I do not own these characters. This is just for fun. Enjoy!

Anastasia

I don't know how or when we came inside my home, but here we are, sitting in my living room, while Kate chats away with the guys. I still can't believe I became speechless. While they found it quite funny, I found it horrifying. I never freeze. I'm never the deer in the headlights. I always find a way to be two steps ahead. For crying out loud, I'm CEO of SPC.

"Ana what are you doing Saturday?" Kate asks, braking me from my thoughts.

"Working." I automatically say as I'm still trying to comprehend why I was rendered speechless. It's not that I've never seen a handsome man before, because I have, but I'm usually calm and collected. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Ana you can't be serious? You have to stop working so hard. You're going to give yourself a heart attack, before you reach 30." Kate says with a disapproving tone.

"Come on Ana. It'll be fun. We can go to a bar or a club. My brother here owns one of the hottest spots." Elliot says with a hopeful expression on his face. Is that even his name?

I turn my attention towards the man. I called an asshole, whose name I now know is Christian. He smirks at me when he catches me staring at him. He's honestly good looking and especially those gorgeous eyes of his. I could get lost in them if I wanted to, but I don't.

"So Ana, what do you say? Are we going out on Saturday?" Kate asks again and I know she's sending a prayer that I might change my mind, but I don't.

"No." I state firmly and I tell Kate is devastated.

"Whatever." Kate states while rolling her eyes in the process. I shrug and turn my attention to Elliot who has asked me a question.

"So Ana, what do you do. I mean what's your career?" I look at Elliot when he speaks, but from my peripherals I tell Christian is eager to know aswell.

"I'm CEO and owner of SPC." I tell him and I can see Christian's eyebrows slightly raise in surprise. Elliot laughs and turns to look at Christian.

"Hey, bro. I think you met your equivalent I'm a woman form." He laughs again causing Kate to laugh as well. While Christian and I look at both of them, I can't help but wonder what he's talking about.

"I'm CEO and owner of GEH." Christian clarifies, but I still don't know what he's referring to.

"Don't mind her, Christian. Ana wouldn't know who you were, unless you were a fictional character." Kate says as she's still giggling.

I turn my head towards her direction and I want to scream at her. But luckily for her I have company. Getting up from where I'm seated I walk towards the kitchen, not before saying, "I need a drink."

I can hear Kate say something, but I really don't care to know what she said. Knowing Kate, she will be by my side shortly, I pull out a chilled wine from the under counter wine cooler. Right on cue, I can hear her heels clicking on the kitchen tile floor.

"You know Ana, you could be a little more willing to conversate with the guys." She says as she reaches for three wine glasses and places them on the counter and begins to pour the wine into them.

"Kate you already know I hate surprises, especially when it comes to wasting my time." I tell her as I grab my half empty glass of wine and walk towards the side patio to the right of the kitchen.

"Ana you have to learn to live a little. Your life shouldn't revolve only around work." I can hear Kate's sadness and pity, but I won't allow myself to register them. I refuse to.

"Kate. I'm happy with my life. Okay? If it wasn't for me working my ass off all these years, I wouldn't have what I have now!" I tell her frustrated with this topic. This is a topic, no matter how deep I bury it, it always finds a way to resuscitate.

Kate slowly shakes her head and I can see the sadness and pained expression on her face.

"You're right, you have worked your ass off to have what you have. But answer me this. If you never accomplished what you have, what would you have now? You would have nothing." She says as with sadness in her voice.

I know she's right, but I love what I do. I can get lost in the manuscript I read or the books I've read. I can live through the characters as if it was I. I could love someone without the fear of being hurt. I could see the world from someone else's point of view. I could imagine a life with a fairytale ending.

Shaking my head I sit on one of the patio chairs and drink my wine. I can hear Kate sigh in defeat and begins to leave.

"I'm going out with the guys. I would ask you if you would join us, but I already know the answer." She says before she leaves me alone with my thoughts.