Shades of Grey

Chapter One

Work, you damn hair! I mutter to myself in the mirror. My hair is being utterly repulsive at the moment when I need it desperately to cooperate. I am starting my new internship today and I don't want to be late. It's at Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc., owned by the mysterious and cold figure of the CEO, Christian Grey, a man I had never met prior to the hire. I went for an interview a little over a week ago, and, surprisingly, got the job.

I've seen the people there and I really don't feel as though I fit in very well: firstly, everyone is blonde, whereas I am a brunette. Secondly, everyone always looks prepared for something business-related, whereas I on the other hand always appear as though I'm wearing my grandma's clothes. Fortunately my roommate, Kate, has allowed me to borrow some of her more approachable attire, so I will try to fit in as best I can with the plum dress she has given me to wear with black heels too high for my feet. I take one final look in the mirror, sigh at the big-eyed, brunette girl staring back, and finally leave my bedroom.

"You look cute Ana. Are you excited for today?", my roommate Kate asks me while propped on the couch watching crap TV. Kate is a beautiful, curious human being who never hesitates to not only make her presence known, but also to invade a person's privacy; maybe she should be working at GEH instead of me. I shudder at the thought.

"As much as I can be. I can't believe I'm meeting Mr. Grey this morning.", I say without hiding my obvious excitement.

"Are you sure you don't want to see a picture of him? He's ridiculously hot you know.", she asks me for the tenth-millionth time.

I chose not to see Mr. Grey before applying to the office since I had heard from many different people just how cold and intimidating he can be. I was worried that I would change my mind about working for his company if he put me in my place, something that no one else could ever do. Lucky for me, this was the first time that I was going to see him face-to-face, so my expectations were shorter than thin. Hopefully he wouldn't be too intimidating.

I mumble my "no".

"How old is Mr. Grey again?", I ask out of curiousity.

"Twenty-seven.", Kate replies. Good, not much older than me. I think to myself. If he was forty-something I think I might feel a little uncomfortable.

"Okay, I can do this.", I say more to myself than to Kate as I take a deep breathe and relax my shoulders.

"You'll be fine, Ana. Just don't interrogate him; he hates that. Just be yourself and you'll get along just fine.", she tries to reassure me. Easier said than done Kate. Have you seen the people that work there? My subconscious sneers at me.

"Right.", I finally say. I kiss her head and say goodbye before making my descent down the stairs. Wanda, my Beetle, is waiting ever-so-patiently for me outside of our apartment sitting carefully preserved on the sidewalk. José, one of my close friends, was responsible for bringing this car to my attention, and honestly it's one of the best gifts he's ever given me, despite just how old she actually is. This car could drive me to the moon if I wanted her to.

I climb in the front seat, pop in a Snow Patrol CD, and carefully make my way to GEH.

The building is just as tall as I remember it to be. From the outside it looks like a giant, glass structure with just enough floors for the President and his staff plus family. This man certainly enjoys his space. My subconscious is as taken aback as I am to be and almost faints from the view. I reluctantly think about joining her. Why did I agree to work here again? I'll never last a week in here, not with Mr. Control-Freak himself just waiting for me to make my entrance.

Taking a deep breath, I casually stroll in and find the elevator, hitting the button for the twentieth floor. The elevator whisks me up quickly and suddenly and very briefly do I almost lose my balance. This thing really moves. Finally I arrive to my floor, and search for Ros, Mr. Grey's second-in-command, before meeting with the other new intern, Olivia.