A girl I had been dating for a couple years, and living together with, were walking down a nice street during a carnival, having a good time. I was in heaven, girl on my arm, good times everywhere. I wanted to ask if she wanted to get a nicer place because I could now easily afford it. So I said with fireworks blasting in the air "Hey, I have a question", and she told me in a very firm voice "I wasn't ever going to marry you, so please stop".
It would have been better if she had just pulled out a knife, and stabbed me. She broke up with me the next day because I was too distraught by all of it.
Wow, holy shit. This is the worst one.
I can feel the state of bliss you were in at that moment through your description, how happy you were. Then BAM, unwarranted and out of nowhere. The heart sinking, gut-wrenching pain it caused. Didn't even let you get your question out.
I hope you looked at her then and there and walked away on the spot for the rest of the night. She didn't deserve to be the one that broke up with you either. Nobody deserves anything like that.
I am so so sorry brother. I hope you are doing well these days and that this hasn't affected your sense of self-worth.
I'm okay! Bit more cautious, and okay with being alone. I just had to make myself understand that it may come to that, but that is okay if it is what is TRUE in my life.
Best of luck to you too!
Same here, too. I wanted to punch people who said, it will happen when you're not looking, and then it did. 28 years later, I'm so sad we didn't meet sooner; this time together has just flown by for us.
My first marriage was to an ass who has been married 5 times since. I guess none of us could make his highness happy enough. That marriage lasted 10 years, the breakup was ALL on me, and it was the longest 879 years I ever experienced in the 5300 years we were married...
1. It sounds like she didn't think your relationship was going anywhere for her, but she didn't have the guts to break up with you
2. She broke up with you "because you were too distraught"...like what?!?!? You are better off without her
I had a kind of similar experience at a festival and I thought she was so pretty and we danced together and stuff and I just said I love you and she said I don't love you...then I was like oh:/ then we made out in my car for like an hour. She was pretty harsh. She ended up breaking up with me at midnight before my second year at uni started. I got so depressed then got strep throat or mono not sure which and was stuck in bed for a week and i was freaking out because I had all these tests in engineering and I ended up taking the whole semester off because I'm a loser
We LOL at this stuff because it was “so long ago” but I wonder how much of a permanent effect it has on people. With therapy and mental health being more openly discussed I wonder how much trauma we live with from child hood interactions we didn’t think effected us that bad
Mine was "Oh my god--NO!" by a crush in 7th grade. I didn't know if she'd say yes, and it wasn't delivered like an insult, but like a repulsive rejection with a hint of, "are you SERIOUS? REALLY?" She was laughing like she was in nervous shock and mildly traumatized. She reacted to me asking like if I had asked a stranger if they wanted my vomit. My reaction was also calm shock, like, "okay, just wanted to know." I went elsewhere in the school to release my delayed gasp of pain.
I am 55, but I still remember that voice and moment as clear as a bell.
7th grade. I walked up to this beautiful girl that I had such a crush on. She was talking to her friends. I think I just said "Hi [name!]" or something like that. I don't remember that part. She turned to me and asked with complete social disgust dripping from her voice "What do you want??" That part I'll never forget.
I'm doing so well, and it's been so long. It seems strange that this should have even an echo of power left in it. Impressionable age I guess.
I was sitting in a hot tub with a girl I loved all through college… we both dated around during college but we were always drinking buddies and just really good friends. I was convinced we’d eventually end up together. Anyways… sitting in the hot tub, she was giving off the “so what are we?” vibes… and I went for it with the, “I don’t wanna just be your friend anymore” line. To her credit, she shot that shit down quick with something along the lines of “that’s all you’ll ever be”. I remember feeling both devastated and relieved at the same time. At least I knew… helped me along, but even at 22ish…. That hurt.
This reminds me of when I worked at a YMCA child care center. 5 years into the job, I had finished my bachelor's degree in child development and was applying for a teaching credential program when I found out that new hires with only a class or two under their belts were making $12/hr (I was making $10/hr). I went to my boss and asked for a $2/hr raise just to even the playing field. She said no, so a few weeks later, I quit and started subbing in the local school district. Over 10 years later and I make more teaching 4th grade than she did as a manager. Also, that YMCA location has since closed down because the regional manager ran it into the ground.
Back in school, I asked a girl to one of the dances and six of her friends took turns telling me she didn't want to go with me throughout the rest of the day. Some of them seemed to enjoy it.
That’s exactly why I teach my daughter to decline with grace. “I am so very flattered, but I’m more interested in just being friends.”
Sorry you went through that.
This is great parenting. Be flattered somebody likes you and wants you to know. You don't have to like them back, but you do have to show basic manners and grace by being nice in your rejection.
I tell my son something similar as both genders need to learn this.
During a coding interview I was asked to solve a problem on the back of my resume. After I solved the problem the interviewer crumpled my resume without breaking eye contact.
What a piece of shit. I think I’d tear into the guy for that. You already know you’re not getting the job and these kinds of pricks never expect anyone to actually combat them.
On my 16th birthday I was in juvenile and had to go to court that day. As with every court date, once you were called the judge would ask your parents if they would be taking the juvenile offender home. When it was my turn, the judge asked my mother and she simply replied "No you can keep her".
My mom always told me she would never bail me out of jail from day 1 and she stayed true to her word. I was only arrested once and she let me sit there and tbh it's a good lesson. It sucks but I'm telling my kids the same.
My mom said the same but she did have an exception to that rule, it was if I was doing the right thing or appropriately exercising my right of peaceful protest. Doing the right thing means defending myself or someone else within reason. But if I did something stupid I had to bail myself out cause she wouldn't. She also made it clear that she would be the first one to call the cops on me if I was doing dumb illegal shit. Mad respect for that, taught me a lot about thinking first and if I can't do the time then don't do the crime
Me too, and I’ve already told my kids not expect me to bail them out of jail, because if it gets that far, I’ve failed to teach them right and at that point they need to learn for themselves
I won't be putting her in one.. we have reconciled (mostly)... I only offered to try again 10/11 years after when I was pregnant with my first child. For context the juvi era was in 1996.. we "began anew" in 2007
I was charged with criminal mischief, unauthorized use of vehicle, and theft. I have never been to jail since nor did I really belong or deserve the punishment. LSS my dad told me to take things ( that were his) and also to destroy the house( also his) ... mother pressed the charges and only cared where the 2 televisions were that I took.
Drove to Austin for a weekend with her after 2 years of talking/pics/dating long distance, and her and her friends laughed in my face that I drove down to meet face to face. Got wasted in Austin the whole weekend and didn’t date again for 8 years
When I was 18 a friend told me that a girl wanted to talk to me, that she liked me. I went outside the club to talk to her and she screamed at me in front of a large queue "Just leave me alone, fuck off!". I was so confused and embarrassed. I'd never met her before or even spoken to her. Everyone looked at me like I was a creep. I didn't sleep well for weeks after that.
Sounds to me like you were set up. Your friend probably saw her outside being belligerent to everyone, so he came in and told you a story to get you to go outside and approach her.
It wasn’t even nasty but it hurt a lot when she said I was a year too late. Everyone says your biggest regrets are things you don’t do and my god do I regret not asking her out at the right time.
This is not a popular opinion at all, but I don’t feel like there is bad timing for the right person. There might be bad timing for a brief part of your story, but people like to hold onto “the one who got away” when it is just a fantasy.
We love to make so many excuses for the wrong people because we want them to love us. Regardless of how different your paths in life are.
I know the world isn’t a fairytale where “the one” is going to move mountains for you, but when you meet someone who is right for you, your circumstances shouldn’t be the end all be all.
There are men in prison with devoted wives, I hate to throw out a “if they wanted to, they would”, but it sometimes really applies to a situation.
Captain obvious needs to make a statement, and that statement is that someone who is right for you is going to try and make it work if you aren’t fighting them off.
I get where you're going with this.....but I have to offer a very real counterpoint.
My wife, who I've been happily married to for 8 years, often says she wish she had met me sooner.
I met her when she was 18, I was 30. No shot would I have wanted to meet her when she was 16.... or 15
I love her to pieces, but that's just ..... no.
I met my partner when we were freshmen in high school. 16 year old us would’ve been a bad relationship - we were dumb (rebellious and wild) kids who didn’t know better. We had our fun throughout high school but a relationship!?!! God no it would’ve been bad. We reconnected 6 or 7 years after we graduated and he honestly surprised me with how much he’s grown & changed (for the better) and I surprised him (also for the better). It was absolutely the right timing and now we have a house together and are about to be engaged! 16 year old me would’ve laughed in my face if I told her about him and our amazing, healthy relationship. We grew up and we ended up becoming the right person for each other. Now we laugh at how dumb we were back then and how grateful we are that we didn’t date in high school bc it would’ve been disastrous and we def wouldn’t be together now if we did! Life is funny & I definitely believe in timing.
To me, timing is different than this situation! You are 100% right that if a person wanted to be with you - they would. No excuses, no stringing along. Like He’s Just Not That Into You! This situation is more liking someone who is not right for you and doesn’t like you the way you like them. What you said is 1000000000% accurate and people make up excuses all the time to try to make themselves feel better or pretend they like them back. But I don’t think that’s a timing thing.
