Chapter 8: Adorable
This one is super short, but I wanted get it out here the way it is. Hopefully the next chapter won't give me too many problems and I can get it out soon. Thank you to those who are reviewing! It helps so much when I get reviews that have criticisms in them. Seriously, I love them. They help me to know what you would like to see and I really do try to fix problems. This chapter is dedicated to Cousin Mose (hopefully I didn't just dedicate a crappy one to you!) for all of the help with this monster.
Adorable
def'n: charming, lovable, and usually very pretty
Spending time apart was difficult for Jim and Pam, but they made the most of it. They held up their phone lines every night, talking to the other. Feeling the space would be too much, however, they constantly "bumped into each other"-three times that week.
Tuesday night they both did their grocery shopping. Walking the aisles of the local supermarket seemed terribly natural. Neither felt out of place talking and laughing as they bought their items. It was as if they had been shopping together for years.
Friday night they both happened to feel like a drink, ending up at Poor Richards. Jim sat at the bar when she arrived. She approached him as if she were surprised that he was there. They found a booth and ended up talking for hours. They were lucky that no one from work came into the bar that night, but neither would have cared very much.
Saturday afternoon they ran into each other at Starbucks. Pam had ordered a tea and was sketching when he knocked on the window she was sitting by. She smiled as he entered the coffee shop. He ordered his drink and sat across from her. She showed him her drawing of the people sitting on the bench across the street from them. He complimented her on her artwork and she shrugged it off as "not that good." Though they were in public, he couldn't help but reach across the table and take her hand in his, kissing the back of it gently. He told her to never put herself down, that she was very talented and that she needed to believe that.
They started spending more time together after everything seemed to calm down at work. Pam had broken up with her fake boyfriend-not that there was anything wrong with him, but he had to go. Jim would come over once or twice a week and Pam would go over to place a couple other nights. They would watch TV late into the night, cuddling on the couch. It was all strangely comfortable.
A month passed of their comfortable evenings and strategic meetings when Jim decided he needed to make a move in a new direction when it came to their relationship. He approached her in the break room. She was sitting with Phyllis and Oscar, eating her yogurt quietly.
"Well, hello Jim," Phyllis said gently.
"Hey there Phyllis, how are you?"
"Good, Jim, good."
"That's good. Hey, um, Pam, can I talk to you?"
She looked up at him, spoon to her lips. His hands were in his pockets and he shifted his weight slightly as he waited for her reply. She placed the spoon back in the yogurt canister and nodded up to him. She stood and smoothed her skirt before following him to the other side of the room.
"What's up?"
"Um," he seemed quite nervous, which was strange. "I was wondering if you had any plans Friday night."
"Um," she glanced towards Phyllis and Oscar who were both watching them intently. "Not yet, why?"
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner."
"Like a date?" It should have been totally natural since they had had dinner every Friday for the last five weeks, but this was different. Jim was actually asking her out. At work. In front of people. It was like an official date proposal.
"Yeah. I mean, it doesn't have to be anything serious. If you wanted, it doesn't have to even be a date. It could just be us, friends, meeting for a casual dinner."
She smiled up at him gently. "I'd love to go on a date with you."
His eyes shot up from the spot he was boring into the floor. "Really?" As if she was going to say no, he sounded shocked.
"Of course."
"Cool. Um, we could go right after work Friday if that works for you."
"That would be fine."
They stood there smiling at each other for a few minutes. Phyllis clearing her throat pulled them from their moment and caused them both to laugh uncomfortably. Jim nodded slightly and headed back to his desk, while Pam went back to eat her lunch, refusing to acknowledge the fact that Phyllis and Oscar were both looking at her, smiling like Cheshire cats.
By Sunday, Kelly had called Pam thirteen times to find out how the date went. The one time Pam had actually answered the phone, Jim had to stifle his laughter. She held the phone at arm's length and could still hear Kelly's high pitched squeals. By agreeing that the date had been "awesome" and by promising to divulge all the special details, Pam was off the hook till Kelly and Ryan walked through the door Monday morning.
Adorable
def'n: Jim asking Pam out on an official date
Please review and let me know what you think. I hope to get out another couple chapters during Spring Break this week, but I can't guarantee anything. Promise I'll try!
