Once in the car, Jim pulled off the Pearl Jam shirt, his t-shirt underneath riding up so Pam could see smooth stomach. She resisted the impulse to touch it, and unbuttoned her flannel. "The next change of clothes will take place at our next venue," Jim said, handing her the blindfold again. Pam complied and felt the car engine rumble to life as Alanis Morrisette's voice filled the car.

"God, this was so popular my sophomore year," commented Pam. "Yeah, it creeped me out then and it creeps me out now that these songs are all about Dave Coulier," answered Jim.

Pam laughed and tried to picture where Jim was driving. He should be making a right any moment now if he were heading to her old high school; but instead, he made a left and continued for far too long, moving onto a main street in the opposite direction. "Where are we going?" she asked, "This doesn't feel like the way to my high school."

"All will be revealed in good time. The Committee for Fun Birthdays never reveals its secrets." said Jim, as Alanis ended and Hootie and the Blowfish came on.

"You're not taking me to an art museum to show me a painting you did of me, are you?" asked Pam, "Because I don't care that that's one of my favorite movies, that's still really stalkery!"

She heard Jim laugh. "No, but I plan on spending my life savings on diamond earrings for you, and I plan on telling you that you look good wearing my future," he said, and she smiled. She loved that Jim understood all of her movie references. It hadn't been like that before, and she still found it hard to believe that she could be with someone who loved the same things as she. It just felt so right, and she reached over to squeeze Jim's knee.

"Watch your hand there, you're getting a little friendly for someone just out of eighth grade," said Jim. "Hey, you already kissed me," she said, "In my book, that gives free reign for knee-squeezing."

"You're lucky I've matured somewhat, or I'd give you a horsebite, like this," said Jim, reaching over and squeezing her knee, making her squeal. "That tickles! My brother used to torture me with that one," she said. "Well, then, I'll stop, I don't want any Freudian associations to form in your mind," said Jim, finally turning the car as a Dave Matthews Band song began.

"God, my friend Brad was so into this band, and he always said he was going to get a tattoo of ants marching around his ankle in tribute to this song," she said.

"We're here," he said, and Pam opened her door, waiting for him to untie her blindfold. She had no idea where they were, but she heard lots of cars and people, so wherever it was, they weren't alone. Jim untied her blindfold, she looked around, blinking.

"We're at your old high school?" she asked, spotting a sign. "Yup, here you go; this was my favorite in high school," said Jim, handing her a Dunmore High sweatshirt. She pulled it over her head. "It's so soft and it smells like you," she said happily. "Yeah, I don't wash my clothes," said Jim seriously, looking pleased that she was so delighted with it.

Pam slid her hands up into the sleeves and watched as Jim slid on his old varsity jacket. "It's time to party like it's 1997," he said, putting his arm around her and pulling her to his side as they started to walk towards the back of the school. "You're like one of those sad people who never gets over high school and goes back to the football games every year," Pam snickered, and Jim grinned. "You've got me, actually," he said, and as they rounded the corner, Pam saw that there was a football game already in progress.

Jim led her up to the concession stand and purchased tickets and hot dogs. He handed Pam her hot dog with a smile, and Pam found that she was genuinely looking forward to being at a game with him. She and her friends had gone all the time, and though they didn't really pay much attention to the games themselves, it was still a really good time. They clanged up the bleachers in the students section, attracting many glances from the students, all whom looked confused. Several smirked as they saw Jim's jacket.

"I guess they don't recognize the star of the basketball team when they see him," whispered Pam as they found a spot. "Sadly, they were all in kindergarten when that actually happened," whispered Jim, "And I never said I was the star. Second best, maybe."

They watched as the first quarter ended and the second one began. Jim seemed impressed with Pam's football knowledge, asking, "Where did you learn all this?" She just looked at him, and he looked down. "Oh, right," he said, looking slightly abashed.

