Chapter 2

Ana

I am sitting at my desk, enjoying the quiet morning before fifteen third graders make their presence known. I sip my peppermint mocha and survey the damage on my desk. The end of the grading period is today and there are papers littering the top of my desk. I decide to tackle it later.

The door to my room opens and a fellow third grade teacher Courtney peeks her head in. "Hey, Ana. Have you finalized your grading reports yet?" I give her a look that says what do you think, and she grins.

"You know I like to wait until the last minute. Besides, I can take care of it while the kiddos are in PE class." I continue to drink from my cup, savoring the peppermint taste as it hits my tongue.

"Bad news, I'm afraid." Courtney says, while stepping into my room. "The PE teacher is out sick today and they haven't found a substitute teacher. Looks like you will have to handle it yourself."

"Are you serious?" I ask.

"Afraid so. Do you have any plans for the weekend?" Courtney leans against my desk.

"Yeah, I promised my parents I would go to some work function of theirs on Saturday night." Lord knows I would love to find a way out of it.

"Is your dad still trying to set you up with great up and coming realtors for Seattle's finest real estate group?" I chuckle at her assessment of my father trying to find me a husband. She's had to endure more than one double date with the characters my father has arranged for me.

"Yeah, but I plan on keeping my distance from the vultures and leaving early as possible. Do you have big plans?" I finish my coffee and toss my empty cup in the trash.

"Not really. Maybe I'll order some take out and watch a new series on Netflix. Have you found anything good recently?"

"No, I haven't had time. I've been working on some DIY renovations to my house. You should come by and see it sometime. Maybe we can have a girl's night soon."

"That sounds wonderful." Courtney looks over my shoulder and sighs. "I think the first wave of busses has arrived. Enjoy your day and try to turn in your grade reports on time." I roll my eyes and she laughs at my expression.

"See you later, Courtney." I smile at my friend as she leaves my room. I met Courtney three years ago when I first started at Seattle Prep School. She had taught here a year before a started and we became instant friends.

Once she leaves, the first few students of the day come into the room. I greet them with a smile as they put away their jackets and bookbags. It's early spring in Seattle and the mornings are still cool. It rains a lot typically, but lately the sun has been shining.

"Good morning, Miss Steele. Can you help me with my math homework?" We started fractions yesterday and some of the students had some difficulty grasping the concept.

"Of course, I can help Jarrett." He brings me his paper and we go over the problems together. After a few practice problems, he understands how to do them and can work through the remaining problems without any help.

"Thank you, Miss Steele." He smiles and his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"You are welcome, Jarrett. Don't be afraid to ask for help, okay? That is what I am here for." He is a cute kid. Dark brown hair that curls at the ends and deep blue eyes surrounded by thick lashes. He will break some hearts when he gets older.

The rest of the class trickles in as I try to make headway of the mess on my desk. I separate the papers the best I can and resolve myself to finish during lunch.

The morning announcements come through speaker in the room, and we all stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Once that is done, I pull out the planning book and we get to work on today's assignments.

By the time lunch rolls around, I am starving. I need to do a better job of eating a high protein breakfast instead of just drinking coffee. I get back to my classroom after walking the children to the lunchroom and check my cell phone for messages. I see a missed call and voice mail from my father, and I roll my eyes. I play the message and listen as his deep voice plays on speaker.

"Anastasia, I want to remind you of the dinner party this Saturday night. It will be at Carrick and Grace Grey's house in Belleview. I believe you have been there before. The party starts at six. Don't be late." The message ends and I delete it. I don't understand why he feels the need to try and set me up with his colleagues. They are a bunch of uber rich, spoiled douche bags.

I work through the papers on my desk while munching on a ham sandwich and Doritos. Just before lunch is over, I finish the papers and record the grades for each student for the learning period. Most of them have good marks, but a few have room for improvement.

I finish the grading report for the principle just as the timer goes off to signal lunchtime being over. Since it's my responsibility today to do PE class, I have an idea I think the kids will like.

"Alright class, settle down and get out your writing journals. I want you to spend the next thirty minutes writing about the most important person. It can be anyone. Talk about who they are and why they are important to you. Once you are done, bring your journals to me." I set the timer on my desk and watch as each student opens their journal and begins to write.

