Gracie

Chapter One

Ding ding .. "Order up"

I hear the sound of the cook bell go off as I buss the once full tables. I try and concentrate on getting the tables cleaned so I can go back to hiding in the kitchen where I can just listen to music and stop getting the usual stares of curiosity or the look of shock as if I was doing something wrong. I try to ignore all the different conversation happening around me. Some about farming. hunting or sports .. or the usual comments about my short stature.

You see I was born with something called GHD or Growth Hormone Deficiency. For those who don't know about it well in short .. I'm super short. I was born with it and unfortunately just because im so lucky with everything in life I was never treated so it continued to get worse and worse. With my form I'm basically an 18 year old trapped in a 5 year olds body. With my form of GHD it basically caused childhood growth failure, facial appearance, delayed bone age. So I literally stopped growing. I guess it's just my luck tho. But enough of that let me finally introduce myself. I'm Grace Hendrix ... I'm 18 years old... freshly 18 actually. I just started working at Lou's Diner about three months ago after I aged out. I guess you could say nobody wanted a girl like me.
I got super lucky when I got hired because with my looks I'm usually take for a heck of a lot younger but after showing that I was actually 18 I was luckily given a chance to show I could work and do the job.

Welp I better get back to work .. " Hey Grace ! Get back work you don't get paid to just stand there" I hear my boss Robert the restaurant manger yell towards me.

"Sorry" I whisper as I carry the heavy dishes to the sink.

I double check the diner to see if there was anything else to do and once I seen that I got them all I set off to do my other job.. dishwasher girl. I roll up my sleeves and get to it. After getting a quarter of the way through I'm suddenly pulled out of my thoughts by my co worker Benson. Hey shortie how's the dishes going. I flip around instantly and splash water his way catching him in the face and chest. "Aw man, I just got this shirt Grace !" I hear him groan.

I chuckle. "Well you know not to call me that name you dork"

I see him stick his tongue out at me and then feel him nudge me a little. "Hey I brought some of my mom's chocolate cake for lunch. We will get some good eats on for lunch if you want to join me today... but I have no problem eating it all on my own if you decide not to ." He gives a sly grin.

You're not that lucky Benny. You know I'm always hungry for cake. I say quickly.

"Dammit" i hear him say as he walks towards the back of the kitchen where the storage room was. I hear him toss his stuff in it and then walk back to me.

I liked Benson he was a nice guy and we have become almost the best of friends since I started working at Lou's. Kinda like a big brother ... even tho I was older then him by 2 years and he was just lucky to have the height.

I continued to wash my dishes and hummed to myself .

At the corner of my eye I see him pulling up a stool and sitting down next to me I went back to my dishes as I knew he was trying to distract me. "Stay focused grace .. don't give in to his antics.." I kept repeating in my head.

So what are you doing after your shift ? Benson grinned and asked.

I ignored him again ... dammit Ben. I thought to myself.

"Oh come on Gracie" .. I glared at him,

He knows I don't like that version of my name. It makes me sound younger the what I am and my height already does that to me enough.

"Why? What do you want."I said in an unenthusiastic tone.

Well my parents want to meet you, you dork so they invited you for dinner. I don't know why.. to be honest your kinda a jerk. Ben says with a dramatic eye roll.

I punch him in the arm with my overly bubbled hands.

Awe that was the cutest punch ever. He said laughing as he wipes the bubbles off his arm.

Hey you two get back to work! What the hell am I paying you to idiots for. Robert grumbled. As he walked off towards the office in the back.

"Yea yea .. jerk."Ben mumbled under his breath. As he pretended to walk away from me once he seen Robert out of sight he came right back to bug me.

So will you ?

Will I what . I ignored the question and continued my mountain of dishes.

Argh will you come for dinner.

"Hmm no.. I can't Ben."

"Why ? Got a hot date or something?"

I glared at him and ignored

"Come on all kidding aside why don't you wanna come."

"Umm I'm washing my hair"

"You've used that excuse every time I've asked .. you cant be washing your hair everyday. Come on grace pleaseeeee!!!!"

I sigh.. Fine.

Really?

"If it will make you go away then YES I will come over to your parents house for dinner you dork"

Yes!! Ok cool I'll text my mom. You like spaghetti right ?

I nod and roll my eyes as he saunters off to actually do work.

I think about it and the thought of a hot meal doesn't sound to bad. I'm basically surviving off of peanut butter sandwiches and vending machine snacks. I don't make much at the diner and am jut surviving in an old motel room I was able to rent. It's not much but it eats a lot of my pay check. The room took a bit to get but thankfully I was able to convince the manager that I wasn't a child.

I push dinner to the back of my mind and finish off my dishes then go on to my next task....