Temptation Island S2 Reunion: Part One (Extended Cut) | Exclusively on The Viall Files

Coming up on the two-part reunion for Temptation Island season 2

Good good, let it out. I don't count that cuz I cheated on her. Oh, I

Just wanted to chat you didn't sound like a chat. I just wanted to chat alcohol is honestly

What fucking killed me? That's not who you are and we all know that that's not who you are

But what are these little lies?

I'm thinking of one right now. Which one are you thinking of? He told me if we don't go on the show,

I'll think about it for the rest of my life.

This is my first real, actual girlfriend.

Nick got a DM from...

Oh, my God.

I see him, and I love him. It was just like a bad cycle and it needed to be broken, but it was breaking me.

I know he loves me wholeheartedly, without a doubt.

Is there any part of you that has just a little bit of hope?

Um...

The main takeaway for us is I feel way more secure now, and that's what's made everything so much better for us. So what were your intentions?

What did you want to say? What the fuck is wrong with you? You can't speak to women like you would a guy.

I let the manipulation get to me. I let people's words get to me.

Why did you get so drunk?

I hated it there.

It looks bad when you see Cheyenne getting fucked.

Can we stop? We were together and then broke up.

And...

No, wait, wait, wait. As a man, my ego is like a little shot. I'm like, they didn't put this scene.

I pushed a hole in the wall.

You're good.

No, it's not that I'm good.

I'm speaking the fucking truth.

Part one of the Temptation Island season two reunion starts now.

Here we go, how are we?

Jack, how are we?

Next to me, big guy.

Hi, gorgy gorg. Hello, hello, hello.

You look nervous.

Are you nervous?

A little bit.

I'm nervous.

Is the camo like a metaphor for not wanting to be seen and to hide while you're here?

Honestly.

Someone's wearing camo too.

I guess.

Are these real?

Yes, they're real.

Are these real?

I think. Yes. Are these real? Yes, they're real. Are these real? Why are you touching them? Oh, I was gonna give you a rose. I just wanna be as close to Sydney as possible for this short amount of time.

All right, we're already starting.

Here we go, yeah.

Let's do everybody's mics one by one.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

Are we ready?

Yep.

Okay. Let's have some fun, guys. Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Temptation Island Season 2 reunion. We are your hosts. I'm Nick.

And I'm Natalie. We are so excited to welcome the cast of Temptation Island Season 2.

This season, there were a lot of tears, a lot of messy behavior, and a lot of heartbreak. With Temptation at an all-time high, only one couple survived the island, leaving together.

Others left alone, while a new couple emerged. Today is all about what's happened since everyone left the island.

During this reunion, we want to unpack it all. Where everyone is at, where they've been, and above all else, what they've learned from their experience.

Cheyenne, you look gorgeous.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Is that you?

You look great.

Thank you, thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Jack, you're blonde now. Blonde.

What was the motivation behind that?

I did it like three years ago.

Okay. And I was like, you know what? I want to change. And that show just put me through a lot. Blonde Jack is like more chill. Okay.

Who do you trust more, Blonde Jack or Burnett? Me either. Okay. Perfect. Wait, I thought his hair was blonde. Summit, how is your mom? She's good, yeah.

Everything's good. You know, it's been exciting watching the show with my friends and family and a lot of support overall.

Did you two coordinate the mustache or what's going on there? No.

He's wearing my pants, those are my pants.

He copied my mustache.

Kaylee, do you approve of the mustache? I do. I love the mustache and the mini mullet.

She kind of was the one who pushed the mustache and now I'm liking it.

Okay.

Sydney, have you been serenaded by any guitars recently?

Not lately, but definitely on the island for sure.

Okay. We'll circle back to that.

Yes, we will.

Mike, you look great these days. I appreciate that.

What's new about you? It's been a good life, truthfully. Just been focused on the betterment of myself.

Okay.

But then Mikey first.

Cole, are you reading anything currently?

Reading?

Yeah.

Like a book or a journal?

Or a journal or a diary.

Oh, Di right in.

Yeah, I've actually, since the show, probably upped my journaling and reading a lot.

He's reading his own.

Not reading her journal.

There you go.

My own journal, maybe the newspaper sometimes, I don't know, or something.

Hey Scarlett, how did it feel to have two men crying for you?

Bradley was, I think the crying kind of like threw me off at the end just because it was, I don't know. I mean, I could tell that there was like so much love there, but for me, it was such an amazing friendship that really got me through such a hard time. There's his side and then there's my side, and I don't know, it was a hard situation.

Well, we are gonna unpack all of each relationship as we go through this reunion, but where I wanna start is, why the heck did you guys agree to go on Temptation Island? Obviously, this is a show that has an unconventional premise, coming on with your partner

and allowing your partner to engage with singles. But what I love about this show, in the words of your wonderful host, Mark Wahlberg, this is a show that really unpacks a lot of the interesting layers about relationships, why they work and why they don't work.

So I'd love to just go around the room and just from each couple, or former couple, how did you guys come to the decision to go on Temptation Island? And just from an individual standpoint, I'd love to hear what each person was hoping

to get out of going on Temptation Island. So maybe I'll start with Jack and Cheyenne. How did you guys come to going on

Temptation Island? It was fully Jack's idea to go to Temptation Island. I was not for it when he first brought it up. I was like, not looking at me, but it's not happening. And then, I don't know, he just kind of convinced me. He was like, not looking at me, that is not happening. And then, I don't know, he just kind of convinced me. He was like, I think if we can get past this, like we can get past anything. And yeah, so I agreed to go and we did the experience.

We learned what we learned, but I think ultimately I was just looking to fully trust him after the show, and I don't think that quite went in my favor. Well, yeah, it seems like it went maybe the opposite. But I wouldn't take anything back from what happened

on the island. It is what it is, and life moves on.

How long did the convincing process take for him to get you on board?

I would say it took a couple months, because even, honestly, all the way up to when we left. I didn't even show up to the last meeting, like with the executives, because I knew what was gonna happen. And so it was just kinda like, I don't wanna do it,

but I don't know, I forced myself to do it.

No, no, no, no, no.

Okay.

I'm the one who, I was like,

I'm not going on the fucking meeting. I was like, Jack's so determined, he shut up. He's like, oh, she's good for it.

No, I was like, I'm not going on the meeting. Like, I think this is a terrible idea. And then Jack did his little talking and he was like, oh, she just doesn't feel well or whatever his excuse was. And then we ended up going.

But we went in as the alternate couple. So technically we weren't supposed to be on the show. When you found out you were gonna be on the show, what was that conversation like?

We went out there, like honestly expecting to fly out there, go through all the stuff, and then fly right back home. That was our hope, a little bit. And, well her hope. And then we got there, and then we went through everything, and then they obviously came to our room and told us

and then we were just like, kind of looked at each other

and we're kind of just like.

I was not happy.

We heard a rumor there might have been a fight.

Yeah, there was a couple of fights in the hotel room.

I wouldn't say fight, argument, arguments were, yeah.

Why were you so unhappy about the idea of you guys going on this show?

Because I knew deep down what was going to happen. I just knew. And so I just had to accept it. I was just like, he wants to do this.

Let's just do it.

Was there any part of you that thought, if you want to do this show that bad, maybe we should just end it here right now?

Yes. I feel like that thought did go through my head, but as much as I knew what was gonna happen, I still had that little bit of hope that was like, we're gonna make it out, we've been together for so long,

that this could end in a way that I would feel is like a dream come true, right? And that shit failed.

Sydney, you brought Mikey to the island, right? I did. Okay, so why did you want to come?

