From the start of Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor, Serene Russell has been a contestant to watch. Not only there were clues that she’d go far on the show — including a trailer that teased potential drama from the Oklahoma elementary school teacher — but she also proved she had some major chemistry with Clayton. As early as Episode 2, Clayton was doing lots of kissing (loudly, as viewers pointed out), but it was Serene with whom he shared an especially emotional moment as they bonded about kids.
Clearly, the former football player had a lot of admiration for Serene, and they even shared two one-on-one dates before hometowns. Ultimately, though, Serene was sent home on The Bachelor during the Feb. 28 episode after Clayton had an extreme reaction to the obstacle course date she organized for them, and after he met her family (including her very handsome brother, Roland).
Before she was eliminated during the rose ceremony, Serene said, “I’m not falling in love anymore, I am in love … Clayton is my person. I’d be absolutely shattered if I had to go home tonight.” When Clayton didn’t give her a rose, he walked her out and stumbled through telling her that he was sorry. She responded by asking him why — because he’d previously told her he had no reservations about their relationship.
“It wasn’t something you said … I had to look back and reflect and say, where do I stand with my heart? And I chose to have stronger connections,” he told Serene, who shook her head, unimpressed. On her way out, she said she had “nothing else to say to him.”
Since her time on The Bachelor, Serene has kept things pretty low-key on Instagram — sharing snaps from a party, mirror selfies, and photos with her fellow former Bachelor contestants. But according to Serene’s official ABC bio, she’s always “planning her next big adventure,” and it looks like she has travel on the mind.
In a Feb. 19 post captioned “summer things,” Serene could be seen floating in the water on a raft (good mood board vibes if you’re just done with winter). If she’s all about the next getaway, perhaps it’s a sign she would be game to go on Bachelor in Paradise — or, as many of her commenters hope, perhaps even be the next Bachelorette.