I will thoroughly enjoy reading what each student has to say. The creativity they demonstrate at their age is mind blowing.

The weather outside doesn't seem to want to cooperate so it looks like the class will have recess in the gym. I check the battery charge on my phone and find its ample to do what I have planned for the students.

When the timer goes off, most of the journals have been turned in, except for a few. "Alright class, time to finish up writing so we can get to PE." The remaining students hurry to finish as the others stir anxiously in their seats.

"Aw man, it's raining. We won't be able to go outside today." One of the students from the back of the room says in a disappointing voice.

"I have something planned I think you will like. The usual teacher for recess is not in today so I will oversee the class. Please line up at the door." All the journals have found their way to my desk, and I reach for my key and phone.

"Let's go. Who is the line leader today?" Everyone looks to the list in the front of the room and in bold black letters the name Andrew appears. "Alright Andrew, please lead the class down the hall and stop at the corner."

Once the room is empty, I use the key to lock my door and then walk to the front of the line where Andrew has stopped. "Alright, Mr. Andrew. Lead us to the gym."

As the line moves, I make sure the students stay quiet and do not disturb the other classes in session. For the most part, my students behave well. There are times when they act out, but they are kids and that's what they do.

Once we get to the gym, I instruct them to run a few laps around to get warmed up. I look inside the supply closet and find what I need. While the students were at lunch, I checked their names to make sure what I am about to do will even out fairly.

"Alright, class. If your last name starts with a vowel, go to this side of the room." I point to my right and watch as the students follow my instructions. "The rest of you move to this side of the room." I point to my left. I place the items I retrieved from the supply closet in the center of the gym and face my students.

"I'm sure you have played dodge ball before in PE class, right?" I look around the room and the kids nod excitedly. "Alright, we will start when I say go."

"Miss Steele, can you play with us?" Jeremy asks. His last name begins with the letter M, and I place my finger over my lips pretending to think about his request. I am thankful I wore blue jeans and sneakers today.

"Alright, as long as you promise to go easy on me." The class cheers as I set my phone and key chain down next to the wall and join them. "Alright. Ready, set GO!" I yell and retreat to the back of the group.

I watch as the boys take aim at the girls, trying to eliminate them first. One of the balls rolls to me and I pick it up. I look around at the potential targets. I throw the ball with a little gusto and miss. The kids start laughing and start to throw all the balls at me. I get hit on my legs and arms; then laugh along with them as I exit the court.

"This is fun, Miss Steele, why can't you be our PE teacher all of the time?" Jenny asks while we are watching the others continue to play.

"I'm sure I would get boring after a while, sweetie." I pat her shoulder and watch as each side has two remaining players. They battle back and forth until the vowels win.

"Alright, you guys. That was a great game. We have time for one last thing. Everyone spread out on the floor, leaving enough room between each other to move around." I reach for my phone and open my iTunes playlist.

"When the song starts playing, I want you to dance. It doesn't matter what moves you make if you move in some fashion. Understand? Oh, and you can sing along too!" I look around the room as each student nods their head.

When I start the music, I move my body to the beat and sing along to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off. I make my way around to each student, taking their hands and turning them around in a circle. The girls giggle and I can't help but smile.

These kids may not be my own, but I love them as if they were. Once the music stops, everyone is breathless but smiling. "Want to dance to another one?" All of them yell yes and I jog to my phone to choose another song. I remember that the song must be kid friendly, so I choose Pharrell William's Happy.

The song starts and we all move around and clap with the music. Out of the corner of my eye, I see another class come into the gym and I invite them to join us. Most of them stand around and watch, but a few decide to jump around and enjoy themselves.

Once the music stops, I gather my class and we leave the gym for the next set of students. "That was fun, Miss Steele." I feel small arms wrap around my waste and I return the hug.

"I'm glad you had fun, sweetie. Go get you a drink of water so we can head back to class." The rest of the students line up at the water fountain for a drink as the next class takes over the gym.

