A/N

Thank you to all who followed and reviewed The Runaways. I'm very excited to continue this story and embark on the next stage.

Each Chapter will be between 1000 and 2000 words and be updated weekly.

Thank you to my friend and beta Karen Cullen ~ Grey for making this chapter readable.

Fifty Shades belong to E.L. James

The Runaways ~ The College Years

Monday 1st August 2016

Ana's POV

Chapter 1

"Anastasia."

I looked up as my mother yelled for the hundredth time. Ever since I came home two years ago, the only time I heard her call my name was when she wanted something. It was as if she wanted to punish me for falling in love while she continued being nothing more than a classless prune.

"Yes, Mother," I yelled back sarcastically.

She stormed into my room and looked down at me with disdain.

"Don't you dare use that tone of voice young lady! You're lucky that I don't spank the rudeness out of you. Now, I need you to come down and help prepare the dinner. Elizabeth and her parents will be arriving shortly," she snapped before storming out.

Elizabeth was Jack's long-time girlfriend. She was a bitch and hated the sight of me. The feeling was certainly mutual. Jack was still a prick. He continued to cause trouble and blame it all on me while he played mummy's little angel who could do no wrong. For example, two weeks after I returned, I was hiding in my room, when my mother stormed in and accused me of the cigarette burns in her persian rug. It didn't cross her mind that not only did I refuse to leave my room since I returned, but I didn't smoke and have no intention of ever doing so, but of course what Jack said was always the truth. He had the nerve of saying that he was concerned about my behaviour and me been alone in my room, doing who knows what, cannot be good for me. Of course, mother took his side and practically dragged me out of my sanctuary, making me work off the price of the rug.

I lifted the box of books from my bed and placed them on the floor, thinking that I only had five more days in this hell hole before leaving to attend Columbia in New York City. The moving van would be here tomorrow to collect my things. My parents were against me going there, back to New York where I hoped to find Christian again someday and refused to fund it but realised that they could do little about it when I was awarded a full scholarship. My dad tried to threaten me by finding and having Christian arrested for statutory rape if I left but he quickly squashed that idea when I showed him the official document that he signed promising that he wouldn't press charges if I returned home. I also reminded him that I was eighteen years almost nineteen and if I didn't cooperate then all he would succeed in doing is making a fool of himself.

"Anastasia, don't make me call you again! Get yourself down here, NOW!"

I sighed as I chanted five days, just five days.

Saturday 6th August 2016

As soon as I opened my eyes it took me a few minutes to remember why I was happy and excited, then it hit me. I was leaving home today. I was getting away from Seattle and from the people who made my life miserable for the past two years.

When the movers showed up on Tuesday to take my stuff, I had to stop myself from smirking at the sour look on my mother's face. She hated the fact that I was leaving because she was losing her house slave. I could only imagine how she would act today.

"Anastasia! Are you coming down here to cook breakfast or are you going to allow your dad, brother and I starve to death?" she yelled, asking.

Now there was a thought. Just thinking of the three people who made my life a miserable, and passed out from starvation at the table with the cutlery in their hands brought a smile to my face.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard another yell, this time from my evil brother.

"Anastasia, come on down! Aren't you sharing breakfast with us? On your last day, here?" he called up the stairs. I shuddered in disgust as I threw on a pair of sweats and t-shirt before walking down the stairs.

"Well it is about time! Go and start breakfast before we starve," Carla smirked. I went into the kitchen and prepared pancakes and bacon. I was just dishing them up when I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to find Ray looking down at me.

"Are you all set to leave?" he asked.

I nodded not wanting to speak to him but instead of getting the hint, he continued to talk.

"What time is Andrea picking you up?" he continued.

I smiled a little as I thought about my best friend. I had known her since kindergarten. She has been there for me my whole life. If it wasn't for her, I would have gone crazy for the last two years. She was also leaving today and attending NYU so we decided to fly out together.

"Erm, she will be here at ten-thirty, our flight is at twelve-fifteen," I answered rudely as I exited the kitchen. I didn't care how I spoke to my father. If it wasn't for him, I would be happy with Christian but no, he had to drag me away from him. I know that they believed that I would crawl back with my tail between my legs begging forgiveness but what they didn't know was that once I got on that plane, I had no plans on ever returning.

"Here is your breakfast. Now if you don't mind, I wish to go shower and dress so that I can leave on time," I snapped as I slammed the plates on the table and ran up the stairs. I locked the door behind me and hit the back of my head against it with tears falling from my eyes.

In the past, I never thought that I could hate my family. But I do. I hated my family. Because of them, I feel like I was living a half-life, ever since they divided Christian and me.

He was everything to me and because of them, I had no idea how to find him. Behind their back, I got a computer nerd to hack into the Oakwood academy files to find his address but it was wiped clean. His phone was disconnected. I also tried contacting him by email but it kept bouncing back. I even tried Mia's phone which was also disconnected. I lost him. The only thing I had left was his promise ring and the promise that he loved me and that we would be together some day.

I dried my tears before gathering my towel and toiletries and had a ten-minute hot shower.

Once I was dried off, I dressed in a Mock-Neck Cut-out Top and a pair of ripped skinny jeans that I had laid out.

I was drying my hair when I heard shouting from my mother outside my door.

"Anastasia, your little friend is here. Since you're determined to ruin your life by leaving, then it is best you don't miss your plane," she said, her voice laced with venom.

I sighed as I picked up my backpack and looked around my room for the last time before leaving. I made my way down the stairs and saw Andrea's smiling face by the door. My witch of a mother didn't even invite her in.

"Hey girl! Are you ready?" she asked excitedly.

I nodded as I felt my stomach flutter with excitement. This was it! I was finally getting away from the people who call themselves my family.

Andrea took the suitcase that was by the door and rolled it out to her car while I turned to my parents.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye, so goodbye," I said emotionless as I turned away from them to walk towards my friend.

"Anastasia! Is that all you should say to us? After everything we have said and done for you? You are such an ungrateful brat. You will never make it in the real world unless you show respect," Carla snapped from behind me.

I turned around and looked in her eyes.

"Yes, I do have something to say. You ruined my life. You and that man you call your husband separated me from the one person that I love. Why? Is your life so miserable that you needed to send me to the same fate? Well Carla, you lost because I'm leaving and never returning. I will also take great pleasure in never looking back or thinking about you or your family again. Goodbye," I said calmly as I walked confidently over to the car.

I settled myself in the passenger seat as Andrea pulled out of the driveway, and finally finished that part of my life as I embarked on the second.

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See you next time

Fiona