.
Pam followed Jim through the building. They passed a large sectional couch where 3 people were taking naps. The building was kind of a mess. There were large pieces of wood and foam discarded against the walls. Sometimes they would pass what looked like a completed model that someone had given up on. They passed through rows of workspaces. The people still at work would look up at her, like they knew she wasn’t one of them. It was like they could smell sleep deprivation. Then they stopped and she immediately knew which space was his. His computer was on the floor. There was an opened bag of chips lying next to a bag of shredded cheese; Jim’s sad attempt at nachos. There was the model. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was amazingly good.
“Here it is.” He shoved his hands in his pockets; nervous that she would began critiquing it.
“It’s really good.” She lowered her face to the table and began walking around it. She loved the little detail that he put into everything.
“You don’t know what is though.”
“Nope, but I’m sure it’s doing an amazing job being whatever it’s supposed to be.”
“It’s a resort.”
“Oh, well it’s a very nice resort.”
“Here, let me show you.” He pulled out some papers and began showing her his idea. He was so passionate when he talked about it. She liked that he didn’t censor himself while talking about architecture. He talked to her like she was one of his classmates. It was different for her. Roy always talked down to her when he was explaining car related things. This was refreshing. He would look up at her to make sure she was still listening, and she was. She was hanging on his every word.
“This is really impressive, Jim.”
“Thank you.” He put his papers back in his folder. “You can sit there.” He pointed to the workspace next to his.
“Is it okay? Is someone going to come back and be pissed that I’m in their spot?”
“It’s fine. The guy who sits there is a freak of nature and always finishes his stuff early.”
She pulls out all of her notes and then her book. She sits down on the stool and goes to work immediately. He’s sitting next to her, but he isn’t working. He’s just watching her study.
“What?” She doesn’t look up. She doesn’t have to. She can feel his eyes on her.
“Nothing, I just really missed hanging out with you.” She smiles, but still doesn’t look up. She’s afraid that she’ll melt if she looks into his eyes. “So catch me up. What’s going on with Michael?”
“Oh my God. You’re not going to believe this one. It might not be true, but I think Michael and Jan are dating.”
“Jan? Like Assistant Director of Housing Jan?”
She nods her head.
“What? How is that even... what?”
“Michael came into the office today and mentioned something about dating someone. He said it was top secret. Then Jan comes in later and when she gets on the elevator she takes it up to the fifth floor instead of the basement.”
“I dunno, maybe she was just going to go talk to him in his room.”
“How many times have you seen Jan walking through the hallway? How many times have you seen Stanley walk through the hallway?”
He isn’t buying it. “I think you’re just looking for trouble.”
“OK. It’ll come out eventually. We both know that Michael can’t keep a secret, not even a top-secret secret.”
She thought about telling him about Angela and Dwight, but figured she would need more evidence for that one.
“Looking forward to break?”
“Yes and no.”
“Are you just going to spend the whole month with your boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend?”
This was the first time he had brought up her boyfriend. She never talked about him, which he thought was weird.
“Yeah, that Roy guy.” He knew it was creepy that he remembered that name after all of these months.
“Oh, Roy’s not my boyfriend.”
If Jim could kick himself in front of her he would have.
“He’s not?”
“No. We broke up last February.”
This was worse than he thought. Before he thought he was pining over a girl with a boyfriend. Now he was pining over a girl who still hadn’t moved on from someone she dated almost a year ago. How could he follow that?
“Why do you still have the picture then?” He tried his hardest to make that sound as nonjudgmental as he could.
“I’m not really sure anymore. I guess it’s more of a reminder now.” She wasn’t really sure of what it was a reminder for. She hoped that he didn’t ask. “The story of Roy... that is a tricky one.” She twirled her pen in her hand a few times before slamming it on the table.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to force her to recount bad memories.
“Roy and I began dating junior year of high school, well my junior year anyways, he was a senior. I thought it was so cool that a senior was interested in me. I was kind of a nerd, if you couldn’t tell.”
“You? No?”
She rolled her eyes and continued. “Things were pretty casual that first year. We didn’t do the whole “I love you thing” until that summer.” But senior year is when I really thought it was going to last forever. That he was the one.”
