If you have limited access to BP's where you are (not sure what part of the world you are in), then $250 may not have been an outrageous price to pay - it's supply and demand. Ball pythons are more in Europe and may be even more in other parts of the world.

I'm still unclear if the store sold her to you AS a pastel though? Because Bruce is right, it doesn't make sense you'd buy what you thought was a pastel then ask what yours is.