She linked her palm around his arm, leaning into him and set out for the date, which is going to change everything.

Jim opened the door to his car for her and closed it before settling in himself. He wanted to do everything right. This is Pam Beesley, if he won’t get this one right then what has he been working towards.

“It’s a nice car”

“Yeah. Thanks. It’s not too bad.”

And then it hit him that she is sitting in this car for the first time. She has driven with him before when he had a corolla and on those odd days when they drove together to run errands for their office. He bought Saab just last year, after his promotion- new city, new position and new car. The only girl who has sat in this car up until now was Karen, who was also sitting in the passenger seat just yesterday. They kissed each other's luck, this morning,  in this very car before heading for the interview. 

He saw the scented tissue box still lying on his dashboard. Karen preferred these mildly scented ones over regular. She had a very specific choice “Jim, I don’t want to trigger any allergies but I like the mild whiff”. He noticed Pam eying it, he wondered if she knew who it belonged to. Would it be too obvious if he would throw it out right now.

She hit play on his stereo to get some tunes, only to have hard rock playing. Another of Karen’s favorites. It surprises him how much deeper Karen had entered into his world despite him being distant. She looks up at him “When did you get in Rock”

“Umm..I was just trying some new music. I have been listening to same songs for so long, I thought I needed a change”

She was now staring at the stereo ,roaming her fingers at the buttons without pressing ,“I see..so did you like it? “

He took a beat before responding honestly ,“I did...for some time at least.”

 “Hmm…” His answer stopped her fingers and her smile reduced to pressed lips. 

“But then it was not me. I thought I could switch, mix it up a little bit you know. But then I couldn’t. I tried, I really did. Rock music is great but it’s not for me. My old sappy seems to go well with my original taste in music”

“Right…..” with that she switched off the music and looked down in her lap. 

It was perhaps 5 minutes later, when Jim felt at least 50, when he heard her talking again . 

“ I see it’s another automatic, so it looks like you dropped the idea of buying a stick afterall” she was looking at his centre console. 

Jim was happy for the turn towards more casual conversation. He was a bit surprised that she remembered this. He told her that he wanted to try driving a stick for some time and may buy a stick shift next time he gets a new car. It was more of an excuse to support his story when he was trying to get her to give him driving lessons. It warmed him that there are still parts of their history which don't pain when brought up. 

“Well yeah, I think I was still not confident enough.”

“Well  you did drop out of your lessons and we never got around trying the highways in dead winters’

He thought back to Roy announcing the date and Pam being “too busy” for the lessons and him ``too miserable” to even ask.

 “I still drive stick so if you ever wish to get back to your lessons anytime”

 ‘I would love that, ' he said earnestly, earning him a smile from Pam. 

They fell back in silence, their previous bravado slipping and nervousness setting in. 

There was never a time when they didn’t know what to say to each other, And then Casino Night happened and here they are exactly a year later, grasping for the right things to say.

Both of them felt the pressure, how high the stakes are and how much they wanted this to work. Both perhaps too afraid to say the wrong thing so just waiting for the other one broached a topic. Any topic..no..Any safe topic. 

There was still a lot unspoken and none of them was bold enough to take the first step. 

Pam, working on her nerves ,observed Jim from her periphery, driving comfortably. Feeling a little jealous that he has got his steering to hold something and keep himself occupied while she is left to pull and press on her fingers.

“So where are we going?”

Jim, a little relieved that she is the one trying once again, looked at her.

“Well, that’s a surprise and so how about you make a guess here. It’s something you know”

“Oh okay let me see...is it going to be one where they serve really good Tuna?” while her voice sounded serious, he could still see the trace of a smile working through the corners of her lips.

“Well, that would be Chilli but I guess someone is not allowed in there anymore after their delinquent behavior” He shot back with the same contemplative tone with a playful challenge in his eyes.

“They serve really good Chicken Parmesan too” she sighed, pouting dramatically.

“Are we regretting our actions now”

“Never regret anything that made you smile” she grinned back at him knowing full well that he would know the reference. She was not disappointed when his eyes twinkled and he started laughing calling her a dork.

“I regret nothing about Chilli’s night” she blurted, before her nervousness took over and she looked straight up while he went quiet at her admission.

Jim felt butterflies hearing her say that and wanted to ask her more what she meant. But he didn’t want to go there yet and risk disappointment if she is only referring to her stealing those thousand drinks all night and it has nothing to do with their first kiss. He pushed the thought aside and focussed back on the night in hand.

“I found this new place on my way to the office today. They are opening tonight. It’s called “Barbeque Berg” “

Pam felt a little better at the thought that he picked a place where he has never taken Karen. Scranton is a small town and she is not stupid to belive that they haven’t been to all or at least most places already. Roy and her have been to most except the expensive ones.

The flashy board saying “Opening Night” appeared and he  parked the car and climbed out real quick before opening the door for her.