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Paper Rings
chapter twenty six
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"I AM THINKING OF RENTING A MOVIE AND STAYING IN TONIGHT," Evelyn announced as she entered the conference room. Hurriedly, Pam fumbled with the remote to pause the tape she was watching. A frown buried itself between her brows. "What?" she asked, dropping the remote into her lap. "You can't do that."
Evelyn plopped in one of the empty chairs, a snort shooting from her nose. "The Dundies are lame," she whispered. She could never be too careful when insulting one of Michael's favorite things. He could hear, or worse: Dwight could. Pam shrugged lazily, a pout falling upon her lips. "Not when you've got me... and Jim. Think about your friends, Evie."
"I am," she argued. The brunette leaned against the table, her chin resting in her palms. "You two are invited. You can even bring Roy for all I care." Pam felt her heart pick up speed. Her eyes flickered from Evelyn sitting before her to a very oblivious Jim twisting in his chair.
"What about your roommate?" the redhead asked, her voice low. Evelyn waved her off with a dismissive hand. "She's got herself a date. Which means I get the apartment all to myself tonight."
Pam fought back a grimace. Her well thought out plan was slowly shrinking away. "It's Chili's," she mumbled, pouting. Evelyn watched in silence, eyes narrowed. "And it could be fun. Maybe you'll get an even better award than—"
"Not helping your case," the brunette stated, her hands falling to the table with a slap. Her fingers drummed over the surface before she sighed. "I don't know, Pammy. Last year was such a bore and all he did was joke about your engagement and my sweater collection."
"And Dwight's nerdy trivia," Pam added. She sat back in her chair and thought. It didn't really make sense for either of them to attend. Michael loved to torture his employees though he wasn't completely aware of it being torture. Pam had thought he could be a Russian spy once, but he's not strong enough for that job.
"You're weighing pros and cons," Evelyn stated matter-of-factly with a triumphant smile. The redhead flushed. Her shoulders lifted in a half shrug. "What about Jim?" she asked. "I think he's actually looking forward to the train wreck that is the Dundies."
Evelyn sat back and glanced over her shoulder. Jim had a pencil between his top lip and nose, scouting the area. His eyes moved over everyone present until they met hers. His lips un-pursed, the pencil dropping to his lap. Color tainted his cheeks and the tips of his ears.
She couldn't help but beam at the boy, lifting her fingers in a half wave. He nodded, hair flopping out of his face for a moment. Before she could beckon him forward, the door leading to the break room clambered open. Out stepped Dwight, looking disheveled.
"Excuse me, everyone. Can I have your attention?" his voice boomed. Evelyn turned back to Pam curiously. The redhead only shrugged. No one seemed to want to give him the time of day, however he didn't seem to care. "I just wanted to say that the women in this office are terrible."
Her brows pulled together in confusion. "Especially the ones who wrote that stuff about Michael on the bathroom wall. Having a bathroom is a privilege. It is called a ladies' room for a reason. And if you cannot behave like ladies, well then, you are not going to have a bathroom."
Evelyn scoffed. "He can't do that," she whispered to Pam. The redhead set her things back onto the table and approached the door. Her arms crossed over her chest. "You're taking away our bathroom?" she asked Dwight, her tone sharp and disbelieving.
Dwight ignored her, only raising his voice over hers. "We are going to have two men's rooms." Evelyn got to her feet and stepped up behind Pam, palm pressing to the doorframe. Pam was nestled between the two comfortably. "But where would we... go?" Phyllis asked.
"Be prepared to hold it, folks," Dwight announced just as Michael stepped out of his office. The older gentleman looked confused. "Okay, okay."
"From nine AM to —"
Michael stepped before the bespectacled man, cutting his speech off. Pam was quick to speak up about the injustice being performed. "Michael, Dwight is banning us from our bathroom," she said.
"Okay, well, that's ridiculous," Michael stated. "So, just don't– I don't have time for this right now."
"There needs to be repercussions for people's behavior," Dwight argued. Evelyn scoffed. "What about your behavior?" she fired back. Dwight's angered stare settled on the brunette. With a sigh, Michael shushed the two. "Stop talking," he demanded, but Dwight wasn't finished.
"You defaced company policy," Dwight said with an accusatory finger. "You have no proof," she argued. "Unless you're snooping around in the women's bathroom."
