JHalpert: So in my effort to do as little work as possible today, I’ve been thinking about what activities we have not done together yet.

PBeesly: Ooh! Page 48.

JHalpert: I’m sorry?

PBeesly: The Kama Sutra?

Jim glanced behind him and smiled slowly. Her eyes didn’t meet his of course. He’d known they wouldn’t. She’d recently gone looking for the book that she’d apparently been fascinated with during Michael’s lecture on Diwali. She’d apparently walked around the bookstore with the cover hidden against her chest for an hour before she’d worked up the nerve to purchase it.

God, she was cute. And unbelievably sexy…

He turned back around in his chair and smoothed a hand over his mouth, hiding his grin from Andy. Pam was decidedly more verbally ‘free’ via keyboard it seemed. Between the text message feature on his phone and instant messaging at work, he’d come to the realization that his new girlfriend could be quite dirty when she put her mind to it.

He forced his lips out of the smiling position as he typed.

JHalpert: That’s not what I meant.

PBeesly: Oh.

JHalpert: But page 48 did look promising. I’ll add that to the list of things we have not done. Way to think ahead, Pam. Good job.

PBeesly: :-)

JHalpert: However I was thinking more along the lines of bowling.

Pam bounced in her seat a little and had to stop herself from clapping her hands like a little girl. Fun!

PBeesly: Wow, really! Do you bowl?

JHalpert: Yeah, I mean…I don’t wanna brag but I’m actually pretty good.

PBeesly: Seriously?

Jim made a face. What was with all the question marks? It wasn’t like he’d told her he was into cage fighting or something.

JHalpert: Yeah seriously. Why are you so surprised Beesly?

PBeesly: Nothing. I just don’t see you as a bowler. I don’t know…

JHalpert: Well you’ll see it tonight. You – me – Scranton Bowl.

Pam froze for a moment, her fingers poised over the keyboard. It’d probably be ok right?…No, they couldn’t take any chances.

PBeesly: Hey have you ever been to the bowling alley in Carbondale?
JHalpert: No, why better shoes?

PBeesly: Absolutely……No, better snacks actually. And glow in the dark lanes with 80’s music.
JHalpert: Let’s do it.

PBeesly: Yay! Fun! Afterwards can we enjoy some interactive literature?

JHalpert: Well I’m a kinesthetic learner Pam so…obviously.

~~~~~~~

Jim jogged up the stairs to her apartment and did his signature knock. Pam flung the door open wide almost immediately, not even waiting till he was all the way inside to pull his lips down against hers.

He smiled against her mouth. “Wow…hello to you too…I didn’t realize you liked my knock so much…I almost…” he spoke around kisses. “Changed it.”

This was how they were these days. In the weeks following their first date they’d found it increasingly difficult to make it out of her apartment for these little “dates.” It was a miracle if they did anything anymore aside from touching each other. An eight hour work day was pure torture when you had years of wondering to make up for.

“Don’t change it,” she mumbled now. “Stay exactly the way you are…”

“Wow,” was all he could say as she pulled him further into the apartment. He kicked the door closed behind him. “Ok…as much as I love bowling I really can’t see ever leaving here…Go get the book, I wanna do page…” Jim’s voice stopped mid sentence and he stood to his full height.

“What?” Pam said, frowning at the look on his face, the stopping of the kissing. “Page what? 10?” She smiled. “That’s your favorite.”

“You’re kidding me right,” Jim said finally, taking in her appearance. Hair up in a ponytail, black bowling shirt with her name etched in pink above the pocket. He glanced at the couch only to see what could only be a bowling bag…again – name etched across the side.

Pam glanced at it innocently and then back at him. “I bowl a little.”

“You bowl a little?”

“Not in a really long time. Besides I’m not that good.”

“Oh my God. Beesly are you trying to hustle me?”

“Huh? No…I…Jim, it’s not like we’re playing for money……Are we?”

“Oh!!!” Jim exclaimed backing up as he pointed at her.

She giggled at his expression. “Jim it’s not –

“Let’s go,” Jim said zipping up his jacket.

“What? I thought we were gonna….you know,” she said gesturing towards the bedroom. “The book…”

“Nope…we’re bowling.”

“Jim, you don’t have to get all competitive about –

“Let’s go Pam…” he said taking her hand. “It’s time to bowl.”

“Wait hold on!” She said letting go of his hand for a moment. She leaned towards the couch to grab her ball. “I almost forgot this!” She finished with a grin.

Jim could only shake his head in disbelief. “Yeah you almost forgot your bowling ball…that you own.”