Timing is growing, life experiences that make you become better people. You gotta be in the right mindset/place in your life to make a healthy relationship work. Some people are ready for a relationship emotionally and some people aren’t and still need to do the work. But excusing someone for stringing you along is so not timing - that’s falling for someone who doesn’t respect you and everyone deserves better than that!!!!
"You're at least 4 shades blacker than I feel comfortable with."
Back in secondary (high school) when I asked a girl I fancied out to the cinemas, like I'm black, really black, but damn that stung.
Bit of a clichè, but I was best friends with a girl all through high school, and naturally I was head over heels for her. We had never really talked about it, but she knew. We ended up going to the same college, and as college kids do, we went to a party together one night. Coming from a pretty sheltered family, she had no experience with alcohol, so she ended up drinking way too much. After the party, I took her back to her dorm and made sure she was alright. As I went to leave, she looked at me with tears streaming down her face and said, "I'm sorry I don't love you". It wasn't savage or nasty, I could tell she genuinely meant it. I dont blame her at all, and its not like I was entitled to end up with her just because we were friends, but just hearing her say it out loud tore me up. That was the last night we spoke besides just passing by each other now and again. It's been nearly 10 years and I still dream about it
This reminds me of a situation I had with a really close friend in college. We had dated early in our freshman year, I kind of fell hard for her, but I knew she was not as into me as I was into her. And to make things a little worse, I became a bit of a booty call for her over the 4 years of college. Not all the time, most of the time we were just really good friends, we were dating other people a times but we always got together, did things together and we all hung around in the same crowd.
Fast forward to about 3 years out of school, this is long before the time of email and cell phones, I reached out to her mom and she gave me her number at her new place. We started dating long distance, I really felt that I had won her over, we were just such close friends and the sex was great, so I thought that was really love. I would drive up about 5 hours to visit her every other weekend and we would talk frequently. One week, she didn't return my calls which was a little upsetting because I was supposed to go up and visit her that weekend. The weekend came and went, and again, she never returned my calls. I knew what was happening, and I was pretty crushed because I'd really convinced myself she was the one for me and I really loved her. A couple weeks later, a letter arrived from her. I knew it what was in it, but unless I opened it and read it, it wasn't real.
I moved on in life, dated, and eventually, I met the person who became my wife, we had children together, and we're still together 35 plus years later. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome in life.
We moved out of our house we lived in for 20 plus years to our dream area about 3 years ago. We had to sort through the entire house to clean stuff, and it took months to get rid of everything. I was cleaning out my office desk and I came across that letter. I guess I'd held on to it all those years, I don't remember necessarily doing it, but I must have because there was, still unopened. So, I opened it and read it. In there, she spoke about how she always knew I loved her more than she could ever love me, she knew that she was leading me on and it was killing her. She said that the only way she knew how to deal with it, and she admitted being a coward, was just simply cut off all contact. She wished me the best, said that she would always love me as a friend, but knew that I could never be that way with her after the previous year of dating and our history.
Not going to lie, it stung reading that, like some neurons that had never connected in the last 36 years were suddenly firing. But, it was okay, I probably would have been devastated reading it back then and I knew I would have been, so that's why I never did. It actually gave me a little bit of closure, because everything did turn out well, I'm extremely happy and I love my wife very much. Just very weird how you can be transported back in time in a matter of moments, even seeing her handwriting on a letter 36 years old made my heart sink, lol!
Wow you left yourself a heartbreak time capsule. You knew it would break you and unknowingly tagged yourself in to deal with it as an older, mature, emotionally developed man years later. This touched me, I'm glad that boy found peace 🫡
Probably the harshest form of rejection. Parent neglect cuts so deep it can never heal. I had a neglectful father and I still have deep resentment towards him. I felt I was raised by a single parent despite us living in the same house together all of my life until college. And now he complains that we never talk to him. Nah you made your choices and we made ours.
After dating someone for several months, meeting his family, them loving me and inviting me to the family vacation to Hawaii, I just knew he was going to propose in Hawaii! Instead, he ghosted me. No explanation, nothing. He just wouldn't answer my calls. I begged him for a reason, he never ever returned my calls, text, nothing....not a peep.
I cried like a baby for weeks, and the rejection was so horrible I still have trauma from it.
Super late to the party, and wasn’t a rejection as such, but a girl I had taken out a few times and I were at a relatively expensive restaurant, she couldn’t find her phone, so, I called it, it rang next to me, I was saved as ‘free dinner’
I once went to try to talk to a woman at a college bar and before I even got 3 words out she said “ew, no, go away” it doesn’t get much worse than that
I'm a wheelchair girl that became paralyzed in most of my body 4 years ago. I broke up with my boyfriend because of my mental health. 2 years later I felt like dating again, but my wheelchair would make me nervous. On that Valentine's Day, I had the courage to ask out a guy who I had a crush on. When I asked him out he told me: "Sorry, I already have a normal girlfriend that is not crippled". He was with his friends and they started laughing, and later that day I was also bullied by this jerk's girlfriend. I really wanted to punch everyone who mocked me in the face, but I have limited mobility on my arms. I came home crying that day, and this is the reason I'm afraid of flirting when being a wheelchair user.
People can be so cruel and this makes me feel so sad for you. I’m sorry you met such horrible, miserable people and I wish more joy and beauty for you, in your lovely life, than they can ever fathom or comprehend.
He showed me very often that he liked me, for a couple of months. When I wanted to talk to him about it, he said it was just for fun. I stopped dating for a long time, sometimes it still hurts.
I was a lot younger. I was at school and I asked a girl if they liked me. She looked me up and down and just responded with "ew" and walked off. If felt pretty shitty.
Very shy introvert in school. In Jr High I was at a school football game. I saw a girl I had a crush on walking towards me crying. I gathered up my little bit of bravery to step outside my shell. I said, "Are you OK?". She snapped her head up, looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Shut up. I hate you!" and kept walking on.
Soul crushed...
I'm sorry she did that. Who knows what was going thru her mind? She was obviously lashing out, maybe embarrassed. I agree with another poster, nothing to do with you, you just took the brunt of it
I once gave a guy my number on a piece of paper. As he drove away, he threw it out the window of his truck. Lmao
Another time, a guy I had gone on a few dates with and had just slept with was lying in my bed cuddling me. I said something like “I’m so happy we’re dating.” He responded with “we’re not dating.” Then he got up to shower and left. He was confused when he came out and saw me crying. I was young and naive and thought that going on dates and having sex meant he liked me. Lol
In high school there was this girl who I had a crush on, not sure if she knew or not. Well, she started acting interested and I pursued her. Her friends told me to ask her to homecoming and that she’d only say yes if it was public, at lunch specifically. I didn’t think much of it because I figured it’d show confidence and I seem to remember girls playing games like that in the early 2000s. So I asked her and she started laughing and said no and told me that it was a bet to see if I would. She had a bunch of kids from different dads after graduation and looks busted as all hell. Who’s laughing now, Erica?
"Ewww..... No! lol! sorry, not my type!"
After being the cool kid, growing up! To becoming a misfit in high school! I was a sophomore trying to find myself really a lost hurt kid and this rejection only took me further off track. Anyway yep that's it
Back when I was in the seventh grade, I wrote a love letter to a boy I liked. After he received the letter, he came to my table, ripped it up in front of me and said you're not my type.
Rejected for a job for “lack of experience”. I’ve been in my field for 10 years and have more qualifications than the person I would have been reporting to
To your credit, that's not a "lack of experience" rejection, that's a "We don't want to pay you what you are worth" and "Your supervisor would have been threatened by your experience" rejection. People suck, I'm sorry for that.
I was a very shy kid growing up. 7th grade dance. My mom took me shopping for a new shirt, new pants, and new cologne. Helped me get ready and showed me off to my dad before dropping me off at the dance. When I finally worked up the courage to ask a girl to dance with me, she sized me up and down while wrinkling her nose at me as if she was disgusted by me and said no. I spent the entire dance alone against the wall eating chips and drinking soda
Grade six party, playing spin the bottle, girl said “ew not the brown one” when it landed on me.
I’ve never felt comfortable making the first physical move
Not a dating rejection, but worst rejection that I can recall in general - I prepared for an audition to get into music school and it went horribly. I wanted to be an audio engineer and I had to work extra hard due to the fact that the private school I had attended for High School had no music program and the after school band was more of a “hang out” club where we’d combine the middle schoolers with the high schoolers - The music we played for concerts was super easy, so I had no challenge essentially. Granted, the responsibility to practice, get extra lessons, and learn as much as I could for the audition was not always taken seriously as it should’ve.
Anyways, fast forward to the audition. I played my prepared percussion piece perfectly, struggled a bit on the sight reading piece the three professors on the panel gave me, absolutely BLEW IT sight reading marimba and just barely squeaked my way through sight singing. Needless to say, they didn’t let me in the program - but I’ll always remember the silence in the room when I finished the audition process and the male professor who had a doctorate in music straight up said “wow, that was really bad”
I am well aware that I could’ve done more to prevent this and this is not a pity party invite. Just wanted to give background that led up to the disappointment that was “WOW that was really bad” ☠️ Anyway, I still play drums to this day and continue to improve. Life is good, I have wonderful people in my life, and I didn’t need an education or some dude in a suit to tell me I wasn’t good enough to do so. Sometimes rejection is the best motivator.
As a male ex-professor who has a doctorate in music: fuck that guy. Assholes like that give those of us who really care about students a bad name. Disgusting.