"Stop it!" Michael shouted. Pam felt Evelyn flinch beside her, her mouth dropping in surprise. "Stop it!" The man scratched right above his brow, a heavy sigh shooting out his nose. He turned back to the majority of his employees, face reddened. "Look, I know there have been a lot of rumors flying around about the Dundies this year. How there is no money and how there is no food, and how the jokes are really bad."
Evelyn and Pam shared a similar look of confusion. "But, what the hell, everybody? I mean– God, the Dundies are about the best in every one of us. Can't you see that?" he asked. Evelyn was suddenly feeling bad about deciding to ditch. "Okay. We can do better. So tonight, for the first time, we are inviting all of your friends and family to attend the awards with us."
Everyone seemed to be taking the news rather well. Spouses could now attend. No one would dare bring their children with Michael as the MC. But sisters, brothers, cousins — the more the merrier! Except Evelyn didn't have anyone to bring.
"Not bad, right?" Michael asked, appeased by the smiles being shared amongst his employees. "So let's make this the best Dundies ever." Dwight applauded their boss, repeating his final statement with less enthusiasm. A heavy sigh left Evelyn's lips. "Best Dundies ever," she muttered, turning back toward the conference room table.
Pam's eyes followed the brunette as she stalked back to the chair she previously occupied and plopped down in it. "Cheer up," she told the brunette, stepping carefully around her long limbs. "It's the Dundies. Our very own Oscars."
"We already have an Oscar," Evelyn whined. She knew that this guilt would eat her alive all night. She'd be curled up in her bed before she knew it, mind hazy from alcohol. "Damn it," she whispered, letting the back of her head meet the back of her chair. Pam grabbed her hands, a warm smile present on her face.
"Be my date," she asked, though it didn't sound like Evelyn had much of a choice. She picked up her head reluctantly. "As long as you're buying," she joked. The redhead's smile broadened. A light giggle floated past her lips. "Deal."
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PAM
Step one is complete. Next step is on its way.
[ PAM BEAMS AT THE CAMERA, AN EXCITED GLEAM IN HER EYES. ]
PAM
I think I'm getting good at this.
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Evelyn felt overdressed in her pale purple sweater dress. Her hair was down and around her shoulders. A tan coat sat on her shoulders to shield her from the cold.
She entered Chili's with a shy smile. Ryan was the first to greet her. One of his arms circled her waist and brought her into a side hug. "You look great," he complimented the brunette with a wide smile. She thanked him gently, nervous hands moving her wavy locks away from her face.
"Am I late?" she asked despite the lack of Michael's voice in the air. The blue eyed man shook his head. "They're still setting up," he told her. She nodded her head. She could see several of her co-workers. Meredith, Dwight, Stanley, and Kevin. She stood on her tiptoes, shoulder brushing Ryan's to peek into the room more.
He exhaled a laugh, the palm of his hand pressing into the middle of her back. "Sorry," she apologized with an embarrassed grin. He waved off her apology with another soft laugh. "Looking for someone?"
Her head bounced in a nod, glasses slipping ever so slightly down the bridge of her nose. "Is Pam here?" Ryan turned, pointing toward a small table. Sure enough, she could spot Roy's bulky body. Her smile faltered, but she ignored the irritation seeing him brought upon her. "Thanks, Ryan."
She didn't give him any time to respond. She was already moving toward them, taking off her coat. Pam turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, a smile brighter than the sun falling on her face upon seeing the brunette. "Hey!" she cheered, waving her over.
The two women embraced like they hadn't seen the other earlier that day. Pam combed her fingers through Evelyn's hair with a smile. "You look amazing!" she exclaimed. "Your hair shines."
"Hey," Roy greeted the girl, nodding his head. She offered him an awkward smile. "Where's your boyfriend?" he asked. Pam was quick to kick his shin under the table, dangerous eyes slitted in a threat. "My boyfriend?" Evelyn echoed, brows furrowed. Roy glanced toward Pam, brows raised. "Is she not dating Halpert?"
Pam almost choked on the drink she had turned to, chugging down the blue liquid. Evelyn snorted. "No, I'm not dating Jim. What gave you that impression?"
"Seriously?" he asked. "You guys are always together when I see you."
"Roy," Pam warned her fiancé. If looks could kill, he'd already be six feet under. Evelyn stared at the big man, her arms coming to cross over her chest. "He's my friend," she stated.
