Thank god it's Friday.

It's a cliché quote to reference but it's always relevant, especially today. Today marks the end of my first week working at Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc. I feel as if I should be awarded the Medal of Honor for surviving my first week. It was no easy feat.

This isn't my dream job but it's the only job I could get and it pays decently. I'm doing this solely for the paycheck, living on your own is not an easy task and it can become quite expensive. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair as I realize that I'm not going to be able to buy groceries this week. I don't start getting pay checks until next week…great.

I wish I could say that working at GEH is a dream come true but sadly it is far from it. I work in the basement, practically alone. I'm basically filing everything and anything they tell me to or delivering files wherever they tell me to. It's really dark down here and extremely depressing. There aren't any windows and the lighting sometimes flickers. It's almost as if I'm starring in my own personal horror movie. Whenever I'm told to deliver something and I emerge to the lobby, I almost feel as though I have to re-adjust back to being a civilized human. Spending too much time alone and in a dark space can really make a person feel out of touch with humanity.

Two more hours…I tell myself excitedly. Two more hours until I can leave. My luck is evidently missing seeing as I just got a large stack of paperwork that needs to be organized and filed away before the end of the day with a large no matter what sticker on top. Looking on the bright side if I hurry I'll be finished in time before the sun sets.

I put on my glasses and I quickly get to work. I don't end up finishing until way after eight. The paperwork was a complete and total mess and ended up taking me a few hours to try to figure out its chronological order. I look a mess, my hair is extremely disheveled and my skirt and shirt ensemble are now a wrinkled mess. My lips have no lip color on them and my glasses are dirty. I walk up the stairs to the main lobby and thank my lucky stars that at least I'm not the only one left in the building seeing that there are at least a few security guards standing around. Just knowing that they are there makes me feel tremendously safer.

Suddenly, I hear the ding of the elevator and quickly turn my head back to see who it is. I figure it's probably a janitor of the sorts but I'm quickly mistaken. It's a gorgeous man with copper brown hair that's just as messy as mine, if not messier. He's holding his briefcase and his jacket is thrown over the crook of his arm. His white linen shirt is rolled up to his elbows and his tie is untied but still hanging around his neck. He's looking down into his phone with furrowed brows and comes straight at me. I quickly jump out of his way realizing that if I waited a moment longer he probably would have run into me.

His head shoots up as he sees me jump from his peripheral vision. He regards me intently and I instantly shrink into myself, realizing how awful I look right now. He looks extremely intimidating and extraordinarily gorgeous, his grey eyes are mesmerizing. I'd be willing to bet that he didn't expect anyone else to still be here either. He keeps staring at me and I realize that I'm staring back just as heavily. I quickly rip my gaze away from his and look outside into the intimidating darkness.

It's raining and I forgot my umbrella I think inwardly to myself.

I sigh and run my hands through my hair and search for my coat. I audibly groan as I realize that I left it at my desk. In normal circumstances I would just abandon my coat but it is a long walk home and I would like to make it there somewhat dry.

I turn and head back the stairway that leads to the basement. The copper haired Adonis stares at me with his mouth agape as I head back downstairs. I bet he didn't think that people actually worked down there either. He probably works with senior management. Even though he looked like he had a rough day, he exudes money and wealth. I emanate poverty with my skirt being extremely ill-fitting and my blouse a size too big and my heels are extremely old but it's all that I have and I make it work. At least I have a decent coat. It was the last gift I ever received and I love it. It's a long beige double breasted trench coat that hits right at the knee. I button up the big black buttons all the way down and tie the belt tightly around my waist and make my way back up to the lobby mentally preparing myself to brace the rain and the long walk home.

Once I return to the lobby I no longer see Mr. Gorgeous but I do see a black SUV parked in front of the building but I think nothing of it. I exit the building and look up at the sky and let the rain drops fall upon my face, soaking me completely. I place my hands in my pockets and start the long trek home. I decide to go over my to-do list for the weekend; rooms I need to clean, laundry that needs to be done and so forth. I'm so consumed in my thoughts that I don't realize that the black SUV is following me until I reach a red crosswalk sign. The roads are extremely vacant and as are the streets. It feels a bit too eerie to be so empty on a Friday night and I start getting goosebumps.

As I wait for the crosswalk sign to turn green, I hear a car door open. I turn around and double check to see if anyone is behind me. I see a dark figure approaching me under a big black umbrella. I start fidgeting with the sleeves of my jacket, racking my brain for all the self-defense moves I learned during Krav Maga a few years ago.

The mysterious figure gets closer and closer and I debate whether or not I should try and make a run for it. I almost decide to run until I catch the distinct fleck of copper. I recognize it immediately as belonging to the man I saw earlier today in GEH.

Did he follow me? I think to myself.

"Hi, I was wondering if you'd like a ride home. It's raining quite heavily and you're without an umbrella, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold." His voice is like melted butter and I instantly swoon.

He regards me intently.

"So what will it be? Would you like a ride…?" He asks again, visually becoming more annoyed.

I quickly regain my wits.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I mutter in embarrassment, wiping away any visible drool that may have made an appearance on my face. Thank god it's raining or he would have seen you make a complete fool of yourself.

