Rest Day

She arrived, barely on time. Greeting the people that are already inside the store, she rushed to the back room to set down her belongings, grab her apron and get her work started. She couldn't wait for this shift to finish.

Walking to her throne. The cashier. She was met by Dan, an older-but-not-old-old co-worker that wasn't supposed to be there. "Good morning Grace" Dan beamed at her, extra cheerfully to her liking.

"Good morning, where is Albert?" as she asked, she looked around hoping to find her friend somewhere. Yes, it was weird, she hadn't seen him since she arrived at the store. He was never late. The guy would tell her if he is taking an absent, and she knew he wouldn't if it's not an emergency. That guy even go to work even if he is sick.

"Nowhere, guess he is not as enthusiastic as you are for this job." Dan shrugged, with a funny look on his face, as he punched the items of the customers that were already forming a line upfront. She decided that she'd just call Albert later to ask him what's up.

-

Halfway through the day, every one had been acting suspiciously. Grace been receiving funny looks here and there and greetings way too much than the normal. Is there something on her face? Or oh! They probably noticed her not-that-much-discernible-but-still-a-horrible haircut she had yesterday. Guess they didn't liked it as much as she did. I knew it was ugly! She sighed and decided she would just have it cut asap.

The store today is packed. It had been since the start of the month. Probably because the season is perfect for hammering around under the warm sun. She thought, maybe, it's time for her to start making this plant box she's been thinking of doing ever since she started working in the hardware store. Carpentry isn't bad and much easier than expected, plus it could be a great hobby even for a girl like her.

"Why are you looking at her?" said an angry voice. "For fuck's sake Judy! I was not! Now, you might want to lower your voice, everyone's looking already!" shushed the guy as he tried to calm the woman down. Bet who they was talking about? Yes, it was her. The couple are lined on her lane, and the guy was right when he said they are starting to get attention as the woman continued to glare at her.

"So what? Don't you want people to know you are cheating? Right in front of your girlfriend Andy!" the woman continued shooting glares, not caring anymore if what she's doing was embarrassing. You could almost bet the guy wanted to smack his freehand on his forehead. Hard.

She felt Dan leaned towards her way, quite laughing, as he whispered "Guess the guy liked that haircut of yours." he teased, now laughing hard as he went back to punching items. So they DID noticed. Now she's more eager to get this shift done and go home.

The guy with her angry girlfriend are now in front of her. The girl's face turned into a scowl as Grace smiled at them awkwardly. Greeting them as the guy handed her their items. The woman sneered, then out of nowhere, gave the poor guy a strike on his head.

"You like that don't you? Is that why you bugged me non-stop to go here all the time! It's not really because you need it for your job, you just want to see this another woman of yours, you imbecile!" another strike. Another on the way but the guy snatched her wrist and faced her, face in deep red.

"You really want to embarrass yourself, don't you?! I don't even know the girl! So. Stop. Saying. Nonsense." they are now causing a scene. People inside the store stopped what they were doing and watch the couple with amusement. Saying she felt very awkward is an understatement, she felt just as embarrassed as the guy. She was now putting their items in the paper bag when the woman was about to open her mouth again but the guy stopped her, not before giving her an apologetic look then an exaggerated scan of her whole body, and blurted something that made her want smack the guy on the face too, harder than what her girlfriend could do. "She's not even THAT hot." with that, he grabbed the bag and left a 50 dollar bill. But before they were finally out of earshot, she heard the woman say as she wrapped her hands onto the guy's arms "You're right! And that haircut of hers, it's ridiculous."

Standing on her two feet, feeling extremely insulted and insecure than ever before, she felt Dan who had been snickering throughout the whole scenario, tapped her shoulders. She gave him a face that made him laugh harder. "I thought in looked cute on you though"

Yes, he was talking about her haircut. Damn.

-

Lunch time. Finally. Grace let out a heavy sigh as she stripped her apron away to grab her meal. She was glad she packed lunch from her breakfast. At times like these; store packed with people rushing in-and-out, buying food outside would be of a hassle.

"Grace! I hope I could always be as diligent as you." Jenna greeted her snickering as she sat down beside her, causing the others who are already seated around the table sniffle a laugh.

"I hope other people would call out on you too if what they deemed as hot is nowhere near you." she huffed, still feeling slightly insecured and insulted at the guy's words.

"Aww, Grace, you know he didn't meant it. He just needed to say it so her girlfriend with a severe case of inferiority complex would stop. She was causing a ruckus." Dan gave her a look of assurance and continued to babble on while the others agree and throw small comments as they eventually change from topic to topic.

She grabbed her phone and hit her inbox, to know if Albert had texted her. He didn't. What happened to that guy? He wouldn't take an absent without me knowing she thought. She guessed something's really up. She'd really need to pay him a visit after her shift. His boyfriend probably dumped him.

-

"Couldn't believe I could find a goddess in a hardware store. Hi, my name is Jean. You can just call me love, if you want. Either is fine, but the latter is better." the guy in front of her, hair comb back his head, said huffily. She sighed and just smiled blandly.

"Sir I hope there wouldn't be a girl around you that will accuse you of cheating because I don't want that thing happening to me twice in a span of one day." she gave her a distasteful look but the guy just smirked and leaned in a bit closer, voice hoarse and incredibly flirty that it send chills through the back of her neck. "Trust me, she wouldn't find out."

The guy made her winced. Asshole. After giving him his bill, the Jean guy winked at her, smirking like an idiot. Her eyes followed the guy as he walked out the store, but not after he trip before reaching the door. She snickered. And stupid too.

Her attention was pulled back by a loud tapping of shoes on the floor and an annoyed snarled by the next person in line. It was an old man, hair almost bald, arms crossed on his chest and a scowl on his face. Grace mumbled an apology and immediately punched his items. The scowl never leave the old man's face as he, rather harshly, grabbed his purchases. "Stupid kids with their stupid PDAs."

She deadpanned.

-

"Grace! Mr. David is calling you inside his office." Jenna called out to her while snickering. Grace just shook her head, they've all been like that all day, talking to her while trying to suppress their laughter. If it's about the hair then it's too much. She just realized, the hair is not that bad.

Entering the office of their manager, she was ordered to sit down on the chair in front of his table. The always-smiling old guy cleared his throat and smiled even more.

"Grace, how are you?" he asked, voice as sweet as always.

"A lot of things happened but it was fine sir." she answered honestly, thinking about the things that happened in just this day.

"Thank you for your hard work. I'll make sure today will be double-payed, okay?" he said quietly, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

She was shocked. What does he mean double pay? If that is because of the trouble the couple caused, it's actually not a big of a deal for her, well for her self-esteem it is, but in overall not really. She then realized something. In an instant, phone on her hands, she looked at the calendar to confirm her findings. Shit. That is why Albert is not around. And to think about it, Albert is not the only one that hadn't been around today. All of the people with the same shift as her, presence nowhere to be found: Henry, Danica, Vicky, Kirsten, Eleanor. They are all absent. How did she not realized it immediately. She even finishes a day shift without realizing it's their rest day today. That's why everybody looked at her as if she was a dumb clown.

"Why didn't they told me?" she asked, still stunned with the revelation.

"I told them not to. HA HA." the old guy let out the loudest laughed.

Feeling slightly annoyed, she just sighed. Thankfully, it's not because of the hair.