Pam felt guilty. She’d spent the last two weeks avoiding the internet as much as possible—not just her AOL account but really the whole thing. This hadn’t been as easy as she’d hoped, but every time she logged on, browsed, or even glanced at her computer screen she was reminded of the fact that they weren’t talking. Things with Roy hadn’t been particularly good either, but she found that didn’t bother her as much. He was like a puppy; very excited that she was coming to work with him in a way that was alternately annoying and cute depending on her mood. Because her mood was foul, right now it was very annoying. She forgave him for it, though, because she knew it wasn’t his fault. It was all her—her and WScranton8. She couldn’t explain it to Roy, though, which meant he was like a puppy she’d kicked: confused, disappointed, and prone to lashing out.

Because of that, he hadn’t come up to see her on her first day. He’d been in the warehouse; she’d been up in the office; and she’d quickly learned that the two did not mix, at all. That in turn meant she’d had to deal with her new co-workers entirely on her own, which hadn’t felt entirely fair. So she was back at her place, tired and cranky, and she needed an outlet.

Without really thinking about it, she booted up AOL.

There he was in her Buddy List. She clicked and took a deep breath.

MorganLaFey: hey

MorganLaFey: I’m sorry I haven’t been around

MorganLaFey: and I overreacted before

MorganLaFey: you’re a good friend, and I don’t want to lose you

WScranton8: hi

WScranton8: don’t worry, you don’t get rid of me that easy

WScranton8: but I appreciate the apology

WScranton8: sorry I was so pushy

MorganLaFey: no you were fine

MorganLaFey: I shouldn’t have signed off in a huff

WScranton8: I was wondering if I’d ever see you again

MorganLaFey: well…here I am

WScranton8: hi

MorganLaFey: hey

It was like a giant weight had lifted off of her chest. She hated not talking to him. She hated feeling guilty. She hated feeling cut off from the person she was when she was online. That feeling gave her the momentum to continue.

MorganLaFey: so I did end up leaving

MorganLaFey: and I started my new job today

WScranton8: can’t say I’m not disappointed

WScranton8: but that was quick

WScranton8: congratulations

WScranton8: how is it?

MorganLaFey: oh my god you have no idea

MorganLaFey: on my first day my boss called me by like fifteen different versions of my name

WScranton8: so what, like, organ? Borgan? Sorghum?

MorganLaFey: basically

MorganLaFey: only worse

WScranton8: worse than organ? wow

MorganLaFey: yeah

MorganLaFey: and then one of the other guys spent twenty minutes questioning me about whether I was a “corporate saboteur.”

MorganLaFey: I’m not even sure what he meant, so I’m not sure I convinced him

WScranton8: that you were, or that you weren’t?

MorganLaFey: that I wasn’t, duh

WScranton8: sounds like a missed opportunity to me

WScranton8: I bet you could have got him running in circles a lot longer than that

WScranton8: just namedrop your competitors in otherwise innocuous conversation

MorganLaFey: oh genius

MorganLaFey: I might just do that

WScranton8: let me know how it goes ;-)

MorganLaFey: will do ;-)

WScranton8: and good luck

WScranton8: it sounds like a madhouse

MorganLaFey: understatement of the year

WScranton8: well, you know where I am if you need to vent

WScranton8: not literally but you know what I mean

MorganLaFey: :-)

MorganLaFey: thanks

She looked over at the carton of ice cream she’d bought on the way home to reward herself for getting through her day. For some reason she didn’t think she needed it anymore. At least not right now. She got up, put it back in the freezer, and sat down to play a game of trivia.