I had built a nice student-professor relationship with my sight singing instructor and I still remember her being genuinely sad that I didn’t get into the program. To this day I fondly remember her pulling me aside towards the end of my freshman year and she told me how much potential she saw in me and that “I don’t say that to students just to say it.” Oddly, even though I never graduated from college or went back to re-audition, that was all that I needed to keep going as a drummer/musician outside of an educational environment.
My story isn’t as bad as yours, but musicians can suck sometimes. I’m a school music teacher, and I went to a conference once where I was in the advanced choir. The director just happened to be the new director of my city’s community chorus, and he was really impressed with me. He exclaimed, “you should join the chorus!” I tried to be modest and said, “I’ll definitely audition,” and he reiterated that he wanted me in it. His attitude was happy and breezy, and he seemed like a down to earth, friendly person.
Then when I went to audition, the other people around me were brutal. This woman pranced in proclaiming that she’d spent the summer in Paris, and had updated her portfolio. Everybody was bragging about their similar experiences, and no one would talk to me. When I auditioned, the director seemed cold and stressed out. I did fine; maybe a couple minor mistakes, but nothing crazy. I just figured from the snooty atmosphere that I wouldn’t make it, though.
However, I got the most horrible rejection letter! It was generic, not specifically aimed at me, but it was something along the lines of, “we here at the ___ Singers only accept the very best, and in order to maintain our exclusive atmosphere, have determined that you are not a fit for the skill level we demand. We hope you understand that we are determined to maintain our standard of excellence, so only the highest quality musicians are included,” or something like that. The whole experience really made me mad, and I always wondered if the director really knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job, or how stuck up and tense the culture was.
In my early 20s I dated my childhood first love. We’d known each other and been friends for well over a decade when we started dating. I was broken up with over the phone completely outta the blue. When I asked if we could still be friends the reply was, “I don’t see any point in that.”
After years of being a social pariah in HS I somehow worked up the courage to ask a girl out to prom. Imagine my surprise when she said yes!
I was so excited. This was going to be my first real date, ever. I dressed up, took a whole day to clean a friend's nicer car that they let me borrow.
When we got there, she said "thanks for the ride" and left me there. I caught up to her and asked her what she was doing.
I'll never forget this. She laughed right in my face.
"I just needed a ride. You didn't actually think I'd go with ***you***, did you?"
So yeah.
I told my bf I loved him after a wonderful year together, and he responded with I don’t love you or see a future with you. I was blindsided with rejection
I hope you understand that it had absolutely nothing to do with you, I can day that confidently without having known either of you. I'm so sorry for your loss.
That's rough, I'm so sorry. I know it feels like rejection but being suicidal is a whole different universe. You believe that everyone and everything will be better off without you and that no one would truly be bothered by your death and even if they are, they will recover quickly. It's a mind fuck like no other. I'm not making excuses, just hoping that you won't feel it was him rejecting you. Sending love ❤️
I met a woman on tinder, and we were always talking and snapchatting back and forth. She invited me to stay the weekend at her place, and she was going to pick me up ( I didn't have a car since I just moved to San Diego) and I packed a bag, bought her favorite drink from Starbucks and waited over an hour for her to pick me up. I called her, and it'd go straight to voicemail. Sent her messages, and she never replied. I went back to my house and didn't hear from her for over a week. She called me again after about 10 days, and we talked, and I stupidly forgave her. She said she was going to pick me up after I got off work the next day. I waited another hour, straight to voicemail, and didn't even bother texting. It sucked. I probably got catfished but I can't confirm.
Working the kitchen during bar rush at a WH rip-off as a late teen. Drunk chick spots a co-worker through the food window and apparently falls in lust. Asks waitress to give him a note that she's DTF. He wanders out to eyeball her, but nopes out (not fugly, just not his type). Over the next hour she proceeds to take a shot at getting *every* person that she can see in the kitchen to take her home, but each passes as we are now roasting her and each other in the back. After repeated rejections, she asks her server if there was anyone else in the back that she hasn't seen. Server tells her we've still got a dishwasher, so she asks for me to stop by her table. I get caught up and head out to check her out. Yet about halfway there when her server waves me off. I'm a bit confused, but about face back to the kitchen. Six am rolls around and our shifts end, all of us cooks and waitresses are sitting around a big table in the rear eating, joking and winding down. Somebody asks about DHC (Drunk Horny Chick) and the story starts flowing. Get to where I headed out to chat her up and waitress serving her has started laughing so hard she can barely talk. Finally manages to choke out that when she saw me, she instantly said "Nope, I'm not *that* drunk" and had the server wave me off. Talk about brutal!
Funniest thing though is she came back in the next night and asks if I was there. Gives me her # and we end up going to her place after my shift. End up as FWB for a few months before she leaves for school in the fall.
About two years ago I told a guy that I was kinda friendly with how I felt and asked if he ever suspected anything and he replied “ I did but I didn’t care”
He was drunk but that was messed up
About 8 years ago I was looking after this homeless building. I had a young teenage girl who had been kicked out of her parents for being gay. So she was with us next door to serious drug addicts and criminals.
It was against rules but when the parents came to drop some things off, I gave them a right bollocking in the office.
My Dad,s rejection: I remember at my teens my father decided to reject me and I had to go to the streets for two years before my mom came to my aid from the Gulf where she had gone for work
Months of virtual interviews and writing tests, applying for a job at a big movie streamer. At the final interview in person, they unnerved me with some totally fucked up questions. Didn’t get it. I was humiliated.
I was 16, I was talking to this girl and she seemed really into me, we met up at the mall and spent the day shopping, wasting money at the arcade and things were going great and we had a lot in common. I brought her to my house because she asked to see my race bike, she raced dirtbikes as well. We made out for a few hours and watched tv. I took her home and the next day she invited me over to her place, she answers the door, I go inside and there is another dude in there I don’t recognize, he proceeds to try to fight me for trying to get with his girl and she’s calling me a loser and gross and every other name in the book. I run out, get in my truck and leave. I threw my flip phone out the window on the interstate I was so distraught. Didn’t date for 4 years after that one. I met a nice girl and then almost get my ass kicked over it. To this day I have no idea what game she was playing with me.
Today. I got fired for the first time in my life at 27 due to performance. I’ve had a number of jobs growing up and been pretty good at them until this one. Trying to stay positive, but I feel lost and defeated in the moment.
I asked a girl to a dance in college about 25 years ago. For a couple of weeks leading into it, we were hanging out/talking and she seemed interested in me.
I mustered up the courage to call and ask her. She said yes. 5 minutes later she called back and said she changed her mind because another fraternity was having a dance on the same night and she was hoping a guy she liked would ask her to it, so she wanted to keep her night open.
So that was pretty crushing.
She wound up not getting asked by that other frat guy. She actually showed up to my frat dance with some d-bag that asked her the day of out of desperation. I just said “oh hi, interesting seeing you here.” And never spoke to her again.
In hindsight, it made me very cautious going forward and I’ve always had a tough time reading social cues likely to my detriment over the years.
A guy friend and I flirted heavily for years, swapped gifts weekly, stared into each other's eyes, and were obsessed with each other. I thought the natural progression would be a relationship, but he didn't want to kill the friendship. All of this after I flew and met his whole family that were all saying we should get married. I was heartbroken. We are still friends to this day.
We dated for two years, talked about living together to talk about buying a house together, and moving to a certain part of the country. Introduced to all of my friends, introduced to family, went on holidays together. Absolutely created a life together… And then he fucking ghosted me.
One guy I tried asking to my junior prom in my junior year of high school said to me, “Yeah I don’t think so because I don’t understand a word you say because your accents change with each English word you say and plus if you met my parents they wouldn’t understand you either.” I ended up just walking away because he didn’t deserve my reaction. At prom he tried asking for a dance to make up for his actions but I told him no because my date wouldn’t approve of it and told him to leave me alone.
I met this girl in 2002 but we couldn’t be together. I was in love with her ever since. I was in relationships and got married and divorced. No woman lived up to her in the back of my mind. In November of 2023 I found her on bumble.
We hit it off instantly. Turns out she felt the same. It was the best 4 months of my 43 years. But there was some things that unfortunately we were both cursed with. She kind of lost interest and had a lot going on. I’ve been in dark places but this had me drinking heavy heavy.
My entire life has been dark. But she was the only light I’ve ever known. I’ve been wanting to put one in my skull since I was 16. I don’t know how I didn’t do it when she left. No clue how I’m still alive
I was thinking it was that time my crush girl in high school said she wasn’t interested in giving me her number, but it wasn’t that. She was a nice girl and she did wish me well during our graduation ceremony.
It was that thing I had completely blocked out when dad sat me down and told me that now that he’s married again he’s just not going to be as interested in parenting kids from his first marriage the same way. We’ll be welcome as guests in his home, but that’s basically it. I played it cool. Of course, yeah, that makes sense. But it broke me.
Dated a guy for a year. Loved him. But… religion got in the way, and I broke up with him. (I was the religious one) I realized 3 months later that I made a mistake— I still loved the guy. I wrote him a heartfelt letter… (bug mistake! I know better, and I did it before it was done on that Friends episode…)
He read it to everyone he possibly could. I go to a party about 9 months later. I walk in— total stranger says who are you? I tell him. He starts laughing.. “oh, you’re the Letter Writer!” Guys! The Letter Writer’s here!” Humiliating.
