Jim

“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”  I look at David Wallace and try to imagine myself in my office talking to the CFO every single day, working harder than I did on any of my pranks on Dwight.  I try to imagine it.  But I can’t.  All I can see is teaching a young little girl with curly red hair how to ride a bike.  All I can see is shooting hoops with a young boy who has shaggy brown hair, and has those beautiful gleaming green eyes of her.  All I can see is Pam.  I see her courageous speech on Beach Day, and how I wanted to kiss her senseless after it.  All I can see is the girl I can’t stop loving, so why try?  So I look David squarely in the eye and say, “Scranton.”  The CFO leans forward with a confused look.  He opens his mouth to say something, but I interrupt him.  “I’m sorry for wasting your time David.  My future is in Scranton.”  I stand up to shake his hand.  He shakes it firmly and says, “No problem Jim, let me know if your mind changes at some point.  I would love to work with you here.”  I just smile and walk out.  As I pass the reception desk, I hear, “Dunder Mifflin this is Grace.”  I grin and pull out the crinkled yogurt lid.  Looking at it, I mutter “I’m coming  home Pam.”

Pam

As I look at Michael forcing Dwight to repaint his office, I begin to feel the all too familiar feeling.  I wish Jim were here.  But I know it will never be the same.  I lost my chance.  For the rest of my life I will sleep alone and cry in the shower because of an idiotic nod.  For the rest of my life I will try to date, but just hopelessly compare it to Jim.  But Jim on the other hand, will live life with an amazing job and gorgeous girlfriend.  But what did I expect?  How can I compete with Karen?  I still don’t get it.  Why me?  What did Jim see in me, at least attractiveness wise?  I’m just a mousy receptionist who wears cardigans and sweaters.  I’m not surprised he forgot about me when he saw the exotic sexy looking coworker of his.  But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.  I am shaken from my thoughts when Dave, one of the cameramen walks up to my desk.  “Hey can we get a talking head real quick before the day ends?”  I nod and follow him into the conference room.

Jim

“Hey you!  How did the interview go?”  I grimace listening to Karen’s joyous and unsuspecting voice.  “It went okay, hey can we meet up?”  Karen pauses for a moment.  She then answers with hesitation, “Uh, yeah there’s a fountain near my restaurant, let’s meet there.”  I answer with a quick response, “Kay, see you there.”  I snap the phone shut and hail down a cab.  As the cab drives to the fountain, I am lost in my thoughts.  What am I gonna say?  Do I give Karen a ride home?  What about Pam?  Do I ask her out?  Do I kiss her in front of everybody?  My thoughts are abruptly stopped when the cab driver gruffly tells me to get out of the car.  I nod and step out of the cab to look for the fountain.”  After a bit of crowd weaving and searching, I spot it.  It is spitting out water onto the ground beneath it.  I look for my girlfriend.  I spot Karen.  She is dressed in her attire from earlier in the morning.  Those uptight black pants and the sport coat that will never trump a cardigan.  I walk over, ambling even, dreading what is to come.  She spots me and jogs over to me.  “Hey!”  She leans up to kiss me and I stiffen and swerve to give her a meager kiss on the cheek.  She scowls and asks, “What is it?”  I look down in shame.  I try to study the pavement, the pattern of the stones.  Really studying anything other than those piercing eyes that are shooting daggers into my head right now.  “I, uh, need to go back to Scranton.  I withdrew from consideration.”  “You did what?!  Dammit Jim!  This is about her.  That mousy little receptionist.  She isn’t even pretty!”  I grind my teeth together in order for me to not defend Pam’s honor.  It’s not the time or place for that.  “I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have brought you into this mess”, I mutter.  Karen gave a heartless laugh.  I dare to look up.  I instantly regret it.  Her eyes are full of betrayal and hatred.  “Sorry?  I changed my entire life for you.  My parents tried to tell me no.  They said that I barely knew you.  And goddammit they’re right.  I don’t know you.  I thought you were an ambitious handsome looking guy with a good sense of humor.  But really you are just an immature dude who has zero ambition!  None.  All you care about is pranking Dwight and thinking about a girl who wears cardigans.  Cardigans!  Like how is that attractive?”  I look up at her and stare her down.  She stops her rant and looks at me with a look full of hatred.  “Karen I’m truly sorry.  You knew the Jim who was desperately trying to move on, not the real Jim.  And for that I’m truly sorry”, I mumble.  She scoffs.  “Well I don’t want to know the Real Jim.  Just go back to Scranton.”  I sigh.  I am truly sorry about Karen.  I care for her.  I do have feelings for her.  If the merger hadn’t happened, we could have maybe lasted.  But the merger did happen and right now I’m happy it did.  I turn around to the bustling streets of New York City and walk away from the past 6 months to ask out my future to a date.

