Hello,

Just wanted to give a brief introduction of myself before I jump into the question. It is pretty long, so if you are short on time...skip it and read the words in bold near the bottom.

I started reading about PUA about 4 years ago when I was in college. My first book was "The Game" by Neil Strauss. After that I keep reading and reading and sometimes I would actually implement what I read. And ways, the things I learned helped me get my first girlfriend in my junior year. First year of dating with her was great, I had sex lots of time with her (she was my first, and I was also her first...which was pretty awesome). She was cute but not a HB. I would say she was a solid 7 and I eventually grew to love her very much and I believe she loved me too. Fast forward to the summer before my senior year. I get the great idea to bulk up and build some muscle (I had always worked out but I am a hard gainer). I ate a lot and gained probably 30 lbs. Probably 10 lbs of muscle and 20 lbs of fat during the summer. I looked chubby to be honest...we didn't see each other during summer and when she saw me, she seem like she didn't care and she actually gain weight also.

But there was a difference this year. She cut out sex. She never was a big fan of sex anyway and did it only to please me (I should have left this relationship when I knew this in the beginning). This lead to a lot of arguments and I flat out told her that if he was unattracted to me that she should just leave the relationship. but she said that she was attracted to me but that she just didn't like sex. I accepted it and then we didn't have sex anymore. Then she stop blowing me. And then I literally had to beg her to give me a handjobs. I finally broke it off just before college ended. We live far away from each other so long distance would not have worked.

We still talked and texted each other and because I am a big bitch, we got back together. I know it is real beta of me but I enjoyed her company and I was still struggling with my weight issues so I just thought that no girl would like me except her. We didn't see each other much and when she started her job she put me on the back burner. She didn't reply to my texts promptly and I got the impression that she just didn't care.

I knew deep down that I was in a shitty relationship but I didn't take the red pill yet so I lied to myself that I could change her and make it work. I drove a total of 10 hours to see her and she gave me a shitty welcome and all I got from her was a kiss (granted we were at her parents house, but COME ON, I DROVE SO DAM LONG TO SEE YOU..I EXPECTED A BJ). A month went by and she broke up with me over phone, but I knew it was coming.

We had broken up before but we always got back together and I thought that we would again. She would text me on occasion but she never actively tried to get back together so I just tried my best to get over her. It was really hard guys, all I wanted to do was get back with her. she was a shitty girlfriend and not even a HB but hey I was a beta bitch.

What I wrote about in the previous paragraph occurred last year. We currently occasionally text each other. You know, "happy new year", "happy birthday", and we talk about med school b/c we are both pre-meds. I have been dealing with school and my own insecurities so I didn't date at all after her.

I have more free time this semester (lower course load) so now have time to read /r/TheRedPill and I am working hard on changing my mentality and body (I already lost 25 lbs but I have 15 lbs to go).

Ok, I made you guys read all that so that you know where I am at and I just wanted to give you enough info about me because maybe that can aid in whatever advice you can provide.

Ok here is my question: Do I need to give my ex-gf a gift on her birthday if she sent a gift to me on mine?

For my birthday that occurred a month ago, she sent me some merchandise from a show that we used to watch together when we dated. Last year we also sent gifts to each other even tho we were also not dating then also. I feel like we are in this perpetual cycle of gift giving b/c it is polite.

I was planning to get her a gift off amazon for her but in the note say something like "Happy birthday! Good luck with medical school applications and I wish you the very best in life. Please do not feel obligated to send me any gifts on my birthday later this year."

Part of me want to not send anything but she was my first GF and we did take each other's v cards so my mind wants to make this relationship an exception of sorts.

What do you guys think? Should I send a text instead? Is me sending a gift beta?