So, with Mikey, when the opportunity presented itself and I brought it to him, he was like, absolutely not. He had watched the show multiple times, multiple seasons. And, okay, correct me if I'm wrong. Okay, but, so he had watched multiple seasons. I had never watched it.

I had watched it with him like three episodes and I was like Oh like we had talked about it before and we were like what if this was us and then like when they when they reached Out I was like, oh let me talk to him. He was like absolutely not We're not doing it and I was just like well in the past like we've talked about different shows like this and dating shows I was like, so why not give it a try? And then that's when I reached back out to the casting producer, and I was like, yeah, he's not going for it.

Like, he doesn't want to do it. And then they were like, well, let's just hop on a call, and we can talk to him, talk him through it, and see if he changes his mind.

And at the end of that, he said, you know what? were you hoping to get out of it? Because obviously your guys' storyline was one of, you feeling like Mikey wasn't showing up in your relationship the way you had hoped, or you felt like he was taking you for granted and things like that. So I think with this show, we always expect to hear

that the men wanted to go, like Jack and Cheyenne, you know, in a way that like Cheyenne kind of suspected that maybe Jack was hoping this was an opportunity to meet other ladies, but I think it's more of a surprise when you hear it from your end. What were you thinking this would do

for your relationship going in?

So when we originally got into our relationship once he graduated college, it was like he was a completely different person that I didn't recognize. So what he was telling me sounded good, but it's like I hadn't seen the actions.

So it's like when the show reached out, I was like this would be a good way for me to see if he has changed and if he is the person that he's telling me that he is. So that's why I wanted to go.

And what was, and I know you called yourself a dog a lot

and kind of, you know, you called yourself a hoe. What did that actually look like? So what it looked like was when me and Mikey first met, I didn't know who he was on campus. I was a transfer to A&T. I transferred from a different college. So I wasn't aware that he was the big host on campus. He was well known and everything like that.

So I'm just talking to him, trying to see what it could be. And when we start sleeping together and getting romantic, then that's when other people come to me and they're like, oh, he actually is talking to like, like he has a girlfriend. And I was like, what do you mean he has a girlfriend?

So that from the jump, like made me take a step back and be like, oh, like I'm done. Mikey, like I did not talk to him for two years in college after that. Then that's why when he came back around when he graduated and was like, oh, I'm this new person. I'm like, why should I believe that?

Mikey, I'm curious, how about you? When Sydney wanted to come on the show, how did you first initially receive it?

She picked me up from the airport, because I had a show, and she brought it up to me. And I wish I still had the video to show you, because it's so funny. She said, yeah, we can go to Temptation Island. And I looked at her and I said, fuck no. And she said, oop, and she cut off the camera.

That would be viral if you had that video.

But my biggest thing was I saw the look in her eye and I was very timid to the opportunity, but talking to whoever, who was it again?

Chris.

Yeah, when we were talking to Chris and everything and just hearing the passion she had behind it, truthfully, that's my best friend. If she told me to jump off of a bridge, I'd ask how high. You get what I'm saying? Yeah.

So it's just on the side of just like, I always want to support whatever she put in front of me. And same way how I know she'll always support whatever I put in front of her. So it would be wrong for me to tell her no.

To something like this.

Well you were a fan of the show, so you kind of knew the risks going into it, right?

Yeah, that was, I thought it was fake, guys. I thought all this was fake. I'm like, oh yeah, island, Hawaii, it's fake. It has to be fake truthfully. I thought all of this was fake I was like, there's no way this is real. What if you go there with your girlfriend? You guys obviously are like you guys are going home together. You watch the show. I didn't know I thought it was fake

I thought all of them were actors thought everybody was an actor. They give you a script They're just like yo, this is how it goes down. No, that shit's real. That shit is fucked

That's a fucked experience. Oh my god, despite you thinking it was fake and everyone else was an actor I am curious like what did you think you needed to do to get through to the other side with Sydney? Like was it just not hooking up with someone thousand percent? I truly just, I truly believe that if I just flirt,

show my personality, get through it, we good.

Okay. But if I touch somebody, if I did anything, if I touch somebody in there, I would be screwed. I would be on a cross.

I would.

You thought she wanted to watch you flirt?

My biggest thing is when we went into the experience, it was very, I knew the risk. I was like, you have to go on dates. You have to be in these romantic ass settings.

And they're beautiful.

But just because you're in romantic settings doesn't mean that you have to, you know.

No, and that's totally true, but it's still on the side of just like, conversation. But certain conversations didn't happen. I mean, the biggest thing from what I watched is my mouth got me in trouble. And I was the most immature person that was on that television show. Out of everybody here, I was the most immature, and it was embarrassing to watch back. So, no, I was way more immature than Jack.

We'll definitely unpack you guys later. I do want to go back to Jack. Hearing Cheyenne say she knew it was going to happen,

she knew it was going to happen. Do you agree with her? Do you feel like you were kind of destined to end up doing what you did? No. Going on to the show, like the one thing for me and we talked about was, and they all heard it too when we first got there, was don't drink alcohol. Just because I knew that, and mind you, I changed myself from that. What's really cool about the show, I didn't change myself actually. I've been working on myself. There we go. But What's really cool about the show, I didn't change myself actually, I've been working on myself. There we go. But what's really cool about the show is I get to reflect on who I am as a person and who I was nine months ago and

alcohol is honestly what fucking killed me. I mean I... So did you think you were

gonna cheat on me going into the show? No, sorry, off track. No, I didn't think, honestly, no, I didn't.

Why did you wanna go on the show? Like, why were you so determined to convince her to do it?

Just because prior to the show, but like before, like our relationship was super rocky. Like we would, I mean, we'd argue all the time.

I feel like we just weren't happy we'd spend every day together and I mean every single day all day I

Spent every day with my wife. I don't say it like that

No, but I mean No, I'm talking like she's sitting on the lap one taking a shit I'm just kidding.

But, honestly though.

I'm about to cry.

Don't be saying that.

But honestly though.

That's your shit.

What?

No, we just had troubles before going onto the island.

Okay. Summit and Kaylee, which one of you's idea was it to go on the show?

I mean, she had initially brought it to my attention and But she was like very tentative when she did bring it to me and I was kind of like excited about the opportunity

very excited

It was like a crazy almost like in a number you almost regretted suggesting yes

Well, they reached out to me as a single and we had broken up at this point Okay, and I responded because I was like, you know what, let's just see what happens. I would never go on that show as a single, now looking back. But I responded and then we got back together and then casting reached out to me the week we got back together, which was weird timing.

And then I brought it up to him as a joke and was just like, oh my god, Temptation Island reached out and he was like, oh my God, this is so sick. Like, ask them if they're casting couples. And yeah.

Why did you guys break up before?

You wanna talk?

You wanna go?

Yeah, I mean, we talk about it on the show. And this is really the reason we went on the show is just my inability to commit to a relationship and just kind of give more of commit to a relationship and just kind of like give more of myself to a relationship. For me, before the show, that was just really scary.

And I think I had this thing in my head where I was like, if you commit to a relationship, like 100%, it means you have to like get married and get the dog the next day. And I think that's something that Aylan taught me is that's not the case. Like you can still be 100% committed to someone and like, give them a lot of time and energy without it meaning like, you're getting married tomorrow.

But anyways, we went on the show basically just so I could like, get over my commitment issues. And that's why we broke up initially, is I just wasn't giving enough to the relationship.

Yeah. And I honestly didn't want to go on the show at all. And he told me if we don't go on the show, I'll think about it for the rest of my life.

Oh, that's heavy.

