Chapter 2

It's kinda strange walking down the streets again after all these years – and now with Christian at my side. The last time I was in Savannah, I spent all my time with my mom, and Christian of course, the two days he was here. Christian walks beside me with his arm firmly wrapped around me, like he's protecting me – but from what I can't say. I don't think that the people who called me nicknames here, would recognize me anymore, if I would ran into them. Ever since I began to date Christian, my looks has changed. My hair is shinier and more chunky. My skin has become more clean and healthy and so has my nails.

I never went to school neither in Las Vegas or in Savannah, because I didn't like mom's husband number three. I unwillingly shudder by the thought of him – he made it pretty clear that I wasn't his daughter, and he pushed me around like a damn maid. 'Get me another beer, stupid girl, wipe the TV screen clean' and so on. Luckily my mom was only married to that bastard for five month and two weeks. After I moved back to Ray in September 2006, Stephen began to use my mom as his new maid.

"Ana, are you freezing?" Christian asks me and I shake my head.

"No," I say and look up at him. "Why do you ask?"

"You just shuddered."

"Oh," I say and look around for a bench. I need to sit for a while – I have to tell him about my past, my mom's 3rd husband and my school years. I have to be honest with him about my own past, when I myself, nag him about his past. "I need to tell you something. Let's find a bench."

Christian looks at me, and I can see that his brain is working hard, trying to figure out what I'm going to say. We walk around the corner, and there a block further down, on a playground, there's a bench.

As we sit down, Christian is taking both of my hands. "Ana, you're making me nervous." I look at him and he looks like a lost boy, just like in my bedroom earlier today.

I rest my head against his shoulder."Do you remember at our first coffee date, you asked me about my mom and step dad number three?"

"Of course I do, Ana. What about it?" he answers and gives me a kiss on the top of my head.

"As you probably know, I lived and went to school in Montesano because I didn't like my mothers 3rd husband, Stephen." I look up at him, and he's nodding. "He didn't love me – he more looked at me as some kind of burden. And therefore he treated me like his personal maid. The one month I lived with my mother and Stephen, he pushed me around, cleaning up after him, washed his clothes and so on."

Christian's body becomes all stiff. "What?" he exclaims and making me jump. "Why the fuck didn't your mother do something about it"?

I shrug. "I don't know. Love makes blind, I think," I say and place my head back on his shoulder. "But she did something, by letting me live at Ray's. She could easily have said no, you know."

Christian wraps his arm around me and keeps me close to him. "I'm sorry you had to experience that baby."

I wrinkle my nose and snuggles closer to him. "I'm just glad that their marriage didn't last that long – five month and two weeks to be exact."

"Why did they broke it of, if you don't mind me asking?" Christian asks and gives me another kiss on the top of my head.

I give him a kiss under his ear in return. "I don't mind, but I have to disappoint you. Your guess is as good as mine," I say with a little shrug.

"Didn't your mother tell you why?"

I shake my head. "No. We don't talk about that time period. But my best guess is that, after I moved back to Ray, he began to use my mom as his personal maid – just like me. I heard him yell after my mom, when we talked over the phone. Things like 'Get me another beer, woman' and 'Make your self useful and serve my food'. But like I said, I don't know if it's the right reason – just a qualified guess."

"My God," Christian says and he tightens his grip around me. "Even I didn't treat my submissives like that." For a while, non of us aren't saying anything. But it's Christian that eventually breaks the silence. "Tell me about your schooldays, please."

I let out a sigh. "There's not much to tell really. I had my books and my cousin Carmine of course. We spoke often on the phone. He was always checking up on me, and when I had a shitty day, he made it better."

"It must have been boring," Christian says while he plays with my hair.

"And that comes from you, mr. I'm-locked-away-in-my-ivory-tower Grey?" I say with a giggle.

Christian looks down at me and a trace of a smile is playing on his lips. "Do you find me funny, miss Steele?" he asks and I nod. "Well to your information, I didn't look at my life as boring. I had..." he trails of. "No, never mind. Continue please."

And now I have mrs. Robinson in my head. There's nothing he can tell me, to change my view at her. "They didn't harm me, really – they just called me names out in the hallways and out on my street."

Christian looks down at me again. "Which nicknames?"

"Mostly 'bookworm' and 'nerd'. Sometimes they called me a freak," I say and think back to my old schools. "When I went to High School, the others some times made fun of the way I looked and they told me, that I was no girlfriend material – that I would end up alone with only my books."

"What?" Christian snaps. "I hate it, when people only look on the outside."

"I hope that you now understand, the doubt I had – you know why you found me attractive? When you hear something like this for several years, you start to believe it," I say with a little sigh.

