The Candidate – Chapter 1
A/N: Okay, so I have decided to write another story, another concept popped into my head and I've just decided to run with it. This story will be an AU centred around a younger Olivia, fresh out of law school and working on the campaign as an intern advisor to make Mellie Grant the next President of the United States but she finds herself on quite a ride when an interesting partnership between her and the Vice Presidential candidate, Jacob Ballard ensues. This will probably be a short story, I'll just see how it goes for now.
June 15th 2016, Republican Convention, Richmond, Virginia
"I told you I wanted Clara. She's the only one who can knock ten years off with her skills." Senator Melody Grant expressed in an annoyed tone as she sat in her make up chair. She fixed the collar of her blood red blazer and crossed her legs, waiting for the current make up artist to work her magic. Tonight was the night they announced her VP running mate and as usual, she was thinking about nothing but herself.
Mellie looked in the dressing table mirror, eyeing the naïve, young and very attractive black woman sat on the sofa behind her in the corner of the room. She wore a cropped black blazer with a collar, a low cut white button up shirt and a black pencil skirt. Her hair was in her natural curls and parted in the right side.
"Olivia!" She called as she snapped her fingers. Olivia looked up quickly from her notes on her tablet.
"Yes Senator Grant?" She answered nervously as her head popped up from her tablet. She adjusted her glasses as she did.
"Hand me my speech please, I need to go over it again."
As Grant demanded her, Olivia thought about how she found herself in this position, working for an incredibly unpleasant woman who represented everything she hated in the world. It was baffling to her how she had made it this far into the election because she just couldn't fathom the fact that people across America would want Senator Grant leading them.
She always dreamt of working for the White House, since she was a little girl. Her parents always encouraged her to achieve and strive for the best and that's exactly what she did so she wasn't going to allow a demon like Melody Grant stop her, it was the first step in truly achieving real power in DC.
Olivia reached over to the manila folder she had with her and took out a sheet of paper and got up out of the sofa and handed the older woman the speech that had been written for her for the convention.
She took it out of Olivia's hand and quickly scan read, pulling, mild facial expressions as she did.
"Problem Senator?" Olivia asked her rhetorically.
"No, no. It's fine. Okay, where is he? He better be ready, I trusted all of you to pick my potential VP, you better not have sent me a joke."
"Relax Senator Grant, we vetted him, checked him, he ticked all of the requirements, married, male and military."
"Uhm, you picked a VP candidate already?" Olivia asked Thomas, the campaign's assistant manager.
"Yes. Don't worry, he's perfect." He assured Olivia.
"And, why wasn't I consulted?" She questioned crossing her arms. "I'm just as much a part of this team as you are. I should've had a say, we should have all made a decision." She explained
"Good, where is Mr Ballard?" The senator asked as she rushed fixing her sleeve
"Ugh, he should be here any…" Her advisor Thomas went on but was interrupted by a tall and handsome man walking through the door.
"Ah, speak of the devil!" Thomas said excitedly as a tall, dark haired and very attractive man stepped through. He had bright green eyes that stared into the soul, and a sharp smile to go with them.
"Finally you're here!" Mellie exaggerated with her arms in the air.
"Yes, I'm so sorry I'm late by the way." He explained.
"That doesn't matter now. At least you're here. One of my advisors will hand you your speech. Olivia?!" Senator Grant yelled as she fixed her skirt.
Olivia was too focused on making last minute changes to the notes on her tablet that she totally didn't hear a word Mellie was saying to her.
"Olivia!" Mellie gritted through her teeth.
"Huh? Uh, yes, sorry." Olivia expressed as her head popped up and laid her eyes on the tall gentleman. He seemed freakishly tall to her, which she found odd but she then thought that maybe it was just that she was barely 5'3 that was the problem.
She eyed him up closer, he didn't seem like the typical Vice Presidential candidate, not in her eyes anyway. She couldn't quite put her finger on why though, besides the fact that he wasn't ugly, silver haired and borderline elderly like most republican politicians out there. The fact that he was young and admittedly a little handsome could have been what had done it.
Thomas then came over to her and stood in between the them. "Mr Ballard, uh, I don't believe you've met our other chief advisor for the campaign. This is Olivia Pope." Thomas said as he introduced him to Olivia.
She stood up and smoothed down her skirt, extending her hand to greet the gentlemen.
However, he spoke up first, which irritated her a little. "It's nice to meet you Mrs Pope." He spoke with such confidence it made her slightly uncomfortable, and he had quite a firm grip on her hand.
"It's Miss, Mr Ballard." She explained before removing her hand out of his grasp. "I'm not married." She said with slight annoyance at the fact that he would even assume, as if a woman her age should be married.
"Oh, my apologies. I just assumed that a beautiful accomplished woman like….." Before Jake got to finish, the pair of them were interrupted by a now even angrier and stressed out Mellie, but that "beautiful and accomplished" comment wasn't about to escape Olivia.
"We are due on stage now." Senator expressed as she heard the current Republican President speak and prepare to introduce her and Mr Ballard to the audience. Mellie walked out first as the make up artist made a few finishing touches on her as they stepped out, and the rest of them followed suit.
"It is my honour to introduce to you, your republican nominees, Senator Mellie Grant and Jacob Ballard." Olivia heard as she watched on from the crowd.
It was going to be an eventful five months and Olivia was prepared for whatever was in store.