ᴏᴀᴋʟᴇʏ ᴄᴀʀʀɪʟʟᴏ was discovered at fourteen years old, being praised as a musical prodigy by the media ever since. His fame had only increased until now. At nineteen old, he's the most remarkable musician of his age, and he's only getting started. At...
|THE OBSCURE DOWNSIDES OF FAME | music is like poetry
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ᴏᴀᴋʟᴇʏ ᴄᴀʀɪʟʟᴏ
Half my family was falling in love with Nolan. I wasn't surprised, of course. He's kind, attractive, charismatic, all the good things. Yet he's humble, and carries this certain type of serenity around him. He was just that lovable.
Just by introducing himself, he managed to sweep them off their feet as though he was Apollo himself. It was odd seeing him like this. He wasn't anxious, or didn't appear to be, at least. Maybe if I'd met this version of him the first time we met, I would've realized what drew me to him earlier. Would we have dated sooner? Or did things turn out exactly the way they were supposed to? Was I meant to figure things out slowly?
The questions occupying my brain didn't stop. Not until Nolan had started introducing himself to my cousins he hadn't met yet due to him helping my dad in the kitchen.
Both of them clearly found him interesting. I could tell by the way Lucas' face brightened as he managed to get a chuckle of him, or the way Theresa leaned into him as though not to hear him over the loud music. I watched, sipping on my soda which I quickly realized was all gone. Great, because now I had a reason to go over there.
"...did he force you to come?" my cousin Theresa asked, her raspy, booming voice easily contrasting against the shrill, resonant song that was playing. It wasn't difficult to overhear her, even in all the noise. "We could dip, actually celebrate you, you know?"
"I'm actually having a pretty good time," Nolan replied, slinging an arm over my shoulder before I could even say hi. I couldn't complain, though. This was what I wanted after all: his undivided attention. His eyes were so bright, like they were crystals backlit by a bright white light. Looking into them worked almost therapeutically. The negativity from earlier ebbed away like a sandcastle on the shoreline of a beach. I suddenly didn't feel the urge to cover both my cousins in root beer and melted chocolate anymore.
"Hi," he then said. I almost forgot where we were, smiling at him stupidly until Lucas continued talking about whatever it was they were discussing. I found out quickly, though, because I was his favorite cousin, which meant I would always be part of whatever was going on.
"Trisha wouldn't mind us leaving now that she's got her presents, right, Oakley?" Lucas asked, eyes wide as though begging me to let them leave. "Theresa and I were thinking of taking Nolan to that place we once went to after Christmas, remember? So he could be celebrated as well."
"Do you want to?" I asked Nolan, raising an eyebrow. I knew the answer already.
"I'd do nothing rather than to help out your parents and celebrate your sister's special birthday. Your family is the best company." I smiled a little at his answer.