~~~~~~~

“Well at least you don’t have your own shoes…that’s comforting,” Jim said as he watched her lace up a rented pair of bowling shoes. He was still shaking his head.

She only looked up at him, giving him a cheeky smile. “Jim…it’s really not a big deal.”

“Ok, so tell me how big of a deal it isn’t,” Jim said leaning forward. “How long have you been bowling?”

Pam sighed and rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. “It’s not even something I do really. It’s something…that…”

When she started fiddled with her fingers Jim knew he was about to be treated to a Roy story. He’d picked up on the mannerism about two weeks ago.

“Something you and Roy did together?”

“Not even really…I mean yeah, but it was just that Roy was in this league. It was like basically the only thing we did together on a regular basis. First it was me just kind of tagging along – another girlfriend in the bunch, you know? But then I tried it and it was kind of fun…so…I joined.”

Jim lifted his eyebrows. “Pam, to be in a league…you must be pretty good.”

Pam smiled. God she loved it that she could just talk about Roy and have it not be a big deal. He’d gone straight to complimenting her on something he hadn’t even seen yet.

She leaned forward and dropped a kiss against his mouth. A kiss that started out innocent enough for a public place quickly evolved into something that was really borderline inappropriate. She pulled away, placing her hand against his mouth. He shut his eyes and grinned.

“Well,” he said on a deep breath. He gestured towards their lane, “Ladies first.”

She shook her head at his expression. “Jim, I’m not that good. A stupid shirt doesn’t mean anything.”

“Quit stalling.”

Pam sighed and stood up, gathering her pink ball in her hands. Jim wondered if the ball had come from Roy, and he quickly pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He didn’t need Roy stuff getting in the way right now. It didn’t matter anyway. So what if it had.

As he watched, with arms folded across his chest Pam walked towards the lane slowly at first and then suddenly her pace quickened and the ball was suddenly down the lane with lightening speed. Jim stood up and watched as it made its way closer and closer and closer…

“Holy crap!” Jim said as the ball knocked down every pin within striking distance. They flew to the floor in all directions.

Pam spun around with the biggest grin on her face that he’d probably ever seen. “I did it!”

Things went on that way for the next several frames. Pam bowling strikes or spares most of the time. A frame here or there, a bit unlucky…only 7 pins down.

Jim was left shaking his head over and over. He wasn’t a bad bowler by any means but the best word to describe his skill was ‘respectable’ if you were comparing him to Pam.

“How did I not know this about you?”

Pam giggled as she sat down, taking a long pull of his beer. She was feeling so happy…but that was pretty typical these days. Things were so perfect. She never, ever wanted this to end. And she knew that it wouldn’t. Between the way he was looking at her with that, ‘I’m proud of you’ expression on his face and that first beer she’d stolen from him, she was feeling warm and tingly all over.

Almost time to get home and try out that page 48…

She smiled and reached out for his knee, drumming her fingers against it. “We never really talked a whole lot about things I did with Roy. I mean we did…but never a lot of detail.”

“Pam, you’re really really good. I mean like…you should be a professional, good.”

“Oh really?” She said giggling as she took another drink. She thought briefly about getting her own, but he didn’t seem to mind sharing. Not like Roy had at places like these. Jeez get your own Pam. “Do you think I should put in my two week notice with Toby? Join the circuit?”

“Basically…yes. Pam, you’d be doing the bowling world a service.”

“I think you’re right…What should the letter say?…I mean my resignation letter...”

Jim put his finger to his chin and pretended to think. “Oh, oh I got it!” He said pulling the napkin that had been tucked under his pizza plate out. “Pen please…”

Giggling, Pam pulled a pen out of her purse and handed it to him. She took a long drink as he thought for a moment.

He cleared his throat. “Ok…Dear Dunder-Mifflinites, My time here has been invaluable, nay beyond compare…”

“Good, good…”

“However, I have finally come to terms with my lifelong dream of pursuing balls…Oh no, that does not sound good…”

Pam threw her head back, dissolving into a fit of giggles. She held her stomach as Jim kept reading.

“I have finally come to terms with my lifelong dream of being an international bowling champion. I will remember my time here fondly and will think back to all those times that Dwight’s head served as inspiration for all my bowling dreams…I thought so many times of what it might be like to just pull it right off his body and throw it down a lane…”

Pam shook her head. “Oh my God…you have to stop it.”

“Pam no…I’m not letting you give up on your dream.”

