Chp 1 Pt. 1 -The Dragon

Davina

It is a beautiful summer day here on the east coast. I love the heat. I am fifteen years old, soon to be sixteen and I’ll be graduating high school just before my birthday in September. I use to get picked on in school because of how smart I am and my hair color so I was glad to be able to finish school on line. I have already been accepted into the University of South Carolina for business. I plan on taking over my parent’s restaurant once I graduate college. It is a quaint little family restaurant called Ortiz’s Place and it has the best pies. I may be a bit biased there. My favorite being my mother’s banana cream pie.

I spend my days completing my school work at the restaurant and working there part time. I love the atmosphere and making people feel at home while at the restaurant. Everyone is so friendly. We’ve had several people become regulars, including my father’s best friend, Thierry. He runs some big shot company and comes at least once a week. He is like an uncle to me, very protective and scares any boy away from me.

I tend feel out of place in my family though. I have silver hair and hazel eyes but both my parents have brown hair and green eyes. My parents tell me it’s a family trait that pops up every now and then but I look nothing like them. Most of the time I just tell people I dye my hair. My parents are Daniel and Isla Ortiz. My father told me he met my mother while he was in the US Army.

It was love at first sight for them and though my mother was born in Hawaii and had never been to the mainland, she didn’t hesitate to follow my father anywhere. My father was honorably discharged from the Army after an accident in Afghanistan that caused him to lose his left leg. He has a prosthetic leg, though you would never know he was missing a leg. He hides it very well.

“Hey mom, hey dad. How’s it going?” I ask my parents as I return from my morning run.

“We’re pretty busy today sweetheart. Do you think you can help out? Sarah is out sick and no one has been able to take her shift,” says mom.

“Sure, just let me run upstairs and shower real quick,” I reply. Above the restaurant is a two bedroom one bathroom apartment that my father and I have been working on finishing so I could move into it once I start college. The restaurant is closer to campus than my parent’s house. The restaurant gets quiet a few college students who miss a home cooked meal and it’s like a second home to me anyway. It’s so close to being finished.

I quickly shower, tie my hair in a bun and run downstairs. It’s already packed with hardly any open seats. I quickly clear some tables that still have dirty dishes on them and wipe them down for customers. I began taking orders and sending them back to Shaun, one of our cooks.

“How is Sarah doing Shaun,” I ask. Shaun and Sarah have been married for five years and they are both excited as Sarah is pregnant with their first child. They are the cutest couple.

“She’s doing great, thanks for asking. She’s having some Braxton hicks contractions so she’s been resting. Baby girl is due any day now.”

“Have you thought of a name yet,” I ask.

“We were thinking of either Hope or Emma. What do you think?”

“Personally, I like Hope. If you ever need a date night let me know. I would love to babysit.” I love babies. They’re so squishy and cute. I love our curious they are of their surroundings, all so new to them.

“I am sure we will take you up on that thanks,” Shaun smiles as he hands me an order.

“I’m so excited for you guys. Please cook her favorite meal and take it home for her. I bet she is starving and won’t want to cook.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, she’s eating for two and it’ll score you points. Plus you own’t have to cook some more when you get home,” I laugh. I can’t imagine cooking all day to have to go home and cook some more. I would get bored with it.

“Thanks, you’re right. She’ll be super excited to have her favorite omelette. Though I blame that on the pregnancy. Tomato, cheese, pickles and bacon. That’s just a weird combination to me.” I laughed in agreement. I wonder what my cravings will be when I am pregnant.

“Hey do I not get take some food home,” whines Sam, Shaun’s brother and our other cook, though it was a fake whine. Sam is more of the jokester of the two. They look like they could be twins but Shaun is older.

“I don’t see a round belly attached to you, unless guys can all of a sudden get pregnant and you’re the one pushing this baby out,” I laugh, Sam looks mortified at the thought of having to push out a kid.

“Ha ha, you think you’re so funny,” Sam replies.