He couldn't fight back his snort. "Yeah," he agreed sarcastically, "friend." Evelyn's mouth began to open when Dwight began tapping two plates together. "Welcome to the eighth annual Dundies awards," he shouted over the overlapping voices in Chili's. "Before we get started, a few announcements."
"Men and women can be close and be just friends," Evelyn stated. Roy's eyes met hers once again. "Keep your acceptance speeches short," Dwight continued. "I have wrap-it-up music, and I'm not afraid to use it, Devon."
"No they can't," Roy argued. "That's like the rule of life. We're animals. We're made to bone." Pam and Evelyn both made faces of disgust. Music began to play, cutting off their conversation. Michael came bouncing in, gray sweatshirt and hood covering his James Bond-esque suit.
Evelyn ignored the chaos that Michael was initiating in favor of looking for her friend. If she had to sit and endure Roy, surely Jim should have as well. Her eyes moved over several heads, behind her and to her right before she spotted him. He was sitting with Toby, conversing.
"The Dundies," Michael began to rap. "How can I explain it? Awards you and I created. I'm glad that you all made it. You never have to work so I don't hear no noises."
Ryan sat before a table with gigantic cue cards. Evelyn covered her mouth to muffle her laughter. "You're just a name, a number and no one even says hello. Card," Michael hissed. "Come on."
Evelyn glanced toward Pam, eyes crinkled and beaming with amusement. Michael bounced on his feet, swaying from side to side. "Down with our Dundies. Get down with our... Dundies."
The music stopped abruptly. Michael spun around to see an exasperated Dwight holding the cord. "The waitress tripped on the cord," he explained.
"I agree with you," Pam said, "but maybe Roy is right with this one." Curiously, Evelyn turned toward the redhead. "In what sense? That we're all made to bone or?"
A snicker left the brutish man as he took a drink from his glass. Evelyn didn't care enough to fight back the roll of her eyes. Pam sighed. "No, that you two can't be friends." Confusion surfaced on the brunette's features. "You can't sit here and say that you've never thought about it."
"That was years ago!" Evelyn whispered, her tone harsh. "Besides, it was a crush. A school girl crush." Roy's brows bounced in surprise. He hadn't known that detail before. It was nice to know now. "You liked him," Pam argued, leaning toward her friend. "You liked him so much that you decided to bury those feelings inside to keep your friendship safe."
Evelyn frowned. She hated when Pam pried. "I need a drink," she muttered. Michael, having spotted Kevin with a giant margarita, was quick to remind the employees of their lack of money. "Nope, actually, this year, no group tab. We're gonna be doing separate checks."
That moment, Evelyn caught Jim's eyes. He smiled at her, giving her a thumbs up. She could only assume it was for her outfit. It was the only thing anyone else complimented her on. Discomfort filled the small space with Michael's words. "You said we could bring our families," Stanley reminded their boss.
She waved Jim over. There was one more chair and she desperately needed it filled. His nose scrunched up. "I did," Michael replied, "and why didn't ya, Stanley?"
"I did and my wife's name is Terri." Both Jim and Evelyn turned in unison to spy on the couple. A beautiful woman with dark hair sat across from Stanley. "Well, I am looking forward to meeting Terri."
"It's this person whose hand I'm holding, Michael." There was a pause of silence. Evelyn turned back to her table, Roy and Pam whispering. She glanced over Roy's shoulder to meet Jim's eyes again. It was then that Dwight pressed a button on his soundboard, a deep voice saying "oh yeah" filling the space.
'Please,' she mouthed, locking her hands together before her in a pleading manner. Jim wanted to tease her more. He wanted to shake his head, shrug his shoulders, or give her his signature look. But he never could deny her with those eyes. With a glance around him, he got to his feet, grabbed his soda, and made his way over.
"Speaking of relationships of all– all waves, shapes, and forms, um, I was out on a very, very hot date last night with a girl from H.R, Dwight."
"Hey," she exhaled, reaching happily for Jim. He sat next to her, fingers enclosing around her hand. "Hey," he replied, just as happy to see her. "You look stunning. Really."
"We don't have any girls from H.R," Dwight reminded Michael. Jim moved his chair closer to the table, inevitably a bit closer to Evelyn's. Pam, hidden behind her hand, smiled triumphantly. "F–For the sake of the story. And things were getting hot and heavy. And I was about to take her bra off, when she had me fill out six hours worth of paperwork."
