.
Pam was sitting at her desk finishing up some last minute studying. She couldn’t believe that the year was almost over. In a few days she would be back in Scranton, roommate free but Jim-less. She thought about a year ago and how she was still trying to get over Roy. It was funny how fast things changed for her. She shut her notebook and turned on the TV. This was her last final and it was her easiest. She just had to write an essay. It wasn’t really something you could cram for. You either knew the information or you didn’t. She flipped through the channels. Cocktail was on and she immediately thought of Michael trying to mix drinks.
Her phone rang and she reached over to get it. “Jim!”
“Pam.” He sounded tired.
“How’s your stuff going?”
“Horribly. I can’t concentrate. I just want to sleep.” He whined.
“I can go get you some coffee.”
“I think my body might shut down if I have anymore caffeine.” He paused for a moment, “Actually I was wondering if you would come upstairs and keep me company.”
“I could do that. I just finished studying so I’m free.”
“Great. I’ll be the one sitting in my room dozing off at my drafting table.”
“I’m going to change first, but I’ll be up soon.”
“You are seriously saving my life.”
“Don’t worry; we’ll work out some sort of payment plan.”
She hung up the phone before he could answer. She grabbed a pair of cloth shorts and put on her Dunder Hall t-shirt. She grabbed her sketchbook and one of Kelly’s magazines. She wasn’t sure what things you should bring to keep yourself busy while keeping someone else awake. She knocked on his door. She could hear him groaning as he walked over to the door. His eyes were bloodshot. He didn’t say anything as he ushered her in the room. She sat in his chair behind his drafting table. He took a seat in his computer chair. He swiveled around till he was facing her.
“You look awful.”
“I feel awful.”
“Why aren’t you in the studio?”
“Because I couldn’t get anything done there. I just kept wandering around looking at everyone else’s stuff and then I would go back to mine and I hated the way it looked. So I left.”
“Are you going to finish in time?”
“If you keep me awake I will.”
“I feel like there’s a lot of pressure on me.” She put her legs up on his TV stand and leaned back. “Pressure is gone.” She smiled.
Her smile made him relax. “Thanks for coming up.” He rolled his chair back around and went back to work.
“What should I do?”
“Just talk to me when you think I’m getting sleepy. I’ve never fallen asleep while talking to anyone.”
“Okay.”
She reached over for his controller. She flipped through the channels without any real purpose. She stopped on Steel Magnolias. She figured it would keep her entertained. He laughed every time she said the lines along with the characters.
She watched as his head dipped and then popped back up. “Jim! Wake up! Quick, tell me your thoughts on space colonization?”
He turned his chair back around. “Why would you even think of that?”
“I heard Dwight discussing it with Michael yesterday. I just want to know if you guys have similar views on this pressing issue.”
“Well obviously I think it is essential for the survival of the human race. After the beets from planet Schrute takeover that is.”
She laughed. He was awake now. He turned back to his model.
A few hours later she watched Meet Joe Black. He looked back at Pam and he knew she was getting tired. It was already 4.
“You still okay to stay up?”
“Not tired at all.” She lied. “How are you?”
“The need for sleep is now gone, so that’s a plus. It’s nice to have someone in the room that isn’t building a model too.”
“Are you almost done?”
“Almost. It’ll be another hour.” He watched her yawn. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”
“Uh huh. Totally fine. I could stay up for another 8 hours if you needed me too.”
She was trying so hard to stay awake. She flipped through the channels. There had to be something on that would keep her awake. Saved by the Bell. Perfect.
He heard her breathing change. He looked back and she was sleeping. Controller still pointed at the TV like she was mid click. He watched her sleep for another 5 minutes until she woke back up. He acted like he had just turned around, like he hadn’t been watching her.
“What?” He was staring at her.
“You fell asleep.”
“What? No, I didn’t. I was watching Saved by the Bell. I can tell you what just happened.”
“Yeah, because you’ve seen this episode before.”
She was pretty sure that she hadn’t fallen asleep. She only closed her eyes for a second.
“I heard you snoring.”
“No, you didn’t!”
“Ok, I didn’t, but you were definitely sleeping.”
“I was resting my eyes.”
She sat in the chair determined to prove him wrong. She was tired, but she could wait another hour. She picked up the magazine and opened it to a random page. She read about lotions for ten minutes and then she was out again.
He looked back at her and he saw her sleeping. He got out of his chair and grabbed his comforter from his bed and put it over her. She moved a little, but she continued to sleep. He finished up his model 30 minutes later. The sun would be up soon. He knew he should lie down, but he couldn’t stop himself from watching her sleep. This was the moment that all of those feelings came back. The moment when he knew that he wanted to be with her again. To kiss her. Her eyelids opened slowly.
“Sorry. I tried to stay up.” She noticed the blanket on top of her. “Thanks,” she tugged at the comforter.
He didn’t say anything, he just looked at her. She felt her face go red. She looked down at her hands. “Did you finish?”
He finally broke his gaze. “Yeah, just a minute ago.”
She yawned. “I think I’m going to go to bed.” She stood up and placed his comforter on his bed.
He got up from his chair and he moved towards her. He was standing right in front of her.
