POV Anastasia
- Ana, Ana, wait, - Mia Jones catches up with me on the steps of the school. Her hair, as always, is perfectly styled in a complex hairstyle. Her clothes smell of Gucci perfume. What the hell does she want?
- Jones, quickly and to the point! - I spit out and look at her.
- Ana, as you know, Kate is sick. And she asked you to come see her, - the brunette says in a pleading voice.
I sigh and take out a cigarette. Usually Kavanagh invites me over when she wants to pile on another socially-shabby work. She is terribly annoyed by her work at the newspaper, which does not even bring in any sensible money. No, of course, Kate and I grow up in rich families, and we have everything you could dream of, but unlike her, I feel like an ugly duckling. The adopted daughter of brilliant diplomats - Ray and Carla Steele - one of the worst students in her class and a real nightmare for teachers. No, my parents love me, and they don't give a damn about my grades, but I have never felt loved and needed by anyone except them. But whatever.
- Jones, this time you work hard for the good of the newspaper, I'm out. I have things to do, - I let out smoke from my lungs.
- What? Getting drunk until you pass out in the company of Hyde and Rodriguez? How have you not ended up in the police station yet? It boggles the mind. Steele, life is not about drinking and partying. Kate needs you, she insists that you take this assignment, - Mia persuades me.
Fuck, she knows how to convince. I look into her chocolate eyes and understand that I can t let Kate down. Even though she infuriates me with her unattainable holiness and correctness.
I take out my phone, connect my headphones to it and turn on Deep Purple Smoke On The Water at full volume. It distracts me from my thoughts, and I almost run to Kavanagh s house. Whatever Kate has in mind for me, I ll quickly deal with it and send her far away.
It s drizzling outside when I enter Kate s mansion. Almost immediately, I am met by Alma, the Kavanagh family s maid. An elderly gray-haired woman of about 60. She smiles at me warmly and leads me upstairs.
Katherine, as usual, is lying on her bed surrounded by textbooks. She is taking notes, reading and simultaneously searching for information on her laptop.
Hi, I plop down on her bed in my sneakers and look straight into her eyes.
- And you too, Steele, - Kavanagh answers me amiably, - I see Mia convinced you to come?
- There is no way to deal with Mia, - I laugh and tilt my head to the side, - why did you invite me?
- Ana, I arranged an interview for our newspaper with a prominent businessman. But, - Kavanagh sneezes, - you can see for yourself what state I'm in, so I ask you to go see him. It's not far from here. I'll print out a Google map for you, - says Catherine.
- Kate, fuck, I know how to use Google, don't think of me as a redneck. Just tell me who the hell he is and what do I need to ask him? - I say and smile.
- His name is Christian Grey and he is a leading businessman in New York. He is also a trustee of our school, - the blonde says calmly.
Wow, our school has a sponsor. And I thought it only exists on diplomats' money.
- And what is the list of questions? I ask.
Ha, it's easy for me to get some old fart to interview me. I know how to win people over, I love to provoke people and watch how they react to me.
"Ana, please don't do your tricks. Whether or not Grey will continue to fund our school depends on this interview," Kavanagh begs, handing me the questions.
"Masturbate, Kate, you're being a bitch," I smile at her and run my eyes down the list.
Kavanagh mutters something about my heredity, and I sigh. Fuck, what else do you expect from the daughter of a whore who committed suicide because of a client? My mother never loved me, didn't care about me, let her fucking pimp put out cigarettes on me. Only the Steeles were able to soften me up a little and give me at least some care. They are holy people, since they tolerate me with my quirks.
- Don't be angry, Kate, I understand, I will be the very person of good manners and virtue, - I put the questions in my backpack and smile at her. We say goodbye warmly and I go home.
There my mother meets me and asks about my day at school. I reluctantly answer her and tell her about the interview with Gray. I don't like to share my problems with anyone. I am very withdrawn, and it is difficult for me to get along with people. My friends Jack Hyde and Jose Rodriguez know this and do not pry into my soul.
After dinner I do my homework, look over the questions for the interview and go to bed.
Saturday morning turns out to be very cold and cloudy. What a weather, my textbook is in my ass. After eating quickly, I put on jeans and a Harry Potter T-shirt, my best sneakers and a warm coat on my feet.
- Ana, should I give you a ride? - Dad sits down at the table. He looks more like a rock star than a world-famous diplomat. Long hair, a tattoo on his arm, a two-day beard.
Okay, I smile. Despite all my antics and quirks, Steele is loved, and I repay them in kind.
Dad winks at me and we go to the garage.
What are we going to drive, princess? he asks.
I nod towards the yellow Wanda Beetle. I don t know why I like this car. I think it s because it looks like me the same ugly duckling with a heart of gold.
Dad gets behind the wheel and we drive out of the underground parking lot. Ray turns on the radio, and a Ricky Martin song comes out. We start singing along, and I forget about the excitement of the interview with old man Gray. Yes, I haven't seen his photo, but I'm sure he's a boring, prim Englishman with a mania for correctness, and he talks like a Harvard graduate. I've never liked people like that. They look smart and correct, but they're empty inside. Finally, we stop at a majestic building, and Dad opens the door for me.
"Good luck, Ana," Ray smiles, and I walk toward the skyscraper.