- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:

Thanks to I Know This Much Is True for the beta and teaching me what WIP meant...

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

After leaving the break room in a huff, Pam stomped back to her desk to do her afternoon faxes. She slammed her drawers so hard that the jelly bean container jumped, rattling its contents. Stanley gave her a baleful look from across the office, which she ignored.

“Fuck Roy” she thought bitterly. She hardly registered surprise at herself for her language. She was furious, and it made her even more angry when she realized that no one cared or noticed. Jerking the drawer with her stapler in it open she picked up the stapler and slammed it shut. Right on her finger.

Sinking into her chair, she bowed her head behind her desk and tears sprang to her eyes. She let them come, under the guise that her finger hurt, but she knew no one would care either way.

If Pam and I weren’t dating…

She looked up and saw Jim, who was deep in conversation with Dwight. Pam couldn’t help but smile. He was obviously up to something. Her phone rang, jostling her back to her senses.

“Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.”

The two men stood, and Jim clapped his hand on Dwight’s shoulder in encouragement. Pam vaguely heard the caller ask who they could talk to about placing an order and she absently began to list the salespeople at the office when Jim suddenly appeared behind her, hanging up the phone and spinning her chair to the scene that was about to unfold in the conference room.

“Okay, shh. Stop whatever you’re doing, ‘cause this is going to be good.”

Pam felt giggles bubble up from her chest and her mood lightened as Jim narrated the scene unfolding, and nodding encouragingly to Dwight as he emerged with a large handbag. Roy was all but forgotten as she chided Jim for selling Dwight up the river.

***

She felt better towards the end of the day, after Roy had tickled her into submission. She didn’t know how, but she always was able to make amends with Roy. He always knew how to get back on her good side. She smiled at him as he left to go back down to the warehouse after their tickle fight on Jim's desk.

“Love you,” he said as he stopped at her desk briefly.

“I love you too,” she smiled back. He always made up for everything he did, no matter how bad it was.

“Pam? It’s time for your interview,” one of the cameramen said, pointing to the temporarily vacated conference room.

Once she was settled, they flicked on the camera. “So how are you?”

“I’m good. I had a bit of an argument with Roy earlier but I was just being silly and he always knows how to cheer me up. Its times like these I know he’s the one for me. When we get married it’s going to be… great,” the last sentence she said happily wistful to herself, more than to the camera.

“Well, what about Jim?” pressed the interviewer. Pam couldn’t hide her momentary confusion.

“What about Jim?” she asked nervously, twisting her engagement ring around her finger.

The interviewer and the lone cameraman exchanged a look that Pam couldn’t place. “Well, I mean you talk to him and laugh a lot with him too…”

“Jim’s a great guy,” Pam said confidently. “He’s like a brother to me. We’re like best friends in the office and…” Her smile flickered. “I really hope he finds someone.”

***

Sometimes Pam hated the cameras. A lot of the time, actually. She hated how they made Michael and Dwight act, and she hated how they saw absolutely everything. And the interviews… it was like having a psychologist probe at you. And scrutinize everything you say every day. Why did they have to ask such pointed questions? Why did they need to shake the foundation of her life and make her question everything she trusted so happily?

She watched Jim come out of the conference room after talking to Katy and sit down at his desk. He was staring at his computer but Pam knew that stare – he wasn’t working. Her feet moving of their own accord, she walked over to his desk and perched on the edge of it.

It startled him out of his stupor. “What’s up?”

“I’m bored,” she replied, out of habit.

“Thank you, for choosing me.”

Pam laughed. Did he always make her laugh so easily? She couldn't remember suddenly.

“No, I’m kidding. Um…” Why did she come over here again? “So, you got big plans this weekend?”

He looked smiled nervously “Uh… well, I think I’m going to see Katy.”

What? Pam’s brain fried. “Really?” Katy? But… but she’s not your type!

“Yeah.”

“What are you guys going to do?” she queried, she knew she looked a little too interested.

Please, Pam, like it’s any of your business what the man does in his free time, one side of her reprimanded. But we’re friends, its okay to be curious, right? She justified.

“Oh man, I dunno. Dinner. Drinks, movie… matching tattoos...”

“That’s great,” she said with a soft laugh. Is it? “That’s cool.” This entire exchange felt fake to her.

Pam kind of blanked out from the rest of the conversation, but she did vaguely remember lamely countering with a story of helping Roy’s cousin move. Roy, who could always make her laugh. Roy, who was always there for her. Roy, who she loved.

Right?

***

Once back at her desk, Pam didn’t feel any more protected from her insecurities behind the safety of the walls of reception. Did everyone want Katy? She dug through her purse, and at the very bottom she found what she sought: a tube of Lip Smackers lip gloss, circa 8th grade. She swiped some on her lips and her face turned hot as she felt, rather than saw, the cameras trained on her. She dropped everything and pushed it under her keyboard, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Ready to go, babe?” Roy said amiably, leaning on her desk.

“Yeah just… let me transfer to automatic voicemail,” Pam answered absently.

“You okay? You’re not still mad about that whole thing with Katy because I-”

“No! No, I’m not mad,” she quickly cut him off, just wanting to be gone from this day and from Katy.

“Okay,” Roy said, as he helped her into her coat. They walked out of the office side by side, though Pam realized it felt weird because usually she left with Jim. It was usually Jim who helped her into her coat. It was Jim who asked if she was okay when she wasn’t acting herself, no matter how she tried to hide it. It was Jim who made her laugh, who made her feel better. When Roy ignored her or was insensitive it was Jim who was always there for her.

Roy opened the door of his pickup truck for her – he hadn’t done that since they were in high school. He was really going all out to make up for this Katy thing. She watched as Jim did the same for Katy, even though he didn’t have anything to make up for. Her eyes were glued to the two of them. Jim hadn’t even said goodbye to her, he was too busy helping carry out the suitcase full of purses.

He’s just my friend. He’s like my brother. Best friends in the office. I’m glad he’s found someone.

Right?

 

Chapter End Notes:
I'm not sure yet if I want this to be a one-shot or go more into it. What would you like to see? Jim's perspective of this episode? More from Pam's? Aliens abducting Dwight? Lemme know.


Tiny Dundie is the author of 1 other stories.



You must login (register) to review or leave jellybeans