Entertainment

Tayshia & JPJ's 'BiP' Breakup Was Straight Out Of A Sappy Rom-Com

by Nicole Pomarico
ABC

Tayshia and John Paul Jones were one of the most unexpected couples on Bachelor in Paradise this season, but on Monday night — with only one episode to go — they decided to call it quits. Just days earlier, JPJ was making Tayshia laugh while wearing a denim speedo, and then, it was over. While talking about the future of their relationship, Tayshia and John Paul Jones broke up on BiP, and it was truly difficult to watch.

It all started when JPJ confessed that he was in love with her, and it was, in Tayshia's words, "a lot." She wasn't in love with him yet, even though she wanted to be.

"I really do cherish everything we've had here in Mexico," she said. "But to hear that you're in love with me — I wanna get there, but I'm not there yet."

Tayshia wasn't convinced that JPJ knew for sure that he wanted a life with her forever anyway, but he argued with that — he said he was sure, but that didn't seem to change her mind, and it ended up being a truly emotional moment which left John Paul Jones walking away all by herself — until Tayshia decided to chase after him, crying and apologizing. Talk about brutal.

That meant that it was time for both Tayshia and JPJ to leave paradise, and the tears were flowing.

It was hard to see them both leave in the midst of their own emotional breakdowns, especially since just one episode ago, they were at prom together. It all seemed to end so quickly.

Of course, that montage of all of their relationship moments that aired as they were both driving away didn't help. They really did have something special, but getting along in the vacuum that is Bachelor in Paradise isn't always an indicator of whether or not a relationship has legs to survive in real life.

But being that they were both so upset, maybe their breakup was more due to cold feet than anything else? It's hard to say where Tayshia's mind is at right now, and it's totally plausible that she might have realized she feels more for JPJ than she thought she did now that she had lost him.

It was heartbreaking to watch the end of JPJ and Tayshia's relationship — despite the fact that, when they were first getting to know each other, it didn't seem like it was going to last. Unexpectedly, they actually ended up having a pretty good thing going, but in the end, they both had to be honest with themselves about their feelings before committing to each other any further.

Their time in paradise might be over, but of course, this doesn't have to be the end of their story if they don't want it to be. Stranger things have certainly happened in Bachelor Nation, after all. There could be a future where Tayshia and JPJ find their way back to each other, but until then, they have a lot of good memories made on the beach to look back on.