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

• Prologue •

If someone had told Erin Larsen that she would find herself in love with the guy standing before her, she would've snarled with disgust. Erin would go on to disclose all of his faults and flaws, and express disdain for the sick way he could compliment and insult her—all in the same breath.

She didn't care for the way he could speak to her with only his eyes—assuming himself to be a master at disguising his judgements—despite his face saying ( practically screaming) everything that his mouth didn't.

        She couldn't stand the way he said her name sometimes; the constant critique of himself and of others. Erin hated the way he had disregarded her feelings—bringing strange women back from bars and shows—the way she would have to pretend to be nice, just so that he could be mean.

Erin stared into Julian's vulnerable-looking eyes, waiting for the punchline... but it wasn't coming.

She had gone over every possible scenario she could think of—waiting for the rug to be ripped out from beneath her, but Julian continued to stand—staring back at her... waiting.

"Say something."

"Something." Erin laughed softly, "Like what?" She asked; surprised that she had the ability to even speak at all.

Julian released a breathy sigh, pushing himself away from the doorframe with his head hung. He was obviously embarrassed—showcasing an uncomfortably wide smile he couldn't force away.

"I don't know... that you feel the same—that you don't feel the same?"

"It's just a lot... to take in." Erin struggled to admit.

"So you don't feel the same then."

"I didn't say that-"

"I just told you I'm in love with you and you have nothing to say. It- it says a lot, actually." Julian tripped on his words while forcing a nervous laugh.

"Jules," Erin spoke his name, making his timid eyes move to hers. "You can't love me—you don't even like me."

"You don't honestly believe that." Julian spoke matter-of-factly, stuffing his hands in his pockets while chewing his lip as he looked to Erin full of skepticism—her eyes never wavering—she actually believed that. "Erin, talk to me—why would you think that?"

"Just the way you look at me sometimes—the way you talk to me. You always have something to say about what I'm doing wrong—telling me what I should be doing instead... you said I was an idiot-"

"I only said those things because you're... intuitively disabled. Watching you get taken advantage of time and time again—making decisions based on appeasing other people—I just want the best for you. I would want someone to tell me if I was being an idiot-"

"You're being an idiot." Erin smiled nervously as her soft laugh hitched in her throat.

"Maybe... you're probably right about that."

"When did you realize it?"

         Julian's eyes moved to his feet. "You don't wanna know that."

"Was it after the sex?"

"No." Julian stated flatly.

        He was offended she assumed that sex with her had revised his affections. Though having her body for one night had altered his perception, that wasn't the moment he started to fall into that four letter word.

Sex with Erin lifted a fog—sex with Erin was what opened Julian's mind up to the possibility that he may—actually—in fact, already be in love with her.

       "Then when?"

Trying to explain the moment he realized that, was complicated. There wasn't an exact moment—it had been a series of moments. It would've been easier just to tell Erin that his epiphany had came after their one night together.

       "So what if it was—so what if I only realized it afterwards? That doesn't mean I didn't love you before then."

"When did you start having feelings for me?"

"When I saw you that night at the bar... the first night I kissed you."

        Erin smiled—her cheeks warm with humility. It was the first of several times he had told her that she was pretty.

"I thought you were just drunk. I thought you were just trying to get me into bed with you."

       "I'm not gonna lie, I didn't necessarily wanna be platonic bunk-buddies that night. You're right though, I was- I was drunk. If you hadn't walked out on me, it would've been the most memorable night of your life." Julian grinned bashfully, picking at a random speck in the crown mould of the doorway, "It would've been so bad you never would've forgotten it." Julian delivered a punchline she knew was already coming.

Erin laughed, joining in with Julian to make fun of himself.

      Silence took hold of the room quickly, causing the weight of their conversation to hang heavily over them. The thought of being in love with a person she once despised had came into fruition more times than Erin cared to admit.

        It was embarrassing—the times he had unknowingly belittled her, making her feel less than two inches tall; the times julian had made her uncomfortable, angry, and even sad.

Then there were the times he made her feel seen—the times he made her feel heard. There was a certain way he looked at her when she spoke; as if it were the most fascinating story ever told, eager to know how it was going to end.

She loved the way he seemed to care—the way he would express that she deserved better; the way he insisted that her view of someone's "mistake," was nothing short of kind ignorance on her part.

Erin hated the way Julian spoke self-righteously—justifying his harsh, outspoken opinions of the way he saw that she fell for everything.

Yet, Erin couldn't help but to love Julian's berating tone; the feeling it would inspire—as if he were actually looking out for her best interest. She would occasionally stop herself to assess that feeling before making excuses as to why Julian seemed like he gave a shit.

       Watching Julian rub imaginary smudges off the wall, it began to sink in that there was a reason he had been such a brazen dick—he did actually care. Julian didn't just care, no—he loved her—he actually loved her.

         "You're only saying this now because I'm leaving... tomorrow will be different." Erin spoke barely above a whisper.

She didn't dare look at him—she couldn't stomach the devastation in his eyes. Although Erin couldn't say it, she was in love with Julian too.