INTERIM LOVER, ryan howard.

013 ⋮ dwight's ultimatum

ㅤㅤㅤWe need to talk.

Four words that would send anyone on edge. Four words that promised nothing but bad news. Four words that she dreaded most after six prior breakups.

Hayden was your classic fairytale prince. He read her poetry, sang and played the guitar, complimented her often and bought her flowers for every occasion. He was lovingly predictable, something she had been craving her whole life.

Rachel should've guessed that dating a cliché would result in her heart being broken by a cliché.

It's not you. It's me.

She heaved her weight up the stairs, moving even more sluggishly when she realised she was already half an hour late. When she entered the office, Pam wasn't at reception, which could only mean that everyone was in a meeting.

Rachel entered the conference room lethargically as Dwight said, "Tell me who this sounds like: slow-moving, inattentive, dull, shows a lack of motivation."

Kevin pointed to the dreary girl at the door. "Rachel!"

A chorus of disagreements rang out throughout the room. Frightened by the sudden noises, Rachel retreated slowly to her desk.

—

JIM
This morning Dwight found half a joint in the parking lot. Turns out, Dwight finding drugs is more dangerous than most people using drugs.

—

Rachel and Jim found themselves extremely productive as Dwight went around collecting people's alibis. Jim was keeping track of how many times Rachel sighed, he was up to fifty-three times over the past two hours. He wondered if it could be attributed to Ryan's relationship with Kelly.

"Munroe, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied, once again with a sigh. "Nothing new."

"C'mon Rach."

"It's ok, Jim."

"I'd let you get away with it, except that you turned up hungover this morning, and it's a Monday." 

"There's nothing you can do about it."

She dropped her head and began to work again. It wasn't a matter of trust, Rachel knew Jim wasn't the type for office gossip unless it was between her and Pam.

Four times out of five, the classic "it's not you, it's me" breakup was definitely a case of you. She had tried so hard to be 'emotionally available' and less of a bitch in general. She had gone all the extra miles for him. Two weeks ago, he had happily moved into her apartment.

Where did it all go wrong?

At least you aren't homeless, she thought, her eyes trailing to Meredith. Even so, the thought of going back to the apartment she'd called 'home' for so long was a burden. It reeked of Hayden and the love she had for him.

Then she caught the gaze of the Temp.

Rachel quickly looked away, but she was somehow breathless. Perhaps it was the thought of Kelly getting upset if she did so much as glance at Ryan.

She wanted to completely forget about all of this. She just wanted to run away. She wanted a new life altogether.