I was sort of left with a, like, do I do this for him situation.

It feels like almost like an ultimatum.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Hmm.

Well, we will unpack that. that way. I mean, that's deep. I don't think that's the way. You look like a deer in headlights right now. Yeah, I just don't think that I put that much intensity into it.

Okay.

Well, we'll unpack that later this episode. Cole and Scarlett, love to hear from you guys about how you guys ended up on Temptation Island.

So I got reached out to on Instagram and I saw the message and I was like, absolutely not. Didn't reply and then some time went by and I was like, would we be okay? So I brought it up to Cole and I was like, hey, like there's this.

And we said, let's do the first interview. After that I was like, I don't think it's a good idea. Like I don't think we should do this. We were working on our relationship. relationship, there was a lot that we were going through, and I was like, this is not smart. And then he said, Scar, let's just try. Let's just do it.

And I was like, are you sure? So we continue to go through and then we, you know, we both agreed. We're like, all right, let's do it. Like we clearly have a lot of trust issues right now. being, oh, if we can make it through Temptation Island and not cheat, which like, that's the bare minimum, then the trust issues will be gone and we'll be good at the end of this.

And so that was kind of like the agreement going on. And so yeah, we agreed to go and that's pretty much how it happened.

Do you agree with her timeline?

Yeah, from what I remember, yeah. I think it was kind of like me going like, let's try it out, go through like the process, which is so long, you know, to even get on a show like that. And I just kept kind of snowballing to the next round of interviews. And before you know it, we're on like a family trip in Lake Tahoe and we're sneaking up to the bedroom upstairs to do an interview. And then, yeah, next week we're flying to Hawaii.

So honestly, a little surprised to hear that you had the reluctance and you were the one who almost kind of encouraged you guys to go. I don't think I encouraged it or it was reluctance. I think it was like she, you know, she got reached out to. She obviously has gone on reality TV before and we talked about it. And then it was like, I think it's just like, let's just try the interview. But we were so at like a lower stage where I didn't think like we were going to like get to like the point of like, we want you on the show. And so we just kind of like went through with it. But like, I mean, I'll say it was like a mutual agreement.

We both signed the contract and went on. So it wasn't like, no, maybe similar to the other couples. Like we didn't force each other. It wasn't like, if you don't do this, like I'm breaking up with you. We were like, I think it's, yeah.

Yeah, I think if we both were like, hey, we don't wanna do it, or we just wanna do it, we wouldn't have done it, and we just wouldn't have done it. So it wasn't like a end all, be all. It was just, we both agreed.

Now Scarlett, this wasn't your first time on reality TV, right?

No, I did below deck, which was way fucking easier.

Yeah, I imagine.

We were living on a yacht, and it was still really hard. One of the things, actually, one of the reasons I thought this would be good for us was because even that, you're put in these situations where it really does force you to grow and look inward. And so I told him going into it, I was like, it's gonna be, it's like so hard, you know? And you don't even realize, but then once you get there, it's like, things come up and like,

you're just put on the spotlight and under all of this pressure. And so I said, you know, if anything comes of this, like let's just really use this opportunity for growth. And I think that was another reason

that I thought it would be good for us.

We'll definitely get to each couple to unpack each relationship. But leaving the show, we only had one couple leave together, Kaylee and Summit. Are you guys still together?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay. And are the rest of you still broken up?

Yes.

We're together.

We're together.

You guys are together.

I think Scarlett and Cole, y'all are back together.

All right.

Love it. I'm excited to find out how that happened again.

Jack and Cheyenne, y'all are still broken up?

Yeah.

Yep.

Okay.

Mutual. Oh, got it. Okay. Yes, of course. Yeah.

Okay.

Sydney and Mikey, y'all are also not together.

Not together.

And are you still with Xavier?

I am just focusing on myself.

Okay.

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Maybe it makes sense to kick things off with the one couple that left the island together, Kaylee and Summit. With Summit's slight slip and slide and Kaylee's realization that she deserved basic respect from her partner,

these two lovers may not have looked like they were going to make it out together. But after the beach did its magic, Summit and Kaylee decided to give it another go, move in and get a dog. Sometimes love really does win.

So, did you two move in together and get a dog?

Not yet. But it's coming. We haven't moved in together, we haven't? Not yet. But it's coming.

We haven't moved in together, we haven't got a dog.

Or both.

Neither.

How many months has it been since you guys filmed?

Like eight or nine months.

Eight or nine months, yeah. We want to move in and get the dog ASAP. It's just kind of the realities of life that can make things like prolong that process. But like if I can move in with Kaley tomorrow, I would. I'm sick of my...

So it doesn't feel like...

There's no doubt in our minds that we are both aligned on still wanting that.

Yeah.

Which is good.

And we need the house to get the dog. We've even considered getting the dog not living together,

but that seems problematic. We really wanted to have the wiener dog to pull out at this podcast.

I mean, like, where is that?

The collar.

Yeah.

I didn't bring it physically here, but I brought it to LA.

Okay, just in case.

It just comes everywhere with us.

In case you find a dog.

Yeah, no, literally.

And your dad's set on a wiener dog?

Yeah. What's funny is I never thought in a million years I would get a wiener dog, and she just keeps pointing out cute wiener dogs over like the last year we've been together, and now all of a sudden I want a wiener dog. She like brainwashed me into wanting one.

Well, we're definitely excited to hear more about your relationship and how it's grown since Temptation Island, but I do want to go back to kind of where your relationship was when you went on Temptation Island. And there was obviously, I think, the big theme with you guys was, one of the themes was centered around some comments, Summit, that you made about Kaylee. And as difficult as I'm sure that was for both of you to talk about on the show, I do think it's honestly, like, relatable for relationships for maybe a well-intentioned guy to say something

that we put our foot in our mouth a lot sometimes. But at the same time, it doesn't stop maybe us hurting our partners with our words. And so I guess just for context, could you guys just kind of like, I feel like we had an idea of what happened, but you guys never really spoke about the specificity

of what that conversation looked like where you found his words so hurtful when talking about your body?

Well, there's a reason I didn't bring it up at the final bonfire. It's because that was something I never wanted to speak on publicly. And it wasn't this main driving issue in our relationship. But the show sort of dialed in on that

and made that a big part of it. And that's just, that was never my intention. He has said things in the past that hurt me. And those are things you can't erase. Like you hear those little comments and you never have malintent when you say them.

And then you hear them and you think them in the back of your head and it hurts, right? As a woman, it hurts to feel like you're not enough. But since being on the show and since him realizing that saying those little things is so hurtful, he has never said a word again. We have never had an issue with this since.

And I'm just curious, how did you learn that lesson? Because again, it sounds like, even hearing from Kaylee, that she never thought you were coming from a place of trying to hurt her.

Yeah.

So what was the lesson that you learned to realize, like, walk me through like old Summit and what you might have thought was okay to say and now how have you learned to like,

you know what, maybe I'm just going to shut my mouth.

Yeah, no, I mean, it was obviously with never like any sort of maliciousness. And I think it really stems from just this idea that like Kaylee is only my second serious relationship ever and I think I'm just learning. And I've learned, you know, Temptation Island is like the gauntlet.

Like it's like a pressure cooker where it basically expedites that like tenfold and I feel like I learned so much on the island. And I just learned that you can't speak to women like you would a guy. Is kind of like, you know, I grew up with two younger

brothers and a single mom who's like hardcore and there was just not a lot of like, I don't know, like delicate women walking around, you know? And I guess I'm just, was getting used to that. And you know, it was just silly, dumb things that I never meant with any sort of maliciousness.

