A New Life (River Phoenix)

Happy Birthday, Carmen (pt 1)

-October 24th, 1992-

Blue rays of light peak from my curtains. Behind the window, night is finally turning to day.

The right side of my brain sends waves of pain around my body; the lack of sleep proving to be a great discomfort.

"Ugh." I groan quietly, turning onto my side.

Next to me is a sleeping River; his hair has been cut for the filming of Silent Tongue, so his tired face is slightly showing under mounds of blonde locks.

He snores, and I smile every time his right eye twitches.

I'm oblivious to the reason as to why I can't sleep tonight, though I'm guessing it might be because my birthday has finally rolled around.

I'm 21 now, but I don't feel any different; I've been indulging in 21-year-old activities for years now.

It feels like just another day to me, but the odds that it seems that way to Piper, Flea, and River are close to none.

Thankfully, they would both be able to spend the day with us.

River had recently finished Silent Tongue, and was awaiting the next offer to present itself. Meanwhile, The Peppers' had put their next album on hold.

Until then, they were back in Hollywood.

-

"Look!" River yells, snapping his fingers in front of me.

My eyes adjust and focus on his hand.

He smiles, holding a red lady bug that crawls slowly on his index finger.

"Look!"

"I am looking." I tell him, slightly pushing myself back to avoid it flying into my face.

"I named her Strawberry Ice Cream." He says, moving his finger closer to his face. "Isn't she cute?"

I furrow my eyebrows.

"The lady bug?"

"Yes, the lady bug! What else?" He laughs.

I scoff to myself and begin to get up, moving aside River.

"She flew in through the window this morning while I was, uh," He stops, anxiously avoiding his statement.

"While you were what?" I ask.

"Anyway, she flew in and couldn't get back out, so I told her she could be our pet." He answers.

Is he serious?

"You want to keep a lady bug as a pet? Why not just get a dog, or cat, or something?" I wonder.

"That's too ordinary. But this, a lady bug? Now, that's pretty damn original, don't you think?" He asks proudly.

I scratch my forehead and yawn.

"Well, just don't let anyone step on it." I laugh, heading out the door.

River rushes in front of me, putting one hand on my shoulder and the other out in front of us, allowing the lady bug to fly away.