Christian shifts in his seat, so he's looking straight at me. "That's bullshit Ana, and you know it," he says and take both my hands. "I'm going to make this a new personal goal for me – to make you realize how beautiful you are." He then kisses the back of both my hands and I turn all crimson in my head. "But if you didn't go to school here, how come the nicknaming here? I don't understand."

I look around the playground. "Well, I visited mom and Bob a few times, both a few times before their wedding and after. It didn't take long before people at my age began to point fingers at me, because I always were reading a book. Either at the porch or on a bench like this one. This has happened both in Las Vegas and here in Savannah," I say with a little sigh. "Apparently you're a bookworm and a nerd, when you rather would read than go to the mall or the beach." I look back at Christian and he looks like he has swallowed something bitter.

"All those people should be glad I don't know them," he growls. "If I ever see them, I would kick their asses and make them take back their words."

I give Christian's hands a little squeeze. "Oh... my knight in a shinny armor," I say with a giggle. "But like I said before, I don't dwell on it."

Christian pulls me into an embrace and he kisses the top of my hair. "I don't know about that, Ana – I still consider me more like a dark knight," he says and looks me into my eyes. "But I'll always protect you. I love you Ana." Then his lips finds mine and I slowly deepens the kiss.

When we both feel the need for air, we pull away and we're just looking at each other. I reach up and strokes his cheek with my finger. "I love you too, Christian." Then I snuggle up against him again.

"Anastasia?" says a female voice. Both Christian and I turn our heads to the left. "Anastasia Steele?" a woman asks. She's a platinum blonde. High legs and a perfect body wearing high heals, making her even higher, a green tank top and a red/black tartan mini skirt.

"Yes...," I say a little bit hesitant. Who is she, and from where does she know me? Christian is looking at me, as if he's waiting for an introduction.

"You don't recognize me do you?" the mystery woman says and walks up to us.

I look wonderingly up at her, and then I shake my head. "I'm sorry, but you have caught me of guard here," I say suddenly a little shy.

The woman offers me her hand. "I'm Patricia," she says and quickly shakes my hand. "Patricia Hamilton. We went to Montesano JR-SR High School together."

I'm just totally flabbergasted. Wow – is that really Patricia Hamilton. I look at her more closely. Well her eyes are the same, but her nose is more straight and she have gotten bigger breasts and a flatter stomach. Christian is poking me gently with his elbow, and my brain is working again. "Sorry, I didn't recognize you," I mutter, gesturing at her body. "Patricia, you look nice."

"Why thank you," she says and she looks down at her self before she looks back at me. "Yeah, I didn't like my old body, but thanks to the wonderful word 'plastic surgery'," she makes a quotation mark with her fingers, "I now love my body again." Then she giggles.

My god. She's just as shallow like she was in school. "What are you doing here in Savannah?" I ask. Last time I saw her, she was moving to LA because she wanted to be an actress.

Patricia places both of her hands on her mouth and let out a gasp. "You didn't get an invite did you?" And before I can react, she continues. "We're holding a reunion. You know the old class. We're holding it here in Savannah – on the 'Hotel Savannah'. Oh... you must come."

"I... I don't know. I'm actually visiting my mother," I mumble. I'm not that keen on being together with a bunch of people, who I don't have anything in common with.

"Sure, we'll be happy to come," Christian cuts in and I could have kicked him.

I look from Christian back to Patricia and it's only now, she notices Christian. You can see in her face, that her brain isn't working – just like me, when I first met Christian. She have a 100% brain melt down. I look up at Christian, and he looks like he's amused.

Patricia places both of her hands on her chest and she quickly shakes her head. "Who is this good looking man, Anastasia?" she asks me, after she regained the ability to speak.

"Sorry – this is Christian Grey," I say, while I'm pointing at Christian. "Christian, this is Patricia Hamilton." They both shake hands, and Christian gives her his heart-stealing smile. I frown. "Christian is my fiancé," I say a little more harsh than I intended to do.

I think Patricia is in chock again, because she looks at me, like I'm a Martian in a freak show. "Wow, you two are engaged. Who would have thought little bookworm Anastasia Steele would find a real boyfriend?"

Christian, who's holding my hand, suddenly tightens his grip and it's almost painful. I look up at him, but he doesn't show his anger. "Well, what can I say?" he says with a smile that doesn't reach up to his eyes. "I just fell for her, just like she fell for me – literally." He then bends down and gives my cheek a swift kiss and I can feel how my face is getting warm. Plaese Mother Earth, swallow me now plaese.

"Wow, Anastasia," Patricia says and claps her hands together. "The two of you must come, then you can tell the others all about the two of you. The party begins at 5pm. Bye." And then she's gone.

I let out a big sigh and give Christian a deadly glare. "Why did you just do that?" I almost scream at him. "I don't have the need to see those people again."

"Well, I have the need to see them," he says. "I need to see those fuckers who treated you badly. And you need to show them, that you're working in a branch that's also you're biggest passion – books. They need to see how successful you are, despite what they have done to you in the past."

