At some point, you have to laugh because how did we spend three months talking every single day, staying up until 2 a.m. telling each other our childhood trauma, saying good morning and goodnight, going on dates, acting jealous, cuddling, making future plans, meeting friends, and basically completing every relationship side quest available just for you to turn around and say, “I never said I wanted anything serious.” 😭 Oh okay, my mistake. I must’ve misunderstood the 47 consecutive days of emotional intimacy. Situationships are especially confusing because sometimes you’re experiencing all the emotional responsibilities of a relationship without any of the security that normally comes with one. You start building routines around each other. They become the first person you tell things to. You learn their schedule. You know what they’re stressed about. They know exactly how you take your coffee. And because nobody has clearly defined what’s happening, one person can be quietly becoming attached while the other is thinking, This is nice for right now. Then three months later you’re sitting there rereading messages like you’re conducting a federal investigation. 😭 “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Interesting. Let’s examine Exhibit B. Obviously, not every connection that doesn’t become a relationship means somebody intentionally led the other person on. People can genuinely start dating with interest, get to know somebody, and realize they’re not compatible. That’s part of dating. The problem is when somebody already knows they don’t want commitment but continues escalating the intimacy because they enjoy receiving relationship-level affection without having to offer relationship-level clarity. That’s where communication matters. If you’re behaving like somebody’s partner while knowing you have no intention of becoming one, maybe don’t act shocked when they interpret your behavior as romantic investment. And on the other side, sometimes we have to ask the uncomfortable question earlier instead of hoping the answer will eventually become obvious. What are we actually doing here? It might feel less romantic than letting things unfold naturally, but clarity can save you months of trying to decode somebody’s intentions from their texting habits. Because there are only so many “I miss you” messages a person can receive before they’re reasonably going to assume this is going somewhere. And if it happens one more time, apparently we’re monetizing the heartbreak. Episode one: “Good morning beautiful,” a dramatic reading by the man who apparently wanted nothing serious. 😭 — TikTok @deeploneliness_