PROLOGUE (five years earlier)
Today was going to be a good day. Scratch that, it was going to be a great day.
School was officially out for the summer, and I had passed all my finals with flying colours. Sophomore year was over, and I was going to be a junior in just a few months. My sixteenth birthday was on the horizon, and I was going to have the most epic birthday. Plus my new car (which, let's face it, I was the most excited for). Oh yes, and on top of all of that, today was a day that neither myself nor my family had ever thought would happen. My Aunt Leila, was finally getting married. I say finally, because she had been in and out of dozens of failed relationships. She had tried dating coaches, blind dates, speed dating. She had tried everything and finally, had found the one.
The one, was a man named Christian Grey who was seven years her junior. He was twenty three and she was almost thirty. At first, my mother disapproved. He was too young for her. She should be with a mature man. But Leila seemed happy and that was all that mattered. Plus, he was very mature for his age. He owned his own manufacturing business here in Seattle and was working on expansion. He was very career focused, hence the reason why we had only seen him a handful of years since Leila met him last year. He'd proposed early on; Leila stating she had never been so in love. They had met when she started working for him at his company and she was head over heels. Personally, I couldn't understand the obsession. Sure, he was good looking. But he was very serious and business like. He was always on his phone and talking about deals. To me, he seemed a bit boring but so were most adults. The only people I found interesting were my best friends, Kate and Jose - who were right here with me getting ready.
"Your mom is going to kill me," Kate giggled as she finished applying blusher to my cheeks.
I was in a pale pink gown with flowers in my hair, feeling every bit of a princess. I loved weddings. I always imagined my own when I was older and marrying my soulmate. Jose was in his suit and Kate was wearing the same colour pink as me, in a different design. We had both worn our hair in the same style, long curls with a half up crown. We were still finishing our makeup when mom started screaming up the stairs for us to hurry up. With a giggle, we slid into our heels and grabbed our bags as we quickly made our way down the stairs.
Leila's wedding was being held at Christian's parent's house. His house was absolutely enormous, and we could not stop staring as the car pulled up.
"Fuck he's minted," my dad remarked.
My mom swatted him for swearing in front of the kids and we all laughed.
"You reckon they've got a pool?" Jose asked.
"If they have, you are not going anywhere near it," my mom said with a raised brow.
Jose pouted.
Having been best friends since kindergarten, Kate and Jose were practically family and since they went everywhere with us, my parents pretty much treated them like her own children too. With Kate, her family were business people so they were always away. Jose lived with his grandparents and he could sometimes be a lot. Therefore, we had pretty much adopted them.
The gate was open as we arrived, and the driver drove forwards into a magical wonderland filled with white roses and garlands. It screamed elegance and sophistication. Exactly like Leila.
"My sister would choose to marry a man so young," my mom quipped, annoyed.
She wasn't the biggest fan of Christian and made no qualms about voicing her opinion.
My dad just shrugged. "If she's happy, she's happy," he decided. "You reckon they've got beer at this thing?"
I laughed again as my dad winked at me. My parents balanced each-other out perfectly. They worked in a blended harmony, my dad being the carefree relaxed opposite to my mother's tendency to overreact and be a little uptight. As long as my dad had beer and access to a TV, he was content.
As we got out of the car and entered the house, we stepped into what appeared to be a foyer filled with flower stands and Italian marble flooring. There was a guest book to sign in and we met my grandma Lucy there, already sipping from a glass of champagne with tears in her eyes.
"My baby girls finally getting married," she cried, embracing my mom fiercely. "That's all I've ever wanted. For my two girls to be settled and happy. Oh Ana darling you're such a beauty. You're growing up so fast."
She turned to me then, hugging me tight. I inhaled her warmth. I loved my grandma very much.
She stepped back to appraise me, and my mom stroked a finger through my hair, smiling.
"Gorgeous isn't she?" She said proudly. "Even though she can be such a pain."
I rolled my eyes and she squeezed me tighter.
An hour or so later, we headed into the beautifully decorated back yard where we watched Leila walk down the aisle with my grandad Bob. She looked so pretty in a bright white gown with a veil and as she kissed her husband, I watched the happiness radiate from every inch of her and I was thrilled for my Aunt. When I greeted her afterwards, she crushed me to her, tears running down her cheeks.
"Oh honey, my favourite niece," she blubbered.
"Your only niece," I reminded her.
She hugged me again with a laugh. "My favourite person should I say," she corrected. "I'm so happy Ana. I never thought I would get married. I'm so so happy."
"I'm glad," I grinned. "You look beautiful."
After the ceremony, the adults were busy taking pictures and congratulating and crying. Jose, Kate and myself made our way into the kitchen where we snuck several glasses of champagne. We were found later that night by my mom who had to hold my hair as I threw up in the toilet.
Suffice to say, it had been a very good day.
