A New Life (River Phoenix)

"Go To Sleep"

For a moment it was quiet and I examined the room. It looked messy, and honestly, kind of trashy. For being famous, I expected Flea and River to stay in a more cleaned-up room.

But their lack of tidiness only proved my theory to be true, the same theory I had since the moment I laid eyes on River: he is a regular person.

I looked over at him, his eyes closed and arms crossed. He was resting. And something about it was extremely cute to me.

It was cute in a way that I couldn't help but look.

His head tilted to the left side, and his long hair dangled softly down to his shoulder.

If I wouldn't have been talking to him a second ago, I would have figured he was deeply asleep.

I wanted to continue our conversation, so in a helpless attempt to think of a subject, I made a ballsy remark.

"You look different to me, too." I stated, referring back to his earlier comment.

His eyes fluttered open and he looked at me, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You just, I don't know, you just do." I told him, realizing how awkward I felt saying it out loud.

It wasn't anywhere near false; River was extremely good looking: his blue-green eyes, noticeable yet very cute chin mole, and perfectly pointed nose. But something about telling him was nerve-wracking.

I immediately regret my comment.

He blushed and examined me for a second.

"I can only hope in a good way." He answered, then got up and went down the hallway.

Seconds later he came back, a green and purple blanket in his hands. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and raised a finger.

"Hear that?" He asked me.

We stayed quiet, and strangely enough I heard nothing.

"That, my friend, is what I call a beautiful silence." He tossed the purple blanket to me and smiled.

"I don't see Piper and Flea waking up anytime soon," He told me. "So I hope you're not too disappointed in staying the night."

I smiled softly to myself and spread the blanket on me, adjusting into a more comfortable position on the couch. "I think I'll manage." I told him.

He smiled at me and set his jacket next to the TV.

I watched as he kicked off his black converse and sprawled out on the ground, turning to his stomach. His cheeks and nose smushed up lightly against the carpet and he closed his eyes.

"You're sleeping on the ground?" I asked him, feeling guilty, as if I had taken up too much room. He nodded without opening his eyes and answered sleepily,

"The ground is nice."

"You could sleep on the couch." I insisted.

His eyes opened slowly and he smiled softly.

"How exactly would I do that?" He asked.

It seemed like our conversation was headed for an awkward turn, and I wasn't sure how to kindly state to him how I felt.

At the moment, I had an overwhelming desire to be closer to him; to feel him in a different way. But I didn't want to say it. And personally, it scared me.

"I could go back home." I said gawkily.

He looked surprised at me and shook his head.

"No, Carmen. And it's getting so late, I really wouldn't be that fond of going out at this time." He told me.

"You wouldn't have to go out." I replied. His eyes furrowed slightly and his vision locked on me.

"If you left, I would have to walk you home, of course." He told me, smiling lightly as he closed his eyes again.

For a brief second, I just looked at him.

And before I knew it, I was laying down, getting drowsy at the sight of River's beautiful and very sleepy body.

The clock read 4:25 in the morning and the sound of a loud rain seemed to simultaneously wake up River and I.

He was laying on his back with his arms and legs extended. His arm raised as he removed the blonde hair from his face revealing an extremely confused expression. He sat up and looked towards the balcony; the window completely covered in rain.

You could barely see out the window, just various colored signs lighting up the street of Sunset Boulevard.

River's eyes met with mine as his confused look seemed to stay still.

"It never storms here," He stated. "I mean, rarely ever."

I sat up and adjusted myself, slouching.

"Weird."

For a while we sat, listening to the rain and thunder. Continuously, the room lit up with color from the lightening. It wasn't peaceful.

It was violent.

The rain stayed persistent for a long time; never slowing down or speeding up.

I laid back down and sighed, smashing my face against the cushions in frustration.

River didn't say a word, he just listened to the thunder as if he expected it to stop. It was minutes before he spoke again.

"Well, I don't expect to be sleeping in this weather." He said, every hint of sleepiness disappearing from his voice.

I didn't reply.

He glanced over at me and smiled, then got up and sat next to me on the couch.

I rested my head on his shoulder and he extended his right arm around me, pulling me in. He gave off a very strong sense of protection and nervousness.

"Are you tired?" He asked me.

A yawn peaked from my lips and I melted comfortably into his grip, clinging to him.

"A little." I responded.

His thumb rubbed on my shoulder and he squeezed me slightly.

"Go to sleep." He insisted.

And to his command, I did.