Falling In Love With Him

Chapter 1

"Mariah!'' yelled Nicole from outside of the bedroom door. It was 7:45 in the morning and I had to be up for my Summer Lovin'! photoshoot, with JET magazine. "Mariah, get up!" she exclaimed, drastically shaking me. "Come on you have to get ready!" "Mmm, Nicole go away." I mumbled and turned over, throwing my cover over my head. Nicole rolled her eyes while continuing to shake me until I finally woke up. I rolled over and my hair was a mess. At first, it hurt to open my eyes but once Nicole had my attention she brought in a toasted bagel with strawberry cream cheese, a side bowl of fruit topped with whipped cream and a glass of  lemon water. "Here, hurry up and eat. You have to take your shower and brush your teeth and be out the door by 9am." I leaned over to grab my glasses off of the night stand, then began eating my breakfast.

My name is Mariah Taylor, and I've been modeling ever since I was 9 months old. I've been in films, television commercials and appeared in ads for sunscreen, and Gerber baby products. I'm 4'12". My papa is Italian, and my mother is beautiful Black woman with Cherokee ancestry. I have long dark brown hair, that curls when wet. I'd prefer it up in a bun any day. I've heard when I first born my eyes were a dark shade of blue, but now they just turn any color they'd please. I'm 15 now and I guess you could say it's still the "same old, same old." I still model. All work, no play. Still being home schooled, and I only really get to socialize with people in my age group on sets, and social gatherings. I haven't even experienced my first kiss yet.
My best friend, Nicole is pretty much like my co-manager, alongside my mother. At least she likes to believe that. She helps with arranging all of my photo shoots, charity events and interviews; and like the bomb best friend that she is, she accompanies me on all of business meetings. She keeps me sane.
We consider each other more like sisters, since we both are an only child, and we've practically grown up together. She's short like me, 5'2" to be exact. She's mixed like me also. Nicole was born to a Puerto Rican mother, and a Black father. Our dads had been best friends that lived next door to one another all of their lives. They were both teenagers when they met our mothers, and they had all been the best of friends since. They'd even been a part in each others' weddings.
Nicole has long black hair, with dark brown eyes and beautiful pearly white teeth; she had a smile that could light up a room. That's my favorite thing about her. She's the yin to my yang. Just like our mothers were.
When my parents first found out they were having me, auntie Eliza just knew I was going to be a baby girl. She knew Nicole, and I would be close like sisters. We had no choice but to be.
Nicole's parents died in a car crash, when she was only 16. They had left guardianship to my parents', and we've really been inseparable ever since. More than ever before. In December, she'll be turning 18 years old.

Me and Nicole started talking about the photoshoot.

    "So are you excited?" Nicole said, smiling from ear to ear while playfully shaking my leg. I started laughing, "Oh my gosh, Nic please calm yourself. It is not all that serious. I've done plenty of shoots before. I don't know why you're getting all worked up about this one." She stopped smiling, and placed her hands on her hips. She was giving me her, "Girl, are you serious" look.
"You know what, I'm not even going to respond. Hurry up and get ready!" She started poking at my sides until I brushed her off. "No seriously, why are you so excited?" I knew exactly why.
"Maybe it's because the love of your life is going to be there!" she said, placing both of her hands on her cheeks; Nicole can be too dramatic for her own good, sometimes.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I don't like him." I finished my tray of food, and began making my way downstairs to the kitchen to put my dishes in the sink. Nicole followed me. "Michael, and I are just friends. Remember?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Nicole rolled her eyes. "So, do you know what you're going to wear?" she added. "What does it matter? They'll give me clothes to wear for the shoot, and it's not like I need to impress anyone.''

    I put my dishes in the sink, and turned around to find Nicole right behind me. She stopped me in my tracks, "So you mean to tell me you don't like him, not even just a little?" Just before I could answer, my parents walked in without Nicole, and I noticing. "Who? Michael Jackson?" my mother smirked. Nicole and I looked to find my father sitting at the kitchen table, drinking his coffee with my mother standing over him. I let out a sigh, and turned around to wash my dishes. Nicole extended her arm in my parents' direction to emphasize her point. "You know it's serious when even your parents are talking about it."
"Good morning, girls." My father got up from his chair and walked over, to give us both kisses on the forehead. He then began to dump what was left of his coffee down the sink drain. "Good morning, daddy." I smiled. "And mommy, I was just telling Nicole that Michael Jackson and I are just friends."
I walked toward her, and gave her a kiss.
"Yes, and I was just telling Mariah, she's fooling no one but herself." Nicole said smiling sarcastically. She walked over to my mom, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Mother smiled at us. "Well, I'm telling you both that if you don't hurry up and get out of here you're going to be late for the shoot." She shooed us.

    "Oh my gosh, I almost forgot!" I dashed up the stairs, and into my bedroom to get ready. "Hmm, she so likes him." Nicole smirked. My parents both laughed while Nicole walked towards the stairs, heading for her bedroom.