A/N: Uh looking at the last A/N it def looks like I was depressed, That hasn't changed but yeah we are off that.

Introducing someone and building the work environment and as we all know that starts with friction.


"Always make sure you find the customer's needs though our 4 steps to give top quality customer service. Step 1. Be Attentive, Step 2. Find an alternative if a solution cannot be come to." The TV's speaker droned on to the two in the room. Jackie was halfway paying attention, Eric was looking for something to write on. "We probably have half an hour until she comes back. I cant believe someone actually got paid to make this." There was cut ins of workers with plastered smiles attending to another paid actor, "Customer Service 101, work one work them all."

Eric chuckled, "I can't believe you're watching it."

"Well, it's either this or watching you find something to write on. There's nothing back here."

Eric agreed but still felt compelled to look. "I have paper, I need a pen." It took a few more moments before he agreed to stop his fruitless quest. "Yeah, nothing." He turned around to see Jackie transfixed to the screen, "That good, huh? "

"God no, but it has given me an idea, a basic strategy we can follow. Now the main goal, a memorable Summer, without our significant, well ex-significant others."

"We can call them Donna and Kelso."

"To do that, we needed a change, new jobs new experience." Jackie leaned on the table one hand pointer raised with two fingers pointed outward, "Step 2, we cannot dwell on the past. The past is pain, so we have to move forward."

"Embarrassment and pain."

"Thanks for that Eric, 3 if-not if, when they come back, I am relying on you not to let me get back with Michael, whatever I say whatever I do stop me. I'll do the same for you unless we both decide it's okay."

Eric listened to Jackie's "plan" and nodded, while practical it was, "I'm probably not going to remember this so how about the Summer Fun Plan is just for us to have fun."

Jackie nodded and sat back, "Yeah you're right I was… overthinking it." Eric had been looking down but could hear an uneasiness in her voice. Recently that felt familiar they both didn't know what they were doing, "It's a good plan though Jackie. We can use it as 3 rules to follow for the Summer." Before Jackie could respond the door behind them rustled. Jackie and Eric stared at each other before a, "Damnit!" could be heard before the door handle started to move again.

Eric got up to open the door before any more expletives could come through. He was greeted by brown eyes and red hair, thankfully he was taller than her by a few inches. She was closer to Jackie's height and build but more top heavy with a button nose. Before he could speak she screamed, "Holy Shit!"

"Sorry um I'm Eric one of the new hires." He moved away from the door to let her in, "and this is-

"Allison, nice to meet you, wait one of?"

"Yeah, this is my friend Jackie." Eric turned around facing Jackie who was waving, "Nice to meet you." She was smiling softly but that slowly left her face, looking at Jackie told Eric he should look back at Allison and on her face sat a look he knew well, annoyance., "Oh that's cute, friends. At least you guys already know each other."

"Right." Eric felt he shouldn't pry and went back to his seat. "You don't need to watch that." Allison pointed to the TV the commentator voiceover how to properly handle returners. "Don't take anything with smells or stains."

"Thanks, her tone was getting to me." Jackie turned the volume down. "Oh, I bet." She stared at Allison as she put her stuff up, her eyes narrowing. "I'm going to put this away." Eric tried to change the subject, maybe it was the additional hire but there was a noticeable tenseness in the air but all he got was a quick, "Yeah.".

Once she put her stuff up Allison looked at them and smiled, "I'll be right back" as she walked out the room.

"See you later." Eric felt some relief now that she was before he could continue with Jackie, she shushed him, "Wait." She waited a few seconds then spoke, "Sorry force of habit you never know who's listening and I want to make sure she doesn't hear me calling her a bitch. "

He had to stifle his laughter, but he couldn't help his she hit exactly what he thought as well. "Can't argue with that one."

"I mean I don't know what she thinks but it's not like we're here coming for her job."

"Maybe it's your looks" He shrugged, he couldn't get a grasp on the hostility, he knew Jackie so he knew why there'd would be aggression between them, that came naturally so he concluded a simple answer, she might feel threatened by a young new girl."

