• Tomorrow Will Be Different • {J.C} (P.1)

• Chapter Twenty-Two •

Weeks passed and it was becoming obvious that Erin was seeing someone. She was hardly ever at the apartment; though she still managed to find time to do Albert and Julian's laundry every Friday after work.

She would come by every few days when someone was home to clean up, wash their dishes and stock their fridge with the items she knew they preferred.

Albert teased Erin a lot about the reason for her absence—desperately prying for the identity of her new romantic interest.

However, Erin's love interest wasn't exactly 'new.' She knew how angry Albert would be if he knew the truth—if he knew that she and Michael were secretly rekindling their relationship.

Erin had called Michael's cellphone from a pay phone. She didn't want him to know that she was staying with Al. Instead, she had told Michael that she was staying with some friends in the city—which wasn't untrue.

Although Jules wasn't exactly a pleasure to be around, he certainly wasn't the worst—at least, not anymore.

Even though Al lied, she didn't want Michael to know that. Through Michael's perspective, he and Al were still friends.

Erin knocked on the apartment door, waiting impatiently for someone to open it. She had just carried a full basket of folded clean clothes for three blocks—she wasn't exactly in the best mood.

Between work, Michael, going to the store, and cleaning up after the guys, Erin had not found the time to get her car fixed.

Though it didn't really matter, she still hadn't been able to find her keys. Not to mention she had wasted a good chunk of her money on new clothes and makeup—shit she didn't need.

"Nice." Al spoke from the doorway when seeing the large basket of clean clothes on the stoop by Erin's foot.

"Yeah," She sighed, "You wanna know what's not nice? Lugging that thing around for three blocks."

"For what it's worth, I appreciate the shit out of you right now." Al picked up the basket, heading inside the apartment. He stopped once he noticed Erin wasn't following.
"Aren't you gonna hangout?"

"No, I gotta get back."

"Where?" Al dropped the hamper by the door, causing the sound of a loud 'thump.'
"Come on, your boyfriend's shrimp dick is still gonna be there when you get back."

Erin laughed; though she wasn't so sure it would be. She was wary about setting off Michael; finding herself walking on eggshells again to avoid upsetting him.

Though it hadn't happened in the recent weeks, Erin was still expecting it. No matter how much Michael claimed to have changed, history had a funny way of repeating itself.

She was careful with her words, and conscious of her whereabouts at all times. The relationship she had recently begun to rebuild with Michael was fragile—she didn't want to ruin it.

Erin's smile fell at the sight of Julian; he was sitting on the couch, drinking a beer.

        He sat up quickly—too quickly—nearly dropping the Heineken in his hand as he scrambled to put it on the coffee table.

She forced a smile, giving Jules a halfhearted wave. He returned the gesture, sitting on the edge of the sofa with his elbows on his thighs—his hands dangling just over his knees.

Erin hadn't seen Julian in almost a week. Every time she saw him, he seemed to become a little more awkward than before—and that made Erin just the same.

"How've you been?" Julian asked. He seemed to be going through the motions—his question not genuine.

"Fine," Erin shrugged, "Good- bad... it's life." She admitted—more so than she wanted to.
        "How have you been?"

Julian nodded, moving his innocent looking eyes toward the beer on the table. He shrugged; his bottom lip disappearing as he pressed them together in thought.
"Can't complain."

"What are your plans tomorrow night?" Albert rubbed his hands together; his voice booming over Julian's soft spoken mumble.

Erin shook her head; she wasn't sure what she was doing Saturday night—she supposed whatever Michael wanted to do. More than likely, they would be at the apartment catching up on the Sopranos.

"I don't know-"

"You're coming to our show tomorrow night—that's what you're doing. I want you to bring that side piece of yours with you too." Teased Al.

"I don't know if I'll be able to make it. I know he won't be able to make it-"

"You gotta be there Erin, you just- you have to. You stood us up the last time, now you've got a chance to redeem yourself."

        "How am I gonna get there-"

"They're called taxis—the answer to that is obvious." Albert stated—much too condescending for Erin's taste.

"You could just ride with us." Julian suggested, causing their gaze to shift to the softly spoken baritone voice coming from the couch.
"You could crash here... and just ride with us tomorrow night."

"I can't." Erin shook her head, watching Julian's doe eyes shift to hers. "I just... I can't."

She didn't want to provoke Michael. As much as she wanted to take his word that his behavior had changed, she didn't want to give him any reasons.

She was sure Michael would be offended if she didn't come back tonight; he'd be even more offended if he found out she went to a show without him. She couldn't tell him where she was going, Albert still didn't know that she was sleeping with Michael.

"So you're not coming at all?" Asked Albert.

Erin started to tell Al that she wouldn't be able to make it; but the moment she saw Julian's internal collapse flicker across his face, she couldn't ignore the strange gravitational push compelling her do what he wanted—so Erin complied.

"I'll be there. I just- I still have a lot of stuff I need to get done, so I won't be able to stay here tonight." Erin lied.

"Mercury Lounge—you know where that's at?" Albert looked at Erin; clearly needing her recite the exact location—to affirm whether she did or did not know—it was borderline insulting.

"East from Orchard street—yes, I know where the Mercury Lounge is."

        "So you'll be there?" Albert asked, though he spoke in rhetoric.

Erin nodded, wondering just how she was going to manage going through with tomorrow night's plan.

The old Michael would be livid—he would be absolutely furious to find out she had gone to a show without him.

If Erin told Michael, he would want to come too. If Michael went, Albert would know that she and Michael were (sort of) back together again.

Erin started out of the apartment, catching Julian's eye on her way out.

She suddenly got a strange feeling again...
...perhaps taking the risk was worth it.