But now I know, you know, because of Mark and seeing how much it hurt Kaylee, I don't know. Now it seems, I guess, just more obvious that like, okay, I can understand how that would upset someone. And you know, Kaylee knows that I think she's literally like the most beautiful girl on the planet

and I tell her that every day. But it doesn't matter if you tell a girl a billion times a day she's the most beautiful girl on the planet because she's only going to remember that time where you're like, you know.

And don't say whatever your example is.

Just keep the example to yourself.

Yeah.

Do you remember what you said?

Um, I, well, I mean, once again, not defending myself, but it is these scenarios where it's exactly what was talked about in the show, where Mark,

you know, Kayla would come to me and be like I want to grow my butt, and then I'd be like okay, do squats, and then she'd be like, oh, okay, so now you're like,

think I should do squats.

But it wasn't just that,

and you know that there's other comments made.

So. I don't, yeah, I don't know the other comments. That was the comment, the one to the final bonfire. Why was it so important for you to talk to your mom before that? My mom is just, yeah, has like always been everything for me. She was mom and dad and superhero, and she's just always been my rock and like there for me.

And she's the first person I go to for advice as my family, my mom, my brothers. And it just seemed like an obvious for me to contact my mom, my brothers, and it just seemed like an obvious for me to contact my mom. And it was crazy how she knew exactly what I was going through.

I just don't think it's fair that we didn't get to call our moms.

Yeah, I would have liked to have called my mom and cried every day.

Well, I actually, I wanted to call her and then they were like, you can call her, but...

You called her every day?

No, no. They said it needed to be on camera. So that was like the caveat.

And has she watched the show? How does she feel about it?

Yeah, I mean, she enjoyed it. She's very proud. And she's very proud of Kaylee and I and us making it out, and just the fact that we were the only couple that did make it out. And she was very proud with how I handled myself

and how Kaylee handled herself. And yeah, you know, she had all sorts of funny comments. But yeah, she's proud.

Kaylee, what's your relationship with Summit's mom?

We're friends. Okay. Yeah, I've only met her like three times because she lives in Montana. So I'm not super close with her, but she lives in like Montana. So I don't, I'm not like super close with her, but.

Well, Nick got a DM from Chris and he called your relationship one of the most intense emotional experiences.

My relationship with Chris?

Your connection with Chris was the most intense emotional experiences of his life We did not get to see a lot of y'all's Relationships, so can you kind of give us some insight into what that looked like? I mean Chris was like my rock

he really like helped me through that whole process and he was an amazing friend and he made me like dig deeper within myself and discover things about myself that I hadn't even like realized. And it was like a great, great friendship. It wasn't some, what did he call it?

Deep, what?

Intense emotional experiences of his life.

Yeah, that's a little much for me.

Maybe it was for him.

Yeah.

You know? Yeah, I think he was just- He left a lasting impression. Yeah, and he left an impression on me I mean a lot of the things he said to me like he empowered me to See the beauty within myself and to be more confident and walk different in life

Well, that is interesting and being one of the few couples still together. I am curious how you both leaving the island Discussed your time on the island because you didn't cross any physical boundaries. And that's easy to be like, I didn't do anything. But knowing that your partner was talking to and getting to know these other people, it sometimes can be difficult to say, hey, this guy really helped me.

He made me realize this about myself. He made me feel this. And how did you guys communicate that to each other? You had a very similar experience with some of the women. So that must be challenging to hear.

But how did you guys work through that to help you guys be a better couple?

Yeah, I mean, we binged the show start to end right as it came out. And we weren't shocked by anything we saw in the show, because we lived it and the bonfires. But there were still moments where we're like, damn, you said that, or he affected you that much. When she's bawling her eyes out and Chris is crying,

and she's like, I've never met a human like you in my life. Of course, as a man, my ego is a little shot. I'm like, well, I'm special too. I think it's hard to not feel that way, like you said. But at the end of the day, I think you just got to drop the ego.

We were in a crazy situation. The single girls helped me out a ton. The single guys helped her out a ton. And without them, we wouldn't have grown, and we wouldn't have gotten off the island together. So whatever happened, I don't want to change anything. And at the end of the day, like, I'm

grateful for Chris for helping her through that process.

Yeah, I'm very thankful for those girls. Like, the man I saw at that final bonfire was a changed man. And I know Mark did some wonders. And I know he did a lot of work himself. But I also know living with those girls helped change him. Because they taught him sides of girls that he didn't understand before. So I'm thankful for them, honestly.

Even what we were talking about earlier, just how you can be more delicate speaking to a girl. I mean, I would come back from bonfires and ask those single girls. I would be like, what do you think about this? They're like, summit, you're an idiot.

They would tell me straight to my face. And sometimes it takes other girls telling you, like, that's not right, instead of it just being me.

Totally.

Yeah.

I think Julianne mentioned that you felt like she saw you for who you really were. I think you even expressed that you kind of wanted Kaylee to see you the same way Julianne saw you.

Yeah, just this idea, you know, probably the same way she said, like, Chris just saw the beauty in her, which I obviously saw the beauty in Kaylee, but I don't know, you're just like, in those moments, what I appreciate about Julianne is she just really wanted, she just like loved me no matter what, and I think- Loved?

No, like, just like really appreciated me no matter what, and I think... Loved? No, like, just like really appreciated me no matter what. And I think you have to be a little realistic in that setting because like at the end of the day these people are singles on the show as like a job and their job is to please you. Like when the girls come home from a bonfire and the guys are waiting there with flowers, it's not like they went and picked the flowers. Like production gave them the flowers.

And like, obviously, Julianne is gonna be super nice and helpful throughout that entire process. It'd be weird if she wasn't.

Totally. Yeah. Speaking of that, we had a chance to talk to Jessenia, and she said that she doesn't think you continued your connection with her because you knew you would be tempted. Do you believe that to be true?

No, like there was really never, there was doubts in my mind throughout the process as to whether Kaylee and I would have made it out of the show. And that was more of like a personal journey, whether I could just like commit.

But like there was never one time throughout the show where I felt actually physically tempted to the point where I would have done anything with any of the girls. Do I think they're pretty? Totally.

Would I have done anything?

No.

Kaylee, you mentioned that you did not remember calling Summit a sociopath at the final bonfire. How was it watching that scene back together?

I think, I mean, I didn't call him a sociopath. I said the way he was acting was sociopathic. And I think he just heard that word and kind of freaked out and ran around and was like, oh my God, I'm a sociopath. Like, what's going on? Watching it back, I'm like, with the context of the story, I mean, I obviously should have never said that, and I feel bad that now people are gonna call you a sociopath, because that's not true at all.

But I mean, in the context of the story, like it was more of like me just describing the way he was acting was sociopathic. And watching it back, it sucked. I feel like I regret a lot of the ways that I spoke about him on the show.

Like I am sitting here saying, Summit used to talk down on me. I sat there for eight episodes straight talking down on Summit and watching that back like hurts. Like it's hard to see like, wow, like I spoke very negatively

of a man that I love so much and what you don't see on the show is me saying I

love him so much every single goddamn day and all the guys being like please stop talking about summit did you have to prepare summit for that did you

realize how much shit you talked while filming it The producers make all four of us women sit there and talk about our problems. So by talking about my problems, since I wasn't always the main issue in the relationship, I had to talk about things that he's done wrong, and as a result, that looks like I'm talking shit,

but it's like, for the most part, I'm speaking my truth. Like, I'm speaking my truth. I'm speaking my experience.

How did you process that? Because again, I think sometimes us guys don't realize how hurtful it can be to hear our partners talk about our character. Sometimes I think that hurts us more than physical boundaries being crossed.

