Things were different for awhile. I didn't go to the gym as often, and didn't follow Erik anymore. I would see Jim and wonder how everything was going with him, if he was doing ok, but I never spoke to him either. One day, Erik called me at work and asked me to the gym that evening. He asked me to meet him late, at a time we might be nearly alone there. I agreed. We did our various workouts, near each other, but not together. As we worked out, I saw Jim enter the studio and begin his exercises. He stayed well away from us and I couldn't blame him.