Stephen Kalyn's fans defended him as he got dragged into Mika Abdalla and Jake Short's breakup buzz.
Young adult romance series, Off Campus has generated widespread buzz ever since its release on May 13, 2026. The first instalment of the series focuses on the opposites-attract dynamics between leads, 'Hannah Wells' (Ella Bright) and 'Garrett Graham' (Belmont Cameli). Besides 'Garrett' and 'Hannah's' story, their friends, 'Dean Di Laurentis' (Stephen Kalyn) and 'Allie Hayes's' (Mika Abdalla) chemistry has taken the internet by a storm. Amid Mika and Stephen's breakout fame, she reportedly suffered a personal heartbreak, i.e., split with her real-life fiancé, Jake Short.
Mika Abdalla and Jake Short, both actors, were deeply in love and were even engaged. An unverified source suggested that the duo even discussed marriage. However, in June 2026, a report by Us Weekly mentioned Mika and Jake had parted ways. Following the split, fans turned to social media to find clues about when the duo might have drifted apart. Their last couple post was shared by Jake in his February 2026 dump. The post featured a pic of the duo from their November 2025 outing, where they were seen hugging in matching yellow jerseys.
Notably, the outing was made with Mika's Off Campus co-stars. Besides the mushy hug pic, another shot showed Mika lying inside a car with thick blankets amid wilderness. A third shot of the 26-year-old actress was taken inside a bar, and the last one included a rare selfie of hers with her tongue sticking out. The candid shots were giving major couple goals, and Mika even commented on the post, saying, "every photo tells a story." Well, now, three months later, their story has reportedly ended for good, and fans can't help but feel a bit bummed.
Mika and Stephen Kalyn play 'Allie' and 'Dean' in Off Campus. Season 1 offered a glimpse of their sizzling chemistry, and Season 2 will be fully focused on their romance and evolving dynamics. Notably, a scene from 'Allie' dancing to Jennifer Lopez's 'On The Floor' and 'Dean' grabbing her waist has gone viral online. Additionally, the countless fan edits on these two have only added to the hype around the on-screen couple. Now, following Mika Abdalla's reported breakup with her real-life lover, fans expressed concern about Stephen Kalyn.
Their worries stem from 'Allie'-'Dean' shippers linking Mika's split with her bond with Stephen. The two actors share a friendly, goofy off-screen bond, glimpses of which can be seen on Off Campus' official Instagram account. Many have taken to the comments on posts featuring the duo, sharing their wish for Mika and Stephen to become a real couple. However, their fans defended their friendship, saying, "Reminder Stephen is ENGAGED… let's not get all parasocial now." Many even blamed Mika for leaving Jake after she blew up as 'Allie', however, her real fans aggressively defended her, stating that one shouldn't comment on something they are not aware of.
Another reason fans are so defensive about Stephen and Mika's relationship is that he exchanged rings with someone as well, just as Mika did with Jake. Stephen is engaged to his long-term fiancée, Victoria Lovatsis. She maintains a relatively private life and avoids the intense public and media attention that comes with being the partner of a rising star. However, no information about Victoria's personal or professional life is available online, except that she is from Canada, just like her beau, Stephen. Interestingly, she was the one who made him audition for the role of 'Dean'.
What are your thoughts on Stephen Kalyn getting dragged into Mika Abdalla and Jake Short's breakup buzz? Let us know.
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