I know I should probably be focusing on Business Ethics, but I'm not in a comedy kind of mood right now. I promise, Chapter 3 will be up by Friday, but this idea hit me a few days ago and you all know how I can get when an idea hits me…I have to get it out…
This may be just a teaser for a future story, but the rest will come eventually.
I do not own The Office, but if I did, Michael would not be going to Jan's stupid Lamaze classes, and Jim and Pam would be engaged already.
Pam sat on the park bench, thinking. It was as if her whole life had led up to this moment. Taking the job at Dunder Mifflin, breaking up with Roy, that pathetic speech she made while her feet simmered at Scranton beach, even that little note she left for Jim when she thought she'd never see him again…She had never actually thought it could end up this well, even if she had secretly hoped it ever since he told her that her mixed Berry yogurt had expired. But here they were, sitting on the park bench, not needing to say a word.
She inched closer to Jim. This was much, much more that just a simple conquest, even if she felt some satisfaction on that level. After all of the setbacks, here they were. Everything was working out. Even though she would be leaving soon, she knew that Jim would always be there.
Jim turned slowly to face her. "Hey…"
God, she loved that voice. There was something about that voice that was just so…uplifting. She couldn't describe it. She turned to him.
"Hey…" she said back to him, slowly, sweetly, trying to make it seem like she had been lost in thought and he had woken her up from it and brought her back to this moment. She had been lost in thought, but her mind had been in the moment the whole time.
"So, I was wondering…"
"Yes?" She said, trying to control the excitement that had suddenly bubbled up in her stomach. She had been waiting for this for what seemed like forever. She thought it was coming at Toby's going away party, but, unfortunately, the moment slipped away.
"You know how I hate making a jackass out of myself…"
"Oh, Jim, you never make a jackass out of yourself. You make a jackass out of Dwight."
"Right, right…" She loved how he never rejected what she said. "Anyway, just wondering…"
"Yeah…?"
"If I asked you to marry me, would you say yes?" Oh my God. This was it.
Quick, Pam, think of something funny to say. Wait, no, you have to say yes! Say yes, make it funny, and don't look like an idiot! How did people in movies make up snappy responses so fast? It just made no sense.
"Well…"
"Well?"
"Well, if it was right after a candlelit dinner or…" she looked around, "On a park bench, watching the sunset, then I'd probably say yes, but…"
"But?"
"But if, say, I woke up tied down in your car and you explained how you had axe-murdered someone in a drunken rampage and that we were escaping to Canada and that, while we're there, we may as well get married, I'd have to turn you down…"
"Damn," said Jim. "There goes that plan." Pam laughed. Good ol' Jim always knew the right thing to say.
"Anyway," said Jim, "I guess that begs the question…"
"Yes?" Oh my God, this was it. Pam braced herself.
"Will you…will you hold my spot on the bench, because I really need to use the bathroom."
Not always.
Pam was furious, and even though she knew it was stupid, she knew exactly why.
"Why do you always do that?" Jim's smile faded. She could tell that he sensed her anger.
"Pam, I'm sorry, I…"
"You what?" She couldn't stop herself now. She felt the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew she was overreacting, yet, somehow, she didn't feel like she was.
Jim's silence bothered her. "Are you even going to propose, ever? Or do you just like leading me on?"
Jim looked at her blankly, as if he was stunned. "Of course, I'm going to, it's just…"
"Just what, Jim?" he didn't respond. She stood up. She was too furious to say anything more. She turned on her heel and ran out of the park, into the newly dark night.
"Pam, wait!" Jim called out to her, but it was too late. She was gone. He looked down at his pant leg, and reached into his pocket. Even though he knew she couldn't possibly see it, he pulled out the little black box.
"I really was going to…" He stopped, realizing he was talking to himself. He put the ring back in his pocket, stood up, and walked home, his hand in his pocket gripping the box the whole time.
Mucho Much more angsty than what I'm used to writing…Please review! More chapters coming later in the Summer! (After I finish Business Ethics. And, of course, after I get out of school. It's just not fair, keeping us in this long!)
