“Since when did you get so healthy?” Pam stared intently as Jim reached into the vending machine to pull out a bottle of water.
“I dunno,” Jim replied, feeling slightly defensive. Since when did she care what he drank?
“Yeah, me neither,” Pam said, trying not to roll her eyes.
“What?” Jim asked, giving an impatient sigh and turning to look at her, water bottle clutched in one hand.
“What what, Jim?” Pam said nonchalantly, flipping through the pages of the newspaper on the table in front of her.
“Does it bother you that I’m not drinking grape soda?”
Now Pam pointedly rolled her eyes. “Jim, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. What did Stamford do to you, anyways?” She let out a humorless, dry laugh.
“Then what is it? Because you’re not acting like yourself, and you haven’t been ever since I came back to Scranton. Why are you so angry at me?”
Pam swallowed and glanced at him. “Are you kidding me? I am so not mad at you.”
Jim walked over to where she was sitting, folded up her newspaper and stared her right in the eyes. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that you aren’t mad.”
Pam’s eyes strained to find his and then she immediately averted them. “No,” she choked out. “I’m just going to go back to my desk.”
She stood up in an attempt to walk away, but was stopped by Jim’s hand on her wrist.
“I know you better than that. What reason do you have to be mad at me, Pam?” Jim spat out, now angry himself. “What? Please, do share. What have I done since I’ve been here that’s provoked anger in you?”
Pam’s voice came out shriller than intended. “What have you done? That’s just it, Jim! You haven’t done anything! You’ve ignored me and been hanging out with her, that’s what! I thought we were best friends.” Her voice broke on her word and she put a hand to her cheek to find it wet.
“Well I’m sorry, Pam. Isn’t a bit selfish of you to wish that I wasn’t hanging out with Karen? I’m sorry you can’t stand to see me hanging out with her! But she’s my girlfriend. And you weren’t the one to get your heart broken on Casino Night. I was. So I’m sorry that, unlike you, I’ve moved on. I apologize that you’re jealous! At least I’ve tried to move past it, Pam!” It took him a second to realized that he had just yelled at Pam. She was wiping her eyes on her sleeve and looking down. When she glanced back up again, black streaks from her mascara were on her face.
“You’re right,” she started out, sarcastically. Although her voice shook, the tone could not be clearer. “I should’ve just cancelled my wedding, right then and there for you! Because that would have been the most logical thing to do!” Her hands were trembling and so were Jim’s.
Anger flared in him again and he waved his arms, furiously. “What the hell, Pam? The logical thing! Don’t you ever do what your heart’s thinking? You didn’t love Roy, I know you didn’t. You still don’t.” He paused, as a look of extreme hurt passed over Pam’s face. “Then. Why. Are. You. Still. With. Him?”
Pam couldn’t help herself. She picked up her plastic fork and threw it viciously at Jim. The action took him by surprise and he ducked just in time. Pam continued to throw her lunch at him; an apple, mixed berry yogurt, half of a sandwich and a bag of Sunchips. She sobbed for her marriage, for her jealously, and for what she and Jim could’ve had. Jim slowly rose up, until he was at full height.
“Dammit Jim, you want me to follow my heart? Huh? Well, how’s this for not logical?”
She couldn’t have ran faster into his arms. A shocked Jim just stood there as Pam’s lips found his. Her arms snaked around his neck and into his tousled hair. She started to pull away, just as Jim responded. Their lips met at the same time, as his arms rested comfortably at her waist. For a mere moment, they forgot about Roy and Karen. Just as quickly as it had started, it ended. They were both breathing hard and blushing.
She grinned, rubbing the rest of her tears away. They reluctantly pulled away from each other, as Pam retreated back to her seat and folded newspaper. Hoping no one from the office had been watching their little scene, Jim pretended to retrieve his water bottle from the machine again.
Pam looked up, and met his hazel eyes, her hands still shaking from something different than anger.
“Hmm...” she mused, peering at his water bottle. “Water. Nice choice, Halpert.”
--
Author's Chapter Notes:
Definitely some unresolved sexual tension. I cross posted this at another fanfiction site.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Office or anything relating to it.
I got this idea for a story from an episode where Jim is buying bottled water from a vending machine. It's an episode excerpt, if you will.
Just a wee little bit of language.
--
Disclaimer: I do not own The Office or anything relating to it.
I got this idea for a story from an episode where Jim is buying bottled water from a vending machine. It's an episode excerpt, if you will.
Just a wee little bit of language.
--
Chapter End Notes:
Do I have to remind you what every author wants you to do now?
Alyx is the author of 4 other stories.
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