To my almost relationship, or should it even be called that?

Because even though I thought we were going to be a relationship, you never did. You covered your tracks well, though, and I was blinded by it all. You held me tight and kissed me gently, you said and did all the right things, and I was entranced. How foolish of me, to believe you actually wanted to be with me. It was all an act from start to finish, and I’ll give you credit: You played the part magnificently. You know, the part of the boy who’s different and is actually a good one. Boy, did you have me fooled.

You threw around the concept of love; who does that? You don’t use that word unless it’s true. Why you would even consider it acceptable to use is beyond me. I believed you, though, and although I didn’t say it back, I opened up my heart even more to you. I trusted you. I didn’t think you were going to hurt me; at least not this soon, not before we had began a real relationship. Then it all came out, the typical a**hole dude who does everything right, even though his intentions are all wrong. I applaud you. You really had me going. You had me hanging by one last thread and I was ready to cut it and fall even harder for you. Luckily for me, your true colors came through before then.

So even though I’m sitting here now, wasting my tears on you and ruining my mascara, I’d like to thank you. Thank you for making me more cautious the next time I decide I want to open up to someone. I have built an even more impenetrable wall around my heart than I had before, and it will take a lot more than some stupid tricks to break through it again. I’m stronger now because of you. I won’t be fooled and I’ll smell b.s. from a mile away. You broke me a little bit, but made me realize that I deserve better. All women deserve better than a man who is simply there to waste their time with no intention of truly loving them. I’m not going to sit here and dote upon the fact that I feel like I wasn’t good enough, because I am good enough. So thank you, Mr. Asshole, for hurting me, because I’m now a stronger person than I was before.

Finally, to all you other women out there who have been strung along by an almost relationship, just know that you're worth more than that. You deserve a real relationship, and a real man who won’t learn all of your secrets and fears and then leave you the exact way you told him you feared he would. We all deserve great love, and someday, someone is going to come along who shows us exactly what that is.