A New Life (River Phoenix)

Tell Me I'm Right

I laid wide awake next to River's sleeping body for what seemed like hours.

The only thing on my mind was his new movie, and when he would start filming again. It bothered me that he didn't take the time to tell me what he had planned next.

I mean, what does that mean for us?

Today, he basically told me he liked me. If he's already planning to leave, how does he expect us to get anywhere?

Whatever, I should probably stop overthinking it. I'm sure we can make it work.

After all, it is River.

My pointless worries diminished when his door began to creep open.

A slight chill rushed over me in fear until Piper was revealed. She squinted, probably trying to see if I was awake.

When she noticed our eye contact, she motioned me to get up.

I took one last glance at River before trotting out of the room.

"What now?" I asked her, a yawn peeking out of my mouth.

"Let's just head home." She told me.

I could see the emptiness in her face; her hair was flattened and her makeup was smudged under the eyes. You could tell she had a long night.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed, slightly saddened. "I don't really wanna be here anymore."

Piper's face fell into a fit of confusion.

"What? Why?" She wondered, beginning to head out the door.

"I'll tell you outside."

She nodded understandingly and lead us out onto the less crowded street. Drunken idiots still flopped from bar to bar but the streets were mostly cleared.

It was nice to be out at night, despite the slight eerie feeling.

"River already has his next movie planned," I told her. "Is it bad that I'm upset he didn't tell me? Because that just means he has to leave again, right?"

Piper shot me a slightly surprised look that soon drained from her face.

"Well, what do you expect," she started. "It's River. He doesn't even like to think about his movies or his next career move. I'm sure it's not personal."

She was right. He did hate talking about his fame, and once he got back in town, I bet he'd completely forgotten about it.

"I just don't know how we're supposed to get anything done." I told her sadly.

She stopped in front of me and shot me a confused, sinister look.

"Get anything done?" She asked. Her surprised expression plastered across her face like her worn out makeup.

"Anything as in.. sex?" She wondered.

I was about to speak up before she interrupted again.

"Wait, are you two having sex?" She asked, her voice raising into a surprised scream.

"Oh my god, Piper," I said, slightly uncomfortable but extremely amused, "we're not having sex, okay?"

She shook her head at me and laughed, not buying it.

"I always knew you were wild deep down." She joked.

I hit her arm and put my face in my hands.

"First, shut up," I began jokingly. "Second, we aren't having sex. He just told me he had feelings for me today. Well, he said adored, but same thing." I recalled.

I felt Piper send me a gentle push and wide smile.

"I knew it! I just knew it, Carmen. Remember that one day I told you he totally digs you? Well, look who's right! That's right, me! So say it, tell me I was right." She bragged.

I rolled my eyes but played along, stubbornly.

"You were right." I said simply.

She threw both hands up in the air in victory.

"Piper Jefferson, you have done it again." She complimented to herself.

I laughed at her growing confidence and continued down the street, our apartment building finally in sight.

"What about Flea?" I asked her.

I could almost feel her mood instantly change, like she was radiating her own heat.

"Flea is crazy," she answered. "I'm pretty sure I love him."

My heart stopped at her comment.

Piper was one of the wildest, most commitment-phobic people I have ever had the privilege to meet. To hear her say she loved someone was.. different. It was scary.

"I guess we're both in love." Piper added simply.

"I wouldn't say I'm in love with River," I corrected. As usual, though, she didn't buy it.

"I think you have been ever since Explorers came out and you watched it the first time with your brother after school. Remember that day? I'm pretty sure it was a Thursday. Actually, It could have been Friday. But I remember you running to my house with a copy of it, saying you'd already watched it once and wanted to watch it again with me." She laughed, recalling the first time I had ever seen River.

"I was like, what, 11?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes at me.

"And now you're like, what, 18?" She mocked back.

I stayed quiet for the rest of the walk home, where we finally got inside and headed to bed.

I laid in silence for a while, feeling slightly lonely as I came to realize that River's body was no longer next to mine.

Oh great, I thought.

A slight feeling of discomfort rushed over me as I spoke up.

"Hey, Piper?" I yelled, trying to see if she was awake.

"Yeah?" She yelled back, and I could hear the sleepiness in her voice.

I rolled my eyes to myself before answering.

"You're right."