AKM-GSIMaybe you didn't do a spit take when you found out that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth had broken up, considering all the rumors and trouble-in-paradise headlines they've been the subject of practically since getting engaged 15 months ago.
But until the announcement had been made (and confirmed on the record by reps and tweeted about 8 million times), there was always that hope that they could make it work and prove the critics wrong, right?
Probably not in this case, actually. Miley and Liam had been in relationship purgatory for some time and here are five signs that their love boat was headed for the rocks:
1. The Marathon Game of Hide-and-Reveal the Ring: Kids love sparkly, shiny things. So when a 19-year-old girl gets engaged, she's going to want to wear that diamond all the time. Maybe not to the gym, but otherwise...The fact that Miley sometimes had her ring on and sometimes didn't over the last six months was an indicator that her relationship may have entered roller coaster territory.
2. Liam Goes MIA After the VMAs: Well, we've seen him around, but he wasn't seen with Miley ever again after she twerked her way into the MTV Video Music Awards history books. A source told E! News that Liam was "shocked" and embarrassed" by her controversial performance, which, lucky for MTV, wasn't a punishable offense.
3. Together but Separate: Obviously celebrities have busy schedules and obligations that take them all over the world, often putting oceans between them and their loved ones. But when the big shocker is that an engaged couple are in the same place at the same time, such as when Miley showed up at the premiere of Liam's espionage thriller, Paranoia...That's not a great sign. Couples that want to manage to make time for each other. Even when times were good, they've always seemingly had different ideas as to what constitutes a fun night out. And while Miley's been in London for Bangerz and mash, Liam's been keeping busy, bowling in L.A. and partying in Las Vegas with singer Eiza González after the Floyd Mayweather fight on Saturday.
4. January Jones Kept Coming Up: Though Liam's rep adamantly denied a recent report that the Hunger Games hunk was sexting the Mad Men star, that was the second time the actress' name had come up regarding a possible connection between her and Liam. A source told us, post-breakup, that Miley, without naming names, had come to grips with Liam "being what she believed was less than faithful to her."
5. Miley Withdrew Her Cybersupport: The real death knell for young love these days? Miley stopped following Liam on Twitter—and he returned the favor just this afternoon.
#Over.