Fate's encounter

Selene couldn’t sleep. The excitement was throbbing uncontrollably in her veins; her heart was racing a mile a minute. Thoughts of the next day kept intruding in her wishes for sleep. She had tossed and turned for hours, but her head was screaming with anticipation. The next day, she would be meeting the Jonas Brothers. She’d longed for this moment for years. She wished nothing more than Nick’s intense eyes on hers; she could feel such a strong connection to him. And now, after all this time, she would finally see him, touch him. How could this be? It was a fairytale come to life. 1

Finally, after hours of restless yearning, the morning came. Selene was nervous now; all her thoughts were a bundle of confusion. She had never been more intensely bubbling with emotions in her entire life!2

The meet and greet was scheduled for nine AM that morning, right before their concert. Of course, if you didn’t want to wait endless hours in a crowded room, you had to get there much earlier.3

With the daylight sun barely peeking from the horizon, Selene was already on her way to see the Jonas Brothers. Everyone in the car was barely awake; her mother was silently dozing in the front seat. The whole car was filled with silence; only Selene was bursting with the desire to talk. She, who was often immersed in thought, quiet, and aloof, was now in need of a listener. 4

However silent the car might have been, their destination was a screaming rampage. A giant mass of teenagers was waiting outside the meet and greet, bursting with the same excitement Selene was trying to contain. As soon as she got out of the car, her best friend came screaming to greet her.5

“Oh my gosh!!! I am SO excited!” 6

She was jumping up and down like a madwoman, and Selene couldn’t help an enormous smile and slight giggle. After all, even if she was quiet and introspective, she was still a teenager, with an enormous infatuation for Nick Jonas.7

“OH MY GOSH, JOE JONAS IS SO HOT!” Selene covered her ears with her hands, to escape the unbelievable energy of her friend. Trying to navigate the sea of screaming fans, they finally reached the line for the meet and greet. Soon, Selene thought, she would meet eyes with the only desire of her heart. She bit her lip longingly; now that she was so close, time seemed to drone on forever. 8

Suddenly, a new burst of frantic screaming broke out from the chorus of girls. Selene looked up to see the Jonas Brothers, entering the room from a side door. They waved energetically at their screaming fans, smiles plastered on their faces.9

“SELENE, OH MY GOD, IT’S THE JONAS BROTHERS!!!” her friend could hardly refrain from fainting. Selene was immobile, overtaken by a deep, powerful emotion. There, just above the heads of hundreds of teens, she could see Nick Jonas. He was so close…suddenly the sound around her seemed to fade; the only people alive were Nick and her; everyone else didn’t matter.10

The line moved slowly, but with every step, Selene’s heart started pounding harder and harder. Her best friend kept skipping around, as if she had had to pee very badly. At one point, she almost started hyperventilating. She was literally a slave for Joe Jonas. If he told her to throw herself down Mt. Everest in a ballerina costume, she would have done it. 11

And then, finally, she got her five seconds of splendor. She first met Kevin Jonas, who greeted her good-naturedly, with a warm smile and big hug. Then, in a stupor, she moved on to Joe. He also smiled one of his flashy, bad-boy smiles, and hugged her tightly. Now, with a heart overflowing with emotions, she moved on to Nick. 12

For a second, he seemed to greet her with the same face he reserved for everybody. With a sincere, beautiful smile. But then, just as Selene shyly looked into his deep eyes, everything changed. His smile faltered for a second; he looked back into her pupils, with an intense, breathtaking look. They thus locked eyes; the sound faded around them, nothing mattered but that furtive look. They were immobile, lost in each other. Suddenly, Selene’s heart stopped beating so fast, everything was suspended. Nick seemed in trance, almost as if he’d forgotten, for a minute, who he was. 13

Selene suddenly realized that everyone was staring at them; she blushed, embarrassed, and quickly left the line for the other fans. She was still trying to fully grasp what happened, when she heard a voice behind her. To her utter amazement, Nick was standing in front of her. He looked at her again, and a sincere look of confusion overtook him.14

“Hey…hey, what’s your name?” he seemed just as embarrassed as Selene was, especially since every eye in the room was glued to the scene.15

“Selene…” she couldn’t believe that Nick Jonas, of all the people in the world, was asking for her name. Despite her incomprehensible feelings, she couldn’t help but smile. That smile released all the immense emotions she was feeling.16

Nick, transfixed, smiled too, laughing slightly. 17

“Selene, would you want to come backstage with me? I’d really like to talk to you.” Selene paused for a moment, incredulous.18

“…Oh yes, of course!” She answered, trying to muster up all her confidence. 19

Backstage, Selene waited, anxious and shaking, for Nick to come back from his meet and greet. How? What? When? Why? Wait…what?? She couldn’t make sense of anything. Her usually calm, impassible spirit was now thrown in the pits of uncertainty. 20

“Ah, Selene.” His voice startled her out of her contemplative stupor. She turned to face him. His piercing, intense look filled her with mysterious wonder. He sat down next to her, locking eyes with her once more. Selene could see infinity in his eyes; she wanted to immerse herself in them.21

“I…I’ve never…” Nick shook his head, unable to put in words what he felt. 22

And then, in a second, he kissed her. He pressed his lips passionately on hers; she shook, but returned the kiss firmly. It was beautiful. Overtaken by something immense, they kissed again; a flow of musical touches ensued from their encounter. Both were confused, perplexed, dominated by something irrational. 23

Nick looked at her in amazement.24

“I’ve never felt so deeply for anyone!” He shook his head again, but gently took Selene’s hands. 25

“I know what you’re saying…strange connection?” Selene was trying her best to control her quivering voice. 26

Nick nodded, and this time, for the first time, he was sure. In their first look, their first ever longing lock of eyes, he had known. She would be spending the rest of his life with him. 27