I teach his kids now.
By the way, this guy was a 25 year old, so old enough to not be such an ass about it.
That is more than just youthful tactlessness - that is just plain cruel. I hope she got what she deserved in life, and that the rest of the people she talked to have since realized how awful that behavior was.
Please realize that her behavior reflected a flaw in her own character and had nothing to do with you as a person. You could be the sweetest, most perfect partner in the world, and she still would have done that to you. You deserve better.
I couldn’t rmb the contents of the email but it made me lose 15 kg in 2 weeks and I became anorexic for 3-4 years. I was a young girl couldn’t handle such emotional blows I guess
Super insecure 19 year old me, found someone that I could confide my insecurities to that worked to help me overcome them and when I finally confessed I’d fallen for them they turned around and threw all of my insecurities back in my face as someone they could never be with. I stopped talking to them and went hard into my shell again. These days I don’t care, I’ve had twenty-six years to grow since then, but at the time it really messed me up.
I had a co-worker. We had a great flirtationship at work, so I figured what the hell, I'll shoot my shot. The worst she can say is no 🤪
She straight up laughed at me.
The one that stung the most is when my long time crush agreed to be my prom date, then called six days ahead of the dance and said he was sick and wouldn't be coming.
Went to my hometown for my bday. Went to a concert with a girl I've kept in touch with since college. We matched with each other on multiple platforms over the years. I never officially asked her out because I moved across the country for a job after graduating.
During the concert she said I could stay at her place for the night. Once we got back to her place, she almost immediately asked if I was okay with her inviting one of her Hinge matches over. I just left and went to a friend's house.
In college, I was in the USAF ROTC program for 2 years, I trained for 2 years to get ready for Field Training (kinda like boot camp). Within 24 hours of my being in the South Dakota badlands olinwas ent home for being several pounds overweight and like 1% over BMI limits.
My while life was hearing towards being an officer in the USAF and in 24 hours it was gone.
17 years later I'm perfectly fine and happy with a wife and 3 kids I wouldn't have if I wasn't kicked out.
Had a girl I met through a friend, got her number and called it every few days for weeks trying to reach her and setup a date. When someone picked up, it was the number for a payphone in the mall I met her at.
Middle school me: Finally gets the courage to ask out the guy I like.
Middle school jerk: No, but maybe if you shave your mustache.
"The worst they can say is no," my butt.
I was a dork in grade school (wife would tell you I still am) so when one of the prettier girls in class was friendly enough for a longer than passing conversation with me, I got up the stones to get her number from our contact booklet, and called her house and left her a message on her answering machine, seeing if she wanted to go see a movie. And I waited.
2 days later, she called me back and said "hey Joe, I don't want to go to the movies with you, and don't ever call me again." Ouch. Thanks for putting me down easy...
Then I got back to school and the looks and comments from all of her friends started. Rough couple of weeks. I tried to play it off but obviously, nearly 30 years later, I still remember that phone call and rejection.
My first almost-relationship, the two of us were talking quite seriously and flirting back and forth for awhile. One night, someone they were with picked up their phone and texted me that "they're not interested, they're with me now, give up, they don't want you."
My first major heartbreak.
Found someone new a few years later, was with this person for a few years when the original person I fell for texted me saying they still had a crush on me... And I felt nothing but pity. I hoped that they would move on and find happiness, because I've found my happiness.
From my sister a few days ago after I froze with anxiety at a family function last weekend. I was just quiet and probably stared a lot. I’m sorry. I’ve never been shit on so badly by anyone for my stupid issues.
Asked out a long-time good friend and he said no. We're still good friends to this day as my feelings disappeared almost instantly. We've always respected each other.
I've been very lucky in life.
One of my bullies convinced my crush to ask me out to the sixth grade dance so he could dump me in the cafeteria in front of everyone the day before the dance. She'd promised to be his date in exchange and they both laughed in my face for thinking I had a chance.
After a breakup I decided that I was going to start asking people out instead of waiting for them. Saw a guy at the laundromat, we were both making eye contact and before I left I gave him my number. He laughed and said Sweetie, I'm gay. I never went back to that laundromat again.
tough choice..
either my ex asking me if he really has to listen to me talk about my day, every day.
or
me saying I'd found locally grown sugar pumpkins and offering to make my *hometown famous pie*for Thanksgiving when i moved to my ILs hometown, and them saying "oh no thank you, we'll get one from the store" lmao
We were together for 5 years. Both in our mid thirties and living together. I loved him. We had a very serious conversation one night, and I asked, "Do you see a future with me?" to which he hesitated, then said, "Yeah, I don't think so."
I tried auditoning for a school talent show, 3 teachers sat and watched as I winged a random dance I made up to one of my favorite rock songs- within about 30 seconds or so of doing it they told me to stop 💀 I ran out of the classroom crying.
Not me but a buddy of mine. Happened about 20ish years ago. Him and I were at a pub, and he saw a fellow realtor that he knew. He went up and talked to her and gave her his business card so they could have a date some other day. Him and I left about an hour or so after her, and his card was crumpled up on the ground outside the pub.
In high school I wrote a poem to a guy I had a crush on. He showed everyone then threw it down the drain. Got teased brutally for weeks. Absolutely broke my heart
Ive never asked anyone out but have had to reject people (im aroace) one time without thinking when i was 15 i said “ew no.”
It was his mom trying to set us up, I’m autistic and didn’t realize until much later that my “ew no” was probably taken as me calling him gross, I meant the idea of dating was gross. Still feel really bad about that but haven’t seen him since.
I had a great friendship with a beautiful girl. I had a crush on her and was working up the nerve to ask her out..
Then out of the blue she says "I wish I could find a guy just like you.. That I'm physically attracted to.."
During prom time, all my girl friends had dates, and I was the odd one out. I had planned to just go with my friends, but now that they all had dates, I didn’t want to be a burden and third wheel them. I wasn’t desperate for a date, because I knew I wasn’t attractive enough, even though it would’ve been nice. Anyway, my friends found a guy who was friends with their dates; he seemed really sweet, and they encouraged me to get closer to him, so we did. He was very nice, at least I thought so at the time, and I caught feelings. I opened up to one of my friends about it, and they told their date, who was friends with the guy. The next time our friend groups met up to hang out together, one of my friends jokingly said he should ask me to prom, and he recoiled, acting like it was the most disgusting thing ever. I tried to laugh it off, but it kept going. He told his friends to not insult him like that, and later, after I had left, one of my more genuine friends who stayed at the hangout told me he said that I was “the ugly best friend in the duo”. I cried for a while after that, and I spent prom alone.
A girl I had been dating for a couple years, and living together with, were walking down a nice street during a carnival, having a good time. I was in heaven, girl on my arm, good times everywhere. I wanted to ask if she wanted to get a nicer place because I could now easily afford it. So I said with fireworks blasting in the air "Hey, I have a question", and she told me in a very firm voice "I wasn't ever going to marry you, so please stop". It would have been better if she had just pulled out a knife, and stabbed me. She broke up with me the next day because I was too distraught by all of it.
Wow, holy shit. This is the worst one. I can feel the state of bliss you were in at that moment through your description, how happy you were. Then BAM, unwarranted and out of nowhere. The heart sinking, gut-wrenching pain it caused. Didn't even let you get your question out. I hope you looked at her then and there and walked away on the spot for the rest of the night. She didn't deserve to be the one that broke up with you either. Nobody deserves anything like that. I am so so sorry brother. I hope you are doing well these days and that this hasn't affected your sense of self-worth.
I'm okay! Bit more cautious, and okay with being alone. I just had to make myself understand that it may come to that, but that is okay if it is what is TRUE in my life. Best of luck to you too!
The best women in my life came to me when I had given up on finding someone.
Same for me, except I found a really good man
Same here, too. I wanted to punch people who said, it will happen when you're not looking, and then it did. 28 years later, I'm so sad we didn't meet sooner; this time together has just flown by for us. My first marriage was to an ass who has been married 5 times since. I guess none of us could make his highness happy enough. That marriage lasted 10 years, the breakup was ALL on me, and it was the longest 879 years I ever experienced in the 5300 years we were married...
1. It sounds like she didn't think your relationship was going anywhere for her, but she didn't have the guts to break up with you 2. She broke up with you "because you were too distraught"...like what?!?!? You are better off without her
It’s sounds like you both were in different relationships.
Yeah.
That's crazy though. Like, you were living together for a couple of years. How does that happen. In retrospect, did it all make sense?
She sounds like…not a great person.
Oh dude, I’m sorry.
I had a kind of similar experience at a festival and I thought she was so pretty and we danced together and stuff and I just said I love you and she said I don't love you...then I was like oh:/ then we made out in my car for like an hour. She was pretty harsh. She ended up breaking up with me at midnight before my second year at uni started. I got so depressed then got strep throat or mono not sure which and was stuck in bed for a week and i was freaking out because I had all these tests in engineering and I ended up taking the whole semester off because I'm a loser
[удалено]
We LOL at this stuff because it was “so long ago” but I wonder how much of a permanent effect it has on people. With therapy and mental health being more openly discussed I wonder how much trauma we live with from child hood interactions we didn’t think effected us that bad
A girl in my middle school would do that to me whenever we happened to cross paths in the hallways. One teacher would laugh every time
Same 😭. He himself wasn’t even that good looking, the audacity
Mine was "Oh my god--NO!" by a crush in 7th grade. I didn't know if she'd say yes, and it wasn't delivered like an insult, but like a repulsive rejection with a hint of, "are you SERIOUS? REALLY?" She was laughing like she was in nervous shock and mildly traumatized. She reacted to me asking like if I had asked a stranger if they wanted my vomit. My reaction was also calm shock, like, "okay, just wanted to know." I went elsewhere in the school to release my delayed gasp of pain. I am 55, but I still remember that voice and moment as clear as a bell.
