'The Bachelor' star Arie Luyendyk Jr. ousts Kendall Long after confrontation with Becca Kufrin's ex-boyfriend

The Bachelor star Arie Luyendyk Jr. sent Kendall Long home after he told her he was falling in love with her during Monday night's broadcast on ABC.


Arie eliminated Kendall after enjoying an overnight Fantasy Suite date with her in Ica, Peru in favor of his Final 2 bachelorettes, Becca Kufrin and Lauren Burnham.

"I was so close to that love I wanted, and to not be able to see what could have been is hard. It's unfortunate our connection started too late. It's unfortunate it didn't happen earlier because who [knows] where we would have been?" Kendall said in tears following her ouster.

"I definitely wish I could've told Arie I loved him. A part of me wanted to say it before I left, but I was too freaked out to say it. Why is it so hard? Why do I feel like it's so hard for me to do that? I want to love and I want to be ready. It terrifies me."

The Bachelor episode began with Arie and Kendall's date in Peru. She had a lot of anxiety going into the date because Arie had pulled her aside at the previous Rose Ceremony, wondering whether she's truly ready for marriage.


Kendall felt pressure to be ready for a proposal, and she just wasn't sure if she could get to that place by the end of this journey.

However, the pair still had a blast on their date, as they went dune-buggy riding in the sand and surfed down the dunes.

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Arie noted that they had "crazy chemistry" and he was falling for her more and more everyday. Arie acknowledged a life with Kendall would be "so fun and interesting," that he'd probably never get bored.

But at this point, Kendall admitted she'd say no to a proposal if Arie asked, which set her apart from the other two women. She had a lot of ground to cover with the pro racing driver still, and she wasn't convinced Arie was "the one" for her.


Kendall was in her head and wanted more than anything to be able to let go and love.

That night at dinner, Kendall made sure that Arie viewed her as more than a "novelty" or just the "quirky" fun girl to hang out with. When Arie assured her that they had something special, Kendall was frustrated that she wasn't more sure about a future with him since she already considered him a best friend.

Parting ways would also break Kendall's heart; she didn't want an amazing relationship to end just because she didn't feel ready for an engagement.

"I feel like I can trust you with me, and I am falling in love with you," Kendall told Arie.

"I'm falling for you too," Arie replied.


Kendall then accepted the key to the Fantasy Suite. She felt more comfortable with Arie and realized they had more than just a physical spark. Kendall felt she was catching up to the other relationships Arie had.

"I see so much in Arie that I absolutely love and I want for a husband. I'm not used to dating someone like him, who does really strongly consider who I am. And I hope for a proposal at the end of all this," Kendall revealed.

The next morning, Kendall woke up unafraid to pursue love with Arie. He said they stayed up all night talking and he learned so much more about her.

Kendall said Arie would make for an "amazing husband and wonderful father," and she was no longer holding back.

"I am definitely falling in love with you too," Arie told Kendall before their date ended, adding that she's a beautiful and wonderful person.


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For Lauren and Arie's date, they took a private plane and checked out the Nazca Lines together.

Arie could sometimes feel a wall up with Lauren, and he knew this process was very hard for her. He knew that with a lot of emotion comes a lot of thought, but Arie just wished Lauren could get out of her head. Lauren's fears had been a major "roadblock" for this couple on their path to finding love.

Arie also had to constantly give Lauren reassurance, which he admitted took time away from getting to know each other on a deeper level. Arie only got to see "glimmers" of who she really is.

But Lauren promised Arie that her feelings were growing very strong for him. As she felt stronger, however, her fears also became more of a burden because she had more to lose. In the back of her mind, Lauren -- who struggled with trust issues before appearing on The Bachelor -- worried about getting hurt again.


Lauren then expressed to Arie that she had moments when she considered leaving him. Lauren loved what they had, but she needed to know she was the only girl he saw and wanted.

"Hopefully tonight I see more of her and get the sense of whether we can work together, because right now, I don't really know," Arie told the cameras.

That night, at dinner, Arie was looking for clarity.

"Lauren told me that she just wants to give up and walk away from this, and that scares me because I do love her and I think we could be amazing," Arie said in a confessional.

Arie warned Lauren that the process only gets harder, and she was well aware of that. Lauren thanked the Bachelor for always being so supportive and reassuring.

"I have these deep rooted trust issues, and knowing you're dating other girls is really hard for me to grasp and I feel I'm constantly battling myself... I want you to be confident in your decision, not just the day you propose but for the rest of your life," Lauren told Arie.


Arie then insisted he'd feel completely confident in their relationship if they ended up together.

"I just want you to know that that night in Tuscany was really huge for me. It was the first time I felt emotions I hadn't felt in a long time. It's crazy how quick and hard I fell for you... and I want you to know that I do feel confident in this because I love you and I'd hate to lose you," Arie told Lauren.

Lauren cried after hearing that Arie loved her. She was absolutely shocked, and he said in reply, "Don't cry. I love you."

"I love you," Lauren whispered, adding that she had an "unspoken connection" with Arie that she couldn't even describe.

It filled Arie's heart to know that Lauren loved him back, and he could definitely see a life with her. They both felt happy and at peace.

Once the couple woke up together the next morning, Arie and Lauren's doubts about each other had drifted away or subsided entirely. They kept repeating, "I love you" to one another, and Lauren noted that she couldn't see Arie with anybody else.


Arie then embarked on a one-on-one date with Becca. The couple went sailing and had a full day of kisses and snuggling on the water.

"She is so beautiful. My relationship with Becca is the safest, most comfortable relationship I have here, and our passion and chemistry is on point," Arie gushed.