Yeah, I actually saw that on your other podcast. I thought that resonated with me because I went into the show you as a guy you go into those shows and you Think like as long as my girl doesn't like touch a guy We're good like whatever and then you learn that like the emotional connections that they build with the dudes does still fuck with you And I was surprised how much that fucked with me But it's just like a buildup of so many different factors

and you're in this like crazy, unrealistic scenario where there's no friends, no family, no contact with the outside world. And you just, it's very easy to like lose touch with reality and I think small things can like feel very, very big.

And so when I heard sociopathic, I just started spiraling. And it's also, you know, from the guy that she's like, has built this emotional connection with, like, it's just a, this accumulation of so many things. It's very easy to get very worked up.

Yeah. Well, the good news is if you were sociopathic, it wouldn't have fazed you.

True. Yeah. So boom, I just proved it right there.

I feel like- Clear the air, he's not a sociopath, everyone.

It's clear.

It was pretty clear, like seeing how much it bothers you watching it was pretty clear that you're not a sociopath.

Oh, okay, I appreciate that.

I think if anything, I'm kind of like sensitive dude. Yeah.

But you weren't always sensitive.

In the past, you hadn't been that sensitive side that you are now. Yeah, no, I mean the show helped a lot. I talked more about my feelings in that month in Temptation Island than I probably have in my entire life. So how do

you two now, how do you guys go about showing up for each other that allows you guys to, it seems like you guys are in a really good place right now. Yeah, I

think we're everything, like everything I ever wanted to be is where we're at. And it's amazing. We, like, do everything together, but we're not, like, so codependent. Like, we also have our own things and we're independent in our own ways.

Yeah, I think ultimately, you know, one of the main reasons we went on the show and something we had to work out was this idea that we are kind of innately different people. And I do like, I think, my independence more than she does sometimes. And it seems like since the show, that just hasn't been a problem at all. Like I'm able to do all the things that I wanna do.

And I think she just like got more confident. I don't wanna speak on her journey, but like more confidence in herself. So she doesn't mind as much when I go surfing for five hours or whatever. And then it's also this idea where now I just realize like all those things I used to think I wanted to do

on my own, I actually do want to do them with Kaylee now. Like everything I do I invite Kaylee and before the show I wasn't doing that.

Do you invite her to sit on your lap when you ship?

Oh my god, this is not going to be a thing. That almost happened in the hotel room yesterday.

We are in a very tiny hotel room here though. And like, we're too close now. Like, she was brushing her teeth while I'm shit.

You know, like, it's a lot.

I think the main takeaway for us is I feel way more secure now in the relationship, and that's what's

made everything just so much better for us. And how did you get to that point? Because I imagine he's been helpful, but usually when we kind of tackle our insecurities, I think sometimes we're surprised how much it has to do with ourselves.

I think in knowing, like, I can literally look him in the eyes, and I know he loves me wholeheartedly, without a doubt.

And I didn't feel like that before we went on the show. Do you think going on Temptation Island

and that experience was game changing for you guys?

It was. Like it actually was.

I don't know where, it's interesting to think like where we would be had we not gone on the show. Realistically, we either would have been broken up or like have broken up and gotten back together like several more times.

Like there's no way we- And probably have the same issues, like a toxic cycle.

Yeah.

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for 20% off your first subscription order and an additional $10 off if you use our promo code V-I-A-L-L. And we're back to part one of the Temptation Island season two reunion. I think it's time to move on to Sydney and Mikey.

To some, attending weddings and meeting the family are the ultimate testaments of love. But when Sydney brought Mikey to the island to see if he could finally put his playboy tendencies to rest, there were three who gave Sydney the clarity she needed. Clarity being one man and one sea foam green guitar.

And who would have thought Mikey would be the one committing in the end?

Sydney, how difficult was it for you to watch Mikey be emotional throughout the entire season?

It was extremely hard watching him go through those emotions because it's not something that I've seen before. And, you know, like it broke my heart because I hated seeing him like that.

Mikey, how does it feel to see her get emotional?

I mean, truthfully, I know Sydney loves me. Like, no matter what we go through, I know no matter what, she knows. Like, you're my best friend. It don't matter what we go through. It don't matter who comes into a picture.

If I don't see her for months, like, we haven't seen each other... How many months is... We haven't seen each other for, like... It's been, like, four months. Yeah, it's been, like, four months since we've seen each other.

What happened four months ago?

Can I... You want to... So, me and Sydney got back together four days after the show. Four days after the show? Yeah, like four days after we got back from the island.

You guys agreed to date again?

Yeah, and we dated four days after we got back, and it was... everything was going so good, and it was going phenomenal, blah, say, blah. But the thing about it was, I was holding on to what I experienced on that island. And that was not fair to her whatsoever.

Like, I was, like, any inkling of us having an argument, I'm throwing that jab at her. And as a woman, I can, I saw, like, I saw, like, her as a woman really be like, it was tearing her down because I could see her heart was hurt because I'm throwing that at her

and that was not fair.

Yeah.

I'm actually a little surprised to hear that because, well, for one, I'm surprised that four days later to hear you guys got back together.

Nobody, it's cool.

Well, it seemed like you had a second life that quite honestly, I think as viewers, we didn't expect. And instead of seizing that opportunity to like really maybe try to show Sydney that you might appreciate her in ways that she didn't feel appreciated,

I'm surprised to hear that it almost sounds like, no offense, like old Mikey came back out because like what I took from that relationship

is that

you really felt like you were in control of yourself in that relationship when you guys dated, in a ways that maybe Sydney didn't feel. And to hear you kind of, like, not seize that opportunity... No, exactly. ...and kind of throw what she did in her face

was kind of almost like what sounds like old Mikey would do.

I would say, I wouldn't even say it was old Mikey. I would say it was the immaturities because truthfully, like watching it back, I'm totally like I've been on my therapy journey. I've been focused on my relationship with God based upon like truthfully losing Sydney. Like I never thought I would really dive into therapy. I always thought therapy was a joke.

I'm looking at it like, I'm really thinking about it like I'm not that messed up as a person. But to understand that I had so many insecurities in myself and I was projecting those onto this beautiful young lady right here, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to her. And when I say that she's my best friend, I said it in the first, I said it in the first scene,

I said I love her from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. That's something that I've said to her forever. You know what I'm saying? So the fact that I didn't seize that opportunity, that's just something that I have to live with.

But the fact that I'm just like, it has to be okay. How long did you guys stay together after you got back together?

We stayed together for three months.

What happened to cause that breakup?

Basically what he said with the whole show and everything, and originally when we got back, he was like, forget about the show, what you did and everything like that. We can move past it. We can move past it. We can move past it. And he brought to my attention, like he was like, the things that they showed you at the bonfire, that's not what I said. Like they clipped it up, they edited it.

So I was like, so you're telling me like what I saw and how I moved after that was off of something fake. So like, I felt guilt in myself. And I was like, I don't want to do that to him, and it's like he was, he's my best friend, and I didn't know how to move forward with the new connection that I had made on the island, because I did care about Xavier, you know?

That was real. That whole experience that I had with him was real, and I think trying to say that to Mikey was really hard, and it made me feel guilty when he said I didn't do anything, you know, talking to the single girls, that's not what I said. I said, my biggest fear is Sydney thinking I'm falling for you,

not my biggest fear is falling for you. And then him just telling me all these different things, and I'm like, whoa, wait, this is not what my experience was. So when we got back together and he was like, I've changed, I was like, okay, let's see. So I would say for like a few weeks, I saw a difference.

