!" He was shouting now, "Boyce, don't you dare talk to her the same way again, okay? Don't you dare do that! If you're going to talk about her that way, you better run away because when I see you after disrespecting her, I will cut your hand. Do you hear me? I am serious!"

Boyce wasn't shaken. He knew Christian was real angry right now. But what can he do? He was practically an accomplice. Boyce glanced at the window and saw Ana peeping. She was really worried about him and since she bribed Boyce, he was tasked to ask Christian about the questions Ana wanted an answer for a long time.

"I'm sorry, bro. So uhm . . . what's the deal with her?"

"What do you mean by that?!" Christian looked scary.

"I want to date her so I want to know," Boyce lied carelessly so Christian kicked his friend's chair. Boyce fell down the floor and Ana tried not to laugh from outside the window. She knew he would get jealous.

"You are dating her all of a sudden?"

Boyce lied convincingly, "Yes! You wanna know why?"

Christian already knows why. Who doesn't want to date the prettiest girl in school? Who doesn't want a girl so kind that she flew to a country million miles away after an earthquake struck it? Who doesn't want a girl who makes everyone wonder how a big heart could fit in such a small chest? And the most complicated question of all: how can she out of all people, fall in love with a man who gets disturbed by looking at her face?

"Why do you want to date her?"

"Because she has nice legs"

Christian kicked Boyce and he moaned in pain.

He asked, "Why don't you date her anyway? She's obviously so in love with you since we were kids."

Because she deserved better

Because she's the replica of Ella's face

Because she was something so bright and he doesn't know if he can handle her

"Come on, Christian, I just need one good reason."

He settled for a smooth lie, "Because . . ."

Ana braced herself for the worst. A few seconds later, her eyes widened as soon as she got her answer.

"She's too short for me."

The headmaster finally arrived inside his office but Ana didn't move. She was too shocked. Short? Who is short? Ana thought. She listened to the headmaster's hour long ranting and punishment.

Short, huh?

She'll show Christian short.

~HH~

The punishment was community service and Christian thought that it was too petty for a punishment. Luke and Boyce were happy but Christian wanted to be kicked out of the school or to be suspended. He didn't even know why he was still studying. For someone like him, hope was not found. When he envisioned his future, it didn't include the feeling of happiness anymore.

For someone like him, happiness has become nothing but a foreign feeling.

"Why do I feel like we are some sort of prisoners?" Luke was confused since the three of them were wearing orange jumpsuits. Christian and Boyce just ignored him and started cleaning the school field and by cleaning, it meant the three boys were picking up scattered dry leaves. It's autumn and they're everywhere. Luke complained the whole time but Christian wanted this to be done.

They were doing fine until . . . "Hello boys!"

The three boys froze to the sight before them. It was no other than Anastasia Steele wearing the same orange pantsuit and a white shawl. Christian eyed her from head to foot and his eyes widened when he saw her wearing five inches heels. They were red and obviously a mismatch to her jumpsuit.

Boyce was unfriendly, "Last time I checked you weren't drinking with us."

Ana rolled her eyes, "I am a good student so I'm gonna clean with you three."

Christian suddenly raged because of the interaction so he said, "Can you two quit flirting now? Can we get this over with? I need your cooperation!"

Ana smirked at that, "You're jealous, huh?"

He rolled his eyes in response.

"So uhm . . . do I look tall to you now?"

"What the fuck?" Christian immediately realized what's this all about. Ana heard the discussion inside the headmaster's office and she heard that he thought she was too short. Christian gulped, completely feeling guilty about the lie he spoke. Before he even gets to explain, Ana began picking up the dried leaves.

The whole community service was a torture and it shouldn't have been. Christian was pained not because of the scorching heat of the sun but because of the fourteen year old girl who was struggling to pick up dried leaves because of the five inches heels she was wearing. She didn't know but Christian noticed that every move she made was like a pose to every frame in a photo shoot. She was purposely trying to look tall. She elongated her legs and raised her neck higher. Christian thought it was cruel of him.

He cared too much for her—too much that it could kill him.

~HH~

The five hour-long community service was over. Christian and Ana were left in the middle of the school field by Luke and Boyce. The two fourteen year olds face each other level to level, since Ana was taller than usual. Christian decided that it was enough. He knelt down the ground and got a hold of her red heels.

"Christian, what are you doing?"

"Take it off. I've seen how many times you stumbled while cleaning. Take it off."

With a scowl, she let Christian take the shoes off and as he saw that parts of her feet were swollen and the other bleeding, he threw the shoes away with a loud curse. Ana flinched and thought that it was too pathetic of her.

He stood up again and interrogated, "Did you hear me yesterday?"

"Yes, I heard you."

He was getting frustrated. His fingers raked through his copper hair when he disappointingly told her, "Ana, why? Don't you get it? We cannot be together! I know that we've shared moments before but this is becoming out of hand! Ana, stay away from me please."

Her face hardened, "Why should I?"

"Ana, I've made a lot of mistakes."

"I've already forgiven you," she rebutted.

"I smoke and I drink."

"We could end that."

She won't give up, will she? He tried to scare her away again, "I don't have a bright future."

"You already have and that's me."

Christian's heart soared at that but he tried his best to deny it. "Ana, will you please stop this?"

Her face tough and it's almost like that challenge was the other way around. She was challenging him now since no matter how many flaws he enumerates, she'll disregard it.

Again she asked in the same calm but stoic manner, "Why should I?"

"Clinging to me will be like clinging into a cactus. You'll get hurt Ana."

She said the words that made his heartbeat undeniable, "Christian . . . perhaps you're the only cactus I see in this desert."

The two of them stared at each other and Christian was breathless. Ana lifted her head high, not embarrassed of all the things she did to express how much she loved him. Then she explained it further:

"Christian, I have liked you for a long time because the signs were there. When I was young, I was fascinated by Dorothy and how she got to Oz. I told myself that I should have a man who could take me to Oz. That was impossible but you've made it real. Christian . . . the first time I saw you, I thought that your grey eyes were the cyclone and I was Dorothy who went to Oz. The second sign was that we shared the same birthday and that's rare, right? The universe must be telling us something. Since then, I've only wished for you."

He weakly argued, "Ana, signs are—"

"And as we grew up, I saw how beautifully lost you are. You've shown me strength, Christian. I know that you have a story you are not ready to share to anyone yet but Christian, I know you'll come around someday. I've seen the way you smile and the way you stare outside the window of the classroom and I thought how unfair it is for someone like you to be this beautiful."

"Ana—"

"Christian, I love you . . . sign or no sign."

That's it! Christian thought as he enclosed the space between them. Sandwiched between the yellow sky and its reflection on the field, Christian took her shawl to cover her face—to cover the parts of her that force a channel of unwanted flashbacks and horrific footages of his old self, revealing only her lips for him to press his against it.

He kissed her now and the whole world stopped.

He wanted to tell her but he chose to keep it to himself, "I love you too, Ana. Sign or no sign."

A/N: Thank you so much for following this story. Merry Christmas everybody! Please do leave a review.