"Really Foreman and are you threatened by her looks?" The teasing from Jackie flowed easier than usual but he prepared himself to lie about this question, but that introduction did leave a sour mood in the air.

"She seems ok but I'm not searching for anything."

"Even when she's your type? Or do they do they need to be taller than you now too?"

He shook his head to protest, "Again, no type. She's cute but I didn't really get to look at her plus she kind of reminds me of my sister."

"Yeah, the bitch part right" Jackie sat back a little and pointed to her head, "Well if you say you don't have a type I guess I can say that her hair isn't real." She ran her hand through her hair as she gazed at him, "It's a dye job."

Eric stared back at Jackie, his eyes slowed at where her hands were, then slowly moved back to her eyes. she had a smirk planted on her face and if he were to direct his mind to his stomach, he would register a warmth forming. He instead exhaled, relieved, "fooled me."

"I'll think about teaching you some things, maybe."

Eric knew he shouldn't have but really couldn't help it "…The Obi-Wan to my Luke."

She didn't wait to let it sink in, "Ok Eric, you're pushing it."

"Sorry, I could tell with that one."

Allison felt she could have handled that better, but it was a surprise. A new worker she can pile boring work to do was one, two of them was more of a nuisance than a help, add on the fact they were friends. Friends!? Like they'd be doing any work if scheduled together. She felt herself get under the girl's skin. By a hair's breadth, she felt it but as quickly as she hit a counter presence formed. Allison was used to being intimidating, a breed of Janet's she thinks but the girl had shut down and *snap* the boy mimicked. Maybe that's what was getting to her they didn't seem close, but a woman can tell.

*Something*

She scoffed at the situation; she was halfway finished with her morning routine. She could already tell he could be such a pushover, but it now there was someone in the way. Goodbye to that additional grunt work she was going to be alleviated of.

Now her mind was set on commission. There were not many workers at Janet's and the sellers worked the floor and made a percentage of sales, some nights and weekends were the biggest sales times. She did have a few goals in mind for her future. Some were to get out but if she could make a living and move up this was a choice.

Allison had finished wrapping up her morning routine when she saw Mrs. Huckabee for the first time that morning. This was her third Summer, and she could never remember hearing the women's feet make sound. "Mrs. Huckabee, about those new hires- "

"Hm?" she didn't look up from pricing down clearance shorts. There was faint giggling heard at the back of the store, Allison rolled her eyes while Mrs. Huckabee stared bemused at the back, "I forgot about them, well a few more minutes and we'll be squared away."

She looked towards Allison, "I interrupted you, what were you saying."

"Well, at the last meeting you were only going to hire one person, but there was two back there also did you know they were friends? I mean can we really trust they'll do any work? The boy's so scrawny and- "

"Hon…" She stilled for herself from speaking as Mrs. Huckabee put her hand up in front of her, the labeler grasped between her thumb and index, "Eric's really nice and smart and Jackie was kind of a spur of the moment choice, but I've seen them both working at the mall before and the only wanted part-time, so I just split it."

Allison resigned her notions and nodded, she continued, "I know you have these big dreams of doing things as you should, but I would ask you for the fourth time this week, not to worry so much about one thing, honestly Allison, it was a job opening for a position you were promoted from."

Ok now she was just making her feel bad, "I trust your decisions, Ma'am." "You're Team Lead Allison, yes it's three people but it was going to be two," Mrs. Huckabee paused she felt like she was forgetting something, Allison waited until she continued, "And no biases."

"Sure." Allison raised her hand, "I'll finish up?"

A/N: Really liked this chapter, there's one more person to add to the work lineup i.e I told myself to work on secondary characters and whatnot because the story needs DEPTH. Also researching for this story is me going back and watching That 70's and I've been enjoying that for the most part but they really just pushed certain relationships.

:(Secret Easter Egg for the chapter name. Friday Night Lights used to be my shit until xxxxxxxxx