You wrote me two letters in the span of three months. So I was like, there was so much more that I wanted from our relationship. And he knows like how I am, I'm a lover girl. Like I want to be, I want you to show me that you love me. I want you to write me letters.

I want you to write me letters, I want you to bring me flowers, I want you to do all the things that like, tell me that you love me. And it's like, I gave him the blueprint of everything, everything he had to do. And it's like, first off, I shouldn't have to do that. And then when he wasn't doing it, I was like, you know what, I'm done. And since then we have not talked.

Yeah, we have not spoken. Do you feel like Mikey took you for granted? I do, yeah.

Do you agree with her?

I took her for granted, 1000%. That's her truth. I respect everything that she says.

Is that her truth or is that the truth?

There is no good guy, bad guy. It's just two people that don't align. That's all it is.

Sure, but just to push back a little bit, and I think there was a theme here with the guys, which is interesting, because sometimes, you talked about bare minimum. Being a good guy is the bare minimum, right? Not cheating on your girlfriends, the bare minimum.

But I think sometimes in relationships, we just sometimes can get complacent.

Thousand percent.

That's the word. take people for granted. That's the work. That's the work. It was interesting when we started this conversation that you thought like, I could flirt as long as I didn't like touch anyone. Which I'm thinking like, how is, huh?

You know, this is a girl who has expressed to you that she felt like you took her for granted so much. So it was almost shocking to me as a viewer to see you kind of almost walk that tightrope. Where it's just like, how much can I get away with and get her to stick around? And I think sometimes as young men, we do that sometimes.

We see what we can get away with as almost a way to test our partners.

I think my biggest thing is I have to be kind to myself because I am only 24 years old and I'm still learning how to become a better individual.

Okay.

I'm not gonna say that I am the most mature, but I do really wish I had that opportunity again to go on the island as the version of myself that I am right now, based upon, for one, my mindset, how I think about things, and how I could actually be serious. Because truthfully, if this was me from the people that saw it on the show, I would be

in here joking with you, trying to make a whole bunch of jokes and comical and all that. Ain't shit funny no more. I really, I don't know how I lost my sense of humor from that show to here to now, but it's just like, I know when it's time to lock in. I know when it's time to have fun, and that's something that Sidney truthfully hated about me.

It was just like, you never can go in depth. You never can be serious. You think everything is a joke. And I was just always thinking to myself, I mean, life is all about smiles and all that, but it's not. Life is about getting into it for real. Actually having those deep and depth conversations

and watching the show and seeing that with her and Xavier, I mean, I was just on the side of just like, I was happy watching it. I'm not gonna lie, watching it back from this version, I was like, she's happy. And as long as my best friend is happy,

that's all I need to care about. That's all I need to care about.

You still consider her your best friend?

Oh, a thousand percent. I mean, that's always gonna be my best friend no matter what,

even if we don't talk forever.

Even if you, like, meet someone else?

Yeah. I mean, that's always. I mean, I'm going to be truthful. I'm going to be truthful. And the emotions that I displayed on the show is because that is the first woman I've ever experienced love with in my entire life. The only other person that I've ever truly loved is my mother.

And she can attest to this, too. I've looked my mom in my eyes and I've said, I love Sydney. Am I wrong?

No, you're not wrong.

So that's why those emotions of going through all that shit, all that shit, it caught me off guard. I'm like, whoa, like shit. Like it really went in my life. It went, it went, it went, Sydney, my mom, and I was just like, Sydney was,

she could do no wrong in my eyes, ever. She could never do any wrong. So, but that's where I messed up, so.

Sydney, is there ever a chance that the two of you would get back together? Or is it over?

I just, since we broke up, and you know, I'm like, seeing him here now, he's grown so much, like I'm loving this new version of Mikey, but I don't know, I don't think so. I think we're better as friends and I think we support each other better as friends.

What was that conversation like four days after leaving with Xavier that you had with him that you were gonna?

With Xavier?

Yeah, the conversation that you had with him that you were gonna? With Xavier? Yeah, the conversation that you had with Xavier. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So basically, as y'all know, Xavier is a very understanding person and he's somebody that you can talk to about anything. So leaving with Xavier and coming back and being with Mikey, when I talked to him about it, I was like, you know, there's a lot of feelings

and emotions that I've had coming back, and it was a lot to go through that in that time frame, and I didn't know how I would feel coming home. So it's like I had to process that. I had to focus on me, and I wasn't going to jump into another relationship. Although I was dating him on the island, it was real. I made a real connection, but I still had to deal with those feelings that I had with

Mikey. Real like I made a real connection but I still had to deal with those feelings that I had with Mikey and it's like I couldn't just jump ship and be like Oh forget about this guy because he was my best friend

When you look back on your relationship with Cindy, like what's your biggest regret? I

would say my biggest regret was Not being emotionally mature within the relationship. That's my biggest regret. Because having that emotional maturity, I definitely think we would be sitting here and this would be a totally different conversation

that we're having. So I would say my biggest regret is being, and I was not, I was intentional at times, but I wasn't intentional all the way. And that's something that I regret, and that's something that I have to live with.

And whoever I find love with, because, Tress, I'm still looking for love. Y'all see on the show, I'm a lover boy. So I'm still looking for love, and I got all this love that I wanna give to somebody. So hopefully one day I can give it to them.

Do you think seeing Sydney with Xavier, and I think, you know, we can all give him props, he seems like a pretty great guy.

Yeah, for sure. Do you think that made you appreciate Sydney

in ways that you hadn't appreciated about her in the past?

Well, I would never give that much credit, first and foremost.

But let's just be honest.

Let's just keep it real. Yeah, I'm being real when it comes to the fact of, for one, had no idea fucking Xavier is... He grew up with my best friend. Had no fucking idea. That's fucking crazy, right? So, finding that out and finding out how good of a guy he is, like, Xavier is a great guy. And finding that out and seeing how he treated Sidney, thousand percent, like, I appreciate him

for taking care of her and showing her what she deserved, truthfully.

Yeah, but doesn't that in any way bother you that you couldn't see that and do that on your own?

Oh, it had me tight. It had me tight in the villa. Oh, my gosh, I was so blown. You guys, the guys, they didn't put this scene. I punched a hole in the wall. Oh, it was bad. I punched a whole hole in the wall.

I was blown.

Punched a hole in the wall?

Yeah. Overly. Who paid for that?

I don't know.

Shout out Netflix.

What camera is it?

Shout out Netflix. much of a child I was on the show, it showed I was a kid. It didn't have to get to that point because if I would have stepped up in the ways that a man is supposed to step up, we wouldn't be in that position. So I'm perfectly okay with taking accountability for my actions. I did not treat you the way that you deserve to be treated. And for that, I apologize.

1000%.

I appreciate it.

And the fact that she found that on the island, I mean, yeah, it sucks. But people get that girl took you. Everyone in here has lost somebody before. Everyone in here has lost a partner, right or wrong. From either they left or somebody took them.

It just so happens that mine's on TV.

Yeah, but I think even more relatable to your point is like, I think what's so fascinating about your relationship is that, especially, I think, with guys, we've seen the unappreciated person finally realize or have someone show them their worth, and it's only until then that their original partner, like, oh my gosh, wants to step it up and, like, you know,

write all the letters or the poems. And heck, I remember being a young man and having a conversation like that. And you know, but you're only doing this now and stuff like that. So it's a tough lesson to learn when you realize

that's why you lost someone that you still to this day call her your best friend.

Oh, for sure.