At least he has the decency to smile. "Would you like a ride home?"

"I'm sorry; I don't accept rides from strangers." I say regretfully and I quickly turn and head in the direction of my apartment trying to walk away as quickly as I possibly can in these heels. Unfortunately he catches up to me rather quickly.

"You mean you don't know who I am?" He questions, imploring me to look into his eyes.

"Um…no. Am I supposed to?" I bite my lip in nervousness.

He shakes his head incredulously. "No. It's just normally people do."

"Oh, you're that guy." I reply judgingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He presses.

"It means that you're extremely arrogant and full of yourself because you just assume that everyone will know who you instantly are." I state.

He furrows his brows and his grey eyes darken in anger.

I roll my eyes and turn to leave once again. He grabs my arm and stops me from moving away from him. Instead he grabs my hand and drags me into the car.

"Don't you dare. I have pepper spray and I will use it on you." I say as I desperately try to pull myself wrist out of his hold.

He laughs. I cannot believe he had the audacity to laugh. In order to make my point, I quickly pull the pepper spray out of my waist band and aim in front of his face. This make him effectively stop laughing. I smirk at him as he instantly lets go of my hand and backs away from me.

He pinches the top of his nose, "Please get in the car," he breathes.

"No. I do not know you." I reiterate as if I'm talking to a small child.

"Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Christian Grey, CEO of GEH. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss…"

The minute the name Grey came off of his lips I froze like a statue. I started inwardly panicing as I realized that I just pulled out a canister or pepper spray and threatened to take down my boss. I'm going to be fired I realize. I begin to wonder if I should get on my knees and beg for forgiveness or just quit and find a job working at a McDonalds or something. I'm leaning towards the latter.

"Please just get in the car. I won't tell you again." Mr. Grey looks at me with annoyed eyes and I realize that if I want to keep my job I might as well listen to him. I get into the backseat of his SUV and am instantly surprised that there is someone in the front. I throw a quick glance at Christian but he doesn't notice as he's too busy trying to make sure I have my seatbelt on properly.

"So, what's your name and why were you working so late?" Mr. Grey decides to jump in to the questions straight away.

"I'm Anastasia Steele and I work downstairs as a filer. I was busy trying to organize paperwork that I received that needed with an oversized sticky note claiming that it was to be done tonight, no matter what. It just took my longer than normal to finish it.

"You work in the basement?" He asks, "I didn't know that they actually had people working down there."

"They don't." I correct him. "It's just me."

"I see." He looks deep in thought as he pulls out his blackberry and begins to type feverously.

"Where do you live?" Mr. Grey asks me.

"A couple blocks down. You know, it's really ok Mr. Grey. I'd be way more comfortable walking. I'd hate for you to have to go out of your way as I'm sure we live on opposite sides of town." I add in hopes he will let me leave.

"I will not ask you again, Miss Steele. Address, now." Mr. Grey all but hisses at me.

I know that I'm pushing his buttons but I'm extremely nervous to have him seeing where I live. It's not the best of neighborhoods and it does have a bit of a reputation but it's all that I can afford. I'm proud of it because I'm able to pay for it all on my own. I reluctantly give him my address and I can instantly see his face grimace as he recognizes the area but at least he has the decency not to say anything.

We quickly arrive in front of my apartment building and it's even more intimidating in the night. There are strange men smoking and hanging around the entrance of the building. I inwardly groan and go to pick my bag up off the floor until a hand stops me.

"This is where you live?" He asks incredulously, "This is extremely dangerous."

"Yes I live here Mr. Grey." I spit out venomously.

He has the audacity to look taken back by my sudden anger. In reality I'm embarrassed and hurt as to the fact that he thinks so lowly of my home. I know it's not the best but I still feel proud of it. The way I look at it, everything could be a lot worse. I could be homeless and I thank my lucky stars that I'm not.

"Not everyone can afford lavish penthouses, Mr. Grey. Thank you for the ride and have a wonderful weekend." I throw out at the last moment as I escape his car and scurry into my building and don't turn back.

I try my best to ignore the cat calls and profanities that are being thrown my way as I walk the halls until I reach the door of my apartment. I open the door as quickly as I possibly can and shut it just as fast and then work on locking the seven locks that I had recently installed as a safety precaution.

I headed deeper into my apartment and flicked on the lights. I sighed in relief, I was finally home. I threw my bag on my new white couch and I flopped down beside it as I turned on the television and decided to see what was on. I was quickly engrossed in the newest reality television show when I heard a series of knocks against my front door.

I headed to the door to see who could be knocking at this ungodly hour and prayed that it wasn't one of my sleazy neighbors again. Instead I had the shock of my life.

I quickly undid the locks and swung the door open.

"Mr. Grey?" I breathed.

"I don't mean to intrude but I cannot leave you knowing that you live here. It is beyond dangerous and I would like for you to pack a bag and come back home with me until we can find a new place for you to live." Mr. Grey added absentmindedly seeing as he was too busy scanning the visible parts of my apartment and shaking his head in disgust.

"No." I say calmly looking straight into Mr. Grey's deep grey eyes.