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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My GF wants to keep seeing friend she dated and kissed

85 replies

Joeyjoejoe · 07/09/2024 05:06

We have been dating for a year and it's been rocky from the start. She cheated on me earlier in the year with a guy she met at the bar where she liked to go and play pool, insisting for months that I had nothing to worry about when I expressed my concerns. After I found out, she continued to secretly see this guy for another month before she finally stopped. There's a lot more messed up behavior about this period that I'll leave out.

Fast forward to a months ago, we didn't officially get back together but we've basically been acting like a couple for the last six months. I met a girl, hit it off, and we dated for a week (two dates) but found we had ideological differences that were't compatible and she found out she was moving far away and that was pretty much the end of that. I barely really got to know her and we didn't do anything physical. It really upset my ex, but I told her I had to at least try and move on. She messaged me constantly during that week telling me she loves only me and doesn't want to be with anyone else.

The week after things ended with my date, my ex tells me she's dating a guy. They met 6 days in a row and they made out (that's as much as she'll tell me). I thought "Wow, what happened to 'you want only me'".

She stopped seeing after he turned her down because a vision he had told him she wasn't the one, and we got back together the next week.

That's the context. My issue is that we both want to keep in touch with the people we dated. She sees this dude every weekend at the markets and they have coffee. At first I thought it this was unplanned,but I found out later she had been messaging him to organize it. They also go to church together every Sunday. I haven't seen my date in over a month, and we message irregularly.

I don't want her to keep seeing her dude because they obviously had a much more intense dating experience and she kissed him multiple times, and the only reason she didn't keep dating him was because he had some BS dream that could change any minute. And they're still seeing each other every week! Compared to my situation, we went on two dates, held hands once, and were both adult enough to know a relationship wouldn't work with our opposing views. We're just friends. She swears there's nothing going on, "they have boundaries" (what a relief), and she wants to be able to have friends. I'm also being controlling and need to see a therapist for my jealousy. Her female friend agrees with her.

We talked about it and how it's a boundary for me, and she can choose friends with this guy or a relationship with me. She apparently understood that our situations are different and I should be able to keep in contact with my female friend. She agreed to stop meeting with the guy outside of Church and that was that. Queue last week, she messages me at 9pm saying she wants to have coffee with the guy in the morning, she's already messaged him about it, and I can't stop her having friends.

Am I being a hypocrite by putting my foot down and saying she can't go out of her way to keep seeing this guy while I keep in contact with my friend? Happy to give more detail if needed.

tl:dr Gf and I broke up briefly and dated other people. She kissed him and had 6 dates, he broke it off after having a "vision". I held hands and went on two, and we stopped because of differing beliefs. She organizes to see her date regularly and has constant contact, I haven't seen mine but we message sometimes. We both want to keep being friends with our dates, and I don't want her to keep seeing hers. She agreed to stop seeing him, and then broke that agreement. Am I a hypocrite? Any advice or thoughts please.

OP posts:
YeahComeOnThen · 07/09/2024 10:00

Joeyjoejoe · 07/09/2024 05:40

It's a difference to me because of the connection they have.

Would you still be ok if your husband kept seeing his ex every week, just the two of them?

@Joeyjoejoe

you're just being ridiculous now this person was barely your girlfriend let alone your wife. Likewise he is/was a date she kissed, nothing like a husband

why pursue someone you dated for a bit, who has a better connection with someone else, who she'd dump you for in a nano second if he wasn't a weirdo with a vision?!

just walk away from this car crash & grow up before dating someone else

Thelnebriati · 07/09/2024 10:10

The entire situation is resolved with ease if you just break up with her.

But you won't. Ask yourself why that is and what you are getting out of this.

Mumoftwo57 · 07/09/2024 10:15

No disrespect to either of you, but I don’t think you are well suited. You both seem on different wavelengths and I think it would only crop up more issues in the long term. X

GreyCarpet · 07/09/2024 10:18

LostTheMarble · 07/09/2024 09:54

Found the Cool Wife…

OP, this is a no go. Just walk away and enjoy your youth without drama.

You have no idea about her life or the circumstances or the people involved.

It doesn't make her a 'cool wife'.

It wouldn't be for me but it works for her so why does it bother you?

MzHz · 07/09/2024 10:21

Joeyjoejoe · 07/09/2024 05:49

I would have an issue if my partner continued seeing an ex twice a week. I guess that's a different topic...

Honestly @Joeyjoejoe youre not in the wrong here. Ignore all the BS cool girls on here.