"God, Christian," I say exhausted. "My mom and Bob is expecting us for dinner, and we don't have the right clothes with us, for an 'event' like this." I say and make a quotation mark with my fingers. God I have just met Patricia, and I'm already making the same gesture like her.

"I think that you mother and Bob will understand," Christian says. "And about the clothes – we'll just buy something," he says with a shrug.

I'm too mad at him right now, so I just turn on my heal and begin to walk home. Christian is wise enough, not to talk to me. He's just walking behind me.

"I think you should go, Ana darling," my mom says. I thought that I would have her as an ally, but no. Damn it. We're sitting out on the porch sipping at a nice cold white wine. Christian is somewhere inside, talking on his BlackBerry – about what he won't tell me.

"But mom, I don't need to see them," I say for the fourth time. "I had hoped that you would understand me."

"Oh darling," my mom coos. "I love you, but I'm with Christian on this on. You need to show them, that it's OK to be a bookworm and a nerd. Just look at you darling – I mean you're only 21 years old, you're engaged to the most beautiful and loving man and you're an editor at SIP. Not many people can brag about that."

I roll my eyes at her. "That position is only temporary mom," I say with a sigh.

My mom let out a little giggle. "Nonsense," she says and takes another sip of her wine. "My gut feeling is telling me, that it's going to be a permanent position. Trust in yourself darling."

"But mom..."

"No but Ana," she says and cuts me of. "Finish you wine, and I'll take the two of you out buying some new clothes."

"No need, Carla," Christian says as he joins us at the porch. He places himself next to me and take a sip of his wine. Both me and my mother is looking questioningly at Christian. "I'm going to take Anastasia out shopping for an evening gown, some fitting shoes and some jewelry."

"But...," my mom says, but Christian cuts her of.

"Don't take this in a bad way, Carla, but what I have in mind for Anastasia, is a little out of your money league."

I look at my mom with a look that says 'you can forget to discuss this with him', and I think that she understands, because she just looking at him.

"OK, Christian," she finally says and then she gets up from the porch swing. "I think that I'll make some candles. If the two of you will have me excused." And with that my mom disappears into the house.

I look at Christian and he's just smiling at me. "Nicely done, mr. Grey," I say sarcastically. "You just insulted my mom – your future mother in law."

Christian just shrugs. "I just told her the truth. What I have in mind, isn't cheap, and I can afford it," he says. "I want you to look like a queen tonight Ana – just like the queen you are." He gives me a kiss on the corner of my mouth. "We're leaving in 30 minutes."

30 minutes later, just like Christian said, we're sitting in a big car. It was apparently with a leasing company, Christian spoke with over his BlackBerry. We're on our way to the exclusive shop 'Extant Fair' located on 140 Abercorn St. in the Historic District. I've walked past the shop a few times, but I have always been frightened by the prices, that were hanging in the window.

When we arrive, Christian steps out of the car and walks up to my side and opens my door. When I'm out on the sidewalk, Christian locks the car. I'm standing looking at the store – from the outside it doesn't like much. A little white building with a little black door and just one big window with 'Extant Fair' written on it with golden letters.

"Ready to find the perfect dress?" Christian asks and give my hand a gentle squeeze.

I try to give him a smile, but I can't. He knows that this is to much. "You know that I don't like this," I say.

Christian tilts his head. "What do you mean?"

I sigh. "You know what I mean," I mutter. "Flashing with you money."

"Don't worry," he says with a smile. "I can afford it. And you might as well get used to it. It's a deal package." And with that he leads me into the fancy store.

45 minutes later we're on our way back home. Under Christian's firmly guide, I've picked a feet long night-blue dress with rhinestones on the single shoulder strap and sequins on the rest of the dress. The dress is very simple and elegant – it has a slit in the left side that goes up to mid-thigh. I'm a little worried that it shows to much, but Christian on the other hand, think is fine and it will do it's job – showing my former classmates how long I've gotten in life, and that's despite their picking on me and calling me nicknames.

Furthermore Christian found some shoes that matched the dress perfectly. They are in the same color as the dress and they too have rhinestones on it. I must say, that i really like the shoes and they make me 2.4 inches higher.

I thought that I could use the jewelry I've brought with me from Seattle, but no. They weren't the right one in Christian's point of view. Instead he picked some earrings that matched the dress – teardrop shaped with several diamonds and a single sapphire at the bottom.

I've almost fainted at the checkout register - $2.115. Never in my whole life, have I ever spent so much on clothes and a pair of shoes. But Christian gladly handed the woman behind the counter his credit card.

"Don't worry Anastasia," Christian whispers in my ear. "I can afford it and nothing's too expensive for you, Ana." And with that we leave the store and begin the hunt for a formal suit for Christian.