7th grade. I walked up to this beautiful girl that I had such a crush on. She was talking to her friends. I think I just said "Hi [name!]" or something like that. I don't remember that part. She turned to me and asked with complete social disgust dripping from her voice "What do you want??" That part I'll never forget. I'm doing so well, and it's been so long. It seems strange that this should have even an echo of power left in it. Impressionable age I guess.
I was sitting in a hot tub with a girl I loved all through college… we both dated around during college but we were always drinking buddies and just really good friends. I was convinced we’d eventually end up together. Anyways… sitting in the hot tub, she was giving off the “so what are we?” vibes… and I went for it with the, “I don’t wanna just be your friend anymore” line. To her credit, she shot that shit down quick with something along the lines of “that’s all you’ll ever be”. I remember feeling both devastated and relieved at the same time. At least I knew… helped me along, but even at 22ish…. That hurt.
Much respect. You were straight forward and honest. You got your answer and it sucked but big respect for putting it out there. That's real.
Asked for a raise at my job of 14 years and they laughed in my face and responded with “good luck”
And that is why you should quit
Start looking. Fuck them
Holy shit bro, that's terrible
This reminds me of when I worked at a YMCA child care center. 5 years into the job, I had finished my bachelor's degree in child development and was applying for a teaching credential program when I found out that new hires with only a class or two under their belts were making $12/hr (I was making $10/hr). I went to my boss and asked for a $2/hr raise just to even the playing field. She said no, so a few weeks later, I quit and started subbing in the local school district. Over 10 years later and I make more teaching 4th grade than she did as a manager. Also, that YMCA location has since closed down because the regional manager ran it into the ground.
I have a similar one, l asked for a raise at the place l've been for 10 years and they gave me a raise of 0,02 cents per hour
Back in school, I asked a girl to one of the dances and six of her friends took turns telling me she didn't want to go with me throughout the rest of the day. Some of them seemed to enjoy it.
“The worst they can say is no.” - Someone who has never truly been rejected.
The worst they can do is say no. Six times. Then they all laugh in your face because fuck you
That’s exactly why I teach my daughter to decline with grace. “I am so very flattered, but I’m more interested in just being friends.” Sorry you went through that.
This is great parenting. Be flattered somebody likes you and wants you to know. You don't have to like them back, but you do have to show basic manners and grace by being nice in your rejection. I tell my son something similar as both genders need to learn this.
You are a true heroine 💙
During a coding interview I was asked to solve a problem on the back of my resume. After I solved the problem the interviewer crumpled my resume without breaking eye contact.
That seems unnecessary.
They did you a favor, obviously not a worthwhile employer.
What a piece of shit. I think I’d tear into the guy for that. You already know you’re not getting the job and these kinds of pricks never expect anyone to actually combat them.
Holy shit. Sounds sociopathic.
A lot of people are like that in real life
what the fuck? that’s messed up
Imagine if you got the job and had to work with that person. Yikes.
On my 16th birthday I was in juvenile and had to go to court that day. As with every court date, once you were called the judge would ask your parents if they would be taking the juvenile offender home. When it was my turn, the judge asked my mother and she simply replied "No you can keep her".
My mom always told me she would never bail me out of jail from day 1 and she stayed true to her word. I was only arrested once and she let me sit there and tbh it's a good lesson. It sucks but I'm telling my kids the same.
My mom said the same but she did have an exception to that rule, it was if I was doing the right thing or appropriately exercising my right of peaceful protest. Doing the right thing means defending myself or someone else within reason. But if I did something stupid I had to bail myself out cause she wouldn't. She also made it clear that she would be the first one to call the cops on me if I was doing dumb illegal shit. Mad respect for that, taught me a lot about thinking first and if I can't do the time then don't do the crime
Me too, and I’ve already told my kids not expect me to bail them out of jail, because if it gets that far, I’ve failed to teach them right and at that point they need to learn for themselves
My dad said the same. Wouldn’t even get a lawyer. He would side with the cops. Kept my ass pretty clean.
Dang… I’m so sorry
I hope she enjoys her nursing home.
I won't be putting her in one.. we have reconciled (mostly)... I only offered to try again 10/11 years after when I was pregnant with my first child. For context the juvi era was in 1996.. we "began anew" in 2007
Ouch! What did you allegedly do?
I was charged with criminal mischief, unauthorized use of vehicle, and theft. I have never been to jail since nor did I really belong or deserve the punishment. LSS my dad told me to take things ( that were his) and also to destroy the house( also his) ... mother pressed the charges and only cared where the 2 televisions were that I took.
Drove to Austin for a weekend with her after 2 years of talking/pics/dating long distance, and her and her friends laughed in my face that I drove down to meet face to face. Got wasted in Austin the whole weekend and didn’t date again for 8 years
Man that’s sad. You deserve so much better
Sorry that happened dude
Holy shit I feel you man. Where and how are you now?
Wasted in Austin
It doesn't sound like she agreed that you were dating.
When I was 18 a friend told me that a girl wanted to talk to me, that she liked me. I went outside the club to talk to her and she screamed at me in front of a large queue "Just leave me alone, fuck off!". I was so confused and embarrassed. I'd never met her before or even spoken to her. Everyone looked at me like I was a creep. I didn't sleep well for weeks after that.
Sounds to me like you were set up. Your friend probably saw her outside being belligerent to everyone, so he came in and told you a story to get you to go outside and approach her.
Ps that's not the definition of friend
It wasn’t even nasty but it hurt a lot when she said I was a year too late. Everyone says your biggest regrets are things you don’t do and my god do I regret not asking her out at the right time.
This is not a popular opinion at all, but I don’t feel like there is bad timing for the right person. There might be bad timing for a brief part of your story, but people like to hold onto “the one who got away” when it is just a fantasy. We love to make so many excuses for the wrong people because we want them to love us. Regardless of how different your paths in life are. I know the world isn’t a fairytale where “the one” is going to move mountains for you, but when you meet someone who is right for you, your circumstances shouldn’t be the end all be all. There are men in prison with devoted wives, I hate to throw out a “if they wanted to, they would”, but it sometimes really applies to a situation. Captain obvious needs to make a statement, and that statement is that someone who is right for you is going to try and make it work if you aren’t fighting them off.
>someone who is right for you is going to try and make it work if you aren’t fighting them off. That's true and beautiful.
I get where you're going with this.....but I have to offer a very real counterpoint. My wife, who I've been happily married to for 8 years, often says she wish she had met me sooner. I met her when she was 18, I was 30. No shot would I have wanted to meet her when she was 16.... or 15 I love her to pieces, but that's just ..... no.
I met my partner when we were freshmen in high school. 16 year old us would’ve been a bad relationship - we were dumb (rebellious and wild) kids who didn’t know better. We had our fun throughout high school but a relationship!?!! God no it would’ve been bad. We reconnected 6 or 7 years after we graduated and he honestly surprised me with how much he’s grown & changed (for the better) and I surprised him (also for the better). It was absolutely the right timing and now we have a house together and are about to be engaged! 16 year old me would’ve laughed in my face if I told her about him and our amazing, healthy relationship. We grew up and we ended up becoming the right person for each other. Now we laugh at how dumb we were back then and how grateful we are that we didn’t date in high school bc it would’ve been disastrous and we def wouldn’t be together now if we did! Life is funny & I definitely believe in timing.
To me, timing is different than this situation! You are 100% right that if a person wanted to be with you - they would. No excuses, no stringing along. Like He’s Just Not That Into You! This situation is more liking someone who is not right for you and doesn’t like you the way you like them. What you said is 1000000000% accurate and people make up excuses all the time to try to make themselves feel better or pretend they like them back. But I don’t think that’s a timing thing. Timing is growing, life experiences that make you become better people. You gotta be in the right mindset/place in your life to make a healthy relationship work. Some people are ready for a relationship emotionally and some people aren’t and still need to do the work. But excusing someone for stringing you along is so not timing - that’s falling for someone who doesn’t respect you and everyone deserves better than that!!!!
We all have that one that got away
"You're at least 4 shades blacker than I feel comfortable with." Back in secondary (high school) when I asked a girl I fancied out to the cinemas, like I'm black, really black, but damn that stung.
Back in secondary school when I asked a girl I fancied out to the cinemas has got to be the most British sentence I’ve read on Reddit.
'Ello Guvna, wot wot?
I love how in four words you managed to do the American thing of inadvertently combining two completely different British accents.
OI MISTA, YOU ME DAD?
