Waiting outside with my backpack slinged over my shoulder, I held my breath a bit anxious for the evening to start. So imagine my utter surprise when this massive limousine drove up to the front of our apartment building. Our street was small so it nearly took up both lanes. Oh…. Oh, ok; I see. I came to realize the situation I was in while staring at the beast of a car. He's one of those rich guys; we're talking like "rich" rich. Not just plain old rich… Oh boy.
This friendly older-looking man got out from the front door of the limo and came to open the back door for me. As he did so he flashed me a kind smile. "Evening, miss." "Good evening," still feeling slightly reluctant, I slowly entered the car and the man shut the door behind me. Scutching sideways a little on my un-comfy, sleek leather seat, I looked up beside me to find a man likely a year or two older than me sitting there. I saw him and my heart skipped a beat for a second.
You know in those rom-com movies where the girl's jaw will drop when seeing this gorgeous hunk of a man? Well that was metaphorically- but not literally- what I did just then. This guy was beautiful! Stunning, even! It's like his face, muscles, and chest were sculpted solely for my pleasure. He had this "rich person" hairstyle; if you've seen young billionaires in the media then you know what I mean. His jawline was thin and chiselled. His fingers were both slender and strong-looking at the same time. He wore a VERY fancy, expensive suit; I bet it was expensive because it looked that way, but I didn't know the brand exactly. His shoes were also high-quality leather. This man, whoever he was, had it going on. Compared to him, I felt like a frumpy spinster with zero fashion sense- or money.
I ogled him for what was probably a second- which was a second too long. He, for his part, utterly ignored me until the door was properly closed. His face was buried in his phone and he did NOT look happy. He wore that "I'm only here cause I'm forced to be here" kind of expression, and the night would not disprove me wrong. After what felt like the world's most uncomfortable silence, I forced an extremely awkward grin; he's not the only one who doesn't wanna be here right now. Sure, he's hot, but he's totally out of my league, and I could be watching The Dark Crystal with Paul and Jose instead of enduring all this. Nonetheless I tried to start the evening off on a positive note. "Uh, h-hi. I-I'm…."
"Sign this," he didn't even look at me; not one single glance. His hand shoved a stack of stapled papers in my direction with a pen laying on top of them. I gazed down at the document startled and confused. "Uhhhhhh…?" "It's a waiver and confirmation that this "date" really happened. Sign it," this was an order and a direct one at that. He spoke to me like you'd imagine him speaking to a fast-food worker or cashier at the drugstore. Yes, I know he probably never goes to though places, but you get what I mean. Utterly speechless, I took the papers from him and, after quickly scanning them over to double-check what he said was true, signed my name at the bottom. His hand wasn't extended out for them anymore, so I put them neatly down on the seat cushion between us. Then I nervously gazed up at him again. His dark, deep, lush eyes scrolled from his phone screen over to the signed paper. Only then did he look at me for the first time.
His eyes met mine and I kid you not, he rolled his eyes. He actually rolled his eyes! It was a completely unimpressed, unenthusiastic gesture, leaving me feeling totally insecure about myself. While I liked what I saw, he clearly did not. "Let's get this over with," he huffed to himself, glancing back at his phone. My cheeks started to sizzle red with embarrassment; I wanted to end the date right there and then but was worried Mom might find out. His initial, blatant rejection of me only made me more resolved in my technique to deal with bullies. I believe in a kill-them-with-kindness mantra; show them that you're above their pettiness and cruelty. You're better than that. Yeah, you're better than that, Ana; don't let this guy get under your skin so quickly. This farse of a date's only just begun.
Feeling a bit more defiant, I sat back on my seat a little, now sitting on my hands. "Hello." Silence. I pursed my lips slightly before continuing. "T-Thanks for picking me up uh…. Oh, I'm sorry, my mom didn't tell me your name." Without making a sound, he reached into his jacket's pocket and pulled out a business card. I was shocked yet again when he handed it to me. "Christian Grey….." I read it out loud. "That's what the card says," he snapped back, though not loudly so. "Your name's Christian Grey? Huh. Well it's nice to meet you, Christian." Big mistake. He shot me another annoyed glare at this. "That's Mr. Grey to you," another order. Gee, no wonder this guy's a CEO; he sure likes bossing people around. Still, my back arched and any semblance of a grin evaporated from my lips. "Mr. Grey….." I conceded, not wanting to actively make him hate me more. His eyes gave another roll and he turned his attention to his phone screen. I realized that if I wanted to engage in any conversation- which I really didn't want to- I'd have to be the one to do most, if not all of the talking.
"I'm Anastasia Steele," I finally made myself say after a minute of truly agonizing quiet. "Did I ask you?" He remarked, still staring at his phone's screen. My arm's stiffened defensively. "W-Well no, but…" Before I could say more, he set down his phone once more and spun to face me directly. He practically made me look him in the eye just now. "Listen, let's get one thing straight here. I don't care what your name is, ok? If I wanted to know that, I'd look at your file, which I didn't do before our "date", so that should give you some indication of how invested I am in tonight. You are one in a long list of girls I'm forced to be seen in public with; this wasn't my idea, it was the court's. I don't remember a single one of their names, and I'm sure as hell am not going to remember you after tonight, you understand? So why don't you do us both a favour and let me take the lead tonight; you look like you're used to taking directions, not giving them. If I want to know something about you- which I don't- I'll ask, otherwise don't provide me with any unsolicited information, you got that? I've got enough on my plate to worry about without babysitting some college girl who couldn't get a real date on her own, which is why you're here I'm sure. Understand?"
I stared at him for a good solid thirty seconds, not saying anything. Did he just…..? What did he just say to me? What a jerk! The nerve of this guy! I may not be a billionaire or super-model pretty, but at least I've never been arrested! I decided right there and then that I hated him too, this "Mr. Grey". Before we even went on it, I knew I was in for the worst date of my life- far none.
You never could have convinced me in that moment that this man would someday be my adoring husband.