Pam was sitting on a towel in the sand, by herself, keeping score on a page in her sketch book.  She hadn’t been allowed to play, but as she watched Phyllis bat Michael in the head with a giant Q-Tip, she didn’t feel too bad about it.  She laughed to herself as someone was approaching her.

She raised her hand to her eyes to see who it was, but she already knew.  “Hey,” she said.  “How are you doing?”

Jim sat down next to her and said, “You tell me, you’re the one with the score pad.”  He tried to look at her papers, but she brought it up to her chest, telling him she couldn’t reveal anything.

“It wouldn’t be fair,” she protested. 

“Fine,” he said, crossing his arms and trying his best to pout.

“Oh, brother,” she said, rolling her eyes.  She showed him the scores, quickly, before hiding them away again. 

Jim was in first place, and he didn’t seem surprised.  He just smiled and bobbed his head up and down.  “So, how are you doing, Beesley?”

“A little bored, but it could be worse.  At least it’s warm out.”  They both nodded in agreement, and a comfortable silence fell.  This was her chance to really talk to him.  They were far enough away from the others so they could speak without any fear of being overheard, and Karen was engrossed in competition.  “It’s great you’re in line for another promotion,” she began.  “I’m happy for you.  You deserve it.”

“Thanks, Pam.”

“I just hope it doesn’t involve another transfer out of Scranton…  I don’t think I could handle you leaving again.”

He remained silent, but she wasn’t deterred.  She let out a little sigh before continuing.  “After you left, I was destroyed.”  She waited for him to say something, anything, just to acknowledge her.  She turned to look at him.

He was nodding gently as he quietly said, “Me, too.”

“Jim, I am so sorry.  Everything is my fault.  I wanted so badly to be able to tell you I was in love with you, because …I was.  I was just too afraid to admit it to myself, let alone to you,” her heart was racing and she paused to catch her breath.  “I know you’ve moved on.  I know you’re with Karen, but…. I would give anything for a second chance with you.  I’m still in love with you.  I’ve tried to move on, but I can’t…. I can’t move on.  I don’t want to.  I want you, to be with you.  I know you’re with Karen, but I wanted to tell you…,” she started to trail off; because it seemed like her confession was falling on deaf ears.  Jim had been staring at the edge of the towel and hadn’t moved a muscle since she said she was sorry.  Finally, he spoke.

“Pam, I don’t –“ he began, but she cut him off.

“No, please.  I’m not asking for anything from you right now.  I just needed to tell you.  If you…” she was beginning to lose her nerve, but she thought of how brave he had been last May, and was able to go on.  "...I think you still have feelings for me, if you could give me another chance, I’ll wait for as long as it takes for you to realize what it is that you want.  I want you to have time to think because I know it’s a difficult decision.  I know how hard it can be when it’s inevitable that someone is going to get hurt,” she said, her voice shaking. 

He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.   It didn’t matter, because Pam turned to him and gave a tired smile, and told him he should get back to the activities if he wanted to keep his lead.  He couldn’t take his eyes off her, but he got up and stumbled back towards the waters edge.