Where I'd Gone ⌲ River Phoenix ((COMPLETED))

Connected

April 22, 1986

Today was my 15th birthday and I was doing nothing. I didn't really want to do anything. I walked downstairs and jumped when the Burton's surprised me.

"Happy birthday!" They yelled, and I smiled. "We got you a chocolate cake with peanut butter," John smirked. "We know it's your favorite."

"You guys... Thank you." They proceeded to sing Happy Birthday as I watched the cake get sliced. "Open your present!" Mickey said as he pushed a rectangular object towards me.

I ripped it open to find out it was St. Elmo's Fire. Which was my favorite movie. I hugged Mickey and kissed him and he stuck his tongue out. "I love it Mickey, thank you."

Iris and John pushed another present towards me and smiled. "I'm sure you'll like it," Iris said. It was also a rectangular shape, but flatter than the movie.

I pulled both sides of the paper away and I saw the brightness of the Beatles White Album record beam at me. "No way! I love it thank you!" The Beatles are my bible and I was practically through the roof.

"We have one more thing for you," everyone gave me broad smiles but there were no more presents to unwrap.

John got up and opened the front door to let in River's mother. Then Rain... Then Leaf went straight to Mickey... Then Summer, who I haven't officially met. River was the last person before he shut the door. I didn't really want them here... River and I were kind of treating each other with the silent treatment.

"Happy birthday, Chris. You're getting old." Rain laughed as she hugged me. I haven't seen her in a while.

River's dad wasn't there though, maybe he was taking care of baby Liberty. River's mom smiled at me and waved.

I was dreading the moment till I'd see River. I didn't know what to say, or what to do. "Hey, Chris." I heard his voice echo behind me and I turned around. 

"Hey." I fake smirked.

"You're my age now," He giggled.

"It appears so," I said matter-a-factly.

"How does it feel?"

"Like shit," I mumbled so he would be the only one to hear it. He chuckled and glanced over to the chocolate cake.

"I know this is your day and all, but that cake is staring me down," He narrowed his eyes at it.

"Please, help yourself." I broke my poker face and laughed. As he went for a plate, his gaze moved over to The White Album.

"No way," His eyes widened as he picked it up. "I need to come to your house more often."

"Hah, you like that? Well, you should see my room." I joked.

"Okay," He smirked, and I wasn't sure if it was a yes okay or a no okay. I stared at him for a second, seeing he'd make it clearer.

His eyebrows raised and the silence was getting awkward so he just followed me to my room. "Here it is," I said as I fell onto my bed.

His eyes scanned each of my Beatles posters. "Richard haha," he laughed when he saw Ringo.

"I personally think Richard is a better name than Ringo, why did he even change it?" I asked.

"Richard was the goofy one and every goofy person has to have a goofy name," I laughed.

"Wow, you said goofy three times in one sentence." We both chuckled. His eyes traveled over to my desk, where my James Taylor record sat.

"You own Sweet Baby James..."

"Guilty as charged."

"Anything can and will be used against you, have any words?"

"Fire and Rain." We broke out into a fit of giggles. All we ever did was make each other laugh - it was evident that the presence of each other's company really brought the best out of us.

He walked over and placed the needle on the record and Fire and Rain played a few seconds later. "Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone," The record sang.

I felt awkward just sitting on my bed watching River fiddling around with my record player. He soon joined me. "How's your birthday going so far?" He looked me dead straight in the eyes. I studied his emerald eyes, and how they got lighter towards the iris. My eyes weren't nearly as lovely as his were.

"How's your sex life going so far?" I grinned mischievously.

"From what I can tell, better than your birthday." I wanted to laugh really hard, but I didn't want to break the conversation.

"Well, despite your assumptions, my birthday is going great. Thank you very much." I rolled my eyes playfully. It felt comfy with him here, next to me, breathing the same air. Even though he was throwing backfires at me.

As the guitar solo in the song faded in, River slowly leaned into me - almost as if he was going to kiss me. But, being the idiot that I am, I back away, but Iris opened the door immediately after.

"Let's go eat some birthday cake!" She sang. The way she said that reminded me of my mother. The quirkiness, the happiness. The acceptance when she reached the end of the road.

We both awkwardly looked away once Iris left the room. "Well, I should... Um... go."I managed to say through the embarrassment.

"Wait, just one more thing." I heard his groggy voice behind me.

I turned around and found myself lost in his eyes, again, but this time it wasn't our eyes that connected, it was our lips.