Entertainment

Sorry, Miley & Liam Fans

by Arielle Tschinkel

It felt like the world was in a tizzy when reports surfaced in January that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth were back together. Some celebrity couples just seem to have a hold over the public — after all, there's a reason why people still talk about Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, or Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, even though the couples in question moved on long ago — and Cyrus and Hemsworth are definitely one of those couples. Reports suggested that the two not only reconciled, but that Cyrus and Hemsworth were engaged and living together again. Neither had commented on the rumors until now, with Hemsworth saying that he is not engaged.

In an interview with Australia's TV Week, Hemsworth addressed the issue and said, "I am not engaged, no." What the what?! This definitely leads to some confusion, because the two appear to be dating again (even Dolly Parton confirmed they were back together, so that means it's definitely true... right?), and Cyrus has been spotted wearing her engagement ring, but it seems that they don't have a wedding in the works. But here's the thing: that's not a bad thing at all. In fact, I think it's better that they're not engaged yet.

Hear me out. Though she's been around for what feels like forever, Cyrus is only 23 years old. Let that sink in. Sure, she's lived a much more mature life than most "normal" 23-year-olds, but that doesn't make her any more ready for marriage than someone else at the same age. When the couple first announced their engagement back in May 2012, I, for one, thought she was way too young to be engaged. She was only 19 at the time. Of course, only Hemsworth and Cyrus can know for sure what the right steps are in their relationship, but most people in their late teens and early twenties need time to grow as a person.

That's not to say that I don't think they should be together. In fact, by all accounts, there has always been a lot of love between them. Cyrus herself told Elle UK in 2015 that even though they'd broken up, there was "no negativity" between them: "You break up and it’s everywhere. And it’s like, 'They’ve moved on,' but actually often it’s all good. Me and Liam are still so close and we love each other, and they make it like there is negativity."

These positive vibes alone make it clear that these are two mature people with a lot of love for one another, so I'm pretty happy that they've reconciled. I still don't think they need to be rushing down the aisle, though. A broken engagement already means that they've had some issues to work through, and while they're the only ones who know if they're ready to get married, no one will argue that marriage isn't a lot of work, and even the most successful marriages have plenty of good times and bad. It's entirely possible that their time spent broken up allowed for them to grow as individuals and realize that life apart isn't what makes them happy, which is great if it's true. But they should still take the time to be young and happy in love, without the pressure of a marriage just yet.

If a Cyrus/Hemsworth wedding is meant to be, it will be. And I will be the first one relentlessly searching for photos. But for now, here's hoping the couple is happy, both as a couple and as individuals. Ultimately, that's all that matters.

Images: Giphy (3)