Always. And that's just, but the thing about life, it's not about the destination, it's really about the journey. And Sydney taught me so much, like, and that's why I'm not bitter to her, I'm not bitter to Xavier, I'm not bitter to any of the 12 guys. But that, it took me a while to get there.

Do you think if you wouldn't have thrown some of Sydney's choices on Temptation Island in her face that you guys still might be together today?

Truthfully, I saw myself going into the right direction. I knew I was gonna get there. It's just how much more does this beautiful girl have to drag her feet for my own insecurities and my own personal problems? Because my personal problems

should not be projected onto her, simple. That's just not how it was going to go.

So I just, I messed that up.

I did.

Did you ever give her back the photo of her and Xavier that she liked? That was her favorite?

Nah. So me and Jack still got the-

What are y'all doing with him?

Oh, I gave him the Cheyenne. Oh, you gave him the ball?

I did. No, actually, when we got back together, I had her throw all that shit away, which is insecure as fuck, but I definitely said, I found them. I was like, what the fuck? And I said, throw them away. She said, bet.

She threw them away.

You said at the final bonfire that you felt like you made yourself smaller so that Mikey could be bigger.

Do you agree that you felt like she did that? That's something that's been a trend in like, like I've always heard that my whole entire life. It's always been like you always, based upon my personality, I shine. I'm just so loud. I'm so outgoing. So it makes the people around me

feel like they have to diminish themselves. And I hate that, that it's tiring because I'm just truly just trying to be myself. And even from watching the show, it made me feel like even the world, just seeing my true personality, the world is basically clowning on me for being myself.

Like, everything I see on Temptation Island, like, I'm just truly just being my authentic self. I have a huge personality for a man. I get that. That's cool. But also, I'm not about to sell myself short

and put down my own personality for the betterment of literally nothing, because if you're not gonna be yourself, then why the fuck are you here?

Sydney, did you feel like it was just his personality that was so big?

Yeah, I would say, you know, Mikey has a big personality and it's like, I knew that, but at the same time, if we're in a relationship, if we're partners, then like, bring me up with you. Like, don't like, leave me where I feel like I was. And I feel like he's very much main character

and I was just like I feel like he's very much main character, and I was just like sidekick. And I didn't feel like that was, that's not what I wanted in a relationship. I feel like we should be equal, and I don't feel like.

But that's never what I want. You know that's never what I wanted though. Like I never wanted you to feel like sidekick. I've always. No, I'm not saying you wanted me to. that's what it was. But you know I've always been your biggest fan. That, yeah. You're right. I'm just being honest.

Like, whenever you bring something up, I've always been your biggest fan. I support it. And that's why, like, hearing the things.

What do you mean?

Can you give me like an example?

Like, boom, she had her opening for her business. I'm first one there. I'm in there selling candles, making sure everything's good. I'm hyping it up. I'm over here like, you get what I'm saying? Like anything she needed for her new crib, I'm like, yo, I'm here. I got you. What do you need me to help you with? Are we serious?

Do you not remember the bar cart situation?

Oh my gosh, that was one thing.

No!

The bar cart? It took me a while to build the bar cart. I put my dresser together by myself while you sat there on the couch and watched Netflix.

Are we serious?

I am dead serious. You don't remember that?

I don't.

You gotta build the stuff.

Mikey, you were scrolling on TikTok, watching Netflix while I'm on the floor putting together my dresser. Oh, I fucked up. And then, no, my bar cart sat at the door you gotta build this stuff. I love doing so it's like you know what your build the dresser. Yes

You're saying she's lying I'm never gonna call you a liar, but I'm just saying on the side. Oh my god

I've helped you with what I've helped you. Well, thank you

You've helped her

I'm not gonna like that's crazy

Was it you know multiple things? I'm not going like this crazy. I didn't help. With multiple things.

I'm sorry.

No, no, please.

When did the bar cart get built?

Two months after the show, when I had already brought it up, y'all, the bar cart had sat there for four months before the show. We get back from the show, he's like, I'm going to put it together.

I'm going to put it together. You know what, if I didn't build the thing, I apologize, but still on the side of anything, let's just be real, anything I've ever needed, you helped me with. Anything you ever needed, I've helped you with. So I don't want to be over here, that's not what we here to do. You get what I'm saying? I've always, come on now, you gotta not just a piece of shit. You get what I'm saying? I'm not calling you a piece of shit. I understand that, but I'm just saying it on the shot.

Come on, bruh. I always got you, you always had me, we good.

But that is interesting, because I've never, ever from watching the show or our time here, ever felt like Sydney ever spoke to you about, it's been clear that Sydney seems to have and a lot of care and consideration. Even today, you know? But I think what she, it seems like, and I don't wanna speak for you,

but she's always been trying to convey to you that you just always seem to stop short of doing what you are capable of doing. And she seems to know what you're capable of.

That's true.

It's because I've seen it. Even after we broke up, and you were writing me letters every day, you were bringing me flowers every day, 8am sharp, every single day. It's like you're showing me you're capable of it, but why not do it in the relationship?

Exactly. I truly just feel like we as humans, we don't appreciate something until it's too late. And that's how I felt on the island too, when I was watching her fall in love. Because I'm not gonna lie, like hearing her say like, I love you, it fucked me up, I will say that, it fucked me up. And then I'm just like, damn, that was fucked.

Like I was fucked, I was fucked. I knew it, I knew I was fucked. I said it to everyone, didn't I? I looked at everybody in the face. Well we told you you were fucked. Yeah, everyone told me I was fucked. And all 12 girls said, yeah, you're fucked. And it was just the thing that I still

stood on my tent of saying, like, if she's happy, I'm good. If she's happy, I'm good. So I mean, it sucked, but it's life. I truly do wish that I appreciated Sidney more. But it's always me learning too late.

So it's always me learning too late. So it's always me learning too late.

Well, you know, you're still a young man, like you said. And I will say, I think we have different personalities. But what is, I don't mean that like, you know, it's just like, I'm not as, honestly, I'm sometimes envious of like, your kind of extroverted personality.

But what I've always been good at is kind of being comfortable in my skin, and you seem comfortable in yours. But it's interesting, as you get older, you realize that that's not always an excuse.

It's not.

To disappoint people. Sometimes it's like, I don't care what other people think. It's good to know that, but sometimes you just have to realize if you're not going to change, you will turn some people off and some people will choose not to fuck with you if you don't choose to adjust your behavior.

I'm example.

And my person, this is who I am, just kind of gets, you know.

It gets old. It gets old. Because we as, relationships are supposed to be about growth. And if you're not growing within the relationship, then it's not benefiting each other. And I wasn't growing and that's something I literally, I'm gonna be real, I would never say something like this. Like if the person I was, I would never say something like this.

But like truthfully, I wasn't helping you grow. I felt as if I was based upon, you gotta understand, you were my first real relationship, like my first actual one and I was still learning. I was still learning. I was still learning how to love

and I was only loving you to the level that I knew possible. You get what I'm saying? So that's where I got messed up. Because just because I thought I was loving you to this high degree based upon what I thought real love was, that doesn't mean that's what you thought love was. And that's disrespectful to you.

So yeah. Sydney, watching it back, were you, or I guess while you were there, were you shocked that he resisted temptation or was what you saw kind of what you expected out of him?

No, I genuinely was shocked that he resisted temptation and just watching it back, it was like, seeing that at the beginning, he was making slick comments, flirting with the girls, and that's what ultimately turned me off and I was like, oh, I'm done, I'm leaving, like I'm done with this relationship.

But watching him see me fall for Xavier and what that did to him, I think that just really showed, you know, how much he felt on himself to take a step back, look at what was going on around him and be like, okay,

this is how I should handle this moving forward.

