The Merger

        THE SMELL OF COFFEE NEVER LEAVES THE WALLS IN DUNDER MIFFLIN. At least that's what I think. Pam has a theory that the walls were built from the strongest of espresso's, and that over time it just dulled to a medium-strength coffee smell. She would know better than me, I've only been at Scranton for three months.

***

    "Hi, I'm Evangeline Walker. Um, I'm nineteen years old. And I am Jim's replacement." I look into the camera, a blush covering my cheeks while trying not to look at any of the crew members in the eye.

***

        I giggle quietly at Pam's desk. Her eyes crinkle at the corners as a smile over takes her face. She was trying to convince me to tell her, who my celebrity crush is at the moment. I tuck my pale blonde hair behind my ear, slightly leaning on her desk to cover my face with my hands. I peek from behind my fingers only to be greeted with her puppy eyes. I caved in with a groan.

    "Beesley, you have to swear on your life that you will not tell a single soul." I playfully scold. The curly haired brunette beams at me and makes the motion of her zipping her lips. I bite my lip trying to hold back any type of laughter from flowing out of my mouth. Just as I open my mouth the door to the office opens and Toby steps inside. I scream for joy inside. A mischievous look flys over my face.

    "Too late." I hum to the older women in front of me. She tries to look aggrieved, but winds up just smiling.

"Mark my words, Evie. I will find out who it is." Pam promises. I cock one eyebrow up, to make it look like I'm searching for a thought.

"Sure you will." I giggle back. Pam just rolls her eyes and turns her attention towards Toby, who was patiently waiting until we were done.

    "Hey!" Pam greets kindly, "How'd the run go?" She questions.

"Ah, pretty good. I finished." Pam just nods her head smiling at Toby. I butt in with an enthusiastic voice,

"That's great! Good job, Toby." The older man goes to thank me but is spoken over, by a scoff coming towards the copier. My posture falls a minuscule amount. But the deep sigh that is released through my nose, lets the other two people at Pam's desk know what I'm feeling.

    "Why is that great?" Dwight snarks, not even nothing to look up at us. I roll my eyes and take a deep breath.

"Because he accomplished something, Dwight." I reply monotonous. Dwight suddenly turns to Toby, completely ignoring what I just said.

"What was your mile time?" His nasally voice makes me look up at the sky, pleading to God to ask why he has forsaken me in this way.

"About seven." Toby responds gently.

    "I could beat that on a skateboard." The taller man scoffs for the second, and most definitely not the last time that day. Pam and I look at each other confusion making our eyebrows furrow.

"Well that has wheels." Toby says speaking both, Pam and I's thoughts. Dwight rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, well my feet don't. And I could still crush that time." I give the most confused look I could possibly muster to the camera before turning back to the conversation.

"Really, Dwight?" Pam asks with a dead expression on her face. Then a look of clarity crosses her face and she angles her seat more towards him.

"How fast are you?" I stifle a giggle and hide my mouth behind my manicured hand. Dwight, quite brilliantly, falls for the bait. Quickly trying to prove himself.

"Let's just put it this way: Last weekend I outran a black pepper snake." Immediately, I try to strengthen Pam's plan.

    "Really?" I question, attempting to sound extremely skeptical. Dwight looks mildly offended before Pam convinces him to test his time.

***

    "I have completely and utter faith that Pam is going to get Dwight out of our hair. Even if it's just for a few minutes." I shrug into the camera. I look to the wall and suddenly frown. "Is is sad that I would do whatever Pam is planning just to get a few seconds away from Dwight?" I ask the crew with wide eyes.

***

    "Man, what is taking Toby so long?" Dwight ponders while trying to limber up. Pam sneaks a smile towards me before facing Dwight.

"Oh, I'll just time him later." She tells the unreasonably competitive man. Dwight raises his knees to his chest while talking.

"And you'll just compare the times." Using his hand to move back and forward.

"Yeah." Pam nods her head. "Are you ready?" She asks not really caring.

"No," He responds a wince coming over his face. "My groin is really tight-" He begins, but I couldn't wait any longer.

"Set..." I prompt him "Go!" I yell over him complaining, and he takes off down the road that wraps around our building. Pam looks down at the small device in her hand and looks back up to me.

    "Am I being mean to Dwight?" She asks me and the camera crew. I shake my head 'no', the crew remaining unresponsive. "I did just make him run around the building, and I have no intention of timing him." She reasons with herself. I gently take the device out of her hands and I laugh out loud when I realize what it is.

"This isn't even a stopwatch. It's a digital thermometer." I smile at the older women, my nose scrunches up from smiling too hard. Pam looks back at the cameras and continues her thought process.

"He does make my life harder sometimes, and on purpose." She tells us, me nodding vigorously, while some of the crew is smiling at my reaction.

"Like he tried to put meters on the bathroom stalls, as a way of brining in more money for the company." I tell the camera, Pam laughing behind me.

    We all turn at the sound of distant foot steps, Dwight almost finishing lap one. I clap my hands together and whoop. Pam tells him he's got three more laps to go.