“Ok…ok…I promise I’ll pursue my dream if you let me really, really…teach you how.”

Jim’s mouth fell open. “Oh! Teach me how! Oh Beesly you have no idea what you just said…second drink or no, you’re going down.”

“That’s what she said.”

Jim laughed out loud, “You are so drunk.”

“And still bowling better than you…” She taunted, leaning forward like one child teasing another.

Jim’s mouth was open once more. Wordlessly he stood up, then nodded. “Ok…forget it. Stand up Beesly.”

Suddenly she lost her nerve as she gazed up at him. “Jim…Jim no, I’m sorry.”

“No Pam, it’s ok…obviously you came here looking for a fight so…let’s go…stand up.”

“Jim,” she said holding up her hands in front of her. He took her by the wrists and pulled her out of her chair. She laughed uncontrollably all the way up to the lane.

“Ok…teach me Pam. Tell me how to stand.”

Pam could barely get out the words through her own giggling. “Ok…first of all…you’re so tall…so you’re gonna have to bend a little.

“Oh, oh I’m gonna have to bend a little? Oh thank you so much…Yeah, continue.”

“And don’t…you know sometimes you actually get the ball to curve a little –

“Sometimes I actually get the ball to curve a little,” he said shaking his head as he repeated her once more.

“Stop repeating me! If you’d just listen I was going to say that when you get it to do that…oh my God it’s so freaking sexy I just wanna throw you down in the middle of the lane.”

“Whoa!”

She giggled uproariously and actually jumped up and down.

“Pam Beesly…not just dirty via text message ladies and gentlemen.”

Pam reached up for his collar dragging him down to meet her. She kissed him deeply, whispering against his ear when she was through. Her whispers included more detail than anything she’d ever said to him. He was instantly turned on.

“Whoa…I do not think that’s legal in this state.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Pam pulled away from Jim as if someone had thrown ice water all over her. Maybe someone had. There was enough ice in Roy’s voice to douse a fire.

Jim swallowed hard and turned around.

“Pam are you…you…” Roy shook his head, looked around as if maybe glancing around might clear away what he was seeing. “You can’t be serious…All the time – All this fucking time…”

Jim started to speak. “Roy that’s not –

“Don’t fucking say a word,” Roy said holding up one finger. “If you’ve got a brain at all you’ll keep your mouth shut right now…”

Pam looked around in a panic. “What – why are you here? You go to Scranton Bowl.  –

Roy just glared at her wordlessly and she continued rambling. “Roy it’s not like what you’re thinking. Jim and I never ever…ever did anything before…”

“Before what Pam!” Roy asked, his voice loud then. The parties on either side of their lane glanced over and Pam felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

She whispered. “Nothing ever happened before you and I broke up.”

“But that’s why we did isn’t it? The truth is finally out,” he said smiling and ugly kind of smile. “Wow…this is…” he glanced to the side of her at Jim then. “Were you just waiting around for her? All the time pretending to be her ‘friend’…listening to all her stories…playing all those dumb ass junior high pranks with her? Nice Halpert...”

Jim started again, “Roy, man…it wasn’t ever…She didn’t ever go behind your –

“No seriously man,” Roy said holding up a hand to halt Jim’s words. “It’s actually impressive…admirable. I’d fucking come to a seminar or something if your main topic wasn’t how to fuck my girlfriend.”

Pam felt Jim shift and she jumped between them quickly. “You guys please…”

Roy laughed. “Seriously? Come on Halpert,” he said gesturing for him to step forward like he’d been about to. “Pam...get out of the way. We both want this to happen…don’t we Halpert?”

“Roy leave us alone. I swear to God…Roy if you ever, ever loved me –

He lost it then. His words more powerful than any punch he could have delivered. “If I ever loved you! Are you kidding me!” Suddenly something in his eyes changed. He looked more hurt than angry now. “You dumped me Pam! Do you remember that! Do you remember coming home that night – actually if I remember correctly…the night I told this fucking guy to watch you…You did it! So don’t stand here and plead with me…Oh Roy if you ever loved me…fuck you Pam!” He said stepping back. He shook his head and took another step back. He spun in the opposite direction and lifted someone’s shoe, hurling it across several lanes before kicking the side of a ball return as hard as he could.

The bowling attendant in the back stood up and started walking towards him.

Pam jogged over before he could make it to Roy. “Please let him stay,” she whispered quickly. “He won’t hurt anybody he’s just…” She covered her face then, beyond embarrassed and sad and…hot tears fell behind her trembling hand.

