Sadly, it looks like one of the most adorable — albeit, unexpected — couples to come out of Season 2 of Bachelor in Paradise were unable to keep their romantic fire burning. On Sunday'e episode Mikey T. and Juelia broke up, which was a crushing blow to their fans. Now that their dunzo, the real question is: Why? Why did Mikey and Juelia break up on Bachelor in Paradise ?
Their courtship was one that had many cheering, "YAS!" after the single mom had been put through the wringer by Joe's machinations, following a fractured friendship with Samantha. For his part, Mikey was unable to woo Clare — or anyone else, for reasons unknown to me — for a majority of the season, before being sent home. In what seemed like a lightbulb moment, Juelia implored host/awesome person, Chris Harrison, to find a way for Mikey to come back to Paradise, as she realized he may have been the one that got away.
After Juelia was subsequently left without a rose, Mikey emerged from a limo like a knight in shining Under Armour, giving them a chance to stay in Paradise and build a connection together. The coupling looked like it had a lot of promise, with both enjoying a date that led to a Fantasy Suite, and fans of Bachelor Nation — myself included — shipping the two with zeal.
But, romance can be fleeting, and that proved to be the case on the first part of the BiP finale Sunday, when Mikey and Juelia broke up. During the first part of the Season 2 finale on Sunday, Sept. 6, Juelia appeared to be swimming in romantic bliss, while it was clear Mikey had something weighing on him. During a discussion with some of the guys, he revealed that — after giving a concerted effort at seeing if the two had romantic chemistry — he only viewed Juelia as a friend.
Taking Juelia aside, Mikey told Juelia she was "one of the sweetest, nicest" people he has met, but that he didn't see their relationship leading past friendship. "I just can't lead you on, I don't have it in me," he said, and appeared genuinely pained to break things off. After being put through the ringer all season, it was heartbreaking to watch Juelia break down in tears after Mikey disclosed his true feelings.
As saddening as it is to see this couple break things off, I have to commend Mikey for being true to his feelings and refusing to lead Juelia on — she went through that sort of thing (hi, Joe) enough this season. Juelia exited paradise immediately following the breakup, which seems like the best decision, given that paradise hasn't been the best place for the fan favorite to find the love she truly deserves.
Although Mikey and Juelia definitely had some chemistry, I can see why they could work better as friends. Looking back, there may have been signs that these two weren't meant to last.
1. They Both Were Interested In Different People
It wasn't until Juelia was relatively sure she would be sent packing that she expressed real interest in Mikey. For his part, Mikey spent most of his time in paradise interested in Clare before being eliminated.
2. Juelia Turned Down A Kiss From Mikey
Remember when Mikey first tried to kiss Juelia to avoid being eliminated? Yeah — that was awkward. Juelia clearly felt more of a platonic bond with Mikey before facing elimination, herself.
3. Their Bond Was Strong — But Was It #RelationshipGoals Strong?
These two clearly thought fondly of each other, but this fondness can arguably be found in plenty of friendships. Being connected to someone doesn't necessarily mean that the relationship is meant to take a romantic route.
One thing is for certain: Both of these fan favorites deserve to find love. It's unfortunate that they couldn't connect romantically, but hopefully they can appreciate a great friendship that was gained during their time on the show.
Images: Rick Rowell/ABC; Giphy (2)
Get Even More From Bustle — Sign Up For The Newsletter
From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person who’s on TikTok, even if you aren’t.
More like this
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSraOeZpOkunCt0a2gnKSVqHxyfJdwbnBlp53GbrDInWSmoZuaxm621J6jopldl7%2BmrcpmrKlln6N6o63CoZylp6Jitq95z5qpmpyZqLJutMisZKudkai8r7%2BMmqmeZaOWsW6u1K0%3D