A New Life (River Phoenix)

The Decision

River, Flea, Piper and I gather in the living room.

None of us speak for a few moments after I fill Flea in on the situation.

"So," Flea starts, scratching his head. "Are you moving?"

River shrugs and slouches in his chair.

"My family wants me to come back; I told my dad I would." He informs. "But I don't want to go without her."

We look at each other, indulged in confusion and love.

"I don't want you to leave." I tell him. "It's just that moving so far away is a big deal to me. I just started feeling like this place was my home."

Piper shook her head and stood up.

"I want you here." She demands. "I know I want to hit you sometimes but it would be so lonely without you. And we would be so far away from each other."

I can see in her face that she's starting to cry, but I try to hold back on my tears.

Crying in front of people is not on my agenda.

"I don't want to leave you, either. It's just so confusing." I admit.

"You don't have too, I guess." River says, but I can see in his face he's upset. "If you really want to be here, than so be it."

I sigh and cover my face in my hands; all of the tension feels so thick in the air.

Flea places his hand on my knee and smiles.

"Want my advice?" He asks.

I nod.

"Next year, you will be 21 and River will be 22, and you will just keep growing until one day you don't anymore. As much as I want you here, and as much as I know Piper will miss you, it's time to start thinking ahead." He tells me. "I know with all the parties you feel like a teenager, but you're grown."

I can't help but feel guilty for agreeing with him so much.

With everything going on, I never sat back to realize how much life was changing.

Piper narrowed her eyes at Flea and punched his shoulder.

"Yeah, hey, no. You can't leave me, Carmen. We can figure this out later, but not now. I'm not about to get abandoned by everyone I love and get left in the middle of this place." She complains, sitting down and folding her arms.

As much as I loved her, Flea's words were in my head.

"I don't know Piper, Flea did have a point. We're getting older, and people start getting married around this age! Maybe we need to start growing up." I confessed.

River threw his arm around me and rocked me back and fourth.

"Yes, you see! This is good! It's time to start preparing our future together." He says. "There are so many better days to come."

I look to him and smile, though I can't help but feel a deep sorrow in my heart.

Piper is so destroyed. I can tell.