Jim’s heart dropped into his stomach. What kind of idiot wouldn’t want to be the one for her?
“Then a few months before graduation he enlists in the army. I was so mad at him. He had only mentioned doing it. We never sat down and discussed what it would mean if he actually did. Then of course he got his orders and he was going to be shipped out in December. So I put off school to stay in Scranton.”
He could hear the smallest amount of anger behind her voice.
“I was supposed to come here last year. I had it all set, but I waited for him at home instead. I spent most of my free time with his parents. Then one day he calls and he says he can’t do it anymore. He told me to move on without him. He was trying to be noble, I guess. I figured that I would wait it out and he would get over his selfless gesture, but he didn’t. He never asked about me. Slowly but surely I got over it and with a little pushing I left.”
That last part was a lie. It wasn’t until recently that she began to get over him.
“Well I’m glad you came.”
“Me too. Best break up I’ve ever had. It changed my life.” She smiled at him and he thought it was the best break up too. But now he really wanted to kick himself. All of these months she was free and he never once made a move.
They both went back to work. She would steal glances every once in awhile. He was so cute when he worked. He was such a perfectionist. For the past hour he had been cutting small pieces of wood and then trying to glue them with the same amount of distance between each piece. She watched him as he measured and remeasured the distance.
He caught her off guard when he spoke. She thought he caught her staring at his hands. “I don’t know if I can survive a whole month without you.”
She did not expect that. What do you say to that? “Me neither.”
They looked at each other and smiled, then went back to work.
The sun had gone down by the time she got all of the dates down. She looked out the window and she loved how the moon made the snow on the field sparkle. She felt him standing behind her. He put his hands on her shoulder and gently moved his thumbs over the back of her neck. He knew he was pushing the envelope, but he felt like he got the green light when she agreed that this next month wouldn’t be the same. When she didn’t push him off he kept going. Why did this break have to be now? Just when things were getting good. She stayed with him a little longer that night. Just watching him work. She began to yawn at about midnight. She didn’t want to, but she knew she had to leave.
“I think I’m going to head out. Get some sleep.”
“I’ll walk you back.” He was already standing up and getting his jacket.
“That’s okay, you don’t have to. You should probably stay and finish.”
“I could use the fresh air. Plus I was thinking that I might take a nap.”
“Well if you put it that way.”
She grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder. The wind was cold and she thought she was going to freeze to death before they made it back. They had only walked a few feet from the door when he grabbed her hand in his. His hand was surprisingly warm. Within a matter of seconds she didn’t feel so cold. His mind was racing with thoughts.
‘Should I make my move now? Should I wait till we get back from break? Could I really handle not seeing her for the first month that we were together?’ That one was the deal breaker because as corny as it sounded he had planned it all out in his head. He knew where they would go on their first. They wouldn’t drive; they would walk just so he could spend that much longer with her. He would walk her back up to her room and kiss her long and hard.
When they reached one of the side doors he opened it for her, but he didn’t go in. She turned around and gave him a look.
“You aren’t going to take a nap, are you?”
“Nope, I just really wanted to walk you home.”
The next few days were extremely busy. He didn’t realize that RAs were so busy during this last week. He had to check all of the rooms on his floor with Dwight and make sure they unplugged all of their things. The only entertaining moment during the whole ordeal was watching Dwight walk around the rooms with his eyes closed because he had indeed memorized all of the rooms. He only saw Pam once. She had stopped by his room before she left.
His door was open so she only lightly tapped on the door.
“Long time no see. You getting ready to leave?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to say bye.”
He got up from his chair and he pulled her into a hug. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. She let go and he was completely stunned by this. He couldn’t move.
“See you in a month.”
“Yeah,” was all he could manage.
He sat back down on his computer chair and instant message window popped up.
KittyKaty: Let’s hang out tonight.
‘Damn it. Katy.’ He forgot about Katy.
.
Author's Chapter Notes:
lots of Jam-y goodness for you.
Chapter End Notes:
No studio sex... yet. Sorry deerinthepark.