"I like this so much better," she said, sliding even closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder, "You understood me better in the first week I knew you than he ever did." She reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. His other arm snaked around her waist, and before she even knew what was happening, they were kissing. She was thinking about how fantastic it was to finally really kiss him after an entire day of wanting desperately to, when she heard a kid behind them say, "Get a room!"

They broke apart, Jim's face as red as Pam's felt. "Let's go," he said, grabbing her hand and jogging down the metal stairs. They reached the ground, and instead of heading left toward the parking lot, he pulled her to the right, underneath the bleachers. "What exactly are we doing?" asked Pam, and Jim shushed her.

"Come here and I'll show you," he said, grinning, pulling her towards him and kissing her. Pam found this very agreeable and slid her hands into his hair, leaning back onto a pole. They made out like a pair of teenager until Jim slid his hands to cup Pam's face and his arms pressed against her sweatshirt. She broke the kiss to burst out laughing. "I know that trick! I know what you're doing!" she cried, and Jim blushed red. "That is a secret that no female is ever supposed to know," he said, laughing at her delight. "Let's move on, since you're not letting me put my best moves on you."

They headed back around the school, just as halftime was starting. "Hey, we can do the awesome back pocket walk," said Pam, sliding her hand into Jim's back pocket; he did the same. "Don't get me wrong, you have a very nice butt that I very much enjoy, but this is the most awkward way to walk ever," she said. "Agreed," said Jim, as they heard the cheerleaders start their halftime show.

"Are you disappointed that I wasn't a cheerleader?" asked Pam, smiling, knowing she was goading him. "Of course not, you know I love you just they way you are," he said, picking her up around the waist and staggering toward the car. Pam laughed and struggled. "Put me down, you'll hurt your back!" she cried, and Jim scoffed, "What, with all twelve pounds of you?"

They reached the car and he set her down; she was still smiling from him saying he loved her. She marveled how fantastic it was to hear, every single time he said it.  She climbed into the car and tied on the blindfold. She held his hand as they drove, moving slightly to the music, and very soon, they had stopped again. Pam climbed out of the car and Jim untied the blindfold. "Your parents' house?" she asked, smiling. "Pit stop and change of costume," he said, hoisting two duffel bags out of the car.

He led her into the house. His mother was in the living room, smiling knowingly. "Hi Pam," she said as Jim led her down the hall to the bathroom. "Here you go," he said, handing her one of the bags, and she went into the bathroom.

 She shut the door and unzipped the bag; inside, she found a pink dress she had worn in her cousin's wedding six years ago. She slipped it on, smiling at herself in the mirror. She pulled her ponytail down and refashioned it into a messy knot, because after all, it was obviously prom night. She slid on the shoes she found in the bottom of the bag and touched up her lip gloss.  

She left the bathroom and saw Jim's old bedroom door was closed. She snuck it open, and saw him buttoning a dress shirt.  "Hey, you look great," he said, smiling, and she crossed over to kiss him. "We can't, my mom will catch us," he said pleadingly, and he finished getting dressed. Pam watched him from the bed, admiring how little the room must have changed since he had lived in it.

"Ready?" he asked, pulling on his tux coat. "Can't we just stay here for a little while?" asked Pam, flopping on her back onto the bed. “I’ll bet you never had a high school girl in your bed before," she continued, and Jim laughed. "That didn't quite sound like I meant it to," said Pam, grudgingly getting up.

They walked back down the hall and out the front door. "Oh my God," exclaimed Pam happily, when she spotter her parents, who were standing next to the Halperts. Her mom and Mrs. Halpert had their cameras out, and Pam blushed when Jim presented her with a corsage. "You're insane," said Pam as he slid the white roses onto her wrist. "Let's get some photos before it gets any darker," said Mrs. Halpert, and the parents all smiled as Jim and Pam arranged themselves in front of the garden in true prom fashion.  Pam loved that their mothers were getting really into it, posing them and snapping photos, their fathers looking on and smiling.

"We should get going," said Jim, and they exchanged their goodbyes. Jim shook hands with her dad, and her dad joked, "Take good care of my little girl and have her home by midnight."