MOST people would have an issue with their partner continuing to see someone they have very recently been intimate with.

this girls not for you, have standards and uphold them.

shes stringing you on for some reason. Are you better off financially than the other guy?

tell her by all means she can see whoever she wants, whenever she wants, but three’s a crowd and you’re out.

block her on everything as she’s a head fuck and will be back because she’s addicted to drama.

dont give people like her the time of day. Know your worth and don’t waste your time with fake people pretending to be decent human being when really they are morally fairly low

LostTheMarble · 07/09/2024 10:27

GreyCarpet · 07/09/2024 10:18

You have no idea about her life or the circumstances or the people involved.

It doesn't make her a 'cool wife'.

It wouldn't be for me but it works for her so why does it bother you?

The poster jumped on the op in a very unsympathetic way, it’s doesn’t ‘bother’ me but this is an open forum. I personally think it screams low self esteem to share ‘oh we’re both such good friends with his ex girlfriend!! Of course I don’t care if he hangs out with someone he was in an intimate, sexual relationship with!’. The poster chose to share, I chose to respond, why does that bother you?

Sartre · 07/09/2024 10:28

As everyone else has said, this is way too much drama. The first few months are supposed to be the most fun, she’s already cheated on you so obviously she isn’t a keeper. Why even waste your time with her? Cut your losses and move on.

WhereIsMyDaughter · 07/09/2024 10:29

I don't think either of you should be keeping in contact with the exes if you want your relationship to work and move forward.

columbosscruffycoat · 07/09/2024 10:34

You sound very young. Would your time not better be spent going out playing footie with your friends.

TooYoungToJoinGransnet · 07/09/2024 10:45

As a twenty year old I met and began seeing a bf that I definitely messed around with for a year. We went to work in different European countries and I split with him feeling a LDR was too much, given I was then only twenty one.
We kept in touch and became best friends.
I later met DH and settled down. I introduced DH to my friend before my family, hiding nothing. They got on like house on fire.
I've now been married thirty years with three grown up DC. On my Birthday this year DH surprised me with a holiday to visit my friend. We all spent an amazing few days together.
I have two very close female friends. DH thinks of them all in the same way.
If someone wants to cheat they will. If I thought DH didn't trust me, I'd leave.
You sound very young and immature.

Hatty65 · 07/09/2024 10:52

You just need to dump her.

There's little point in arguing with people on here about whether you are reasonable, not reasonable, controlling, hypocritical, etc.

FWIW she sounds a nightmare. She's cheated on you, lied to you and clearly doesn't love you. Nor are you the only one for her. That's fine. That's her choices.

You, on the other hand, are absolutely determined that it's a deal breaker for you if she keeps seeing this bloke, even as a 'friend'. That's your choice. So enforce it and dump her. You can't tell her who to see - you can only tell her (as you did) that if she continues to see him that you'll end the relationship.

So do it. And move on, for God's sake. She's not the right person for you.

Butchyrestingface · 07/09/2024 10:58

Did anyone else feel really, REALLY old reading this OP? Grin

DadJoke · 07/09/2024 11:05

If you don’t trust her, don’t date her. If you do, she can see her ex and you need to deal with your jealousy.

I also suggest you don’t ask for advice on mn then push back against the advice you are getting, or why did you ask? 89% of people think YABU.

GreyCarpet · 07/09/2024 11:20

Butchyrestingface · 07/09/2024 10:58

Did anyone else feel really, REALLY old reading this OP? Grin

A bit!

But also really pleased that I'm older now and don't have any of this relationship angst.

Cheat - you're gone.

Cross boundaries - you're gone.

Make me feel emotionally unsafe - you're gone.

But it all feels so different when you're younger 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP just needs to learn this for himself. You don't learn from other people's experience. Only your own.

GreyCarpet · 07/09/2024 11:26

You sound very young and immature

I disagree with the immature part because he is clearly young.

If he were 50 and posting this, yes, I'd think he is immature but he's just inexperienced and lacks the maturity that comes with age. But is normal of his age.

He's just experiencing the realisation that many of us probably had at a similar age when you first realise that 'loving' someone isn't enough.

And there are plenty of women who post on MN who still haven't realised that either.

FoxtrotOscarKindaDay · 07/09/2024 11:30

Joeyjoejoe · 07/09/2024 09:22

Thanks for your replies. Thing is, we had a respectful discussion about it and she went behind my back and saw him anyway. It's quite triggering for me because this is what she did when she was cheating on me.

The issues are the amount of time they spend together for such a fresh relationship, the fact they kissed, have plenty in common, and would otherwise still be together if he hadn't had a dream telling him not too (something that could change at any moment). If she had an experience the same as mine (disagreed on core beliefs, and wasn't physically intimate) then I'd have no issue.

Why are you trying to change her? She doesn't want a commited relationship with you. She's making that very clear and you are trying to control her because YOU want a committed relationship with her.

This is a toxic relationship. You have no future together. Stop obsessing over this woman and end whatever form of relationship you think you have.