"You gotta pick it up if you're gonna want to be Toby!" Pam yells after he turns the corner into the second lap. Dwight lets a strangled yell out in response, to which I give a little snort. We watch him for a few seconds more before Pam turns to me.

"We should probably get back to work, Evie." I nod my head, just thankful to go back where the heat is. The crew all puts down their cameras and they follow us inside. Pam goes inside first while I hold the door for the crew. The last person of the crew, Neil, who's the youngest in the group. Him being twenty-one, is the last one besides me that goes through the door. He smiles down at me and his floppy brown hair falls forward.

    "You look cuter then normal when your cheeks are all rosie." His voice is like hot chocolate on a cold day in December. As soon as the words left his mouth, my entire body felt like it was on fire. I flush, and stutter trying to compliment him back. I look up at him and giggled uncontrollably. There's a small awkward silence before he takes the piece of hair that was covering my face and tucks it behind my cold ear. He gives me one more heart stopping smile before going to catch up with the rest of the crew. I'm stuck halfway inside and halfway outside, until Pam comes from around the corner.

    "Come on, Evie!" I quickly snap out of my daze and scamper away to sell paper.

~~~

I'm the biggest morning person in the entire world. I love waking up just before the sun comes up, and seeing all the colors blend together like a piece of art. The drive from my small apartment, to the office is always a quick one. I'm on the road before the morning rush hour hits. I pull my beat up Honda Civic into its usual parking spot. A cup of tea in hand, ready to take the day on.

***

"Today, a few people from the Stanford branch are coming to work here." I inform the camera. My pale lips are pulled into a tight smile. I look at the crew, their faces urging me to go on.

"Which means, I have to socialize with more people then I already do now." My eyes widen in realization of what I just said. "But, it also means that I, Evangeline Walker: Am going to meet this 'Jim' guy Pam keeps talking about!" I practically beam at the thought of meeting the guy that makes Pam's hands go clammy.

Chloe, the one in the crew that asks us the questions looks up from her notes with a sweet smile on her face. "What about you, Angie?" She questions. "How do you feel about Stanford, and Jim coming in?" A light blush covers my cheeks in embarrassment. I really don't want to admit to them that I'm worried beyond belief. I want them to like me. I've only been in this business for three months, and I'm the youngest one here. I make eye contact with Neil when I look up from my lap. His mop of curls bounce, as he nods at me. As if to give me a silent 'It's okay'. I give him a small smile and look back into the camera with a gulp.

"Um... super nervous."

***

I observe Micheal rushing around trying to place name cards at the available desks we made for Stanford. I'm silently hoping, Pam, is going to be my saving grace and walk through the door at that precise moment to save me from Micheals attempt to do an Italian accent. But Pam is getting food for the party Micheal wants us to have to celebrate the merging of the two branches. I do not sit where Jim was sitting. Or at least that's what Pam told me. I sit at the desk, directly across from Dwight. Which is literally, a living Hell.

While Dwight is already trying to get Micheal to fire someone, Pam comes in with the groceries. I beam at the older women, absolutely loving the bright features on her face.

"Pam, would you like some party with that food?" I tease, a smirk lingering on my lips. The brunette simply rolls her eyes, making me fake a pout.

"Good Morning!" She greets to the oncoming Micheal.

"You got the food. Good! Lookie, lookie, lookie." Our boss praises.

"What I want you to do— Set it up in the conference room, please. Make it look nice," I spring to my feet, rolling my chair in behind me.

"I'll help!" My small hands dart out and grab the bag closest to me. Right when I'm about to walk through the threshold of the conference room, I spin around and shoot a wink at the camera. I walk backwards into the large room and gently place the extremely large bag of food on the table.

    Pam comes through seconds later, after Micheal telling her to think of impressing an older man, or something like that? I was really only concerned about breaking away from the web of awkwardness, that seems to form directly over my desk. The camera crew comes in right behind Pam and starts to ask Pam questions, while I set up for the party.

***

    "Yes, I'm in a good mood today." Pam answers, unable to keep the smile off of her face. "I'm excited to meet all of the new people..." She adds on. I bring my fist over my mouth to cover the fake cough I'm preparing.

"Bullshit." I cough, which really came out more like a laugh. Pam sticks her tongue out at me, then turns back to the camera.

"... and to see my old friend again, definitely." I giggle, taking another bottle of champagne and placing it on the table.

    "That's always a thing that makes people happy. To have an old friend back." The older women looks to me in reassurance that she didn't say the wrong thing. My short blonde hair bounces all over the place from the frantic nodding of my head. I was so happy Jim was coming back. I never met the man, but I can tell he means the world to Pam (I mean she called her wedding off because of him). I really just want to she her happy. Pam was the first friend that I made here, and since I got here she's been like an older sister to me. I really couldn't thank her enough. As a socially awkward nineteen-year-old, I needed all the friends I could get.

