Kelly Hannon nervously sat down in her new desk after meeting with her boss Charles. Now at least she knew what to do...sort of. It may only be answering the phones, but still confusing.
An Indian girl (who's name also happened to be Kelly) was leaning against a salesmen's desk. The salesman was tall, with shaggy brown hair, a cute big nose, and a wide smile. When he looked up at her, Kelly smiled at him. Boy, was he cute.
"Don't bother." The vivid redhead said as she walked over towards her desk. "He's engaged."
"What?" Kelly asked, confused.
"Jim Halpert." She said. "Engaged to Pam Beesley, the old receptionist. When he looks up, he's looking for Pam, and gets you."
"Oh." Kelly said, her face falling. "I didn't mean to hurt anybody..."
"Look, Jim and Pam are so in love, you're totally wasting your time." The redhead informed her.
"I just smiled!" Kelly objected. "I smile all the time."
"Okay, smiley pants, could you make me a copy?" The redhead said sarcastically.
Within an hour, Kelly's name had been changed to her middle name, Erin, because of the mix up between the two Kellys, and she had already made a worst enemy, Kelly Kapoor. Kelly muttered something about Erin 'ruining her plans' and 'her stupid middle name.' Erin still had no idea what she had done. Jim had looked up a few times expectantly at the receptionist desk, only to have his face fall as he realized Pam didn't work their anymore, it was just Erin. Just Erin. Well, at least Jim gave a second glance at her. Nobody else seemed to realize she was there. For some reason, everyone seemed to resent the receptionist.
When she had some free time betwee calls, Erin looked around the office. She was espically checking out the guys. 'Men in suits are the best kind of men' her friend Ashley had always told her. So far, none of these men wore suits, and none were cute, except for the engaged Jim. She did notice one cute man in a suit, however, as she returned his fax. Actually, he was wearing a suit, khakis, fancy tie, and sweater. Very classy. He was also the first guy to smile at her that wasn't taken. A very wide, white, cheesy, and adorable smile, that was.
"Thanks...Kelly, isn't it?" He said.
"Erin." She corrected him. "Well, actually, it is Kelly, but since there is already a Kelly, I'm going by my middle name, Erin." She babbled.
"Well it's a very pretty middle name you have." He complimented smoothly, and added, "Better than mine. I mean, if I had to go by my middle name, everybody would be calling me Baines! Not a good first name, eh?"
"If you don't like it, I can honestly say I don't either." Erin giggled, and he laughed. "But what's your real name? I'm sorry, I'm so lost, Charles talked so quickly and didn't really introduce me to anyone."
"It's Andy." He said. "Andy Bernard. Or, formally, Andrew Baines Bernard. Cornell, class of '95."
"And what does your college have to do with your name?" Erin asked.
"Erin, Cornell has everything to do with everything." He said, as if it were obvious, and Erin laughed before going back to her desk.
At lunch, Erin walked in, hoping to get a seat next to Andy Bernard, the only person friendly enough to talk to her, but he was already sitting next to a blond named Angela. Everyone else had already taken their seats, so Erin sat alone.
She ate quickly, hoping to get out fast, but even so she was the last one to leave the break room, not that anyone cared. As she stood up to clear her spot, it was the exact same time someone was passing her to through away their trash, smashing their open container of half-eaten salmon into her.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." Andy apologized, quickly handing her a napkin.
"It's okay." Erin shrugged.
"No, but it's all over your shirt and-"
"No, seriously, it's fine. I don't care for this shirt anyway." Erin confessed.
"Eck, but it looks disgusting. And you probably feel all...eck. Do you want me to get you my sweatshirt?" He suggested.
"I'm okay, really!"
"But I'm not. Just, hold the phone, I'll be right back." Andy darted out, and Erin waited because, well, he was kind and cute. And wore suits.
Five minutes later, Andy came back, panting. "H-here." He gasped, handing her a Cornell sweatshirt.
"Thank you, Andy!" Erin said genuinely. "It's very warm."
"And it's Cornell!" He exclaimed.
"Andy," Angela said through gritted teeth a half hour later. "Why is the new receptionist wearing a Cornell sweatshirt?"
"Uh, because she's a fan." Andy laughed, but Angela glared.
"Let me rephrase. Why is the new receptionist wearing your Cornell sweatshirt?"
"I spilled my food all over her." Andy mumbled.
"So you gave her your sweatshirt to make up for it?" Angela interrogated.
"No, I gave her my sweatshirt because she had a big stain on her shirt!"
"You never even lend me your sweatshirt!" Angela noted.
"Because you refuse to take it! I've offered it, many times!" Andy whisper-yelled, because they were in the accounting department, behind Erin's desk.
"Well, get it off her! Do you have any idea what that suggests?" She commanded.
"Uh, that her shirt is dirty!" He mocked.
"No!" Angela screamed, "Maybe the fact that an engaged man is handing out his sweatshirts to strange young girls!"
"She's not strange..."
"Just get it off her!"
"Why?"
"Because I want it."
"As you wish, sweetie." Andy sighed, and trodded over to the reception.
"Hey, Erin." He said nervously.
"Oh, hey, Andy!" She responded enthusiastically.
"Umm, I hate to do this to you, but, I kinda need my sweatshirt back."
"Oh, no problem." She shrugged, and took it off.
"Thanks." He said, as she handed it to him. "My fiance needs it."
"F-fiance?" Erin repeated.
"Yep." Andy said proudly. "That cute little blond accountant, Angela Martin? Come this fall she will be all mine."
"Oh, congradulations!" Erin forced a smile.
"Why, thank you!" He responded happily, "Oh, and you're doing a good job, by the way."
"Thanks," Erin gave a weak smile. He was sweet. He was cute. He was perfect. He was engaged.