Find someone who wants the same thing as you do and doesn't cheat.

simpledeer · 07/09/2024 11:36

GreyCarpet · 07/09/2024 11:20

A bit!

But also really pleased that I'm older now and don't have any of this relationship angst.

Cheat - you're gone.

Cross boundaries - you're gone.

Make me feel emotionally unsafe - you're gone.

But it all feels so different when you're younger 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP just needs to learn this for himself. You don't learn from other people's experience. Only your own.

Yeah this is how I feel too.

@Joeyjoejoe seriously, just dump her and move on.

Rory17384949 · 07/09/2024 11:44

This is ridiculous, you aren't good for eachother, you need to break up and make it permanent

GiddyRobin · 07/09/2024 11:48

LostTheMarble · 07/09/2024 10:27

The poster jumped on the op in a very unsympathetic way, it’s doesn’t ‘bother’ me but this is an open forum. I personally think it screams low self esteem to share ‘oh we’re both such good friends with his ex girlfriend!! Of course I don’t care if he hangs out with someone he was in an intimate, sexual relationship with!’. The poster chose to share, I chose to respond, why does that bother you?

Oh do kindly fuck off.

OP asked if people would be okay with the situation in his shoes, so I answered honestly because I would and am. How that makes me a "cool wife" I don't know. My husband was last with his ex ten years ago. Why would I be intimidated by someone he broke up with when he's choosing to be with me? Why should I automatically have an inbuilt jealousy or wariness of a perfectly lovely woman who is my friend just because they used to have sex?

I'm also good friends with two of my exes. If I'd have been told I couldn't be, I'd have walked before date 2.

It's beside the point anyway - this kid's GF doesn't even have an ex. She has someone she went out with 6 times and kissed a bit!

He can choose not to be with her but he can't tell her not to be friends with him, especially when he's friends with his own exes. He's being deliberately dumb in all of his comments because he's not getting the answers he wants. It's silly.

Mochudubh · 07/09/2024 12:21

You sound very young (and possibly American?)

You and she are not compatible, your values are too different. You don't need all this drama. She's stringing you along, cut the string.

You have your whole life ahead of you, end the relationship and move on. Plenty more fish in the sea.

GiddyRobin · 07/09/2024 12:38

Joeyjoejoe · 07/09/2024 08:45

I'm really not sure where all your aggression is coming from, there's no need for insults. I posted here to get advice, but I also need to understand that advice for it to be useful. Sorry if I posted anything to offend you, and thanks for your input 🙏

Because you're repeatedly asking the same question phrased differently. You asked if I would be okay with a partner being friendly with an ex. I said yes and said my husband is. You then asked again if I'd be okay with that. I don't know if you have an inability to comprehend information or if you're just trolling at this point.

Also, you've been told several times that the way you're going about things is controlling and hypocritical, after posing the question to an audience. You've been told by several people that yes, you are. Instead of accepting or thinking about it more deeply, you're just skipping over that part and writing the equivalent of "what about meeeeee?! It's not faaaaaaairrr! It's differeeeeent!"

Your GF doesn't even have an ex. You cannot control who she's friends with. If you don't like the situation, leave it. Really, really simple. There's nothing more to it.

Illpickthatup · 07/09/2024 12:59

Someone who cheats on you doesn't love you no matter how much they say they do or how much to try to convince yourself they do. Someone who cheats on your has no respect for you. Move on.

If you cheat and your partner takes you back I do think it's on the cheater to do whatever it takes to make their partner feel secure and build that trust again. Your gf isn't even prepared to do that. She doesn't care about you. Stop trying to make it work. It will never work.

DadJoke · 07/09/2024 13:00

When I was a teen I was in relationship where I felt jealous and insecure. It’s soul destroying. I would advise my younger self to end it. (Whether I would have listened is another matter!)

If she possibly could, she’d be with the other guy. Why be second best? You will feel sad for a while, but you will feel better in the long term if you end it.

InWithPeaceOutWithStress · 07/09/2024 13:39

OP people are applying their very different situations to yours, which isn’t really fair. For example a husband who broke up with their ex years ago and they are all friends now.

This is clearly different to your situation of a gf who cheated on you, has betrayed you again by seeing him behind your back after agreeing not to, and would still be dating him if he hadn’t rejected her.

For boundaries to work, you need to uphold your end. If she’s still friends with this guy, that’s fine, but you won’t be seeing her anymore. Your feelings about him are valid.

Similarly, if she cheats on you, that’s her decision, but you won’t be seeing her anymore. No need to drag anything out in a protracted or dramatic way, just set your boundaries and keep to them.

thaisweetchill · 07/09/2024 13:43

I stopped reading halfway through, this is an incredibly toxic relationship. Cut your losses and get out.

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