The Hills: "You Have Chosen"

Original Air Date: February 19, 2007

Over coffee, Lauren expresses her concerns about Heidi getting back together with Spencer. Seeing so much of Jason's manipulative qualities in him, Lauren can't help but express her misgivings about Spencer but at the same time is concerned that speaking out will cause tension between her and Heidi. For Heidi's sake, Lauren hopes he's changed, but isn't confident that Heidi should give him a second chance. A bit more brusquely, Lauren doesn't want to hear about Spencer, won't hang out with him, but she will be there when Spencer screws Heidi over. Because she's convinced that he absolutely will.

Heidi meets Spencer at BREADBAR. After presenting her with a ginormous bouquet of roses, Spencer convinces Heidi that he would never treat her the way Lauren is worried he would. What can he do to prove himself to Lauren and to everybody else? At home, Heidi shows off her roses to Lauren, who promptly asks "That's really nice of him. Is he going to give them to Audrina tomorrow?" Snap! Heidi packs some stuff for a sleepover at Spencer's while Lauren returns to reading "Life & Style" and playing with the cat. Lauren doesn't ask where Heidi is going, but it's pretty obvious she's spending the night at his place. Before Lauren can stew for too long, she gets a dinner invite from Audrina, who spent the day cooking with her mom. Audrina is shocked that Heidi decided to get back together with Spencer, even after everything Audrina had to say. Lauren is also taken aback that Heidi just told him that she didn't like him, though I think he might have had that impression already. Lauren feels bad, and thinks it might have been easier if Heidi had stayed out before she got in too deep. Which sounds to me like Spencer is being compared to drug addiction, or organized crime -- hilarious, but quite possibly true.

Teen Vogue. Whitney gets the scoop on Heidi from Lauren, who hasn't seen Heidi since getting back together with Spencer. Lauren feels bad for having put Heidi in the position where she had to choose between the two of them. Meanwhile, Heidi is feeling fine as she tries to convince Spencer to come to the club with her and Lauren Saturday night. Spencer doesn't want to go, though Heidi says Lauren will try to be nice to him. Oh will she?

Area. Heidi greets Audrina and Lauren -- sick of fighting, she just wants to have fun. While Heidi and Lauren goof off, Audrina notices Spencer talking to another girl. Okay, but was it just another girl or "another girl"? Of course, the next shot is of Spencer saying to the blonde "Lick my neck and I'll *******." Lauren acts quickly and tries to get Heidi out of there. Before they can get away, Brody grabs Lauren to put in his defense of Spencer. It's not long, though, before Spencer catches up with Lauren and they get into it. While Heidi watches from a distance, Spencer says that Heidi gets him, and that she's fine. He's not using her. He's concerned about her friendship with Lauren. Lauren tries to get in her take, which is that she doesn't like the way that he uses Heidi. She's not worried about her relationship with Heidi, and before he can say anything else, Lauren walks away. Heidi pulls Spencer into a consoling hug as Lauren gets into a cab and goes home.

Lauren visits Brody the next day. He feels that Lauren is interfering with Lauren's happiness, while Lauren is concerned that Heidi's going to get hurt like she did the first time. Lauren's convinced that if she were not getting along with her best friend, then she couldn't be happy. So therefore Heidi can't possibly be happy. But has it ever occurred to Lauren that maybe Heidi has a new best friend in Spencer?

Spencer and Brody talk afterwards. Spencer thinks that Lauren needs to stop worrying about other people's lives so much. He immediately gets on the phone with Heidi, telling her that Lauren says she isn't happy. The whole thing is getting weirder and out of control. Can things get back to normal for her, or for anybody else?

Lauren's mopes in class at FIDM. Instructor Nick Verreos examines students' portfolios. Lauren runs her hands through her hair and looks like she's going to cry. Back at home, she finds Heidi makeing herself a snack before asking Lauren the big question: "Do you think I'm happy?" She doesn't think it's fair that she has to choose between the two of them. Lauren doesn't think she has, but that she's already chosen, to the tune of a week and a half with Spencer. Heidi asserts that she loves Lauren, but Lauren isn't convinced. She knew that she was taking a risk. She asks Heidi what she would do if this where Lauren and Jason all over again. Is that even a fair question? Before they go down that road, Heidi says the flowers being from Spencer were a joke, at which point Lauren shuts down and walks away. Heidi packs her suitcase and leaves home.