Pam

I sigh in frustration.  The camera crew asks me one last time for my thoughts on who got the corporate job.  I know they only care about Jim, so I don’t waste my time on any other candidates and go straight to Jim.  “I haven’t heard anything, but I bet Jim got the job.  I mean why wouldn’t he?  He’s totally qualified, and smart, everyone loves him…and if he never comes back again?  That’s okay.  We’re friends.  And I’m sure we’ll stay friends.  As the words come out of my mouth I know I just lied.  Jim will move to a fancy new apartment that will actually have 3 kitchens, live life to the fullest with an amazing job, and of course be able to kiss and hold Karen anytime he wants.  As I think of that image, I feel tears stinging my eyelids.  I don’t want to cry in front of the camera, so I try to finish the interview quickly.  “We just never got the timing right. You know?  I shot him down and he did the same to me.  But you know what?  It’s okay.  I’m totally fine.  Everything is gonna be totally-”  I am interrupted but the creaking of the conference room door opening.  I turn along with the rest of the camera crew to see Jim. I hardly believe my eyes.  I must be hallucinating.  God, he’s so handsome.  And sexy.  That new haircut makes him look very sexy.  I hear my name spoken by his low gravelly voice that I love, so I force myself to pay attention.  “Um, are you free for dinner tonight?”  It has if time itself had stopped.  It is as if the world had ceased to exist, and it was only Jim’s questioning stare and me.  No conference room.  No camera crew.  And certainly no Dwight Schrute and Michael Scott.  A thousand questions come into my head.  But before they burst out of my beating heart that he can certainly hear, I respond with a “yes”.  He gives me a soft smile, the one that she hadn’t seen since before his transfer, and he drums his fingers against the doorframe.  “Alright, then it’s a date.”  He closes the door and I turn back to the camera biting my lip.  I am practically drawing blood from biting it so hard, trying to tame my emotions.  My utter shock, joy, and excitement.  I realize I’m still in the middle of a talking head, so I look up and ask, “I’m sorry what was the question?”

Jim

My heart is practically bursting with joy.  I can’t believe it.  I am going on a date with Pam Beesly!  I may even give her a kiss on her doorstep.  The impact of this moment hits me so I realize I need a distraction from these nervous jitters.  I desperately try to play some Free Cell at my desk, but no avail.  Once I give up trying to distract myself I hear the conference room door opening.  I turn my head around to see the camera crew walking out.  I am surprised to not see Pam.  I stand up and walk over to the conference room.  I lean towards the window looking in and see Pam’s back to me.  I see her chuckling and mumbling to herself.  I laugh.  God, that girl is adorable.  I shake my head in amusement and walk to the restroom.  I splash some water in my face at the sink and look in the mirror.  I don’t like what I see.  A fancy new sport coat?  A long sleeved shirt that isn’t rolled up?  A weird and strange haircut?  This isn’t me.  But I can change that today.  And I will.  I take a deep breath and walk out of the bathroom to go back to my desk.  I spot Pam on the phone.  She’s only wearing one of her normal cardigans, but I don’t think I have seen her more beautiful.  But I’m more focused on what she is saying on the phone.  “Yes, yes, I’ll transfer you”, she giggles.  I grin and walk up to the reception desk and lean on it like I haven’t done in far too long.  I tease her like I haven’t done in a while, “What’s got you so giggly Beesly?”  She laughs.  It isn’t any laugh.  It’s the one where her tongue pokes out between her teeth.  The one I love.  I am so damn in love with this girl.  “A super hot guy just asked me out.”  I smirk and decide to play along just like how we used to.  “Hmm, you’ll have to tell me about this date tomorrow.”  Pam grins.  I pop a jellybean in my mouth, and in between chews I say, “So Beesly, do you think he’s a keeper?”  Any traces of a smile were wiped of her face in an instant.  I begin to think I went too far with the teasing.  I mentally kick myself.  Dammit Jim.  Why did you go there.  You just asked her out.  Why are you asking those kinds of questions?  I am so so stupid.  I open my mouth to backtrack, but she looks at me dead in the eye with an intense stare.  She says in a low voice, “I know he is.”  I give her a soft smile and point at her.  “6:30 Beesly, stay sharp.”  A wide smile spreads across her face and I laugh at her adorable little grin.  God, I’m in love.