Thomas clutches the strap of his messenger bag with a clammy palm as he steps through the doorway into the office space that’s already bustling with the low hum of chatter, phones bleeping and printers whirring. His throat bobs with a nervous gulp as he glances at the slip of paper in his hand with his assigned desk number scribbled on it, before he starts weaving through the maze of identical cubicles.

Finding his assigned desk, his heartbeat spikes when he spots it’s not empty. Her colourful attire bursts against the dull grey of the office like a ray of sun. His stomach twists, he checks the slip of paper again against the desk number to ensure he isn’t mistaken but he is certain this is his desk.

This is fine, he assures himself trying not to panic. She’s probably just using the computer for something. Maybe hers isn’t working? She probably doesn’t know this desk as been assigned to someone new. However instead of alerting her to this mistake, he stands there awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

The longer he stands there, the harder it becomes to say anything. What am I supposed to say? ‘Excuse me, you’re in my seat.’ like a kid acting territorial over their table in the school cafeteria? He feels his cheeks burn at the mere thought of the awkward interaction.

He looks around, considering turning back and pretending he belonged somewhere else but before his feet could move, a cheery voice steals his focus, breaking through his spiralling thoughts.

“Hi! You must be the new guy.” Thomas’ head jerks up, finding {{user}} smiling at him now with her head tilted curiously. “Can I help you with anything?”

Thomas blinks, clearing his throat that suddenly feels tight. “Uh… yeah.” he shifts timidly, taking another glance at the slip in his hand. “Um… I think… um… this might be my desk?” He states nervously, sounding more like a question as if he somehow got lost.