Introvert

So apparently Pam centric is my new thing when I write an Office story. I enjoy writing them and I hope you guys do too! This one in particular was based on a dream I had and I doctored it a bit and here we are. A lot of the characters in the show are in this AU and there's no OCs but Roy's not in it because I'm lazy and I don't want to write him. This story ended up sucking anyway, but oh well. All right, let's delve into this high school angst.

Pam had been staring at the front door of the Kapoor household for the past forty-six seconds trying to work up the courage to knock.

She hadn't intended to attend the party that was Kelly had been talking about for the past two weeks and had actually managed to stir up a pretty good buzz about.

It just wasn't her scene and she was sure none of her few friends would even be there. But she somehow found herself outside the door of what was said to be the hottest party of the month (Scranton High had some epic parties) listening to the sound of many teenagers partying inside.

She was just about to dejectedly walk away when what must have been a sudden impulse caused her to suddenly reach out and knock thrice.

The door swung open almost instantly to Kelly Kapoor who squealed in excitement. "Pam! Ryan said for sure you wouldn't show but I was like 'Oh, she'll show, Pam's cool!'"

"Thanks, Kelly," Pam said weakly, already slightly regretting her choice. She was led inside, nervously adjusting the flowy skirt and cream-colored blouse she had stolen from her sister's closet.

"Drinks and snacks are over there, we'll have games out there, and all of the hot football players are hanging out over there," Kelly said cheerfully, obviously very pleased with the way her party was turning out.

"Oh, uh, thank you," Pam replied as Kelly ran off, most likely to go make out with Ryan. She wondered what Kelly had seen from her in their English class or their Biology class that made her think she wanted to go ogle at football players along with another half a dozen drooling girls.

Pam looked around desperately looking for someone, anyone she was on friendly terms with…there! Andy Bernard was sitting on top of a card table sipping from his red Solo cup. She didn't know him very well but she was in four classes with him, had sat with him twice during lunch in freshman year and knew he led the school's acapella group, the Warblers.

She pushed her way over to the boy's perch and trying to make her voice sound as joyous as possible called, "Hey, Andy!"

Andy perked up, catching her eye and smiled. "Hey, Pam! Have a seat!"

Pam smiled weakly, hoisting herself up on the table beside him. "Where are the rest of the Warblers?"

"Nick's having relationship drama," Andy sighed, taking another sip out of his cup. "I love my dudes and all, but I just felt like I really had to make an appearance you know?"

"Mm," Pam replied, wishing she could say something a bit more in depth and concerned.

"Drink?"

"What? Oh, no, I'm all right thank you," she said rather flushed.

Andy raised her eyebrow at her. "Are you sure?" He waves his cup under her nose tauntingly. "It's goooood…."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm not really thirsty."

Andy nudges his red cup closer and closer to her on the table. "Come on, I do this stuff all the time and I'm fine, aren't I?"

"Well, okay," Pam mumbles and slowly picks up the Solo cup, raising it to her lips. The amber liquid burns her throat and makes her want to cough but she manages to fake a satisfied little smile to Andy. "It's good."

"Yeah, all right, get your own," Andy says, snatching the cup back and taking a long swig.

The pair falls into silence, the conversation breaks and they watch the party instead.

Meredith Palmer's doing Jell-O shots off of a sleeping junior on the couch; Darryl Robinson's manning the DJ's booth and Creed Bratton's pickpocketing an unsuspecting freshman. To Pam, it's all very wild and crazy and she barely has an idea to what's going on in the slightest.

"You know," Andy pipes up from beside her, "I bet Cornell has way cooler parties than this lame old get together."

"Oh, are you planning to go to Cornell?" Pam asked politely, not wanting to be rude.

"Yep! I'm going to join their acapella group Here Comes Treble," he said proudly, "I mean, I love the guys in Warblers and all, but they're just so high school, am I right?"

"So right," she said, nodding knowingly. She slightly regretted going over to talk to Andy Bernard, but the kid wasn't a terrible guy really. They were part of different scenes and both knew it.

"Andy?" Pam interrupts his Cornell ramblings, "I think I'm going to head home. I have a lot of homework over the weekend and I wanted to get started on it early." She smiled apologetically, climbing off of the table.

"Aw, no worries. See you on Monday!" he waves her off, looking a little offended but lets her go.

She gratefully hurries off through the crowd, about to reach the door when Ryan's voice cuts her off.

"You proved me wrong, Beesley. Lasted five whole minutes at a high school party! My bet was thirty seconds."

Pam turns around to meet Ryan Howard's teasing glance, noting that Kelly's not attached to his lips. "I could last a long time at a party. Longer than you even!" she announces.

"Sure," he smirks, "and how long do you think I could last here?"

She shrugs. "Probably all night. But see, I would just stay here. Even after everyone's left, just me. I just don't feel like it tonight."

Ryan laughs. "You're a real party girl. See you on Monday, Pam."

Pam sighs in relief and hurries out the door. A few members of the AV club are gathered around talking by the front walk, but she ignores them, whipping out her phone and dialing her mother's number.

"Pammy? Are you okay?" Helene speaks in her ear.

She releases a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine, I'm just ready to go home."

"Oh honey, you're such an introvert," Helene laughs and Pam hears the muted ring of her mom grabbing her key ring. "I'll see you in a few minutes." She hangs up and Pam tucks her phone away,

"You'll see one day, Ryan Howard," she whispers, "one day."

If you get the Warblers reference I love you.