"Like an AIDS test?" Dwight asked. Evelyn's jaw dropped in surprise. The tips of Jim's ears grew pink. Instinctively, he turned to face the brunette, his eyes shimmering with amusement.
"Hey, Darryl's going to Poor Richard's," Roy whispered. His eyes focused on Pam, a silent question hanging from his tongue. "And?" she whispered back. Roy looked exasperated. He turned toward Evelyn, looking for backup. "You didn't want to be here, right?" he asked.
She wanted to lie and say that he was wrong. She could tell by the look on Pam's face that she didn't want Roy to go. So, she shrugged her shoulders. "It beats spending the night alone," she stated. Roy's brows furrowed. "I won't be alone."
"You will be if you go to Poor Richard's," Evelyn muttered under her breath. Roy glanced back toward Pam with a sigh. He offered her an apologetic smile before getting to his feet. He swung his jacket over his arms. Confused, Michael asked, "Where are you going?" Pam reluctantly stood to her feet.
"Pam, the show's just getting started," Michael said. The redhead apologized gently. She turned toward her friends, a pout on her face. "Call me," she told Evelyn, giving a small wave. Jim sighed. "Want to order something to eat?" he asked, nudging the girl in her side. Evelyn waited, watching as Pam followed Roy out.
"The Busiest Beaver Award goes to... Phyllis Lapin!" Michael announced. Unconsciously, Evelyn applauded for the woman. Jim snorted. "Evie," he whispered, finally gaining the brunette's attention. She whirled around to face Jim, brows raised. "Yeah?"
"Way to go, Phyllis! Nice work. Per usual." Phyllis approached Michael to receive her small trophy, beaming with pride. "Want to split an appetizer?" Jim asked, fingers drumming over the menu set before them. She didn't hesitate to nod. "Yes, God, I'm starving."
"This says Bushiest Beaver," Phyllis said, disappointment clear in her voice. Evelyn and Jim paused, smiles growing on their faces. Michael frowned. "Wha– I told them busiest— Idiots." Phyllis offered her boss a sympathetic smile. "It's fine." She took it nonetheless as Michael sputtered about fixing it. "Fried pickles are the way to go," Evelyn whispered, pointing at the food option.
Jim's lips pressed together, his head tilting slightly to the side. When he went to speak, his lips smacked noisily. "I was thinking loaded fries," he replied, eyes flickering up to her face. She was still reading the menu. Hair was tucked behind her ear with a few strands still tickling her cheeks. Her glasses were sliding, slowly, down the bridge of her nose.
He sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That sounds good, actually," she finally spoke, picking up her head. She pushed her glasses back up her nose with her pointer finger. He noticed the soft purple hue on her nails. Michael had gone silent, the two had noticed. His back was to the employees.
"Wonder who's presenting next," Jim said, leaning onto the table. Evelyn mirrored his stance, their elbows brushing. "Probably Joseph Stalin," she replied, reminding the two of his Hitler impression. Jim's smile broadened. "Wow. I can't wait to hear his Russian accent. It's been, what? Two weeks now?"
Her face lit up. Jim watched as she smiled, a laugh muffled by her hand. He could see the smile in her eyes, glittering underneath the low Chili's lighting. "Oh! Or he could be Mussolini! Give an Italian accent a try."
"Do you just know all of the dictators from World War II?" Jim asked teasingly. Her nose scrunched up. "It's burned in my brain," she replied. "Being Japanese in America while learning about World War II is traumatic. They called me Hirohito for months. And every time I walked through the door, these two football players would threaten to bomb me again."
Jim's smile faded. He sat back, elbows still resting against the table, with a frown. "That's messed up," he muttered. He wasn't sure what to say. "It's life," she replied. "Honestly, I was never sure what they meant by that. It could have been a way for them to flirt. Who knows."
Suddenly, Michael whirled around. He wore a pair of glasses with eyes that were slanted painted on the lense. Evelyn's face dropped instantly. "Herro, everybody!"
"I need a drink," she whispered as she lowered her head to the table. Jim sighed. Hesitantly, he reached forward and patted her head. "Waitress!"
rumi says . . .
HAPPY NEW YEAR & WELCOME
TO 2023 !!! i hope you guys had an
awesome time.
who else is ready for the continuation
of Jim & Evie's romance??
what are your thoughts so far?
thank you for reading!
feedback is greatly appreciated!