How Did They Meet, Anyway?

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have been an item for what seems like a lifetime now. Over the years of breakups, makeups, and fluke reconciliations, it's easy to forget the fact that there was a point at which these two didn't know each other. Despite Bieber's hanging out with Yovanna Ventura, last we heard, Jelena was back on. How did Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber meet in the first place? Before their worlds collided and the universe was irreparably changed by their never-ending on-again off-again romance, Bieber was just a regular old Canadian boy, Gomez was just a Wizard of Waverly Place. Pray tell, how did this torrid love story begin? Welp, it was kind of set up like a play date.

Before we get to their actual meeting, let's dust off the Jelena cobwebs in our minds, kids. We're about to go back to "before the common era". Or, should I say, "before the Selena & Justin era."

2011 was a simpler time for all. Bieber had a clean record. Gomez and Taylor Swift were still the two amigos. It was a different universe. It was just around this time when dating rumors about the couple began to circulate. At the time, Gomez was 19 and Bieber was 17, and they were spied all over the place together. They insisted to the public left and right that their relationship was platonic, despite how lovey-dovey they were, like, all the time. Case in point, the singers showed up to the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in February 2011.

Look at those two, they were like the American poster children for puppy love. Really though, must stay on topic.

Gomez disclosed some details about her relationship with Bieber in an interview with David Letterman in 2011. This chat went down before Gomez was out in the open about her Bieb-lationship, so she didn't explicitly admit that she and Bieber were dating. However, she realved that they met around two years prior, which at the time would have been 2009, after his manager Scooter Braun reached out to her own manager. I mean, mom. I mean, her Momager. She told Letterman "Actually, his manager called my mom, who’s my manager." See? One guardian calls up another. This method is also called pre-school style courting.

Gomez went on to tell Letterman of just how much she valued Bieber's presence in her life, and just how dear of a friend he was. "He’s been in my life for so long, and it’s just nice to have someone that understands what you’re going through," she said of the "Baby" singer, to which Letterman sagely retorted "This is not my first rodeo..." Oh Dave, you say what we're thinking. Just tell her, "BAD IDEA!"

It wasn't long after Gomez appeared on Letterman that the two friends DTR-ed to the world. Gomez announced that she was dating Bieber in March 2011 on Ellen DeGeneres' show. The world quickly replied "WELL DUH!"

Despite their "bad breakup" farther down the line, wouldn't ya know, it looks like they're still dating currently. These young people sure like to make the same mistakes repeatedly.

So, there you have it! They fast-tracked from friends to lovers, all because of a chance phone call between chaperones. Sounds just like when my first grade crush's mother called up my mom to set up a play date. Ah, youth...

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