I'm in Love with My Best Friend Nick Jonas

August 6, 2002

[Before Joe asked]

“Rose, do you honestly think Mandy likes me?” a 13-year old Joe asked a 12-year old me.

“Would I be lying if I recounted the thousands of times you guys made googily eyes at one another?” I asked, wrinkling my nose in disgust.

“Yeah, Joe. You even got her a Snicker’s bar as a Valentine’s day gift”, Nick, 10 at the time, teased.

Joe gave Nick a noogie on the head as I laughed, then squealed as I ran from him knowing I was next.

[After Joe asked]

“Roseanna! Nick! Kevin! I asked Mandy out and she said yes! Isn’t that awesome?!” Joe exclaimed happily, running around the house.

I jumped at the sudden noise, Nick coming to me in an instant, patting my shoulder for a moment before he congratulated Joe.

So much for peace and quiet.

[Before the Date]
“Joe, do we really have to go with you?” Nick asked, rolling his eyes at his brother.

Kevin had disappeared elsewhere to hang out with a girl named Bethany. I hadn’t met her yet, but she seemed to make him happy, so that’s all I cared about.

I blushed at my blue, jean jumper suit and white t-shirt and pink sandals while my hair was straight and down to my shoulder blades. Nick was in a white t-shirt with some design on it and camouflage shorts and of course, black and white Converses. Joe was dressed in a red shirt and blue, denim jeans and some Converses.

He was styling the Mohawk even back then.

We waited in the lobby of the movie theater for Mandy to arrive, but I could tell Joe was nervous.

“Why don’t you guys go and get some popcorn or something?” he asked nervously. I thought I saw a bead of sweat on the right side of his face.

“Why should we-?” Nick began, but I cut across him.

“Sure thing, Joe. Come on, Nick”, I said, ignoring Nick’s groan.

We walked over to the counter, staring at the prices for everything when Nick spoke.

“What was that for?” he asked, staring at me incredulously.

“Joe’s nervous. We shouldn’t do anything to make him more uncomfortable than he already is”, I said gently, glancing back at Joe.

Mandy had arrived in shorts, an orange tank top, and some beige sandals. Her hair was in curls, but she was overall very pretty.

“I don’t see why he’s nervous. I mean, yeah it’s his first date and all, but”, Nick began, glancing back at Joe and Mandy as well, “it’s just Mandy. She’s our best friend, too, so I’m sure she won’t care about what movie theater we’re at”, he finished.

He ordered quickly for the four of us, getting popcorn, drinks, and candy. Joe had told us not to get nachos, so we didn’t.

The movie the boys chose was of course, a horror film. Joe chose to sit in the third row, closest to the screen while Nick and I sat on the fifth row, a couple of rows behind he and Mandy.

“This is boring”, I whispered to Nick after about half an hour into the movie.

“Yeah”, Nick said, before he looked down.

“Eww! Gross! Look!” he whispered quietly, pointing at Joe and Mandy whom were in a full-on make-out session.

“Eww!” Nick and I said in unison.

“Maybe we should just leave”, I suggested.

“Yeah. Come on”, Nick agreed.

We easily passed by Joe and Mandy and went back into the lobby.

Somehow, we passed the time away in the arcade playing games and overall, just being the kids that we were. After a while, though, we got bored again and my mind started wandering back to Joe and Mandy kissing.

“What do you think that’s like?” I asked in slight awe as we sat on one of the benches.

I was sitting indian-style while Nick had his whole body laid out on the other bench next to mine.

“What’s what like?” he asked in confusion.

“You know, kissing?” I asked, blushing once again at the thought.

“I don’t know. It’s probably weird, though”, was Nick’s response.

I didn’t press the subject any further. Nick must have thought I was some weirdo, but at the time, I cared about that. I wanted desperately to know what it felt like to be kissed and what made things weirder was that even though I didn’t know what it was like back then, I knew who I trusted more than anyone to try it out with.

…

Once we returned to the Jonas’, I packed my things, realizing I had to leave them in the morning.

As I was packing, Joe entered the room that I shared with Nick at the time whenever I visited them.

“Hey, Roseanna”, he said in a low tone, a bright smile on his lips.

He was in his pajamas and so was I.

“Hey”, I replied in a sad tone, the same one I always had whenever I knew I had to leave them.

“Nick wants to see you when you’re done, so just come and get me when you’re finished, OK?” he asked.

I nodded my head in comprehension before returning back to my things. Nick wanted to see me? For what I wondered.

I walked down the steps in my pink night gown, running a hand through my hair as I thought the matter with each step I took.

Why did Nick want to see me? I mean, we always just talked endlessly the night before, then hugged and said goodbye in the morning. What was going on now?

I reached the kitchen, seeing Nick there in a red t-shirt and plaid pajama pants. Our eyes met and I saw the sadness in them.

“Rosie, come on”, he said quietly with a hand outstretched.

I frowned, looking from his face to his outstretched hand and back before speaking.

“Where are we going?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Just come on, please”, he said in a slightly firm tone.

I squinted my eyes at him before I took his hand, it being warm like a gentle fire. He opened the back door to their house, leading us outside to their yard.

Once we reached the fence that surrounded their home, he let go of my hand, allowing it to gently drop to my side before staring up at the stars.

“You know this is always the hardest part for me”, he began, catching me off guard.

“Why? I’ll just be back again then we can hang out again”, I said cheerfully, but I was confused at his statement.

“I don’t know. I mean, yeah, we’ll hang out again, but sometimes-sometimes I wish you could stay with us an extra day longer”, he said, staring at me near the end.

“You know I’ll be starting the 7th grade tomorrow, so I can’t”, I replied as though it were obvious.

I knew he didn’t want me to leave, but I didn’t want to either. But…what were we supposed to do? I had school still and he did, too. I didn’t belong in New Jersey away from my home in Florida.

“Just-don’t forget about me, OK?” he asked, catching me off guard.

“How could I forget you, Nick? You’re my best friend. That won’t ever change, or at least, I hope it’ll never change”, I said in a kind tone.

I placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him and we stood in silence.

“I-I’m going to be in a play soon. Will you be there?” he asked, but I felt like he wanted to ask something else.

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” I said in a cheerful tone.

Nick turned to me, doing something I didn’t expect him to; he hugged me. It wasn’t just any hug. It was a warm hug-the type of hug that you sit for minutes at a time until you’re ready to pull away, but you seem like you just can’t do.

But eventually, Nick did pull away, causing my heartbeat to increase. I thought it was so loud that Nick heard it, but I knew otherwise.

“Nick! Rose! Mom says to come inside!” Kevin called from the door.

“OK!” we replied in unison.

Nick led the way without saying a word to me about the hug that night leaving me sort of confused.

What was I supposed to say or think? I was twelve at the time.

But it’s not so much as to what I should say or think, it’s what I did do and that was absolutely nothing… at first.