YOU KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT // Kurt Cobain

Chapter 22

Los Angeles, CA

March 9, 1994

Thomas had woken me up at 10am out of a dead sleep to ask me if I wanted to go on an adventure, and I agreed. I picked out an outfit of a purple floral crop top and light blue jeans paired with my black and white Chucks, and Thomas emerged from the closet with a white cap sleeved tee shirt and jeans with the same shoes. We could have been a walking Converse advertisement.

"You look beautiful," Thomas complimented, and I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck to kiss him lightly. "No, you're beautiful," I retaliated. "Let's be beautiful together, alright?" Thomas negotiated, and I nodded, taking my small purse off the couch as he grabbed the car keys. He was seriously too sweet.

"Where are we going?" I asked, and Thomas all but shrugged. "Like I said, we're going on an adventure. That's all I can tell you, love." I huffed jokingly, slinking into the passenger seat before we took off.

About half an hour later, we pulled into a parking lot next to a meter and it hit me as to where we were going. "Are we going to the Hollywood Walk of Fame?" I asked excitedly, and Thomas nodded, kissing my cheek. "Yeah, I thought maybe we could get some coffee, walk around, I don't know... live our lives a bit?"

"Sounds awesome," I smiled, getting out of the car and putting change in the parking meter. Thomas joined me at my side after he locked the car, and we began to walk down the sidewalk, hand in hand, no cares in the world. I could really get used to this feeling. When I was with Thomas, I truly felt wanted. I felt loved. Three days into our relationship and no friendships had been compromised (not much, anyway), no drugs had been used, and no one was pregnant. I was honestly waiting for something bad to happen, because things were going too well.

We walked into one of the coffee shops along the sidewalk and I got the best cappuccino I'd had in a long time while Thomas got a fancy ass caramel macchiato. We linked our hands together once more as we left the coffee shop, but we were immediately blinded by flashes and microphones stuffed in our faces, hearing demanding questions from various reporters surrounding the store entryway.

"Erin, what happened to Family Drama?"

"Is it true that Kurt asked Courtney for a divorce because of you?"

"Thomas, how does it feel to be dating a polygamist?

"Erin, are you ever going to settle down?"

"Will you adopt Frances Bean?"

"Y'ALL!" I yelled, my voice projecting all the way down the block, and all the reporters went silent. "That's better," I exhaled.

"Family Drama is over; the band all had different directions that they wanted to take the band in and we couldn't agree on one solution so we dissolved. I am not a polygamist, I am dating Thomas Perry and we are very happy and we don't need our relationship blowing up news stations when there are way more concerning events happening around the world. What Kurt and Courtney do is not my business, but I wish them both the best and hope they can give Frances the best childhood possible," I explained, and the questions started again.

"What do you mean by 'hope they can give her the best childhood possible'?"

"Are you implying that Kurt and Courtney are too addicted to drugs to be suitable parents?"

"No, I'm not. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you all let me spend some time with my boyfriend," I said, running away from the reporters and paparazzi, still hand in hand with Thomas. We rounded a corner and slowed down, leaning against the wall of a building as we watched other pedestrians pass us by.

"Thanks for dealing with that. That must be hard to hear," I admitted, and Thomas turned to me, holding my face with his left hand. "Anything for my favorite polygamist."

I playfully smacked his hand away, laughing before we continued down the sidewalk to reach our final destination.

***

A couple hours and a few paparazzi attacks later, we decided to be a cliche ass couple and go to the Hard Rock Cafe. The wait was long as fuck; we walked around the area for an entire hour with a small buzzer in Thomas' back pocket before we were seated. Live music was playing, and I had a lovely plate of potato skins filled with cheese, bacon and chives while Thomas got a quarter pound cheeseburger. I was in heaven. A cardiac arrest heaven.

I looked up to the stage to see what band was performing, only to lock eyes with the one and only Greg Hernandez, who was the... lead singer of the band? He had always told me he was too self conscious to perform vocally. (A/N Hollywood Arts High School who??)

The more concerning matter at hand, however, was the fact that I was now dating Thomas, and we had yet to tell him. I knew that it would probably go down horribly whether we waited or not. It just made things worse that he knew both of the men I dated on a personal level.

"Babe, don't look now--" I began, and Thomas immediately swiveled around, seeing Greg and immediately turning back to me.

"I told you not to look!" I whisper-yelled, and Thomas' eyebrows furrowed with worry. "Oh my God, are we going to have to tell him now? I mean, how are we going to explain this?"

"Yeah. There's no escaping this now. I'm just going to have to let him down again and he'll have to take it. It's never going to happen," I said, and Thomas nodded, grabbing my hand from across the table. My eyes widened.

"Subtle hints, Murbach. It softens the blow."

"That's what she said," I smirked, and Thomas only snickered as he took a sip of his lemon water. Maybe things wouldn't go so bad.

"Alright, thank y'all so much, we're Blur," Greg announced, putting his guitar on a stand before jumping off the stage to jog over to our table. I took a deep breath. Thomas squeezed my hand.

"Hey, guys! Nice to see... you," his eyes drew to our hands. He looked back at Thomas, his eyes narrowing. "You're kidding me, right?"

"What? Greg, you need to let Erin go. She's with me, she's happy--"

"And you promised me you'd stay away from her!" Greg exclaimed. What?

"I promised you that right before you went and tried to sabotage her relationship with Kurt. Listen, neither of us planned this, but I really love her. I have for a long time. And to be quite honest, if you really loved her, you'd let her be happy."

"T is right, Greg. You need to let this go. This is not healthy for you," I agreed, and Greg's jaw visibly tightened. He paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Okay. If this makes you happy, I support you. But just know that after I walk away, our friendship is over."

"Oh Greg," I sighed, turning back to lock eyes with Thomas, "our friendship has been over for years. I hope you can find happiness one day, but it's never going to be with me."

Greg stood up straighter than he had been, putting his hand on my shoulder before turning around to walk away. It was over. Greg was officially out of my life. And to be honest, I felt like a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders. I was finally free.

The generic Hard Rock Cafe playlist resumed over the speakers. I groaned in frustration as the words Come as you are resounded in the restaurant and through my heart.