Becca said her heart was so full when she was with Arie, and he always comforted her and put her at ease. She wanted to tell him that she loved him when the right moment presented itself.

Arie had no doubts or reservations about his relationship with Becca, and she felt the same way.

Becca and Arie talked about a possible move to Scottsdale, and she seemed ready for that next step in life -- without any pressure from Arie. Three years of Becca's previous seven-year relationship was long distance, so she was probably looking to avoid that type of romance this time.

Becca couldn't explain her connection with Arie other than being "just so damn happy."


That night in Paracas, Arie and Becca enjoyed an incredibly romantic dinner in a tent on the beach. Becca had been in love with her ex, but she said she never felt a love like this before.

Arie shared with Becca that his biggest fear in this process was choosing someone who didn't choose him back, or choosing the wrong person at the end of all this. The pair engaged in deep conversation and then Becca admitted, "I do love you."

Becca realized she loved Arie after he met her family, and then Arie agreed that's when he came to the conclusion he was "in love" with her as well. Becca was so shocked and pleased to hear that Arie was in love with her.

"I feel like my heart is exploding. I want to keep hearing it over and over and over. To hear those three words from him and to say those words to him as well, it makes me so excited for tonight," Becca said. "It's so surreal and I feel like I'm living a dream right now."

Arie told Becca that he loved her multiple times, and he could definitely see Becca standing with him at the end of all this. In turn, Becca envisioned Arie being her husband and the father of her children, and she said nothing could stand in their way.

"There's a part of me that wants to end this now and just propose right here in the sand dunes," Arie gushed. "I'm so in love with this girl. She is literally perfect."


The next morning, Arie and Becca were both on Cloud 9, but then her ex-boyfriend of seven years, Ross Jirgl, showed up!

Ross told the cameras that Becca was "the love of his life" and they were "soul mates," explaining that he'd walk through the desert to win her back.

Ross felt the need to go on The Bachelor once he learned there is typically an engagement at the end of the show. Ross' worst nightmare was for another man to propose marriage to Becca, because he felt that was his job to do.

Ross first spoke to Arie about his desire to win Becca back, and Arie's first reaction was confusion.

"That's my proposal to give her. She's the love of my life and I want to marry her," Ross told Arie, who appeared completely dumbfounded.

Arie asked Ross if his sudden interest in Becca after a year apart had to do with competition, but Ross assured the Bachelor that wasn't the case. Ross insisted Becca had been on his mind every day of the last year, and he flew to Peru and drove an additional five hours to get her back.


"I'd swim here if I had to... She's the dream in my life, and I came here to get her, because she's the one for me," Ross said, adding that he didn't blame Arie for falling in love with Becca in two months because it had taken himself only one day to love her.

Arie shared with Ross that he and Becca had already confessed love to each other and were far along in their relationship, but Ross didn't really care. Arie made it known that it was Becca's decision to make but he'd be crushed if she chose Ross over himself. 

Arie asked Ross, however, to "respect" his romance with Becca if the bachelorette chose to stay on The Bachelor with him.

When Ross took off to speak with Becca, Arie was "angry" and "pissed off." He thought Ross' actions were not classy and somewhat "crazy," and Arie was afraid to lose the woman he loved.   

"If Becca were to leave, I would just be crushed. We are at the point where we love each other and I could see us working at the end of this," Arie said.

Arie said Ross was taking away from "something beautiful." Ross then knocked on Becca's door with a bouquet of tulips in hand, and he said he came to win her back. Becca appeared simply shocked and kept repeating, "No." Somehow, she had predicted Ross would do something like this.


"I know that we had our ups and downs and plenty of setbacks. But you've been on my mind every single day of the last year when I didn't have you with me. When we parted ways... at first, that's what I wanted... but it always comes back to you no matter where I go or what I do. It always comes back to you and no one compares to you," Ross confessed to Becca.

"I came to Peru to win your heart back, and nothing could stop me from getting to you and loving you. I want to marry you, Becca. That was my intention. I came here for us. And I just thought it needed to be something big."

Becca told Ross that he always thinks life is a movie, like The Notebook, but she just wasn't interested in getting back with him. Ross gushed about Becca having "a heart of gold" and the "soul of a saint." She did have tears in her eyes, but it was clear Becca chose Arie.

Ross thought his relationship with Becca would always work out by "some miraculous chance" and he hoped there was still love in her heart for him, but Becca just told him that he had inserted himself into a place where he didn't belong.

Becca said they didn't even know each other anymore and their romance wasn't healthy for "so damn long." She didn't want to go back to that.

"I still wish you the best, but it ended for a reason," Becca noted.


"I wish you guys the best," Ross said as he walked away from her. "I have no business being here. I feel like a fool for coming here, an absolute fool."

Becca felt Ross' actions "tainted" her date with Arie, but she just hoped this wouldn't affect their relationship and where Arie stood with her. Becca told the cameras that Ross' grand gesture changed nothing about the way she felt for Arie.

After Becca apologized to Arie for the disturbance and promised there was no love between Ross and herself anymore, it became time for the Rose Ceremony.

Before handing out his first rose, Arie -- again -- pulled Kendall aside. But this time, his intention was to break up with her.

"We had an amazing night together and I know that next week is big. I've been thinking a lot about us and I just don't know. I don't think we can get there," Arie told Kendall.

"It sucks because I really care a lot about you. I definitely felt myself falling," Kendall replied. "That was a real feeling... I knew we weren't in the same place as everyone else, and I kind of felt that. But it means a lot that you've been in my life."


Kendall remained calm and composed until she drove away from Arie, and that's when her tears started to fall.

Arie was then shown handing out a rose to Lauren, followed by Becca. Arie was excited for both women to meet his family before making his final decision.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski