A/N: Thank you all for your reviews and support! I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 6: The illustration of your character

Leila and Charlie could see something was wrong with Ana as soon as she joined them in the food court, and judging by her red cheeks and angry expression, she clearly didn't want to talk about it. Leila looked like she was holding back laughter as she ducked her head down, turning away from her sister, and not greeting Jose when he eventually joined them at the table.

It was very awkward as Charlie and Leila finished up their pretzels, making small talk with each other and ignoring the elephant in the room. Ana refused to talk about what had just happened, and Jose seemed too uncomfortable to bring it up; to Ana's profound relief, Charlie suggested they all head back home, and they soon gathered up their things to leave.

Jose didn't talk to Ana again as they made their way back, and his gallant attempts at talking to Charlie and Leila seemed forced and awkward. He was most animated when he talked about his job at the Lady de Bourgh, and no one bothered to interrupt him - Ana was thankful when they finally made it back home, and she could escape upstairs and away from Jose.

Ana was just thinking about going into Kate's room to tell her what had happened when her phone suddenly rang with an incoming call. She smiled and blushed when she looked at the caller ID.

"Hello?" Ana answered, walking into her bedroom and closing the door.

"Hey you," Jack's smooth voice sounded from the other end, and it caused Ana's heart to flutter. "Sorry for not calling yesterday. How've you been?"

"I've been good," she smiled, walking over to her bed and laying down on it, her phone still to her ear. "I just got back from shopping. How about you?"

"Oh, y'know. Livin' in the moment," Jack chuckled, and Ana couldn't help but grin. "My buddies and I are actually going on a road trip together before the new semester starts. Some of us were thinking Vegas, but I know I would love to see the Rocky Mountains."

"Oh, that's cool," Ana said, though she felt her heart sink slightly. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"Well, we're leaving tomorrow, and we're probably going to be gone the whole week."

Ana bit her lip. "That's a shame. My friend Charlie is actually throwing a party on Wednesday before she heads off to college, and I was hoping you'd come with me."

"Aw man," Jack said, sounding genuinely upset. "Charlie's that girl you were with at Dave & Busters, right? That sucks, I don't think I'll be in Portland on Wednesday. I'm sure you'll still have a good time though."

"Yeah, I guess," Ana sighed. "But maybe it's for the best that you aren't there. I think Christian said he was going to go."

Jack chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, putting us in the same room probably isn't the best idea."

The two of them continued to chat for the next few minutes, talking about Charlie's party and Jack's upcoming road trip. Ana found it very easy to talk to Jack - he was easygoing and carefree, and she couldn't help but want to spend more time with him. She was disappointed he was leaving for a whole week, but the two of them agreed to find a time to hang out once he came back and they were both free.

They said their goodbyes, and Ana hung up the phone with a smile on her face.

The days leading up to Charlie's party were fairly busy for Ana. She had to work every single day at Clayton's, which she was thankful for since that meant she didn't have to stay at home where Jose was. He and his dad continued to visit the Steele family regularly throughout the week - according to Leila, all Jose did when he was there was talk about his job at the Lady de Bourgh and how he couldn't imagine having to work a lowly clerk job at a hardware store like Ana. He had also talked openly to Leila and Kate about how he had asked Ana to Charlie's going-away party, but stated she only rejected him because she already had a secret boyfriend and didn't want to "impugn her honor".

Needless to say, Ana was seriously glad she had rejected Jose when he asked her out. It was amazing how clueless this guy was.

The night of Charlie's party finally arrived, and Ana put on her new coral sleeveless dress with a crew neckline. She did her makeup and curled her hair before going into Kate's room to help her get ready; Kate had a pretty turquoise wrap dress with ruffled short-sleeves that looked elegant yet cute. She had to wear ballet flats instead of heels because of her ankle, but once her hair and makeup were done, Ana thought her sister looked absolutely stunning. Without a doubt, Elliot wouldn't be looking at any other woman for the entire night.

Ana, Kate, Leila, and Jose all went together to The Evergreen, a beautiful venue where a lot of parties and wedding receptions were held. Tonight, the place was packed with Charlie's friends and family, and in the corner was an open bar beside a long buffet table filled with delicious-looking food. Near the front of the room was a dance floor and a DJ booth, which was already playing music.

"What a charming little venue!" Jose said, gazing around with a wide grin on his face. He was wearing his usual khaki pants, short-sleeve button-down shirt, and a bright red bowtie.

"Do you think Elliot's here yet?" Ana asked Kate, ignoring Jose as they gazed around the crowded room. Just as she asked that, though, she saw the man himself step away from a small group of people and approach them, smiling widely.

"Good evening, ladies," Elliot said happily. He was wearing a black button-down shirt with dark slacks, which contrasted with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He smiled at Kate, and she blushed as he gave her outfit a onceover. "Wow Kate… you look absolutely phenomenal."

"Thank you," Kate smiled back at him. "You look very handsome yourself."

