You meet her on a Monday. The most earth shattering, game changing, soul wrenching day of your life is a Monday.

You sling your new messenger bag over your shoulder rather roughly, which you didn't really mind since there was nothing inside of it anyways. The interview with your boss was unnerving to say the least, but the pay wasn't so bad and you need to save up for school in any case. The other part of you thinks you won't last very long here before you inevitably find another dead end job to waste time on. 

You glance at the board of letters and find the name of the company. The security guard gives you an up and down before pointing to the elevator. You find yourself stuck with a stout man with a perpetually irritated expression on the way up. He narrows his eyes as if you were some sort of security threat.

Something about him was very off. 

The two of you exit at the ding of the elevator, dismayed to find he was actually your coworker. That did not last long, however, as you turn the corner and find yourself facing the receptionist. She had frizzy, clipped back auburn hair and wore a serious expression on her face. You follow her line of sight and deduce the receptionist was either really invested in her work or distracting herself from said work. You suspect the latter.

"Uh hey." She looks up from whatever was occupying her attention to give you a small smile.

"Hi, I'm Jim. I'm new here." That's when you notice she has really pretty eyes. You feel yourself flush for staring.

"Oh, I'm Pam. I'm the receptionist here, as you can see," Pam imparts with a slight chuckle. You were about to comment on the sketch she was working on before your new boss tries to give you a noogie despite the difference in height. You chance a look back at Pam to find she's hiding a giggle behind a pair of dainty hands. You decide you like everything about this girl, which is odd because you've never come to such a conclusion this instantaneously.

It isn't long before Michael calls a conference room meeting to welcome the newest member of the Dunder-Mifflin family. After what feels like forever, (the conversation somehow devolves into who's the hottest single in the office) your new boss shows you around while making crude and sometimes insensitive remarks about the employees. Michael Scott is your boss . . . it'll take some getting used to. You excuse yourself under the guise of grabbing a snack. Yes, he's the man giving you your paychecks every week but there's only so much you can take. Fortunately, the sweet receptionist is grabbing a cup of tea and you could use a dose of sanity.

"Hey, Jim. Michael gave you the tour?"

"Oh yeah. The staff were extremely helpful although I found the tour guide to be on the talkative side." You open the refrigerator fully intending to act as if you couldn't find anything but you spot a mixed berry yogurt stamped with last Friday's date.

You're taken out of your thoughts by a melodic laugh and silently make it your mission to make this girl laugh every day. "That's Michael for you. He makes sure to give everyone the full experience."

"I'm assuming the pre-tour film was part of that experience? Give my compliments to the director."

"The Scranton Witch Project? Michael stayed up late last night editing the whole thing. He makes one for every new person in the office." You smile at that and pick out a small baggie of baby carrots.

"Well, I for one cannot wait for Michael Scott's next masterpiece. Think of the possibilities, Pam! Summer of Scranton? Scranton Blues?" You admit that last one was half baked.

"I guess you'll have to stick around long enough to find out." Pam shrugs with a hint of pink donning her cheeks. This was surely a good sign, right?

"So, Miss Beesley. I didn't take you for a starving artist." She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before realizing what you must have seen.

"Oh, that? It's nothing, really. I mean, if I'm working here, I need something to do when things are slow." But there's a wistfulness to her words and you know that she enjoys art a lot more than she'll let on. You're almost jealous because up until today you've never felt that kind of passion for anything.

Pam disposes of the Lipton tea bag, signaling that this conversation would soon come to an end. "In any case, I must say you're very talented, Beesley. You'll have to help me graduate from stick figures sometime." She grins at you, eyes crinkled, tongue caught between her perfect teeth, and leans in a bit closer to you. You can smell coconut shampoo and fabric softener.

"Enjoy this moment, because you're never going to go back to this time before you met your deskmate Dwight." She beams at you with a playful glint in her eye before taking her mug back to reception. Memories of a life not yet lived overwhelm you in an instant.

You think you've just planned the rest of your life.