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Chapter Three: Lunch Date

Pam sat at her desk, writing on a notepad. It was her second day, and Dwight’s curiosity was about to get the better of him. His eyes flickered from her to his computer repeatedly, and after what appeared to be after much internal debate, he got up slowly and approached the reception area. He moved carefully, and in an odd crouching manner as if stalking a deer. Pam looked up, and Dwight froze. Knowing the jig was up, he finally approached the desk directly, a superficial smile on his face. “Hello Pamela.” He said jerkily

Pam smiled back just as brightly. “It’s just Pam, Dwight.”

Dwight’s eyes widened “How do you know my name?”

Pam immediately tried to look as shifty as possible. “Oh…um, because of…the label on your desk! It says your name on your desk.” She sighed with obvious, albeit false relief.

“Oh. But of course.” Dwight said stiffly. “What are you writing?” he asked suddenly.

Pam quickly covered up her notepad with her sleeve. “Nothing. I mean, um it’s a grocery list. Of food. For groceries. It’s definitely not like names or anything, or notes on people in the office. Um, maybe you should get back to work so we don’t get in trouble. For not working.” Pam smiled again.

Dwight squinted his eyes, and slowly walked back to his desk, where he furiously began to make notes on a piece of paper labeled: “CORPORATE SPY INVESTIGATION: PAMELA BEESLY”

Jim grinned at seeing this, and quickly looked to Pam, who winked at him. Still smiling, he got up and went over to her desk. “Hey, um, it seems there’s been some suspicion about you in the office. I’m afraid I’m going to interview you at Cugino’s over lunch.”

Pam’s cheery demeanor suddenly seemed to fade just a little bit, and she bit her lip. “Actually, I can’t…” She said awkwardly. “Um, I’m kinda having lunch with my, uh, fiancé. He works down in the-the warehouse, you know?”

Time stopped for just a moment in Jim’s world. After a moment, realizing Pam might have noticed, he quickly shook himself and said hastily “Oh, uh, that-that’s totally okay. That’s totally cool. Maybe another time when Dwight won’t be suspicious.” He smiled and made a hasty retreat back to his desk.

So he’d met a girl. A really nice girl, who had his sense of humor, and was stunningly pretty in her own way. She played pranks with him, and she did it well. And, of course, she had a fiancé. ‘Cause, why wouldn’t she? That would make life way too easy and convenient.

Jim decided to actually do some work, just to take him mind of…things. Like the pretty receptionist. But just as he was picking up the phone to make a call, Michael came bursting into the room in his regular fashion.

“Pa-a-a-a-a-amela!” He sang, in a surprisingly on-key, faux-opera voice. Pam winced a little, both at the volume and suddenness of it all, but hid it well. She was adapting quickly. “Any messages for me milady?” He’s in fine jester form today, Jim thought tiredly. What had started as a pretty good day when he rode up with Pam in the elevator had quickly gone downhill.

“Um, no, no new messages. Not since you asked me 15 minutes ago.” Pam smiled weakly.

“Oh really?” Michael grinned, and leaned against the desk. “You’ve been counting the minutes since you last saw me? Did you really miss me that badly?” Pam tried to speak in her own defense, but Michael just continued “It’s okay Pam, really it is. It’s okay to want me. Alllll the ladies do anyway!” He chortled. That was really the only word for it, “chortled”.

Pam gave up trying to say anything in her defense. “No new messages.” She said curtly and blandly, and then she busied herself with her computer. Probably playing Sudoku, Jim smiled a little to himself. He’d taught her how to play yesterday, and she had quickly become as addicted as he was.

Michael looked a little put off by Pam’s blunt response, but shook it off and strutted back to his office anyway. Jim was about to take him ham and cheese sandwich into the break room when he heard Pam talking in a hushed voice on her cellphone.

“But Roy, I thought we were kinda going to go out to lunch together and like, spend some time- No, I understand, I don’t want to take you away from your friends or anything, I just- Well sometimes I feel like you spend more time with Darryl instead of me…” Pam sighed, resting her head in her hand. “No no no, it’s okay. I’ll just uh, eat lunch here. That’s totally fine. Okay, have a good time.” Jim slowly started to walk to the break room, waiting just a little bit and hoping to hear-

“Hey, um Jim?” Jim grinned, but composed himself before he turned around, managing to look composed and mildly surprised. “You still up for Cugino’s?”

Jim slid his sandwich back into his bag, helped Pam slide on her pink coat, and ran to open the door for her. It seemed like he just couldn’t stop smiling lately.