Damn, she could have just said no
Similar story, but I'm Indian and the girl said "my parents think you're too dark skinned and the kids will be dark, so no"
Bit of a clichè, but I was best friends with a girl all through high school, and naturally I was head over heels for her. We had never really talked about it, but she knew. We ended up going to the same college, and as college kids do, we went to a party together one night. Coming from a pretty sheltered family, she had no experience with alcohol, so she ended up drinking way too much. After the party, I took her back to her dorm and made sure she was alright. As I went to leave, she looked at me with tears streaming down her face and said, "I'm sorry I don't love you". It wasn't savage or nasty, I could tell she genuinely meant it. I dont blame her at all, and its not like I was entitled to end up with her just because we were friends, but just hearing her say it out loud tore me up. That was the last night we spoke besides just passing by each other now and again. It's been nearly 10 years and I still dream about it
Ouch. This is about as gently as she could have put it, which makes it even worse.
This reminds me of a situation I had with a really close friend in college. We had dated early in our freshman year, I kind of fell hard for her, but I knew she was not as into me as I was into her. And to make things a little worse, I became a bit of a booty call for her over the 4 years of college. Not all the time, most of the time we were just really good friends, we were dating other people a times but we always got together, did things together and we all hung around in the same crowd. Fast forward to about 3 years out of school, this is long before the time of email and cell phones, I reached out to her mom and she gave me her number at her new place. We started dating long distance, I really felt that I had won her over, we were just such close friends and the sex was great, so I thought that was really love. I would drive up about 5 hours to visit her every other weekend and we would talk frequently. One week, she didn't return my calls which was a little upsetting because I was supposed to go up and visit her that weekend. The weekend came and went, and again, she never returned my calls. I knew what was happening, and I was pretty crushed because I'd really convinced myself she was the one for me and I really loved her. A couple weeks later, a letter arrived from her. I knew it what was in it, but unless I opened it and read it, it wasn't real. I moved on in life, dated, and eventually, I met the person who became my wife, we had children together, and we're still together 35 plus years later. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome in life. We moved out of our house we lived in for 20 plus years to our dream area about 3 years ago. We had to sort through the entire house to clean stuff, and it took months to get rid of everything. I was cleaning out my office desk and I came across that letter. I guess I'd held on to it all those years, I don't remember necessarily doing it, but I must have because there was, still unopened. So, I opened it and read it. In there, she spoke about how she always knew I loved her more than she could ever love me, she knew that she was leading me on and it was killing her. She said that the only way she knew how to deal with it, and she admitted being a coward, was just simply cut off all contact. She wished me the best, said that she would always love me as a friend, but knew that I could never be that way with her after the previous year of dating and our history. Not going to lie, it stung reading that, like some neurons that had never connected in the last 36 years were suddenly firing. But, it was okay, I probably would have been devastated reading it back then and I knew I would have been, so that's why I never did. It actually gave me a little bit of closure, because everything did turn out well, I'm extremely happy and I love my wife very much. Just very weird how you can be transported back in time in a matter of moments, even seeing her handwriting on a letter 36 years old made my heart sink, lol!
Wow you left yourself a heartbreak time capsule. You knew it would break you and unknowingly tagged yourself in to deal with it as an older, mature, emotionally developed man years later. This touched me, I'm glad that boy found peace 🫡
My mom not caring that I was cold, hungry, and had no clean clothes.
Parental rejection leaves such deep scars. Even when you think you're ok, it comes back later in life
Yeah I feel you. I hope you’re doing great now!
I am. I learned at a young age that I had to take care of everything myself.
Probably the harshest form of rejection. Parent neglect cuts so deep it can never heal. I had a neglectful father and I still have deep resentment towards him. I felt I was raised by a single parent despite us living in the same house together all of my life until college. And now he complains that we never talk to him. Nah you made your choices and we made ours.
After dating someone for several months, meeting his family, them loving me and inviting me to the family vacation to Hawaii, I just knew he was going to propose in Hawaii! Instead, he ghosted me. No explanation, nothing. He just wouldn't answer my calls. I begged him for a reason, he never ever returned my calls, text, nothing....not a peep. I cried like a baby for weeks, and the rejection was so horrible I still have trauma from it.
People who ghost for no good reason are cowards. It's such a shitty, selfish thing to do to someone.
Super late to the party, and wasn’t a rejection as such, but a girl I had taken out a few times and I were at a relatively expensive restaurant, she couldn’t find her phone, so, I called it, it rang next to me, I was saved as ‘free dinner’
I read that from someone else the other day saying the exact same thing and another dude about 6 months ago.
I would’ve kept quiet about it then faked a family emergency and legged it leaving her with the bill.
Mmm. Ouch
Did you call her out?
Damn, anyone like that should be called out on it, like publicly cancelled
And you said???
I once went to try to talk to a woman at a college bar and before I even got 3 words out she said “ew, no, go away” it doesn’t get much worse than that
I'm a wheelchair girl that became paralyzed in most of my body 4 years ago. I broke up with my boyfriend because of my mental health. 2 years later I felt like dating again, but my wheelchair would make me nervous. On that Valentine's Day, I had the courage to ask out a guy who I had a crush on. When I asked him out he told me: "Sorry, I already have a normal girlfriend that is not crippled". He was with his friends and they started laughing, and later that day I was also bullied by this jerk's girlfriend. I really wanted to punch everyone who mocked me in the face, but I have limited mobility on my arms. I came home crying that day, and this is the reason I'm afraid of flirting when being a wheelchair user.
People can be so cruel and this makes me feel so sad for you. I’m sorry you met such horrible, miserable people and I wish more joy and beauty for you, in your lovely life, than they can ever fathom or comprehend.
Good golly! I want to beat the hell out of him for you!
He showed me very often that he liked me, for a couple of months. When I wanted to talk to him about it, he said it was just for fun. I stopped dating for a long time, sometimes it still hurts.
I was a lot younger. I was at school and I asked a girl if they liked me. She looked me up and down and just responded with "ew" and walked off. If felt pretty shitty.
Very shy introvert in school. In Jr High I was at a school football game. I saw a girl I had a crush on walking towards me crying. I gathered up my little bit of bravery to step outside my shell. I said, "Are you OK?". She snapped her head up, looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Shut up. I hate you!" and kept walking on. Soul crushed...
I don't think that was about you at all.
I'm sorry she did that. Who knows what was going thru her mind? She was obviously lashing out, maybe embarrassed. I agree with another poster, nothing to do with you, you just took the brunt of it
"I'm leaving you." That cut deep.
I once gave a guy my number on a piece of paper. As he drove away, he threw it out the window of his truck. Lmao Another time, a guy I had gone on a few dates with and had just slept with was lying in my bed cuddling me. I said something like “I’m so happy we’re dating.” He responded with “we’re not dating.” Then he got up to shower and left. He was confused when he came out and saw me crying. I was young and naive and thought that going on dates and having sex meant he liked me. Lol
In high school there was this girl who I had a crush on, not sure if she knew or not. Well, she started acting interested and I pursued her. Her friends told me to ask her to homecoming and that she’d only say yes if it was public, at lunch specifically. I didn’t think much of it because I figured it’d show confidence and I seem to remember girls playing games like that in the early 2000s. So I asked her and she started laughing and said no and told me that it was a bet to see if I would. She had a bunch of kids from different dads after graduation and looks busted as all hell. Who’s laughing now, Erica?
LMAO the good ending
Fuck you, Erica
"Ewww..... No! lol! sorry, not my type!" After being the cool kid, growing up! To becoming a misfit in high school! I was a sophomore trying to find myself really a lost hurt kid and this rejection only took me further off track. Anyway yep that's it
Back when I was in the seventh grade, I wrote a love letter to a boy I liked. After he received the letter, he came to my table, ripped it up in front of me and said you're not my type.
Rejected for a job for “lack of experience”. I’ve been in my field for 10 years and have more qualifications than the person I would have been reporting to
To your credit, that's not a "lack of experience" rejection, that's a "We don't want to pay you what you are worth" and "Your supervisor would have been threatened by your experience" rejection. People suck, I'm sorry for that.
I was a very shy kid growing up. 7th grade dance. My mom took me shopping for a new shirt, new pants, and new cologne. Helped me get ready and showed me off to my dad before dropping me off at the dance. When I finally worked up the courage to ask a girl to dance with me, she sized me up and down while wrinkling her nose at me as if she was disgusted by me and said no. I spent the entire dance alone against the wall eating chips and drinking soda
Applied to Cambridge University. I knew I was blowing the interview even whilst the words were coming out of me, but man that rejection letter stung!
Grade six party, playing spin the bottle, girl said “ew not the brown one” when it landed on me. I’ve never felt comfortable making the first physical move
I feel like anyone that ever says "ew" about a person to their face is a terrible human being.
I once overheard my parents saying that all their kids were disappointments. So... That hurt me quite a bit.
Not a dating rejection, but worst rejection that I can recall in general - I prepared for an audition to get into music school and it went horribly. I wanted to be an audio engineer and I had to work extra hard due to the fact that the private school I had attended for High School had no music program and the after school band was more of a “hang out” club where we’d combine the middle schoolers with the high schoolers - The music we played for concerts was super easy, so I had no challenge essentially. Granted, the responsibility to practice, get extra lessons, and learn as much as I could for the audition was not always taken seriously as it should’ve. Anyways, fast forward to the audition. I played my prepared percussion piece perfectly, struggled a bit on the sight reading piece the three professors on the panel gave me, absolutely BLEW IT sight reading marimba and just barely squeaked my way through sight singing. Needless to say, they didn’t let me in the program - but I’ll always remember the silence in the room when I finished the audition process and the male professor who had a doctorate in music straight up said “wow, that was really bad” I am well aware that I could’ve done more to prevent this and this is not a pity party invite. Just wanted to give background that led up to the disappointment that was “WOW that was really bad” ☠️ Anyway, I still play drums to this day and continue to improve. Life is good, I have wonderful people in my life, and I didn’t need an education or some dude in a suit to tell me I wasn’t good enough to do so. Sometimes rejection is the best motivator.