Pam's mother gave her a hug and whispered, "Honey, this one's a keeper." Pam blushed and nodded her agreement. "I'll do my best," she whispered back, and Jim held out his arm to her.

Back in the car, they drove off, their parents waving their goodbyes. "Doesn't it disturb you that they're all back there alone together?" asked Pam. "Nah, they got along really well at the fourth of July picnic. I'm sure they'll talk about us for a little while, but we can't possibly be that interesting," replied Jim, glancing at her. "You really do look fantastic," he said, "We need to do more things that involve you dressing up."

"Hey, I don't mind Tuxedo Jim, either, you're not so bad yourself," she replied. "It's my dad's, but it fits me pretty well, I think," said Jim, straightening his tie in the rearview mirror at a stop sign.

Back at the high school, Pam was unsurprised to see Jim pull out the CD player and disco light, plus a paper bag. "Come on, let's sneak in before the football game's over," he said, holding open the door for her. He led her down the dark hall toward the gym. Once inside, she hung back as he plugged in the light and CD player. Soon, the room was softly lit, and a slow song was playing. Jim crossed over to her, holding out his hand in invitation. "This is going to be so much better than junior high,” he said, pulling her close, "We can actually touch this time."

She slid her arms around his neck and her head fit perfectly under his chin. For five slow, dreamy songs they swayed, sometimes kissing, sometimes just dancing, eyes closed and moving together. "This is the last one," said Jim quietly, "I cheated, this wasn't from high school, but it always reminds me of you and that night in the parking lot with my iPod."

"Yeah, I was so nice to you the next day and told you that swaying isn't dancing," she said, sighing at the memory of it. "Well, I hope I'm proving you wrong," he said, and she kissed him in response, which he seemed to like.

They didn't stop moving until the song ended, and then they slowed down to a standstill. "I guess we should go," whispered Pam, and Jim squeezed her. "I know what's next, and that's the only way I would agree with you," he answered.

He gathered up the CD player and light, and before they left, he opened the paper bag and handed Pam a champagne glass. "Your prom favor," he said, and she held it up to the hallway light to see "Second Chance Prom, September 15, 2007" written in Jim's neatest cursive in Sharpie. "Aw, thanks," she said, smiling happily as they walked back to the car. "Yeah, I like the way we got champagne glasses and beer glasses as favors, yet they pushed the no drinking thing," said Jim as he opened her car door. Stragglers from the football game gave them strange glances, and Pam supposed they looked ridiculous in their formal clothes.

Back in the car, Pam put the blindfold on, looking forward to what came next. If it was half as nice as the dancing had been, it would still be fantastic. She leaned back on the car seat as Jim drove. "Did you manage to find all the one-hit wonders from the mid-to-late '90s?" she asked, as one song ended and another began. "Hey, I just did my job," he said. 

They drove smoothly and quickly, so Pam supposed they might be on the freeway. After a few moments, Jim seemed to exit, and eventually the road got a bit bumpier and quiet. "Where are we now?" asked Pam as the car juddered to a stop, Jim pulling out the keys.

"Should I get out now?"

Jim reached behind her head to take off the blindfold. "Nope, this takes place in the car," he said, and she looked out the window. The sun had gone down completely, but she could still see the scenery.

"Are we at Lake Scranton?" she asked, craning her neck to look out his window. "Yup," he said.

"Is there a change of clothes?" asked Pam. "Nah, I think it'll be more fun in these clothes," he said, and she was slightly confused. "Why exactly are we here?" she asked, and Jim laughed.  "Little Pam, so naive. You should probably stop talking, or I'll never let you get to second base," he said, and all of a sudden she felt silly for not understanding.

She grinned and climbed into the backseat. "You learn quickly, young padawan," said Jim, "What did you think teenagers did at Lake Scranton on prom night?"

Before he climbed to the backseat, he advanced the CD a few more tracks. "This is cheesy, but I thought it might help," he said. Peter Gabriel's voice filled the car, and they were soon both quite distracted, neither of them noticing when the CD ended.