“Always,” I giggle. “You know you can. My parents don’t mind.” I take several orders out to customers waiting for their delicious food. I take my last order over to a new regular, Enzo. He started college last year and is also studying business. He is very handsome, tall though not as tall as my dad. Enzo has a gorgeous, golden brown eye color that I could stare at for days and black hair as dark as a raven. Though I’ll be starting college soon I doubt my dad would let me date someone who is eighteen but hey a girl can dream.

“Here you go Enzo. Chicken fried steak, eggs over easy with extra crispy bacon. Can I get you anything else? More coffee?”

“Thank you Davina, as always you’re the best. Can’t go to class on an empty stomach. I’m good on the coffee for now,” Enzo replies with that gorgeous smile.

I blush, “I don’t cook it, I just serve it.”

“That’s what makes it the best,” replies Enzo making me blush more. He always does that. He flirts a little but never asks me out. I don’t think he has a girlfriend, he always comes in alone. I stare at him like an idiot before snapping out of it.

“Well I better get back to work. See you later.” I finish taking care of my customers in my section, clearing tables and cleaning the booths. After the lunch rush is over, Dakota arrives for her shift which relieves me to finish my last test and I will officially done with high school.

I am glad my parents agreed for me to be homeschooled which has allowed me to get ahead so I can graduate early and get away from bullies. Mom is a bit sad that I didn’t go the traditional route and join like the cheer squad or something but that has never been my thing. She always said the other girls were just jealous of me because I’m pretty, but she is my mom and is obligated to say that. I tend to keep to myself and read my books.

My last test is for trigonometry, I saved the easiest for last. I sit in my regular booth near the front of the store by the window, pull out the laptop and begin working. The answers are super easy as I fly through the questions. I finish my test and shut my laptop. When I looked up, my friend Daniela sits down next to me. Daniela is the same age as me but is going on her second year in college. Like me she is super smart and took college classes throughout high school to get ahead. She also works at the restaurant along with her twin brother, Daniel. The twins both had blonde hair and blue eyes and I swear they could be models.

“Hey Daniela, what’s up,” I ask though I have a feeling I know what she wants to talk about.

“Mark can be so infuriating sometimes” she complains.

“What did he do now?” Mark and Daniela had been dating for the past three years. Mark is Thierry’s son and is roughly two years older than us. No matter how many times she gets mad at him there is no denying they are madly in love with each other. He always knows what to say to make it better and is always bringing her flowers. I wish I had a boyfriend like that.

“We had a date last night and he thought watching a Harry Potter marathon would be a good date idea.” I laugh at her because I personally love Harry Potter. House Hufflepuff all the way.

“Hey at least he tried,” I reassure her.

“Says the Harry Potter nerd,” she laughs and rolls her eyes.

“Hey I can’t help it if I think it would be amazing to get a Hogwarts letter telling me I am a witch and I’ve been accepted into a magical school. I would accept and be gone tomorrow,” I laugh.

“So, do you think you passed your math test nerd.”

“Don’t be jealous,” I laugh. “You know I nailed it. I’ll be taking college classes in no time.” I look around the restaurant and notice the crowd has died way down. I can see staff cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow.

“Looks like everyone has cleared out and everything been cleaned up. Yo Daniel are you ready to go yet,” Daniela yelled over at her brother.

“Yeah yeah, I’m ready,” he replies.

“Don’t sulk. It’s not my fault you didn’t pass your driver’s test and I did,” Daniela teases. I do feel bad for Daniel. I know how it feels to have to rely on other’s for a ride. I passed and have my license but I don’t have a car.

“Shut up Daniela. I’ll pass, you’ll see. Goodnight Davina.” He hangs his apron before tugging on his sister towards the door.

“Good night Daniel, see ya later Daniela,” I reply. Out the door they went and climb into Daniela’s brand new car. I admit I am jealous her parents were able to get her a car. I am stuck with my bike or a ride from my parents. I know Daniela would give me a ride if I asked but I hate asking.

“You ready to go kiddo? Everything is locked up,” says dad.

“Yep I’m ready.” I follow my parents out to our little old car and climb into the back seat. I am tired and ready to cuddle in bed with a good book.