"Thanks," Elliot's smile widened. "Did you want to go get a drink?"

Kate nodded, and the two of them made their way over to the bar, Elliot helping her along since she opted not to bring her crutches with her. The next moment, Charlie approached Ana and the others, looking beautiful in a pretty black halter dress.

"Good evening, Charlie," Jose said before anyone could get a word out. He smiled widely at her before giving a kind of ridiculous half-bow. "Might I say, you look very lovely this evening."

Charlie blinked, surprised at his compliment, and gave him a small smile. "Um... thanks Jose."

"You're very welcome. Now, I can tell the three of you ladies probably want to have some 'girl talk' right about now, so I'll be sure to get out of your way. Excuse me," he said, and the next moment he was gone. The girls just looked at each other bemusedly before shrugging.

"Where did Kate and Elliot go?" Charlie asked, glancing around the room.

"They went over to the bar. I swear, whenever they're around each other it's like no one else even exists," Ana said humorously.

Charlie smiled. "Well, I think it's adorable."

"So Charlie, are you excited to be leaving for college in a couple days?" Leila asked eagerly.

"Nervous, excited, terrified - all of the adjectives," Charlie said with a nervous giggle. "I put off college for a couple years after high school, but now that I'm finally going, I feel like I"m going to be way older than all the other students."

"It won't be that bad," Ana brushed off with a smile. "You're only twenty-two. The only difference will be that you're too smart to go get trashed with all the other 18-year-old freshmen."

"Thank God," Charlie rolled her eyes, and Ana laughed.

The three girls chatted for a bit before moving over to the buffet table. Leila spotted a couple of her friends and went over to them - Ana knew that since their parents weren't here tonight, the responsibility of watching Leila fell on her and Kate. They needed to make sure Leila and her friends wouldn't take advantage of the open bar tonight.

"Is it just me, or does Christian keep staring at you?" Charlie now said as she and Ana picked up their drinks.

"What?" Ana asked, taking a sip of her gin fizz cocktail. Charlie nodded toward the opposite end of the room, and Ana glanced over to where she indicated. Through the crowd of people, Ana could distinctly see Christian by himself leaning against the wall near the DJ booth, wearing an open-collared white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He was nursing a beer and, sure enough, had his gaze locked on Ana. When her eyes met his, however, he looked away.

"He probably thinks there's a stain on my dress or something," Ana rolled her eyes, turning back to Charlie. "Why did he even bother coming tonight if he's just going to be antisocial and weird?"

"No idea," Charlie said, though she didn't say anything else as she took a sip from her vodka tonic, her expression pensive as she continued to gaze over at Christian.

Kate and Elliot now approached them with their drinks, Kate's arm linked through Elliot's, and the four of them began to chat about the party. Ana was having a good time so far, and she couldn't help but take in the room around her; everyone was mingling with each other, and several yards away she noticed Jose engaging Charlie's father in a conversation that appeared completely one-sided.

"Oh, it looks like the dancing has started," Charlie noted, looking over to the dance floor where about a dozen or so people had congregated, dancing to Britney Spears' Oops I Did it Again. Leila and her friends were among the group on the dance floor, as were a few boys with them.

"Do you want to go and dance?" Elliot asked Kate, turning to her. "I mean, if your ankle hurts too much, I understand…"

"No, it's fine," Kate said, smiling and blushing slightly. "My ankle feels good enough. I'd love to dance with you"

Elliot smiled, and the two of them set their drinks down on a nearby table before making their way to the dance floor, holding hands. Ana couldn't help but smile as she watched them, wishing she could find a guy who looked at her the same way Elliot looked at Kate.

"I think I'm going to go and save my dad from any more conversation with Jose," Charlie said, nodding over to her dad several yards away. "Wanna come?"

"No way. This one's all you," Ana said, shaking her head. Charlie giggled before excusing herself and walking away, leaving Ana to stand alone near the bar. She took a sip of her gin fizz and gazed at her surroundings.

The Britney Spears song ended and a slow acoustic version of Taylor Swift's Begin Again began to play; the people on the dance floor all broke off into pairs. Ana watched as Elliot pulled Kate to him, the two of them smiling at each other as they slowly swayed to the music.

"Ana, would you like to dance?"

Ana blinked and looked over, realizing Christian had walked up to her without her noticing. He had both of his hands shoved in his pockets, and he was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

It was almost out of surprise when she sputtered out a yes, and the next moment he led the way onto the dance floor with Ana trailing behind him.

Crap, am I really going to dance with Christian Grey? Ana was angry at herself for agreeing to dance with the guy who had ruined Jack's life, but knew there was little she could do about it now. A part of her was curious as to why Christian approached her for a dance in the first place, but concluded that he probably was bored and wanted to do something other than just stand around by himself.

They got onto the dance floor and joined the other couples; Christian placed both hands on Ana's hips while her hands went to his shoulders, only a few inches of space between them. Despite her dislike of the man, Ana couldn't help but notice the firm muscles on his arms or the pleasant, manly scent of his cologne.

