A New Life (River Phoenix)

Meeting Martha

Piper and I didn't speak the entire walk back to Gus's. Neither of us had anything to say; we were both heated.

I couldn't believe that Frank had the nerve to even speak about River. I mean, what did he expect us to do? Nothing?

We agreed not to tell River about what Frank had said about him, not that River would care anyways. But simply to avoid any more issues that Frank might cause.

When we had gotten back home, it was only 4.

With a couple of hours to spare until the boys returned from filming, we spent the rest of the time in our room.

I changed back into my comfortable clothing and laid in bed, pulling the covers over me and wrapping myself up.

For a while, I watched Piper draw in her sketchbook.

"Do you think you're going to go out tonight?" She asked me, not looking up from her sketch.

I rolled onto my back and looked at the ceiling.

"Mm, maybe. Probably." I told her.

"Yeah, me too." She said, setting down her work. She looked at me, a sense of sadness coated her face. "Can we talk about something?"

I furrowed my eyes at her and sat up.

"Yeah, always." I informed, nervous as to what she might have to say.

"Flea's been acting strange lately; secretive. He doesn't say much anymore and I don't know why." She confessed, sitting against the wall. "It sucks because I like him so much, and I don't know if he still feels the same."

"You know how much he likes you, Piper." I reassured. "But what do you mean he's acting secretive?"

"He just is. He's quiet and never seems interested in anything, and it's weird." She said, getting up and walking to her closet.

I wasn't sure what to say back to her. Clearly, Flea still liked her. If he didn't, he would have talked to her about it by now. That's just how he is.

But something has been off around the house lately, yet I can't point out what it is. Logically, I figured it was because the movie was ending and everyone was beginning to loosen up.

Now, I was reconsidering it.

"Well, how about we all go out tonight and see if anything changes?" I asked her.

"Yeah, that sounds good. And I really need a drink." She confessed.

-

I awoke to the sound of Flea's yelling.

"It's party time!" He screamed from the living room.

At the same time, River stumbled into our room wearing checkered pants and a heavy green coat.

"Are you coming?" He wondered, running his hands through his uncombed hair.

I glanced at Piper who was already buttoning up a collared shirt.

"Uh, yeah. Let me just get something on." I told him, wondering why nobody had woken me up from my nap.

He nodded and closed the door behind him, giving me time to shuffle through a mound of clothes.

"You don't have to look nice," Piper started. "I'm not."