We spend the rest of the afternoon going over ecosystems and the different species that inhabit them. By the time the day is over, I'm ready for a glass of wine.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Steele." I wave at the last student that leaves my classroom. I gather up my end of term grade reports and tuck them under my arm. I walk down the hallway to the main office to hand deliver them to the principal.

"Hello, Ana." The principal Mrs. Riggs greets me politely. She is not the nicest person sometimes, but she is like me and loves all the children as her own.

"Hi, Mrs. Riggs. Here is my end of period grade reports." I offer my best smile. She looks at me skeptically but takes the reports.

"Thank you for getting these to me on time. I will look them over and make any necessary recommendations." I nod my head and leave the main office. I have a bottle of wine at home that needs my attention.

I barely make it through the door of my house before my phone starts to ring. I look at the caller ID and groan when I see who is calling. I drop my bag by the door and accept the call.

"Hi, dad." I walk into the kitchen and reach for a glass and a bottle of wine. It will take most, if not all, of the wine to get through this conversation.

"Did you get my message from earlier today?" He doesn't say hi or anything. Just straight to the point.

"Yes, I got your message. But I had a busy day with my students, end of period grading and was unable to call. How is mom doing?"

"I expect you to be at the party on Saturday evening. There are a few people I want to introduce you to." I roll my eyes. I take a healthy drink of wine and relish the flavor as it pops across my tongue.

"I plan on coming, but I don't want to be set up with any of your co-workers. I don't have time to deal with the whiny and pretentious pricks you set me up with." I laugh to myself when I hear dad growling under his breath.

"Anastasia, I don't appreciate your tone. I am only looking out for your best interests. You need someone to take care of you." I scoff at his comment.

"I appreciate your concern, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself." I finish the glass of wine and pour me another one. "Besides, I don't want to be someone's trophy wife. I like being a teacher and I plan on being one for a long time."

"You have so much potential, and I hate to see you waste it on a bunch of kids."

I am in no mood to hear this lecture again. "Dad, I have to go. I have another call coming in. Tell mom I love her. Bye." I end the call and silence my phone. I am sure he will call back and voice his disapproval of how I am acting but could care less.

The truth is, I do have time for a boyfriend, and I wouldn't mind having one. Just not the ones my father tries to set me up with.

The rest of the week passes by in a flash. It is now Saturday evening, and I am dreading the dinner party. I decide on an electric blue cocktail dress with long sleeves that stops just above my knees. I grab a matching clutch and a pair of stilettos from my closet. I may as well give the guys something to drool over. They can damn well look but won't get close enough to touch.

I curl my hair and apply some mascara and lip gloss to finish off my look. I admire myself in the mirror. I must admit I look hot in this dress. I drop my phone and ID in my clutch and grab my keys from the breakfast bar.

I step outside and take a breath of fresh air. The rain that hung around for the past few days has cleared out and the sun is starting to set.

The ride to Belleview takes about twenty minutes and when I see the number of cars in the Grey's driveway, I contemplate turning around and going home. I park my Honda in a place that will grant me an easy exit from tonight's festivities.

After checking my hair and makeup one last time, I search through the cars already parked and recognize my parent's white Mercedes SUV. Dad tried to buy me a car when I graduated college, but I wouldn't accept it. The car I had at the time was in great shape and didn't need a new car.

I walk up to the front door and before I can knock, it opens, and I'm greeted by Grace Grey. "Hello dear, come on in. You look familiar. Have you been to one of our parties before?"

"Yes, ma'am. My father, Raymond Steele works at the same firm as you and Mr. Grey." Her face lights up with recognition and she leads me through the foyer.

"Oh, yes. You are Anastasia. Your father talks about you all the time. There are waiters walking around with champagne or you can have a drink of your choice made at the bar. Feel free to help yourself. Enjoy your evening dear."

I'm sure my father talks about how disappointed he is in me and my career choice to be a teacher instead of following in his footsteps and become a real estate broker. I have given up on explaining my side of things. A passing waiter offers me a glass of champagne. I take one and I search the room for a place to hide.

