Falling In Love With Him

Chapter 3

Beep! Beep! Nicole and I got up from the living room sofa, once we heard the sound of our limo driver outside honking the horn. As we rushed out the front door, mother handed us both our own mugs of French Vanilla Cream Coffee, then gave me and Nicole each a side kiss to the cheek. "Knock 'em dead!" That was my mothers' way of saying good luck—whether it was for a photo shoot, an interview or even school. We both waved to mother from the limo, as she stood in the front doorway waving, to us as we pulled off.

Looking out of my window, I watched all of Los Angeles pass by. The beautiful palm trees, the beaches and the suns warming beam, shining onto my face. Then I began to do, what I always did; Daydream. I would always think about how proud I was, and how far I've come. I'd imagine how life would be once I finally became an adult, and on my own. My own life. My own career. My own family. I thought about great things for myself.
I was in mid-thought when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked away from the window to see Nicole smiling at me, showing all teeth. She was smiling harder than I'd ever seen her.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Nicole looked around the limo confusingly, as if there was someone else I could've been talking to. "What?" she asked in a sarcastic manner. "Why, are you looking at me like that?" "Oh, you know why." Nicole laughed. It was her infamous laugh, where her nose scrunched up, and she starts to slap her knee. "I was just going to ask if you knew what you were going to say to Michael yet." I crossed my arms whilst letting out a sigh. "Come on," Nicole plead. "I know you've been imagining this day, and now it's finally here! You get to do what you love, and Michael will be there. With both your busy schedules, it's been like 3 months since you've seen him."

Geesh, we were back on this subject again. Not surprising at all. Nicole has always been persistent—and I know that she's my best friend, but sometimes she it could come off as pushy. It could be very irritating at times, and sometimes makes me not want to say anything at all.
But I could never be mad at Nicole, or stay annoyed with her for too long. Besides even though I didn't want to say it, she was right. I do like Michael, and I know that her persistence comes from her just wanting me to be true to myself, as she liked to put it. She'll just continue to question me over, and over until I've cracked—and I admit to everything she's saying. In many situations, that tactic would always work on me; until now.
Yes, Michael Jackson is one of the first boys I ever really got a chance to get to know and really like, but I couldn't allow myself to get distracted. I'm sure there are millions of girls who throw themselves at him everyday, and with our busy schedules our paths would only cross here, and there—yet even then we're too busy tending to our own personal agendas to really speak. I try to be realistic. Now just wasn't the time, and I couldn't get caught up in my childhood emotions. No matter how much I may daydream.

"Nicole Celeste Marino, were you even listening to me back at the house? I do NOT like Michael in that way; which means I don't anticipate when I'll see him again. I don't draw his name on books, I don't drool over him, dream about him and I definetly DO NOT think about what I'd say to him in a conversation. Okay?" Me calling Nicole by her full name, just emphasized the fact that I meant business.
"Ugh, Mariah this is getting so old. You know you like him. This is me. I don't know why you're so embarrassed to say it now!"
"Yes I did like Michael Jackson, when I was NINE! That was four years ago, and we rarely even speak to each other now." I sighed. "Why can't you just accept the fact that he was just a childhood crush?" "He's everybody's childhood crush!" Nicole laughed. "Exactly!" I used my hands for emphasis. "You remember when I used to always tease you about liking Jermaine Jackson?" Nicole smirked, then nodded. I laughed. "Well this conversation is getting pretty annoying, just like I'm sure that was." I sat back, and turned my head towards the window. "Yeah it was annoying then." Nicole nodded. "Even though you were right. I did like Jermaine back then." I snapped my head facing towards Nicole. "What?" I smiled. She nodded. "Not anymore though." She assured. "But back then, yeah I definitely did."

    My jaw dropped. Not that I was completely in shock that she had a thing for Jermaine; but I just couldn't believe Nicole kept that secret to herself for so long. "Okay, well this is like that. You've outgrown your childhood crush, just like I did mine. It happens." I put my arm around Nicole, and we both laughed.

Who was I kidding?