Alter-Ego

Part One

Camila's POV
"Grant! Can you please reschedule my two o'clock?"
"Yes ma'am!"
I glanced down at my calendar frustrated with the lack of communication going on in this building.
"Grant? Please call a meeting."
"Yes ma'am."
I sighed and pushed aside the work stuff momentarily to check my school schedule. Yes, I'm eighteen, a senior in high school, and I own a twenty million dollar company.
"Ms. Hanson?"
Grant's voice pulled me from my statistics notes.
I looked up as my top employees from every department entered my office. "Hi." I smiled.
I put aside the school stack.
"What seems to be the issue?" Steve from Accounting asked.
"As much as I love being your guys' boss, I can't be in two different places at once. When you call for an appointment or a meeting, I need a half hour space. I know I need to hire a right-hand but I haven't had time with school and every thing else."
"Ms. Hanson, you can't expect us all to move our lives around yours. Your father ran a tight ship around here."
I stood up slamming my hands on the desk. "Do not speak about my father!" I yelled.
Everyone in the room sat up straighter.
"I am NOT my father! You cannot mold me into what he was! This company is mine now and I will run it the way I see fit! Is that understood?"
All twelve employees nodded.
"I am still in high school." I continued bit calmer. "I have four months before I graduate. That means that for the next four months, I need a half hour between each meeting. I need you all to work an extra hour three days a week. I need reports emailed an hour earlier each Friday and I need your full cooperation. Understood?"
They nodded again.
"Thank you. You're dismissed."
After the last employee left the room, I slumped back in my chair. I twirled the chair to look out the window.
My great-grandfather started this company out of a small two bedroom apartment when he was twenty-five. He claimed that books lacked good quality writing. He wanted good, raw, emotional works to be out there. When my father took over, he and my mother began a clothing line which made the company what it is today. I started working when I nine years old. I would run reports and meeting notes to and from my great-grandfather and his assistant. I was raised in this company. I didn't really have parents, I had entrepreneurs. My mother hired me a nanny, well about thirty nannies, but I ran them all off. I have been independent my entire life.
Last year, my parents divorced and my father got the company leaving my mother poor. Three months later my father suffered a stroke and died soon after. I was promoted to CEO a week later.
I opted out of having a funeral and simply buried my father alone. I don't have siblings. The only people at the small burial were Grant and my friends Warren, Becca, Will and Allie. I don't need anyone other than those four and Grant.
I hired Grant Rodriguez a month after I started. I'd met him at a fundraiser the year before. He was charming and I remember my mother trying to set us up. I wasn't interested but we quickly became friends. He would take me out on 'dates' so that my mother was under the impression we were actually dating. After my father kicked her out, I came clean. She hated me after that and I've barely spoken to her. She never returned my phone call after my father passed. But that was okay with me. Like I said, I don't need anyone.
***
"Hey girl!" Allie called as I walked into Hal's, the best bar in LA.
I smiled wider as I saw the whole crew at the table. "Hi!" I sat down next to Will who instantly put an arm around me. "Who's buying tonight?" I asked, noticing noone had drinks yet.
"You!" The five of them laughed.
I rolled my eyes as Warren slipped a piece of paper in my hand and pushed me out of the booth.
I stepped up to the bar. Aric, my favorite bartender pointed at me and then signaled he'd be a minute.
"Bartender!" I heard a whistle and a thick English accent beside me and glanced over to see a tall brunette guy. He smiled, revealing deep dimples. "Hello, love!"
I smiled cooly. "Hello. You must be new here."
He nodded and yelled over the music. "First time at this bar."
I chuckled. "Hmm. Well good luck getting Aric or Delia to help you calling them like that. They're not dogs."
Aric stepped over in front of me. "Hey doll face. Usuals?"
I nodded and handed him the slip of paper and my card. "Please."
"You got it." He winked and walked off.
I glanced at the Brit. "Like I said, good luck."
I patted his shoulder before walking back to the table. I knew Aric would bring the drinks and my card over when he was done.
"Who was the hottie?" Becca asked, her eyes still focused on the bar.
"Some Brit. He's new to Hal's apparently."
"Mmm. I'd do him!"
Warren looked at her with wide eyes. "Its because of the accent isn't it?"
Becca nodded. "Mhm."
Warren has had a crush on Becca for as long as I've known him. She has expressed interest but they haven't tested those waters yet.
Aric set a tray down on the table. "For my favorite customers."
"Thanks Aric!" I called after him as he made his way back to the bar.
I put my card back inside my phone case and grabbed my drink. The others already had their glasses raised.
"To us!" Will cheered.
"To us!" I yelled along with my friends.