I find a place that's out of the way, but I am still able to see most people in the room. Grace walks into the room arm in arm with two handsome men that appear half her age. Through multiple conversations, I hear her introduce them as her sons, Christian and Elliott.

I've seen one of them before at the school so I would guess he has a child that goes there. I will search the school roster for any children with the last name of Grey. I laugh at how she is parading one of them around like a show dog.

If I had to guess, the goofy looking one is Elliott. His blond hair is neatly combed to one side and his back is rigid. He seems uptight about something but is trying to hide it. He is dressed in khaki pants and a plaid button up shirt, with a matching bow tie. Who wears these kinds of clothes now adays? I wonder what he does for a living.

Christian, I assume, is the other son. He's dressed in a relaxed fit navy suit, white button-down shirt, and no tie. His hair is dark brown and messy, almost like he didn't comb it after washing it. It's an attractive look and I'd like to get a glimpse of his naked ass under those pants.

I watch as a blond woman about my mother's age walks toward Grace. She pushes her chest in the direction of Christian, causing Elliott to retreat quickly. Her eyes are laser focused on Christian, and he seems equally interested. I don't want to witness their exchange, so I move to another part of the house.

I decline the offer of another champagne since I am driving home. I reach for a bottle of water from the bar, and I hear my name being called from behind me. I turn to see my father and mother approaching me from the other side of the bar.

Mom is dressed in a tight red cocktail dress that she has no business wearing. Her tits are almost falling out of the top of it and I'm honestly ashamed to claim her as my mother. I may be wearing a dress that is above the knees, but the top part reveals nothing.

"Anastasia, I'm glad you finally decided to show up." I pull my head back at my father's comment and look at my mother. She's looking around the room and not paying attention to what is happening between me and dad.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had to check in with you when I arrived. I've been here for about thirty minutes now and I'm honestly ready to go. This type of affair isn't my thing." I watch his eyes twitch and face turn red with anger.

"Listen here, young lady. I am trying to do you a favor by introducing you to some people. The men here are successful and can support you for the rest of your life. I would appreciate it if you would show some consideration." I scoff.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate you looking out for my best interest, but I can find a boyfriend on my own and I have a great job that supports me just fine."

"Why are you being so stubborn? I only want the best for you, Anastasia; a great paying job and a husband that will take care of you. I don't want my daughter in a dead-end teaching job barely scraping by." I roll my eyes. He has no idea how much money I make because he's never bothered to ask.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me. I am disappointed in your blasé attitude and lack of respect to me. You have embarrassed me, and I am ashamed to admit I invited you."

My throat clogs with emotion as I listen to father berate me in front of his so-called friends. "I'm sorry you feel that way, dad. But I would rather be around an entire class of third graders than here with the social climbers you call friends." I turn on my heel and rush to the door closest to me. I hope it leads outside.

I push open the door to a back terrace and stop when I see a man leaning against the railing with his back to me. The suit pants he's wearing accents his fine ass and I would love to stick around and chat with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome, but I don't want my dad to come out here and give me more of his 'I am disappointed in you' speech.

I walk down the few steps that lead to the sidewalk and make my way to my car. Before I turn my phone off, I send Courtney a text telling her to get ready for a girl's night out and meet me at my house in thirty minutes. I'm already dressed up so might as well make a night of it.

I can't hold back the tears as I drive back to my house. How can a father tell their only child they are ashamed of them? And my mother stood there and let him say those horrible things to me without saying a word in my defense. How am I going to be able to face him anymore knowing he feels that way about me?

I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and turn the radio up. Machine by Imagine Dragons blasts through the speakers as I weave through traffic. The beat of the song turns my tears of sadness into tears of anger.

I have never wanted my parent's approval for anything but hearing dad say he is disappointed in me hurts. No matter what he says about my career choice, I am going to focus on being the best possible teacher and role model I can for my students. Screw dad and his hoity toity friends.

A/N

There will be no BDSM in this story. In the original FSOG books, Ray is a caring father that supports Ana no matter what. In this story he is going to be an overbearing asshat. In the next chapter, Christian and Ana will come face to face, and Elliot will meet someone new while enjoying a night out. Any guesses on who it could be? Take care until the next update.