Pam sat on her couch, staring blankly at the television. She just wanted to not feel anything anymore. To not feel the pain that lingered every day she saw him with her. Today had been especially hard. Karen’s mission today seemed to be to make Pam very aware of how happy she and Jim were. With the way she would randomly go up to Jim’s desk, just to kiss him on the cheek, or to share some gossip about one of their co-workers, she had found a reason to make her way to Jim’s desk about 9 times in just 2 hours. But what really made Pam’s blood boil was the fact that each time she did, she would glance over to Pam’s desk with a smug look on her face that clearly said that Jim was hers and Pam couldn’t do anything about it. She thought maybe Jim had glanced her way with an apologetic look once or twice, but she knew she was just kidding herself.

So she sat. And cried. After a long time, with her eyes, puffy, red, and swollen, she could feel herself getting more and more exhausted. She just hoped that the sweet, sweet release of sleep would come sooner rather than later. However, as she was slowly starting to drift off, there was a knock at the door.

She bolted up. Seriously? Who the hell is here? She thought angrily to herself. She sluggishly made her way to the door and opened it.

Oh.

“Can I come in?” he asked. He looked exhausted. His hair was disheveled like he had been running his hands through it a lot. Every inch of her screamed to let him in. Just to be in his presence. But she couldn’t do this anymore.

“Um, actually, I think I need to ask you to leave.” It took every ounce of her energy to get those words out.

“Pam…Please, I need to talk to you.” He sounded desperate. His eyes were weary.

“No, Jim. Please…just leave me alone. I can’t do this anymore.” She started to close the door when Jim stuck his foot in the doorway and blocked her from shutting it.

“Pam…I need you to let me in. Please, please, please let me in. I’m not going anywhere until you do. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

Pam thought for a second.

“If it’s only going to take a few minutes, then whatever you have to say can be said from the other side of the door. It hurts too much to look at you right now.”

That stung.

“Ok, I guess I deserve that. Fine. Just promise me you’ll listen and not just walk away while I talk to a door?”

Despite herself, her lip curled up ever so slightly at that.

“Ok, I promise.” She shut the door and waited.

There was a long pause. To Pam it seemed to go on forever. She was just thinking about actually walking away when he finally spoke.

“I broke up with Karen.”

Pam wasn’t quite sure she heard right. She leaned her head against the door, silently begging him to continue now.

“I just couldn’t do it anymore. Keep up this lie. This lie that I’m not still in love with you and don’t think about you constantly. Because I do. Day and night. 24/7. You’re all I think about Pam. You’re all I want.  And I’m so sorry for hurting you. I’ve been a real jackass lately, and there’s absolutely no excuse for it. But Pam, it’s killing me that we aren’t friends anymore. Because just friends is better than nothing. And I NEED you in my life. No matter what. Pam… I hope you can forgive me. I love you so much. And more than anything, I just needed you to know that…again.”

There was silence again. The tears had started streaming down Pam’s cheeks again. She couldn’t believe what Jim had just said. She wasn’t sure how to react, so she just stood there, shocked.

Jim waited hopelessly outside for any sort of response from Pam. With his head down, hands in his pockets, he felt more and more like an idiot with each passing second for coming here. She didn’t love him. He was a fool for thinking this time would be different. He was thinking he might as well just turn around and head back home now to wallow in self-pity when he heard the unmistakable click of a door opening. He looked up slowly and saw her. He could tell she had just been crying, but she was more beautiful than ever. He stared tentatively at her. Not sure what her reaction was going to be. Afraid to say anything that would make her close the door again.

Finally, she spoke.

“Did you really mean all that? It was barely a whisper, but he heard it.

He looked into her eyes then, as if he had never seen anything quite so beautiful. Which he hadn’t.

“Every wor-“

Before he could even finish the word she was there. Wrapping her hands around his neck and her lips pressed to his. Every emotion she felt was poured into this kiss. And he kissed her back with a passion she wasn’t quite prepared for. With his hands firmly around her waist, Jim backed her lightly against the door, kissing her harder with each passing second. His hands moved up to cup her face, and his tongue moved along hers, and it felt like heaven. She felt like she was floating. She had never felt so much fire in a kiss before. She couldn’t believe it was Jim. It was finally Jim kissing her, with absolutely nothing standing in their way.

He broke away from the kiss after what felt like hours and stared into her eyes. The look he gave her was nothing but love. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. He leaned his forehead against hers, smiling his wonderfully crooked smile, his hands still warm against her cheeks.

“I love you Pam.”

“I love you too Jim.” His smile got even bigger if that was possible.

They aren’t sure how long they stood there like that for. But neither of them wanted to move. So they didn’t.