Mikey, you saying you were gonna shoot your shot with India, was that kind of a reactive...

No, can I just be truthfully honest with you?

Please.

There's just no way I walk into a confessional, just sit my ass down, look in the camera and say, shit, I need to be selfish. I need to shoot my shot with India. Obviously somebody asked me a damn question, if this happens, what will you do? Well shit, I guess I gotta be selfish and you gotta shoot your shot with India. But that's just some shit where it's just like, you get fucking clipped. I'm the

clip master. I'ma be real, I get clipped cause I just be talking and I always get clipped. Too damn much. I always get clipped. All the guys would be like, Mikey, stop talking, because you're going to get clipped.

And I'm like,

thinking it was you could flirt. We agreed we would go on dates. I don't know why you keep saying that we agreed that we could flirt. We never said that. We said we knew we had to go on dates. You can go back and watch the show.

I understand.

I'm serious.

I understand.

Fans noticed that when y'all separated at the beginning of the show, y'all did not kiss. Was there a reason for that?

We did kiss. We did kiss.

It wasn't included and I did see that.

We did a whole handshake and everything. We got a whole handshake, we did a whole handshake, a little kiss, we did everything.

I don't know why they didn't. Because I did see that clip where they were like, they look, yeah.

Yeah, and my biggest thing is like everyone thought me and Sydney weren't like a real relationship. That's some fucking bullshit because, mother fucker, I, I, this is my first, this is my first real actual girlfriend, ever.

Is anyone on TikTok gonna come out and be like, I was actually his first girlfriend.

Some, uh, I mean, if she, if, if, if, if, if, if,

She would.

If, if she probably would from, from college, but I don't count that because I, because I cheated on the girl from college all the time. And so I don't count that as real. That's still a relationship.

No, I don't count that as real.

You cheated on her, Mike.

I don't even think Jack would say that.

I cheated. I really feel like, I truly feel like, if you don't, if you can't be a committed individual within the relationship, then you did not deserve that relationship. So you can't even claim that relationship, but she would claim that I doubt she would claim me. It's just a bad relationship

It was yeah, that's better about relationship. I know she wouldn't claim me though

Was watching him say that he could fall in love was that the moment of like no return for you

Yeah, that was like when I was like no way It's been three days, and he just said I could fuck around and fall for one of you. I got clipped what I'm like How does that like I'm like I just got here. How did you remember saying it? Oh Jack Jack was there?

He was behind the bushes

It was the three girls no

I'm saying I was by the pool, but I'm talking about around you know how we walk up to things I walk down Jack was over there. I literally said they're gonna fuck around and tell and say and get me clipped up saying dadada Boom, as soon as I said it I said clipped Jack screamed out clipped and I was fucking clipped

Seems like y'all were very hyper aware of the cameras and like what would be played back at bonfires Does that change some of y'all's behavior a little bit? No, no

No, I mean once you're in in there, you forget about it. It just becomes real life. It was like two days of like weird saying that, maybe being somewhat, but then it was like, yeah, kind of goes in one ear, out the other.

Yeah. Mikey, would it be fair to say that you are like a, you like being liked and you have a hard time hearing when people don't like you?

I would say 1,000% the version that I was when I was in there, very much people pleaser, all of that. But I had learned that that's an insecurity. Sure. Through like therapy, I was just like, it doesn't matter what people think. As long as I'm happy with myself, that's all that matters.

Do you think old Mikey, the people pleaser, had a bad habit of maybe crossing some boundaries with women while maybe your intention wasn't to cheat or hurt your partner that it maybe would come across as inappropriate to your girlfriend? Let's say if she was watching you interact with other women.

A thousand percent.

Wow. Is that something that you've like changed about yourself?

Yeah, that's something that I... I learned that my biggest thing was I made an excuse for my personality to be a flirt. I was always saying, well, that's just who I am. That's just who I am. Da, da, da, da. No, you're dead wrong, my guy.

The fact that you feel like you can flirt and you can be this extroverted person and you think that flirting within that makes it okay, no, it's not right. So that's something I really worked on, on mean what I say, always mean what you say and walk with intention in everything that I do.

I wanna ask you a question. I want you to be real with me and not just like, you know, protect your ego. But if I know we already asked Sydney the question and we heard her answer. Nevertheless, if Sydney were to give you another chance,

would you take her up on that? Or maybe a better question is, is there any part of you that has just a little bit of hope that you two can have another shot?

Truthfully, I, it wouldn't be the smart thing to do and it would be the, it would be, it wouldn't be the right thing to do because she gave me so many chances. And it would be selfish of me to try to take another chance on someone.

What if she begged you?

Sydney would never do that, first and foremost.

She would never. She would never do that.

Because I'm not going to lie.

I'm not going to lie.

Y'all think my pride is bad. Her pride is. Her pride is out of this world. But it's just on the side of just like, I was irresponsible with the relationship. And I don't, I truly feel like I don't deserve another chance. I truly just don't deserve that from her.

She deserves everything. Mind you, I'm not saying that I'm a piece of shit. Trust, I'm that guy. But it's just, yeah, it's just the side of, I understand that I messed up and you don't deserve that. And no matter what, I truly feel like she would still

be holding onto that version of Mikey that she knew since September 3rd, 2021. You know what I'm saying?

Do you still have romantic love for Sydney?

Oh yeah, I love her. Look, she fine as hell. Look at her, fine ass.

How you doing? I ain't seen her in months. I ain't seen her in months, girl.

You look good.

You look good.

You look healthy.

So these past four months, have you been back in contact with Xavier? Are you like fully cut off the two of them? Where are things?

So I have been back in communication with Xavier. I did reach out to him and I was like, Hey, like, I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to, but would you be open to a conversation and grabbing coffee? So he was like, yes, of course. And we went, we grabbed coffee. We talked about everything. I told him what happened when I got back, everything that me and Mikey went through,

and where I was. And I told him I'm really working on myself and trying to process everything that happened in that relationship, process my feelings. And he was very understanding and still very caring, which is hard for me to believe that somebody could go through that experience with me, come out the villa, and still very caring, which is like hard for me to believe that somebody could, you know, go through that experience with me, come out the villa, and I'm like, well, I'm going to go back to my ex, who you helped me get through that relationship

on the show. So it was just crazy for him to be open to the opportunity of like seeing where it could go again.

Did he ever throw it in your face that you went back to Mikey?

No, he didn't.

What did that mean to you?

It meant a lot because that's what you expect. You expect him to be like, well, throw it in my face, be like, I'm going to make you work for it. No, that's not who he is at all, and that's something that I really appreciate about him.

Well we do have a video. We wanted to maybe consider bringing some of the tempters and temptresses here, but out of respect for everyone here, we obviously did not do that. But since I think so many people fell in love with you and Xavier in watching you,

he wanted to send you a message, knowing that maybe today would be a tough day. And so we wanted to play that for you.

Okay.

It's a nice, very sweet message. Mikey, I just want to be respectful.

Are you cool?

No, I'm good. Okay.

Okay. Okay.

He knew he did not want to look like a hypocrite. Deep down, you know that shit fucking hurt.

You're good.

No, God, I'm speaking the fucking truth. I'm speaking the truth.

You're good, bro.

You're good, you're good, you're good.

Let it out.

What are you feeling right now, Jack?

I had been hurt over and over with lies, and...

I did get mad at the end. They didn't really show it. But I feel like I had a right. I was frustrated because I cared though. But I feel like I had a right. I was frustrated because I cared though. Because I love this woman, you know?