She heard in the distance Roy yell something back at Jim from across the bowling alley. Something hopelessly cliché like…This ain’t over!...and she started to cry even harder.

~~~~~~~

She cried almost the entire way home.

As hard as it was, Jim kept his hands on the steering wheel since every time he went to touch her, she flinched a little bit. He wasn’t taking that personally. He wasn’t.

But tonight reality had struck, reminding him that they still had a few hurtles to jump. They couldn’t continue to live in a bubble forever. Stealing kisses in the elevator on the way in to work, sending emails and instant messages that would have been deemed inappropriate by corporate, making love every night before falling asleep tangled up in one another…

As they moved across the threshold and into the dark apartment, Jim knew tomorrow morning wouldn’t be the same. Tomorrow morning he had to go back to work and know that she was going to have this hanging over her head, and Roy the Asshole from Another Planet would be downstairs, apparently contemplating how to make it ‘not over yet.’

Just the thought had him shaking his head even now. He must’ve made a sound too because she looked up at him from her spot on the couch.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that –

“Pam stop apologizing. I already told you it’s not your fault.”

“I know but, if I would have just told him…You’ve been saying for the last three weeks that we need to let him know…Pam, he’s gonna find out…Pam what if he finds out…Pam we should nip things in the bud before someone in the office figures it out and tells Roy…Before Michael let’s things slip…Before someone on the camera crew says something…God, I should have listened to you –

“Well you didn’t…because you weren’t ready…and it’s ok, ok?” He said leaning towards her. He took her face in his hands as tenderly as he could, kissing those splotchy places on her cheeks.

She leaned her forehead against his. “There were a billion different ways for him to find out and he had to find out in the worst possible one.”

“To be honest, Pam I don’t think there would have been a good way,” he said still next to her. She let her head fall against his shoulder and he placed his head atop of hers. They were quiet for a long moment. “I really, really wanted him to hit me.”

Pam moved her head, so he had to move his too. She blinked. “What? Why on Earth would you say that?”

“So I could hit him back. Just for fun.”

She frowned at him. “That’s a really funny idea of….”

“Fun?” He supplied, earning the first soft smile he’d seen in far too many minutes.

“I didn’t want him to hit you.”

“Uh yeah I gathered as much. Thanks for standing in front of me…ready to take a bullet, Beesly?”

She grinned. “I didn’t want him to hit you,” she said again.

He smiled. “Well thank you very much, but like I said…it would have been awesome…I mean I’m not an idiot…he woulda kicked my ass, but it would have been a small price to pay if I could have gotten some good hits in. I’ve wanted to hit that guy since the first day I laid eyes on him…and well Pam, you took that from me,” he said with a smile at the end. “I’m not sure I can forgive you.”

Pam smiled. “I’m sorry.”

He rubbed her knee slowly. “It’s ok…I almost hit him anyway when –

“I know,” she said, letting her fingers smooth along the inside of his knee. “Well…I guess at least the cat’s out of the bag now…But what if tomorrow –

“How about we cross that bridge when we come to it?” Jim said tiredly.

She could only nod.

Jim shook his head. “You’re really unbelievable…I mean seriously I don’t think I’ve actually seen someone…” he sighed. “I can’t believe you got that guy to let Roy stay.”

“He didn’t stay…I was glad.”

“Yeah I know but…” When he couldn’t really express the way that he felt about knowing that he was with someone who had the potential to be as selfless as he’d ever seen anybody be…He could only think to kiss her. “You’re just really, really nice,” he said pulling away after a long moment.

Pam found his eyes and kissed him back. “You are too.”

“And a really good bowler,” he said, his hands playing with the ends of her hair.

“You are……too.”

Jim playfully nipped at her lip. “That’s ok Pam…Lucky for you, I’m an expert at other things.”

“Lucky for me…”

Hours later, after Jim had shown her all the things he was an expert on – including being a quick study of page 48. Pam realized that tonight had solidified more things than it had ruined. For the first time she’d gotten to see what Jim was like as a boyfriend when she really needed comforting. Not that Jim hadn’t always been good at offering a shoulder or some levity before they’d been a couple. And not that he hadn’t always read the situation accordingly, offering the right one at the right time…

But the kind of comfort he could offer now…like kisses every time she hiccupped from crying, or the way he combed his fingers through her hair as they lay in bed that night…after.

Jim Halpert the boyfriend was even better than Jim Halpert the best friend had been…Thank God she didn’t have to choose between them.  

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