When I was 18 I dated someone casually who was became friends with one of my girl friends around the same time we went on a few dates. He ended up discarding me after I slept with him and got into a serious relationship with my friend (with some overlap unbeknownst to me).

I was devastated at the time, and i let it destroy my self esteem for a long time, and I felt betrayed that my friend would discard me as quickly as he did.

It’s been about 5 years since this happened and they are still together, living together happily and she recently apologised to me for the way I was treated, but was in denial that his behaviour was sexist and wrong.

Looking back made me realise I was being protected, as I have spent the last 5 years studying various degrees and languages, travelling and making friends all over the world and focusing on myself and shaping my life as one should in their early twenties.

I was so envious that my friend had got the long term boyfriend, and a house where they live together, which in my mind at the time was what I wanted and what I saw as desirable for my life.

if I could choose between spending the beginning of my twenties with a man that treats women based on their benefit to him at a given time, and the path that unfolded for me, I would choose mine 100 times over.

I wish my friend nothing but happiness and she seems to be making her own achievements in life, but I wanted to share that sometimes that shitty situation or rejection is actually to protect you because you have better and bigger things in store.