    Pam and I finished unpacking the groceries. Conversations flowed through the crew and Pam and I, an occasional laugh being shared between us. As we made out way out of the conference room, I caught Neil's eyes. A goofy smile spread across his face, and a blush quickly covered mine.

***

    The first person from Stanford, was a soft spoken women named Hannah. She wore a lavender colored coat, with a pink blouse. As she passed my desk I gave her a kind smile which she returned. I couldn't help but feel anxious to meet Jim. I replaced him and he's coming back. What if he's disappointed that I was the person that took his job? What if Micheal decides that since Jim's back, he doesn't feel the need to have me here anymore? When I came back to the real world, a women that had tan skin and gorgeous brown hair had just closed the door behind her. I didn't see where Micheal went, so I assume he was with another newbie. I got up from my desk to greet the women with Pam.

    "Hi!" Pam greeted, cheery as ever.

"Hi." She spoke quietly. Both her and Pam reached over the divider on Pam's desk to shake hands.

"I'm, Pam." A warm smile playing on her face.

"Karen. I love your sweater." She compliments.

"Oh, thanks. My mom made it for me." I smile at their interaction, patiently waiting to introduce myself.

"Really? That's so cool." Karen responds to Pam's previous statement. "I've always wanted to learn how to knit." Karen turns to me and offers me her hand. A respond quickly taking her hand in mine.

    "Evangeline Walker, It's lovely to meet you." I smile brightly at her. Karen looks slightly taken a back.

"Karen. If you don't mind me asking, how old are—" Karen promptly gets interrupted by Micheal.

"Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!" He sings. I slowly back away to my desk, trying to sit down as quietly as I could before Micheal ropes me into an incredibly awkward situation.

    I felt bad leaving Pam and Karen, but there's only so much my heart can handle. I log into my computer, hoping that can distract me from whatever, offensive thing Micheal is going to say. It actually works because everything sorta drowns out when I see I have eleven email alerts. I let out a small huff through my nose and throw myself into my work. Most of the emails were just junk. Typical. I think to myself. There were only four that were actually important, and they were all from sale clients. I don't mean to toot my own horn. But in the three months that I've worked at this little paper hut. I've actually been kind of good at my job. Me and my brain have managed to sell paper to four small companies on the rise. To say I was proud, is an understatement. I was beyond thrilled that I was doing good at something for once in my life. Who knew it would be selling paper?

    I got through two of the emails before I heard the door open again. A sharply dressed man with a buzz cut walked in like he was the prized pig. I narrowed my eyes at him, already not caring for this mans attitude.

    "Hello." He greeted simply. I swiveled my chair to face Pam from my desk. A sour look on my face as I lock eyes with her. I see her stifle a laugh and then turn her attention towards the man once again. I follow suit. Micheal looks up rather abruptly to see the man standing in the doorway.

"Ah! You must be Andy Bernard. Aloha and welcome." Micheal bends slightly at the hips to give Andy a small bow. Andy stands straight assessing Micheals movements before, basically copying Micheal's every move. I look at the camera with a kind of horrified expression while Micheal and Andy stroke each others egos.

***

I rest my chin in my palm, while my elbow is propped up on the armrest of the chair. I take a deep breath and look blankly into the camera. "I will fling myself off the roof if we get stuck with another Micheal."

***

I pretty much decide that doing actual work today is nothing but a distant dream. So instead, I park my body by Pam's desk while we wait for the two people that have yet to come in. One of which is Jim Halpert.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" I ask Pam out of the blue, my hands and eyes busy separating the pink and yellow paper clips that Pam keeps on her divider. Pam looks up from her computer, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"No, I don't think so. Why?" She questions, now giving me her full attention.

"I wanted to see you would be up for coming over to my place." I tell her still not looking up. I've never really hung out with people, let alone ask someone to hang out. I was too much of a loner to get any friends to chill with on the weekends. I heard her snort and I look up to met her gaze.

"Evie, I'm thirty-years-old. Shouldn't you be hanging out with friends your own age?" She asks a grin tugging at her lips. Roses bloom on my face and I look down again. I drag a paper clip back and forth with my finger, as I try to explain why I don't.

"Um, yeah. I know but I really don't have any friends outside the office." I admitted softly. I could feel my ears burning. Pam let out a soft,

"oh..." letting it hang in the air. Before I even knew it I was trying to backtrack.

"It's okay, Pam. Youreallydon'thavetoitwasjustanidea—"

"Of course, I'll hang out with you." I stopped my rambling as soon as the words left her mouth. I looked back up once more to see her gazing at me with kind eyes.

"I'll come by on Saturday? Lets say... eight? Is that good for you Evie?" I stared at the wonder that is Pam Beesley. I nodded my head, a smile taking up my whole face.

"Saturday at eight sounds perfect, Beesley. Thank you" I added the last part gently. Pam placed her hand on top of mine in a motherly fashion. After a few moments she took her hand back and continued of the conversation that we had before I had an aneurysm, and suddenly didn't know the English language. I laughed a something Pam said and looked towards the door, trying to calm my hysterics.

Precisely at that moment, Jim Halpert walked through the door.