Chapter Eight
English II
Room 206
8:30 AM
Jim was telling Pam about the conversation he'd had with Michael the previous afternoon, "I've never seen him so down before, Beasley. It was kind of depressing."
"I guess he's had a lot going on, with Jan going crazy and Holly acting the way she was towards him. It doesn't make sense to me, Jim. Michael and Holly were such good friends."
"Maybe they could still be friends…"
"Are you suggesting we do something?"
"Well, Holly is our friend. And Michael is," Jim paused, "kind of our friend."
Pam nodded, "I'll talk to Holly. Maybe I can see what's up."
Passing Period
Second Floor Hallway
8:50 AM
"Romeo save me, I've been feeling so alone," Kelly sang as she dropped off some books in her locker, "I keep waiting for you but you never come."
"Is this in my head, I don't know what to think," Andy's voice joined her.
Kelly smiled upon seeing her friend, "It's a love story, baby just say yes. So how are you, Andy?"
"Good, good. On my way to biology. What's up with you?"
"Oh, not too much," Kelly suddenly grinned, "So Erin told me you asked her to the Spring Fling. This is so exciting! My best guy friend is going out with my best girl friend."
"Well, I wouldn't quite say we're going out just yet."
"But you will be soon enough. She's crazy about you, you know," Kelly paused, "Oh man, I shouldn't have said that. If Erin found out she'd kill me."
Andy smiled, "Well, don't worry. I won't tell her you said anything."
"Yay! But don't forget I said it, Andy, because it is true. You guys would make such a sweet couple."
Government
Room 106
9:00 AM
"I heard Jan got suspended," a girl sitting in front of Stanley whispered.
"Duh, that's old news."
"I wasn't talking to you, Packer," the girl rolled her eyes.
Todd Packer ignored his classmate and continued, "Now, the real news is that Jim Halpert replaced Jan as editor of the paper. Man, who has two thumbs and doesn't think that that loser will last ten seconds?"
"You two ever going to stop talking?" Stanley grumbled. He couldn't care less about Jim or Jan or newspapers. One of the things he couldn't stand about being in high school, particularly at a small school like this one, was that one single person's business became everybody's business. And Stanley really had no desire to know everything about other people's problems. He wanted to do his crossword puzzles, pay attention in class, and graduate as soon as he could. He didn't care if Jan had gotten suspended. He had his own focus: it was called study, get good grades, and go to college.
Morning Break
Sophomore Hallway
10:35 AM
"Hey Halpert," Pam said as she reached Jim's locker.
"Hey," he replied as he closed his locker.
"I think Oscar's looking for you," she told him.
"I've got newspaper stuff to do," Jim said, "We've got all the articles in and now we need to edit. Can you tell Oscar I'll meet up with him later?"
"Sure. And meanwhile maybe I'll go and try to find Holly."
"Sounds like a plan. See you later, Beasley," Jim said and walked in the direction of Mr. Wallace's classroom.
Pam walked around the campus until she spotted Holly. She was outside sitting under a tree, alone.
"Hi," Pam said, joining her.
Holly looked up, "Hi."
"So Jan's pretty crazy, huh?" Pam asked after a few moments of quiet.
Holly smiled wistfully, "Yup, that she is."
"Are you alright? I heard she went off on you."
"I'm fine," Holly said quickly.
"You know, hypothetically, if you weren't ok, I wouldn't blame you. When Jan's mad, she can be really intense."
"Just hypothetically, it isn't necessarily Jan that has me upset."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it's a bit complicated," Holly began, but was interrupted by the bell, "I'll tell you more later, ok?"
Pam nodded, "Sure."
Religious Studies I
Room 216
11:00 AM
"I think I might break up with him," Kelly said to Erin suddenly.
She looked surprised, "With Ryan?"
"Yeah. I don't know, he just never talks to me anymore. He never calls me back or wants to go out on the weekends or anything. He's such a lame boyfriend. And I don't think he's got the guts to break up with me. Coward."
Erin nodded.
"I've still kind of got this thing for him, though. Like, when I can actually get him to talk to me, it's the best. I can't figure out what I want, Erin. If you were me, what would you do?"
"Me? I have zero relationship experience."
"Yeah, but you and Andy are probably going to go out soon enough."
"Well," Erin said after thinking for a few moments, "You say he never talks to you or anything anymore, and he sounds like he's not the best boyfriend. You deserve better than that, Kelly. I think I'd break up."
Kelly nodded, "It would be his loss."
"Totally."
Lunch
Library
12:15 PM
Angela glared at Dwight, "You're late."
"What are you talking about? We agreed on 12:15," Dwight retorted.
"No," Angela said, "We were supposed to meet at 12:10."
"Well, are we going to get started on our research or simply spend our time arguing?"
"I've already found several sources."
"Let me see," Dwight said. Angela handed him some papers she had printed out, "No, no. This isn't a reliable website, Angela."
"It's perfectly reliable!" Angela hissed, "It gave me a lot of valuable information."
Dwight shook his head, "Fine. We'll use it if you insist. Let's keep working and get this over with."
Biology
Room 316
1:15 PM
"Jan made it seem like Michael is crazy about me," Holly told Pam, "as much more than a friend. She said he was always talking about me and thinking about me. I do like Michael. He's my best friend here. But it's just…a lot of stuff happened back in Nashua, and I don't want to be in a relationship right now."
Pam nodded.
"I've been so cold to him, and I feel really bad about it. I saw him yesterday, and I just freaked out, you know? I didn't know what to do."
"You should talk to him, or I could for you, if you want. Things might be better once he knows what's on your mind."
"Yeah. I should do it myself, though. I owe him that."
After School
Back Entrance to Saint Therese
3:20 PM
Meredith sat on her usual spot on the curb. She was listening to her iPod contentedly.
"Well that is that and this is this," her speakers played, "Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed when the ocean met the sky."
Suddenly, she was aware of another presence. She looked up and saw Ryan.
She yanked her headphones out of her ears.
"Seriously?" she asked annoyed, "You really don't have anywhere better to go?"
He shrugged.
Meredith sighed, "I'll take that as a no."
"You act like you own this place."
"I've had it to myself for the past three years," she retorted. She put her headphones back in.
"What are you listening to?"
"Modest Mouse."
"I like their newest CD, with that song 'Dashboard' on it."
She rolled her eyes, "You're probably one of those people who hears the lead single off of the newest album and then proclaims to be their biggest fan ever, am I right?"
"No. I like some songs from The Moon and Antarctica, too."
"You just seem like a poser, I guess," Meredith said. She paused and then added, "I've liked them since I heard The Lonesome Crowded West ages ago. Jesus."
"What?"
"If someone overheard this conversation, they might think we were friends or something, which we are not. You got that?"
After School
Picnic Tables Near Cafeteria
3:30 PM
Holly approached one of the tables, "Hi Dwight."
Dwight glanced up and looked at her suspiciously, "Hello."
"Have you seen Michael around anywhere?" Holly asked.
Dwight shook his head, "He already left."
"Oh. Darn. Well, thanks."
So, it may or may not actually happen, but my goal is to have this story completed in twenty-three days. That's when I move out of state and start college =).
Next chapter will have more Michael/Holly stuff.
Songs:
"Love Story" - Taylor Swift
"Ocean Breathes Salty" - Modest Mouse
