Fifty Shades of Average

Chapter 22

Adrianna was right in the email when she said that I wouldn't be doing much today. I spent my first two hours or so discussing my duties as an intern with her.

Basically, I'm one of the people in the background who make sure that the company runs smoothly and evens out the bumps and cracks, to cut it short.

Finally it is 12pm, which is my designated break time. Since I haven't really been productive, it seems like I've been here the entire day rather than only four and a half hours. I could stay in my office and just order chinese take out or something along those lines, but I decide to opt for a fresh walk outside.

Immediately as I step outside, I inhale the warm scent of busy life in L.A. I'm not too grateful for the heels I decided to wear this morning, but I have no problem walking in them.

As I walk along the sidewalk toward the Chipotle I saw on the cab drive here, headlines featuring Mr. Grey grab my attention on the news stand outside a small market: "Chris Grey Takes Home Sexy Mystery Woman. Another one night stand from the CEO?" in big bold letters. My heart drops a little at the headline. I didn't realize that Mr. Grey was that type. My eyes move to the picture under the headline and I almost shriek aloud when I realize that the woman the article is referring to is none other than...

Me.

I blink twice to make sure that what I see isn't false. I gulp and rush into the store to purchase the daily paper. I keep my head down during the transaction, not wanting any more questions or forms of judgment from people I don't know.

A couple more minutes of walking leads me to the city Chipotle. Other than Starbucks, this is another favorite of mine.

When I check my phone as I wait for my order at Chipotle, I see that I have several text messages from Talie and four missed calls.

*Esmeralda!* 9:26 am.

*Look at the front page of the daily paper in L.A.* 9:28 am.

*Ohmygod.* 9:31 am.

*You didn't tell me that your friend who took you home from the club Friday night was Chris fucking Grey!* 9:40 am.

*Call me.* 10:34 am.

*Esme you're in the fucking paper! I literally need to speak to you, call me when you get this!* 11:03 am.

*Ahhh I'm freaking dying!!!!* 11:52 am.

Now 12:15, I quickly tap a response before she literally dies of a heart attack.

*I just got on break, sorry babe I just checked my phone. But ohmygod yes I saw the headlines and bought the paper, about to read the article now!*

I take a deep breath as I scan the front page with my eyes.

"Chris Grey Takes Home Sexy Mystery Woman from Club. Another one night stand from the CEO?"

I don't remember paparazzi from that night, but there we are on the front cover of the Los Angeles Times. I am looking down as Mr. Grey guides me toward his car, hand locked securely around mine. There is another small picture in the bottom right corner that shows me entering Mr. Grey's Audi, my entire back exposed.

My heart beats rapidly as I read the short article placed to the right of the picture:

And here we thought that Chris's days as a playboy were over.

We were wrong.

Almost one year later, Chris is seen escorting a young lady out of one of the hottest clubs in town and into his sports car. Does this call for an intervention? The last time this happened was in February when Chris did the same to a certain blond.