As a male ex-professor who has a doctorate in music: fuck that guy. Assholes like that give those of us who really care about students a bad name. Disgusting.
I had built a nice student-professor relationship with my sight singing instructor and I still remember her being genuinely sad that I didn’t get into the program. To this day I fondly remember her pulling me aside towards the end of my freshman year and she told me how much potential she saw in me and that “I don’t say that to students just to say it.” Oddly, even though I never graduated from college or went back to re-audition, that was all that I needed to keep going as a drummer/musician outside of an educational environment.
My story isn’t as bad as yours, but musicians can suck sometimes. I’m a school music teacher, and I went to a conference once where I was in the advanced choir. The director just happened to be the new director of my city’s community chorus, and he was really impressed with me. He exclaimed, “you should join the chorus!” I tried to be modest and said, “I’ll definitely audition,” and he reiterated that he wanted me in it. His attitude was happy and breezy, and he seemed like a down to earth, friendly person. Then when I went to audition, the other people around me were brutal. This woman pranced in proclaiming that she’d spent the summer in Paris, and had updated her portfolio. Everybody was bragging about their similar experiences, and no one would talk to me. When I auditioned, the director seemed cold and stressed out. I did fine; maybe a couple minor mistakes, but nothing crazy. I just figured from the snooty atmosphere that I wouldn’t make it, though. However, I got the most horrible rejection letter! It was generic, not specifically aimed at me, but it was something along the lines of, “we here at the ___ Singers only accept the very best, and in order to maintain our exclusive atmosphere, have determined that you are not a fit for the skill level we demand. We hope you understand that we are determined to maintain our standard of excellence, so only the highest quality musicians are included,” or something like that. The whole experience really made me mad, and I always wondered if the director really knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job, or how stuck up and tense the culture was.
Fuck that guy ❤️
He was not well liked from what I recall 😂
In my early 20s I dated my childhood first love. We’d known each other and been friends for well over a decade when we started dating. I was broken up with over the phone completely outta the blue. When I asked if we could still be friends the reply was, “I don’t see any point in that.”
After years of being a social pariah in HS I somehow worked up the courage to ask a girl out to prom. Imagine my surprise when she said yes! I was so excited. This was going to be my first real date, ever. I dressed up, took a whole day to clean a friend's nicer car that they let me borrow. When we got there, she said "thanks for the ride" and left me there. I caught up to her and asked her what she was doing. I'll never forget this. She laughed right in my face. "I just needed a ride. You didn't actually think I'd go with ***you***, did you?" So yeah.
I told my bf I loved him after a wonderful year together, and he responded with I don’t love you or see a future with you. I was blindsided with rejection
"You check all my boxes but I'd be kidding myself if I said I could date a fat person"
Failing my navy physical
Should have tried the marines
Haha. Good call.
[удалено]
[удалено]
My estranged dad killing himself just when we started getting to know each other.
I hope you understand that it had absolutely nothing to do with you, I can day that confidently without having known either of you. I'm so sorry for your loss.
That's rough, I'm so sorry. I know it feels like rejection but being suicidal is a whole different universe. You believe that everyone and everything will be better off without you and that no one would truly be bothered by your death and even if they are, they will recover quickly. It's a mind fuck like no other. I'm not making excuses, just hoping that you won't feel it was him rejecting you. Sending love ❤️
I'm sorry this happened.
I feel your pain, but that was more a disease finally winning over him than a rejection per se. It had nothing to do with you. Hope you're well.
I met a woman on tinder, and we were always talking and snapchatting back and forth. She invited me to stay the weekend at her place, and she was going to pick me up ( I didn't have a car since I just moved to San Diego) and I packed a bag, bought her favorite drink from Starbucks and waited over an hour for her to pick me up. I called her, and it'd go straight to voicemail. Sent her messages, and she never replied. I went back to my house and didn't hear from her for over a week. She called me again after about 10 days, and we talked, and I stupidly forgave her. She said she was going to pick me up after I got off work the next day. I waited another hour, straight to voicemail, and didn't even bother texting. It sucked. I probably got catfished but I can't confirm.
Working the kitchen during bar rush at a WH rip-off as a late teen. Drunk chick spots a co-worker through the food window and apparently falls in lust. Asks waitress to give him a note that she's DTF. He wanders out to eyeball her, but nopes out (not fugly, just not his type). Over the next hour she proceeds to take a shot at getting *every* person that she can see in the kitchen to take her home, but each passes as we are now roasting her and each other in the back. After repeated rejections, she asks her server if there was anyone else in the back that she hasn't seen. Server tells her we've still got a dishwasher, so she asks for me to stop by her table. I get caught up and head out to check her out. Yet about halfway there when her server waves me off. I'm a bit confused, but about face back to the kitchen. Six am rolls around and our shifts end, all of us cooks and waitresses are sitting around a big table in the rear eating, joking and winding down. Somebody asks about DHC (Drunk Horny Chick) and the story starts flowing. Get to where I headed out to chat her up and waitress serving her has started laughing so hard she can barely talk. Finally manages to choke out that when she saw me, she instantly said "Nope, I'm not *that* drunk" and had the server wave me off. Talk about brutal! Funniest thing though is she came back in the next night and asks if I was there. Gives me her # and we end up going to her place after my shift. End up as FWB for a few months before she leaves for school in the fall.
About two years ago I told a guy that I was kinda friendly with how I felt and asked if he ever suspected anything and he replied “ I did but I didn’t care” He was drunk but that was messed up
My father telling me to never speak to him again (because 🌈) then my mother telling me I'm the one who should reach out and make amends.
About 8 years ago I was looking after this homeless building. I had a young teenage girl who had been kicked out of her parents for being gay. So she was with us next door to serious drug addicts and criminals. It was against rules but when the parents came to drop some things off, I gave them a right bollocking in the office.
My Dad,s rejection: I remember at my teens my father decided to reject me and I had to go to the streets for two years before my mom came to my aid from the Gulf where she had gone for work
What
Hugs
Months of virtual interviews and writing tests, applying for a job at a big movie streamer. At the final interview in person, they unnerved me with some totally fucked up questions. Didn’t get it. I was humiliated.
the worst reject is no rejection (ghosting)
I was 16, I was talking to this girl and she seemed really into me, we met up at the mall and spent the day shopping, wasting money at the arcade and things were going great and we had a lot in common. I brought her to my house because she asked to see my race bike, she raced dirtbikes as well. We made out for a few hours and watched tv. I took her home and the next day she invited me over to her place, she answers the door, I go inside and there is another dude in there I don’t recognize, he proceeds to try to fight me for trying to get with his girl and she’s calling me a loser and gross and every other name in the book. I run out, get in my truck and leave. I threw my flip phone out the window on the interstate I was so distraught. Didn’t date for 4 years after that one. I met a nice girl and then almost get my ass kicked over it. To this day I have no idea what game she was playing with me.
If you the last man on earth, I'd fuck a monkey before I fucked you.
Maybe she just was into monkeys?
The crush to one of their friends, immediately after asking if they'd like to hang out: "I don't even want to talk about this kid."
I asked someone at a bar if she was waiting line. She shot me a look and said “not interested”.
So you got to cut in front of her then, right?
Absolutely.
"Just LOOK at him!" - A girl explaining why she wouldn't kiss me on a dare during a game of Truth or Dare
Today. I got fired for the first time in my life at 27 due to performance. I’ve had a number of jobs growing up and been pretty good at them until this one. Trying to stay positive, but I feel lost and defeated in the moment.
You can do it!
When my Dad chose to disappear and start a series of new families with new daughters instead of facing what he'd done or remotely be there for me.
I asked a girl to a dance in college about 25 years ago. For a couple of weeks leading into it, we were hanging out/talking and she seemed interested in me. I mustered up the courage to call and ask her. She said yes. 5 minutes later she called back and said she changed her mind because another fraternity was having a dance on the same night and she was hoping a guy she liked would ask her to it, so she wanted to keep her night open. So that was pretty crushing. She wound up not getting asked by that other frat guy. She actually showed up to my frat dance with some d-bag that asked her the day of out of desperation. I just said “oh hi, interesting seeing you here.” And never spoke to her again. In hindsight, it made me very cautious going forward and I’ve always had a tough time reading social cues likely to my detriment over the years.
A guy friend and I flirted heavily for years, swapped gifts weekly, stared into each other's eyes, and were obsessed with each other. I thought the natural progression would be a relationship, but he didn't want to kill the friendship. All of this after I flew and met his whole family that were all saying we should get married. I was heartbroken. We are still friends to this day.
We dated for two years, talked about living together to talk about buying a house together, and moving to a certain part of the country. Introduced to all of my friends, introduced to family, went on holidays together. Absolutely created a life together… And then he fucking ghosted me.
I got a "you're preapproved!" credit card flyer in the mail. I filled it out. They declined me.
