Jim had been acting strange all week. Their conversations had been short and awkward, and Pam knew he had been avoiding her lately.
Upon reflection, it had started just after her birthday party. And ever since then… Well.
Let's just say they hadn't eaten lunch together in 5 days, and the last time they spoke for more than 2 minutes was 3 days ago.
And she missed him. Kelly was great and all, and even Dwight was fun in his own way, but hanging out with Jim was always special, and he could always just understand her, he always knew what she was thinking.
It was the same story even in class. The other day she had drawn a little caricature of Mr. Scott in the margin of her notebook and slid it over to him, expecting a chuckle or even a small drawing in response, but all he did was smile and push it back to her.
Something was up, and she was determined to find out what it was.
"Have you seen Jim?"
Dwight was the only one who showed up to lunch that day.
"No." He proceeded to shovel more macaroni and cheese into his mouth.
"Well, have you seen him at any point other than at night the past couple of days?"
"Yes."
"Okay." She sighed. "Where? And, when?"
Dwight made a humming noise in the back of his throat, and Pam waited for him to finish his mouthful.
"Class."
Well, that was an anti-climax.
"I haven't seen him much recently, is all." She slumped over her panini, still left untouched. "I was wondering if anything happened to…" She trailed off. To what, exactly? To make him mad at her? To make him think she was mad at him?
"My condolences." He replied, dryly. "He's probably just pulling a dumb prank. That's all he ever seems to be doing."
"Yeah, maybe."
sent 16:42
TO: Jim Halpert
FROM: Pam
are you ok?
read 16:47
It was almost midnight, and as per usual on days like these, Pam was sat at her tiny desk, working on her Art class theory homework.
Kelly was, for once, still in the room - lying on her bed, squinting up at the magazine she held above her head, headphones on, with Ellie Goulding blaring so loud that Pam could even hear it.
Her phone buzzed, and she immediately grabbed at it, glad to be relieved of the boredom of homework.
.
sent 23:51
TO: Pam
FROM: Jim Halpert
sorry i didn't reply sooner, was busy. i'm fine, why?
.
She wasn't sure how he could possibly have been "busy" for the past 7 hours, but she honestly was just happy to be talking to him again.
.
sent 11:53
TO: Jim Halpert
FROM: Pam
we haven't really talked in a while. i was just worried.
read 11:55
.
His response took a while. Waiting nervously, Pam was tapping the side of her pen against her leg and focusing on the soft beats emanating from Kelly's side of the room.
.
sent 00:06
TO: Pam
FROM: Jim Halpert
? we talked in class yesterday!
read 00:06
.
sent 00:08
TO: Jim Halpert
FROM: Pam
asking how to spell "mississippi" doesn't count as talking!
read 00:09
.
sent 00:12
TO: Pam
FROM: Jim Halpert
it so does! anyway. i've been busy. business is getting hard. :/
.
Pam frowned at his last text. It sounded genuine, but she was still hurt.
She tapped out a response and hovered her thumb over the send icon before making her decision.
.
sent 00:17
TO: Jim Halpert
FROM: Pam
its okay
read 00:19
.
Her phone stayed silent after that.
title taken from: "Baby Fratelli" by The Fratellis