They began to slow dance, and Ana looked up to see Christian staring into her eyes. He gave her a polite smile, and Ana grimaced back.

"So how do you like the party so far?" Ana asked, hoping to fill in the awkward silence.

"It's a nice venue," Christian said, glancing around. "Your friend is going to school in Seattle, right?"

"Yeah, she is," Ana said, and she couldn't resist adding on: "Are you and Elliot heading back to Seattle soon?"

"Probably not for a few more weeks. The work here is taking a bit longer than expected," Christian said, and he didn't expound upon that any further. There was another short silence between them as they continued to dance, not meeting each other's gaze as they looked around at the other couples.

"...So we're just going to dance in awkward silence, then?" Ana asked glibly, pursing her lips slightly. Christian looked down at her and smiled.

"We don't have to," he said. "Read any good books lately?" Ana detected a hint of amusement in his voice, and she let out a snort.

"You do not want to engage an English major in a conversation about books," she said seriously. "We'll be here all night."

"Then what do you suggest we talk about?" Christian smiled.

"I don't know," Ana shrugged. "Do anything fun lately?"

"Not really. There's nothing much happening in my life right now except for work... this party is the first time since your dad's birthday I went to a social gathering since I arrived in Portland."

"Charlie, Leila, and I actually went to Dave & Buster's the other day," Ana said, and she suddenly had an urge to mention Jack. Feeling her heart pounding in her ribcage, she blurted out: "I actually met a guy there who said he knew you."

"Oh really?" Christian looked mildly interested. "Who?"

"Jack," she said, gazing at him to gauge a reaction.

It was subtle, but Ana felt his hands on her waist stiffen slightly. The tic in his jaw and the hardening of his expression were a clear indicator he was angry. "Jack Hyde… yeah I knew him."

"It didn't sound like you guys are friends anymore," Ana went on, unafraid of the fact she was probably poking the bear.

"No, we're not," he said simply. "I doubt there are many people who would consider Jack a true friend. If I were you, I wouldn't spend too much time with him."

Ana, remembering Jack with all his frat buddies at the bar, had to resist laughing in Christian's face. "You know, I was starting to think Elliot was your only friend."

"I do have friends," Christian said, mildly defensive as he gazed at her with his eyebrow raised. "Why do you seem so interested in my life, Ms. Steele?"

"I'm just trying to figure you out," she said casually. "You and Elliot are leaving soon, so I probably won't have another opportunity."

"Well then, I'm an open book."

Ana looked into his eyes, and saw that he was looking right back at her. There was an expression on his face she couldn't quite comprehend, and Ana was starting to feel uncomfortable by the closeness they shared.

Why is he looking at me like that?

The song ended - they had danced two in a row without realizing it - and the couples all broke apart as a Fallout Boy song began to play. Ana stepped away from Christian, giving him a polite smile.

"Thanks for the dance, Christian," she said, her cheeks pink for some reason. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Ana."

With that, Ana turned around and walked toward Charlie, who was standing and chatting with a group of people nearby. Ana realized Christian was probably upset at her for mentioning Jack, but a large part of her didn't care. Jack had given her no reason not to trust him, and Christian's argument was a weak one at best - it was easy for her to figure out what was really going on.

Christian simply watched Ana walk away, a strange and unfamiliar feeling filling his chest as she did so. She looked beautiful tonight in a coral sleeveless dress that showed off her slender figure, and after having danced two songs holding her in his arms, his head felt like it was in a whirl.

He frowned to himself in annoyance. He had seen plenty of pretty girls before - why was one undergrad from Portland driving him so crazy? What was it about her that made him think about her all the time? He hated that their conversation had drifted to Jack Hyde of all people, but he didn't blame her for that. He had heard Jack was currently staying in Portland, and he hoped Ana would take his advice and not interact with that asshole again.

A giggle from behind him made him turn around, and he saw Kate and Elliot still on the dance floor. They seemed to be goofing around as Elliot had his face pressed into the crook of Kate's neck while she had her face turned away, blushing and giggling. Elliot pulled away and smiled at Kate with a look of such affection on his face that it made Christian raise his eyebrows in surprise.

Elliot's in love.

Christian had never seen his friend in love before, but it was crystal clear to anyone who saw him and Kate together that that was the case. Elliot had liked girls before, but this seemed to be on a whole other level.

Christian watched the two of them dancing for another moment or two before finally turning and walking away.

A/N: This fic is based off of the story Pride & Prejudice, which many of you may not have read before. That's totally fine, but for anyone who's annoyed with how I'm writing Ana's character just know that it's deliberate. Her first impression of Christian left her feeling inclined not to like him, and as a result she's doubtful of his good character. In other words, she's prejudiced. (get it?) :)

Anyway, I hope you all still liked this chapter. Next chapter, Ana says goodbye to Charlie as she heads off to college, but not before Charlie reveals something that completely takes Ana by surprise.