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

•Chapter Thirty-Five•

"You got a minute? I need to talk to you." Julian spoke while peering down at Erin. She was curled up in the corner of the sofa with a folded over paperback in her hand. He supposed her reading material was a slight improvement from the typical crossword puzzles.

"Um, sure... what's up?" Erin set the book down, looking up to give Julian her undivided attention.

Julian shook his head as he reached for her hand. Erin took it without hesitation, surprised to find herself being pulled up from the couch.

Erin stumbled behind him confusingly as he pulled her by the wrist, taking her into his room. He closed the door, waving her to his bed.

Julian stood by the door, his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his jeans. He moved his lips together, staring down at the floor as if contemplating his next move.

"What's in Carolina?" Jules asked, his eyes finally raising to Erin's.

"Why do you care?" Erin laughed softly, the sound was obviously forced.

Since Albert's return, Julian seemed to care very little about anything—especially Erin. He could barely look at her, and in the moments he did, it felt wrong. She was beginning to feel that they had made a terrible mistake.

He barely spoke to her anymore, and whenever they would find themselves conversing, he seemed to always find a way to end their talks condescendingly.

"What if I told you I don't want you to—would you stay?" Julian asked, his hand now at his mouth as he chewed at his thumbnail.

"Unlikely." Erin whispered as she self-consciously crossed her legs. She timorously tucked her elbows against her stomach while hunching forward, suddenly not feeling well.

Julian released an exasperated sigh, "Erin, you can't go- you just can't."

Baffled that Jules seemed so sure of himself, Erin scoffed. "Oh I can't?"

"No, you can't."

"Why not?" Erin spoke softly, her widely confused eyes followed him as he paced the room.

Julian didn't have time to think it through before the words came tumbling out of his mouth.

        "I love you. You can't go- I don't want you to go because I'm in love with you."

Unsettling silence suddenly fell over the room as he waited for her to say it back. To Julian's dismay, Erin said nothing.

"Say something." Julian insisted. The weight of her silence was too heavy to bare.

"Something." Erin laughed softly. "Like what?"

        "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.

There was a sudden lump in Julian's throat, which made it difficult to breathe. It had taken too long to find the courage to tell Erin how he felt. Although he knew there was a possibility this would be Erin's reaction, it hadn't made it any easier.

       "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. He was devastated, but refused to let Erin see it.

"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 snapped. "Erin, talk to me—why would you think that?"