“Jim?” she whispered like she was out of breath. She could have sworn he was going to kiss her, but it never came. Instead he wrapped her up in his arms and she hugged him back.
“Night Pam. Thanks for all of the help.”
“Yeah, sure.” As she walked out of his room saying that she was a little disappointed was a huge understatement. Was she reading the signs wrong again?
He didn’t know why he didn’t do it. He was right there. She wanted to. He just couldn’t make his body move the way he wanted it to. Stupid lack of sleep. But at least this was a step in the right direction, because now he knew what he wanted.
After Jim’s class he came home and slept. Pam came back from her final and she began packing. It was a little sad to be leaving. It was nowhere near as sad as Kelly made it sound.
“I’m going to miss you so much!”
“Yeah, I’m going to miss you too, Kelly.”
“No, I mean, who will give me advice about Ryan? You’re not going to be there and then Ryan is going to break up with me?” She dramatically threw herself down on the bed.
“I think you’ll be fine.” Pam walked up to her and extended a hand to help her up. “You can call me sometimes if you need to talk.” The keyword being sometimes. “And I’ll see you in August.”
Kelly grabbed her hand and got back up. “Can I come visit you?” She asked excitedly.
“Umm yeah. Sure. Are you sure you want to fly out just to see me though?”
Kelly hugged her. Then she went back to packing. Kelly’s flight left at midnight. She remembered a few days ago trying to explain the difference between 12AM and 12PM to Kelly.
When Kelly was done they took her stuff to mail it home. Then they had one last dinner together. The ride to the airport was short. Pam put her car in park and helped Kelly get her pink luggage out. She flashed back to first seeing that pink luggage rolling behind Kelly. Pam looked up and Kelly was already crying. She didn’t know what came over her when her eyes became watery too.
“Don’t cry Kelly.”
“I’m just going to miss you SO much!” She said through her tears.
“I know. I’ll miss your sleep talking too.”
“You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone!”
Pam laughed. Distracting Kelly from her current thoughts was an art form that Pam had mastered. She hugged Kelly.
“Call me when you get in.”
“I will.”
She watched as that pink blur mixed in with the crowd. She got back in the car and drove away. Her phone rang.
“Where are you at?”
“I’m dropping Kelly off at the airport. Did you just wake up?”
“Yeah, and I thought about you when I woke up.” Jim was trying to pick up his game. He wasn’t going to let her get away this time.
She laughed at the thought. “You’re dumb.”
“Really I did. I woke up and I found your magazine. Ten ways to please your man? I didn’t know you were that kind of girl.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“Anyways, I know you’re leaving tomorrow afternoon, so I think you should stop by so you can stock up on your Jim time.”
“And you don’t need to stock up on your Pam time?”
“I never said that.”
When she got back she just went straight up to Jim’s room. He was sitting on his bed watching TV. She crawled into bed next to him.
“What are we watching?”
“Just crap TV.”
She playfully nudged him in the rib. He smiled back at her. He put his hand around her waist and she shivered as he seemed to find the only piece of exposed flesh with his finger.
“Cold?”
“What?”
“You shivered. Are you cold?”
She didn’t think he would have felt that. “N—Yes. I dunno.”
He grabbed the blanket and covered her legs. He returned his hand to her waist and quickly found that bare piece of skin again. He moved his finger across it and she shivered again. He laughed.
“You’re doing that on purpose.”
“Doing what?” He did it again and she shivered again.
She hit him in the shoulder with her hand. He grabbed her hand and he moved her with the other one on her waist till she was sitting in his lap. He took a minute to just look at her. To commit this to memory.
“Just do it already!”
“Jeez Pam. Thanks for ruining the moment.” He laughed and he moved closer till his lips just barely grazed hers. He could feel her breath on his lips.
She couldn’t take all of this teasing. She moved her head back and he pulled her back and their lips finally touched. His finger tips pressed into her back and she let out a small gasp. She wasn’t sure where to put her hands at. Then she scolded herself for thinking about her hands when Jim was kissing her.
Someone cleared their throat. It wasn’t Jim and it wasn’t Pam. She really didn’t want to break this kiss, but she knew someone was standing in the doorway and curiosity got the better of her. Jim reluctantly let her pull away. He could see Dwight standing in the doorway before he cleared his throat.
“Hey Dwight,” Jim said calmly.
“Jim. I would suggest that you close your door before you fornicate in front of the whole floor.”
Angela moved into view and gave Pam a disappointed look.
Pam couldn’t help herself. “What are you guys doing up so late... together?”
She saw that disappointment quickly turn into nervousness.
“Dwight was helping me, uh, he was lending me a screwdriver. Not that it’s any of your business.” She was flustered now.
“Have fun with that.” Pam smiled. She felt Jim’s hands tighten at her sides and she tried not to laugh.
“Dwight, could you get that door. Thanks buddy.”
Dwight closed the door and Jim could already imagine the conversation that was being had between Angela and Dwight.
“Where were we?” He pulled her closer again and kissed her. He wasn’t going to let Dwight ruin this moment.
.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this took so long to get up. I promise it was worth the wait though, I think.
Chapter End Notes:
I probably won't be able to put up another chapter today, but I'm shooting for 2 on monday. Thanks again for all of the reviews. Next chapter Pam returns home.