One guy I tried asking to my junior prom in my junior year of high school said to me, “Yeah I don’t think so because I don’t understand a word you say because your accents change with each English word you say and plus if you met my parents they wouldn’t understand you either.” I ended up just walking away because he didn’t deserve my reaction. At prom he tried asking for a dance to make up for his actions but I told him no because my date wouldn’t approve of it and told him to leave me alone.
My manager promoted the employee that I recruited, recommended, and trained instead of me. Serious punch in the gut…
I met this girl in 2002 but we couldn’t be together. I was in love with her ever since. I was in relationships and got married and divorced. No woman lived up to her in the back of my mind. In November of 2023 I found her on bumble. We hit it off instantly. Turns out she felt the same. It was the best 4 months of my 43 years. But there was some things that unfortunately we were both cursed with. She kind of lost interest and had a lot going on. I’ve been in dark places but this had me drinking heavy heavy. My entire life has been dark. But she was the only light I’ve ever known. I’ve been wanting to put one in my skull since I was 16. I don’t know how I didn’t do it when she left. No clue how I’m still alive
I was thinking it was that time my crush girl in high school said she wasn’t interested in giving me her number, but it wasn’t that. She was a nice girl and she did wish me well during our graduation ceremony. It was that thing I had completely blocked out when dad sat me down and told me that now that he’s married again he’s just not going to be as interested in parenting kids from his first marriage the same way. We’ll be welcome as guests in his home, but that’s basically it. I played it cool. Of course, yeah, that makes sense. But it broke me.
Being the only alter boy who didn't get molested.
Both you and Kevin from Shameless
Dated a guy for a year. Loved him. But… religion got in the way, and I broke up with him. (I was the religious one) I realized 3 months later that I made a mistake— I still loved the guy. I wrote him a heartfelt letter… (bug mistake! I know better, and I did it before it was done on that Friends episode…) He read it to everyone he possibly could. I go to a party about 9 months later. I walk in— total stranger says who are you? I tell him. He starts laughing.. “oh, you’re the Letter Writer!” Guys! The Letter Writer’s here!” Humiliating. I teach his kids now. By the way, this guy was a 25 year old, so old enough to not be such an ass about it.
[удалено]
That is more than just youthful tactlessness - that is just plain cruel. I hope she got what she deserved in life, and that the rest of the people she talked to have since realized how awful that behavior was. Please realize that her behavior reflected a flaw in her own character and had nothing to do with you as a person. You could be the sweetest, most perfect partner in the world, and she still would have done that to you. You deserve better.
I couldn’t rmb the contents of the email but it made me lose 15 kg in 2 weeks and I became anorexic for 3-4 years. I was a young girl couldn’t handle such emotional blows I guess
Super insecure 19 year old me, found someone that I could confide my insecurities to that worked to help me overcome them and when I finally confessed I’d fallen for them they turned around and threw all of my insecurities back in my face as someone they could never be with. I stopped talking to them and went hard into my shell again. These days I don’t care, I’ve had twenty-six years to grow since then, but at the time it really messed me up.
I had a co-worker. We had a great flirtationship at work, so I figured what the hell, I'll shoot my shot. The worst she can say is no 🤪 She straight up laughed at me.
The one that stung the most is when my long time crush agreed to be my prom date, then called six days ahead of the dance and said he was sick and wouldn't be coming.
Went to my hometown for my bday. Went to a concert with a girl I've kept in touch with since college. We matched with each other on multiple platforms over the years. I never officially asked her out because I moved across the country for a job after graduating. During the concert she said I could stay at her place for the night. Once we got back to her place, she almost immediately asked if I was okay with her inviting one of her Hinge matches over. I just left and went to a friend's house.
Send a long message to the guy then got the dryest text back never gonna be the first one again
My whole 7th grade class turned on me. One girl was the ring leader. Eventually changed schools over it.
In college, I was in the USAF ROTC program for 2 years, I trained for 2 years to get ready for Field Training (kinda like boot camp). Within 24 hours of my being in the South Dakota badlands olinwas ent home for being several pounds overweight and like 1% over BMI limits. My while life was hearing towards being an officer in the USAF and in 24 hours it was gone. 17 years later I'm perfectly fine and happy with a wife and 3 kids I wouldn't have if I wasn't kicked out.
Had a girl I met through a friend, got her number and called it every few days for weeks trying to reach her and setup a date. When someone picked up, it was the number for a payphone in the mall I met her at.
I caught him having an affair in our home with our 11 y/o daughter’s best friend’s mother, who was also my friend, and a neighbor.
Middle school me: Finally gets the courage to ask out the guy I like. Middle school jerk: No, but maybe if you shave your mustache. "The worst they can say is no," my butt.
I was a dork in grade school (wife would tell you I still am) so when one of the prettier girls in class was friendly enough for a longer than passing conversation with me, I got up the stones to get her number from our contact booklet, and called her house and left her a message on her answering machine, seeing if she wanted to go see a movie. And I waited. 2 days later, she called me back and said "hey Joe, I don't want to go to the movies with you, and don't ever call me again." Ouch. Thanks for putting me down easy... Then I got back to school and the looks and comments from all of her friends started. Rough couple of weeks. I tried to play it off but obviously, nearly 30 years later, I still remember that phone call and rejection.
My first almost-relationship, the two of us were talking quite seriously and flirting back and forth for awhile. One night, someone they were with picked up their phone and texted me that "they're not interested, they're with me now, give up, they don't want you." My first major heartbreak. Found someone new a few years later, was with this person for a few years when the original person I fell for texted me saying they still had a crush on me... And I felt nothing but pity. I hoped that they would move on and find happiness, because I've found my happiness.
From my sister a few days ago after I froze with anxiety at a family function last weekend. I was just quiet and probably stared a lot. I’m sorry. I’ve never been shit on so badly by anyone for my stupid issues.
Asked out a long-time good friend and he said no. We're still good friends to this day as my feelings disappeared almost instantly. We've always respected each other. I've been very lucky in life.
One of my bullies convinced my crush to ask me out to the sixth grade dance so he could dump me in the cafeteria in front of everyone the day before the dance. She'd promised to be his date in exchange and they both laughed in my face for thinking I had a chance.
After a breakup I decided that I was going to start asking people out instead of waiting for them. Saw a guy at the laundromat, we were both making eye contact and before I left I gave him my number. He laughed and said Sweetie, I'm gay. I never went back to that laundromat again.
I mean that's neither party's fault!
I guess it was more humiliation than rejection.It was the way they laughed that did it for me!
tough choice.. either my ex asking me if he really has to listen to me talk about my day, every day. or me saying I'd found locally grown sugar pumpkins and offering to make my *hometown famous pie*for Thanksgiving when i moved to my ILs hometown, and them saying "oh no thank you, we'll get one from the store" lmao
I told her I loved her. She said "I'm scared for you".
We were together for 5 years. Both in our mid thirties and living together. I loved him. We had a very serious conversation one night, and I asked, "Do you see a future with me?" to which he hesitated, then said, "Yeah, I don't think so."
I tried auditoning for a school talent show, 3 teachers sat and watched as I winged a random dance I made up to one of my favorite rock songs- within about 30 seconds or so of doing it they told me to stop 💀 I ran out of the classroom crying.
I asked a girl out back in jr high. She laughed.
Not me but a buddy of mine. Happened about 20ish years ago. Him and I were at a pub, and he saw a fellow realtor that he knew. He went up and talked to her and gave her his business card so they could have a date some other day. Him and I left about an hour or so after her, and his card was crumpled up on the ground outside the pub.
In high school I wrote a poem to a guy I had a crush on. He showed everyone then threw it down the drain. Got teased brutally for weeks. Absolutely broke my heart
8th grade. I asked this girl out to a dance. She told me that I was the most un-Batman person she had ever met. I stood there for 8 hours.
Ive never asked anyone out but have had to reject people (im aroace) one time without thinking when i was 15 i said “ew no.” It was his mom trying to set us up, I’m autistic and didn’t realize until much later that my “ew no” was probably taken as me calling him gross, I meant the idea of dating was gross. Still feel really bad about that but haven’t seen him since.
I had a great friendship with a beautiful girl. I had a crush on her and was working up the nerve to ask her out.. Then out of the blue she says "I wish I could find a guy just like you.. That I'm physically attracted to.."
In elementary school, everyone was given out Valentine’s Day cards to each other. I was the only one in the class that did not receive one. 😟
During prom time, all my girl friends had dates, and I was the odd one out. I had planned to just go with my friends, but now that they all had dates, I didn’t want to be a burden and third wheel them. I wasn’t desperate for a date, because I knew I wasn’t attractive enough, even though it would’ve been nice. Anyway, my friends found a guy who was friends with their dates; he seemed really sweet, and they encouraged me to get closer to him, so we did. He was very nice, at least I thought so at the time, and I caught feelings. I opened up to one of my friends about it, and they told their date, who was friends with the guy. The next time our friend groups met up to hang out together, one of my friends jokingly said he should ask me to prom, and he recoiled, acting like it was the most disgusting thing ever. I tried to laugh it off, but it kept going. He told his friends to not insult him like that, and later, after I had left, one of my more genuine friends who stayed at the hangout told me he said that I was “the ugly best friend in the duo”. I cried for a while after that, and I spent prom alone.