Happens Like That - Jim Halpert

Diversity Day

Melissa's POV - Same Day, Just Later in the Evening

By the time I get home, half an hour has already passed since I clocked out and left work. I'm still going to Jim's house but I wanted to change into something more comfortable. I walk upstairs to my room and change into a tank top and a pair of jeans before I look in the mirror. I brush my hair quickly before putting on a pair of sneakers.

I smile when I see how good I look, and feel proud of myself. I make sure everything is in place and that I look comfortable and ready to hang out, but also making sure I don't look like I tried too hard. This isn't the first time I'm going to Jim's house. About a year after he started at DM, we started hanging out almost every day of the week.

We have our routine, doing things we both enjoy. And, most of the time, as long as we're hanging out, we're doing something we enjoy. He's just about the only person I hang out with. Mondays, we sit together and watch basketball, nine times outta ten, it's at his place since he has the DVR and the bigger TV.

I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I watch the Philly 76ers with him so we have a chance to hang out. I'm not gonna lie, I've come to understand certain things about the sport and appreciate it 'cause it means I get to spend time with Jim. Since I've started getting more into basketball, Jim has offered and has been teaching me how to play for going on three and a half months now.

It's been fun, and I might've not been the best at the beginning, but I'm getting better! Tuesdays...well, those are our taco nights. We get together at my house and make tacos, usually watching a movie afterwards. Sometimes, we try new types of tacos, or we stick to the good old fashioned ones, like beef tacos, which just so happen to be my favorite, with some guacamole on the side.

One time, Jim suggested that we try shrimp tacos...let's just say that didn't turn out too well and we ended up going to taco bell that night. It was a learning experience, to say the least. Fridays are our movie and dinner nights, with us switching houses every other week. One week it'll be my place and I pick the movie while he picks what we're having for dinner.

The next week, it'll be at his place and he picks the movie, leaving dinner up to me. This week just so happens to be a little different. I couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted for dinner, so we agreed I'd pick the movie and he'd get dinner, but we'd still have it at his place. After our movie ends and dinner has been cleaned up, we usually spend the night at the other's house, just sleeping, nothing more...yet... hopefully one day.

If I stay at his place, he offers me his bed while he sleeps on the couch. I felt bad the first few times, but he assured me it's ok. At my place, he insisted I keep my bed and he sleeps on the couch. We do this every Friday night because on Saturdays we go to the local bar and have a few drinks. And it's better to go to one destination and be safe than go to two and possibly get hurt in one way or another.

So, I guess technically, we spend two nights a week together, but we don't ever cross that line. Yet. The other days of the week are random. Usually, it just depends on how tired or busy we are after work. Sometimes, we'll hang out, and other times, we'll just part ways at our cars and go home or run errands or whatever it is we need to do.

To be honest, if I'm not with him, I usually just stop by McDonald's or something, grab a bite to eat and go home to take a nap. I have no idea what he does when we're not hanging out, but it's ok. I stop at BlockBuster and grab the last copy of the movie he talked about wanting to see today. As I drive toward his house, I see a flower stand on the side of the road.

I smirk to myself and pull over. Last week, Jim came over for Taco Tuesday and brought me some flowers. It was a really sweet gesture and made me smile. Now it's my turn to return the favor. I turn off my car and step out, making sure I grab my keys and wallet. Walking right up to the stand, I take a look at the different types of arrangements, colors, and floral designs.