Last week I used Spencer and Heidi of The Hills fame to examine the pros and cons of living together. This week I’m going to talk about Lauren Conrad and her ex Jason, who came back into her life with a shocking surprise.
A Little History
Lauren and Jason have been on again/off again since the Laguna Beach days. (Laguna Beach was the predecessor to The Hills. That show followed Lauren and friends during high school.)
At the end of the first season of The Hills, Lauren gave up an internship in Paris to spend the summer living with Jason at a beach house. A decision she soon regretted when they ended up fighting all the time. Season Two kicked off with her and Jason breaking up. She stayed away from him until this season, when he suddenly called again.
”Can we catch up?”
I give Lauren a lot of credit. She’s speaks her mind and is true to her friends. When she broke up with Jason she cut all ties, but she also assured him that one day she’d be his friend again. True to her word, after she’d had enough time to heal, she agreed to meet him for coffee when he called months later. (Or, as I know it, in the middle of Season Three.)
Like Old Times
Lauren told Whitney that Jason’s the kind of person she could tell anything to and trust anything with. That people like that are rare, and that’s why he’d always have a special place in her heart. That’s why she was fine letting him back into her life.
She had no idea where it might lead, if anywhere. She just seemed content to have the lines of communication back open.
When Jason told her he was going to be moving and looking for a new place, she offered to help. She also knows he’s gone through a rough time since they broke up (something about jail time and rehab) and she offered to have “sober” nights with him.
In all of their encounters there was flirting, sparks, and the playfulness they’d always shared in the past. But Jason harbored a secret he didn’t bother to tell Lauren until a few meetings later.
By the Way…
“I found a place and am moving in with my girlfriend. I’m having a housewarming party and want you to come meet her.”
Say what? Lauren was stunned. He could have mentioned the girlfriend before then. But that’s Jason. He likes to play his games.
Still, Lauren’s a dedicated friend. She agreed to come to the party.
Moving Too Fast?
Lauren’s good friend and roommate Audrina went to the party with her. They were both in for a shock when some of Jason’s friends called everyone’s attention to make a congratulatory announcement that Jason and his new girl were not only celebrating moving in together, but also the fact they’d just got engaged.
Lauren was stunned. I feared she’d be devastated, but she wasn’t. She thinks Jason’s being too rash and moving too fast, he’s barely even known the new girl six months, but if he wanted her to be happy for him, by golly she’d suck it up and be happy for him.
”Glad it’s not me.”
Soon thereafter she met Whitney for lunch, who asked how Jason’s party went. Lauren explained how she met his fiancé, which stunned Whitney, and immediately asked what any good friend would knowing Lauren’s history with her ex: “How do you feel about that?”
“I’m glad that’s not me.”
Lauren confided that might have been her if she’d let things go on, and in retrospect she was happy with how her life was turning out sans Jason.
I wasn’t expecting to hear that, because she’s had a hard time seeing new people since the Jason breakup, but she was as sincere as could be when she said it.
In fact, I think it helped give her closure on that chapter of her romantic life.
Question for Readers
Have you ever been in Lauren’s shoes? Did a boyfriend you initially felt was “the” one end up proposing to someone else? How did you feel about that then? How do you feel about it now? Do you think it’s all worked out for the best?
Related Articles
How Long Should You Wait to Be Engaged?