Falling In Love With Him

Chapter 2

    I ran into my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I ran to my closet and began flipping through hangers trying to find the best outfit. I know what I said earlier about how JET is going to give me clothes at the shoot, and how it wasn't a big deal for me to get all dolled up; and how I didn't like Michael Jackson. Well in all reality I did like him. I liked him a lot. I've liked that boy since the day we first met.

    See my father, Martin Taylor, is a music producer and is very close friends with Berry Gordy and the Motown family. Diana Ross was having her annual Summer pool party, and our family was invited. That was July of '69, and I was nine years old.
I always thought Michael was cute. I mean a lot of girls did, that was common. But meeting him that summer was a dream come true, and he was even more sweet than I had imagined.
Michael and his brothers had just gotten signed to Motown, and they were going to perform at the party. For him to be so young, Michael always had so much potential, and style—they all did, and everyone knew it.

    When I first got to speak to Michael, it was after he and his brothers were done performing. It wasn't really an ideal first meeting. Truthfully, I was too shy to even make eye contact—let alone speak to him. Having Nicole there just made my nerves a bit easier.
Nicole, and I were in the pool already when the boys had gotten changed into their swimming trunks. They ran out, jumping in one by one. We were both laying on a pool float bed, until someone jumped in too close to us and we got soaked with water. We had been laying in the sun so long that we were pretty much dry, so the water felt freezing cold when it splashed us. Nicole and I screeched. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. I guess I jumped too far out." a voice said. I took off my sunglasses to find that it was Jermaine Jackson. "It's alright. No harm was done." I laughed, but Nicole was not having it.
"I guess I jumped too far out." mocked Nicole. "As big as this pool is and of all the places you could've jumped in, you chose the spot right next to us? What if you jumped on us? You could've not only hurt us, but you could've hurt yourself and all you have to say is sorry?" "Uhh... I'm really sorry?" Jermaine grinned. I snickered and Nicole snapped her head towards me.

    "Oh come on Nicole, I'm sure he didn't mean to. And he did say he was sorry, be nice." Nicole rolled her eyes and put her sunglasses back on, and went back to sunbathing. Her non-verbal response basically meant "whatever." She doesn't really like the feeling of defeat. "Hey Jermaine, what's going on?" A voice called. It was Marlon Jackson. He and Michael were swimming over to us. It was already 98 degrees that day, but I felt myself getting warmer. "Oh just making some new friends, I guess." he pointed to us and chuckled.
"Hello ladies. My name's Marlon, and this is my brother, Michael. "Hi." Michael said as he smiled, and waved. "Hi." I said, gazing at Michael. I didn't know what was happening. My stomach started feeling funny. Seeing those big brown eyes made it impossible for me not to stare.
Wow. I kept saying to myself in my head.

    Nicole cleared her throat in a "Hello, you better introduce me." kind of tone. "Oh yeah," I snapped out of my daze, giggling. "This is my God-sister, and my best friend in the whole wide world, Nicole." She waved. "And my name is Mariah."
I felt so embarrassed. I hope that wasn't too noticeable. "We know who you are. We see you all the time on TV!" Marlon joked. Duh. I've been around celebrities all my life, and I can't believe I was acting so star struck. We all started talking, and laughing.

For a split moment it felt like it was only us five in that backyard. The boys told us about their upbringing, and what it was like living in Gary. I didn't know anyone who was a Jehovah's Witness, and they had never really known any actresses or models. They ate, slept, and breathed music. We all laughed, joked, and played with one another for what it felt like could've been hours.
"Hey guys!" yelled Jackie Jackson, he was standing in a towel outside of the pool. "Joseph needs us inside."
"Ah man, already?" Marlon whined. "Come on, he needs us." Jackie rushed.
"Why do you call your dad by his name?" Nicole asked. "That's just his preference." Jermaine shrugged. "I guess I'll see you girls around." Jermaine swam away, smiling.
"Bye Nicole. Bye Mariah." said Marlon. He gave us both a side hug. "Bye means forever, we'll see you later." Nicole said waving. "I like that better," Marlon smiled. "I'll see you ladies later." Marlon called. Nicole and I laughed.
"Hey," a voice said softly. I turned my head looking to Michael. "Hopefully, I'll see you again? Sometime soon." Michael smiled. "Yeah," I smiled. "Hopefully." "You promise?" he smiled. He put out his pinky finger. I wrapped my finger around his. "Promise." I smiled.

    When they left, Nicole and I smiled and giggled at one another. I couldn't believe it. My butterflies were at an all time high. It felt overwhelming at first, but I liked it. I turned to look at Michael leave the pool, and just before he went inside he turned around. He was looking at me, and I was looking at him. He had smiled and waved, before running inside of the house. I was still in disbelief. It was at that exact moment I had a thought that this was the start of something so special.