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Rex v. Holiday Shift

"I can't wait for the big beach party on Labor Day!" Rex rubbed his hands together.

"Yeah, everyone who's anyone is gonna be there." Noah agreed. "If we're seen with the right people, we've got it made!"

"Is that what you're worried about?" Rex scoffed. "I'm just going to swim, play beach volleyball, and eat hot dogs till I'm sick!"

"Come on Rex! You need to plan for the future. These people can be our future connections to help us get a leg up in the world." Noah said.

Rex formed his Punk Busters. "I've already have a leg up… two in fact." He reabsorbed his machine.

Noah looked at him unimpressed. "Well, some of us can't grow mechanical objects from our body to help us."

The campus clock tower started ringing.

"Oh, I'm going to be late for work." Rex said startled.

"I'll see you later." Noah called out as Rex formed his Rex Ride. He peeled off leaving Noah coughing in a cloud of exhaust.

0o0

"Hey, Rex!" Lenny, Rex's manager, greeted him as he walked in. "I've got good news!"

"I'm getting a raise?" Rex perked up.

Lenny laughed. "No, you're going to work the holiday shift." He waited for Rex to be excited. Rex was not.

"I'm still waiting for the good news." Rex replied flatly.

"All the new guys work the holiday shift." Lenny said. "And you are the new guy. Sven has been doing holiday shifts for two straight years. It's his turn to have the time off."

"Ya." Sven agreed.

"But… but… but…" Rex stuttered.

"I knew I could count on you." Lenny clapped a hand on his back. "You even get the keys." He said the word keys with awe in his voice.

"I don't want the stinking keys. I want the day off." Rex protested.

"Well, I guess you can try to look for another job." Lenny noted.

"What time do I open?" Rex asked.

0o0

"Serious dude? You have to work the whole weekend?" Noah asked incredulously.

"Yeah. The new guy has to take the holiday shifts." Rex groaned from his bed.

"That's not fair." Circe, who was sitting at the edge of his bed, said comfortingly patting him on his knee.

"No kidding." Rex muttered.

"Look on the bright side. You'll be getting more money for working a holiday shift." Claire said brightly.

"No, I'm not. It's the same pay rate because I'm the new guy." Rex growled.

"Oh." Claire shrugged. "That sucks."

"But what about the beach party?" Noah interrupted.

"I guess I'm going to miss it." Rex said glumly.

"Aww Rex, it won't be much of a party without you. I guess we won't go." Circe said.

"What?" Noah looked at her in disbelief. "Are you crazy? It's the biggest…" He stopped when he caught Claire's glare. "I mean… yeah, the party is overrated."

"No, no, we all shouldn't suffer because I have to work. You guys go on without me." Rex sighed dejectedly.

"Great! You're awesome. Come on let's go." Noah quickly started ushering the girls out.

"Huh? Where are you going?" Rex asked looking up in surprise.

"Lots to do before the party. We need to make sure we have the latest swimsuits." Noah said leaving with the two girls.

The door slammed shut. "Uh, okay, bye?" Rex said uncertainly to the empty room.

0o0

Rex stood alone in the empty shop. There wasn't a single customer since he had opened up shop. He was bored. Glancing at the clock above the door, he still had five hours to go. The party at the beach would be over soon. His stomach growled.

"Shhh," He hushed his stomach. "Ugh, I wish I worked at Burger Shack. There's only so many slushies I can drink."

He began pacing behind the counter. "Ugh, so bored." He slumped over counter. "Bored, bored, bored."

A few seconds later, he looked up. "Well, then do something." He said. Then he turned his head to one side. "Like what?" He asked himself. He turned his head to the other side. "How about we play a game of chess?" His head flipped to the other. "No, you cheat." He turned again. "What are you talking about? I don't cheat."

"Yes, you do. Plus that's boring."

"Oh, like watching the clock hands move isn't?"

"Chess is so uppity. How about checkers?"

"That's just chess lite."

"What are you talking about? It's nothing like chess!"

"That's why it's chess lite! How about cards?"

"We don't have any cards!"

"We don't have any chess pieces!"

"We could make them out of the napkins."

"That's boring and lame!"

"Fine, what do you want to do?"

Rex gave himself an evil smile.

0o0

"I feel bad for Rex." Circe said as people around her laughed and talked.

"Yeah, poor guy." Claire shook her head.

"Hey, ladies. Here you go." Noah came by with three drinks. He handed them the cups. He lifted his up to his lips before he noticed the downcast looks on his friends' faces. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Claire sighed.

"Are you guys worried about Rex?" Noah asked. "He's fine."

The girls didn't answer as they stared at their cups.

"You know, he's learning life skills. I'm sure he's so busy with the customers that he doesn't even miss the party." Noah continued. "He's… he's… ahhh, he's probably bored." He conceded. "Oh, come on, let's go check on him."

The two girls brightened up.

0o0

"I'm sure Rex will appreciate us coming by." Circe said as she balanced some paper bags in her arms.

"It's the right thing to do." Claire agreed.

"Mmmmph." Noah muttered noncommittally with his hands in his pockets.

"We're here." Circe picked up her pace. She opened the door excitedly. The little bell on the store door rang. She looked in surprise.

Rex was standing on the counter. He held two large zipper bags with their corners cut out. He was shooting slushy into buckets on the floor.

"Oh, hey… uh… it's not… I'm just… you know… uh…" Rex was now looking at all his friends who had dumbfounded looks on their faces. "Welcome to Slushy Slush, would you like to try our new banana, orange, kale slushy?"

0o0

The four friends sat around the table with cups of slushies after cleaning up the mess in the store. Rex was downing his fifth hot dog. "Thanks, Circ." He said with his mouth full.

"We figured you might have been hungry… although at the rate you're going I should have gotten more." Circe observed.

"We should have just come to keep you company." Claire said. "The party wasn't that great… right Noah." She nudged her boyfriend.

"Hmmm, what?" Noah looked up. "Oh, yeah, right."

"I'm sorry, Noah. I know you wanted to go to the party." Rex said not fooled.

Noah studied his friend for a second. He took a deep breath. "No, it's okay. Claire's right. It's not a party without you. Besides, there's always next year." He lifted his cup.

Everyone lifted their cups. "Till next year." They said clinking their cups together before emptying the contents.

"So… who wants to keep me company on Thanksgiving?" Rex joked.

Everyone glared at him.

"What?" Rex held up his hands as everyone lifted their cups to throw at him.

Rex: 0 Holiday shift: 1 Rex's friends: 3

Happy Labor Day from the US. I finished this in an hour just so I could post something for you guys. I go back to work tomorrow... sob, sob…

I'm having problems with season 8… it's not writer's block… it's apathy. I just don't feel like writing. But I will finish it. It just might be a while.