I Only See You

I was born into a family of money. Paul Kevin Jonas I, my father, built his business by drilling oil and striking rich when he was young. He married my mother, Denise, and had four sons, including me. Kevin Jonas II is the oldest, followed by Joseph Adam, myself - Nicholas Jerry, and our youngest brother Franklin Nathaniel.

My childhood was one of discipline and lessons, having the best of the best and nothing less. Every weekend, my brothers and I would be taken to a social our parents' friends planned. Being so young in the life of a high class society is one huge burden to bare.

If I were to get a small stain on my maid washed pants, I would get a harsh lecture from my father and disgracing words from my mother. Even now, at sixteen years old, it has not changed. I have perfected the fake smile that has been plastered on my face for years. In this inside, I just wished to live the life of the kids I would see in the public school I would pass on my way home from my exclusive private school.

Every summer, my family and I would take a trip to another country and this year, 1915, we had taken one to Europe. We have been there once before, when I was much younger and Frankie wasn't born yet.

In my mind, this trip was only for a vacation. But little did I know that I was actually being set up by my parents to a beautiful girl, also sixteen, named Julia Gaines. She was the heir of a gold mine and she was beautiful, no doubt, inside and out, but I wasn't in love with her.

My parents told me that Julia will be the one I would marry once we were of age. Julia would be my wife and Julia would be the one to bear my children who would carry on the Jonas name. It seemed like a good future, if only I were in love with her.

Another reason of our Europe vacation was to sail back to America in style. In the largest ship ever built, the RMS Lusitania. We would arrive back in style, having rights to brag that we were one of the first passengers of the Lusitania. Not that we didn't have bragging rights before then, because we most certainly did. Money was an object, and the Jonas family had a lot of money.

"Nicholas," Julia said beside me. We were in the carriage that had taken us to the dock that many had gathered around to see the departure of the RMS Lusitania. "Are you ready?"

"Of course," I responded. I exited the carriage first and held my hand out for my fiance. She took my hand with her left, which had the large diamond ring that I had given to her for our forced engagement and I helped her out. The driver took our suitcases and Julia and I followed our families onto the boat.

With each step on the platform, heading into the ship, I could feel my future fading. The future I pictured for myself. To become an artist, travel on my own, and marry the girl who I would love with all of my heart. It was all disappearing and when I took the first step onto the boat, holding Julia's hand, my future was set.

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We were taken to our rooms, our fully furnished suites. I would share one with Julia while my brothers shared their own and my parents had theirs. Our suitcases were taken inside and were unpacked. Julia wanted to freshen up and I snuck out of the room to breathe.

I headed onto the deck, watching the other passengers who were gazing at the view as the ship moved forward to the destination. The water was a clear blue, the air was crisp, and the sky was cloudless. I leaned onto the rail, watching those below, playing games and pointing out.

The ship was beautiful, and it was reported that it was one boat which could not sink. That, I believed. The technology of ship building had been more advanced. But there were lifeboats on board the ship just in case of an emergency.

I gazed around, smiling at a young girl being twirled around by her father. She was smiling happily as he picked her up into his arms and held her tightly and spun her around. I wished in my mind to have that moment with a daughter in the future. But I could not see a happy life with Julia. As much as I wished to love her and to have the best life with her; in my mind, it was impossible.

As I took another look across the ship, I spotted a girl. A beautiful girl. She was sitting on the floor, with a sketchpad in her lap and a piece of charcoal in her fingers, drawing steadily across the white paper. She gazed up every few seconds, at her subject, and would look back down and capture it on her pad.

Each time she looked up, I saw the beautiful color of her eyes. They were a beautiful hazel and sparkled in the sunlight. She squinted them as she looked up. Her lips were pursed as she concentrated on her drawing. There was a hint of pink in her cheeks.

But I couldn't help but notice her attire. She was dressed in ragged clothing, ripped jeans and an old jacket. I could see the sole of her shoes starting to come off and her bag, just as ragged as her appearance.

Her fingers stopped moving and she turned up from her lap, over to me and catching my gaze. Her hazel eyes captured mine and we stared at each other across the boat. My breath was caught in my throat and I forgot how to breathe for a moment. She was beautiful. And as many passengers passing by on the boat, she was the only one I saw.