Tales of First Dates, Connections, and Dating Adventures

Dating stories are filled with the excitement, unpredictability, and sometimes awkward moments that come with meeting new people and building relationships. From first dates that go incredibly right—or horribly wrong—to the process of navigating modern dating apps, these stories capture the joys and challenges of finding love in today’s world.

Some of the best dating stories involve unexpected connections. Whether it’s the person who turned out to be nothing like their profile, or a blind date that led to a lasting relationship, these tales remind us that the path to love is often unpredictable. For many, dating is a mix of fun and frustration, where every new encounter offers a chance to learn more about what we want in a partner.

Of course, dating can also bring its share of challenges. Miscommunications, mismatched expectations, and even heartbreak can turn a promising date into a memorable disaster. These stories, though sometimes painful, can be valuable lessons in patience, self-awareness, and resilience.

If you’re fascinated by the complexities of dating or looking for relatable experiences, dating stories offer humor, hope, and insight into the search for love and connection.

i really need someone to talk to

i’m a 16 year old girl, laying in my bed, and something is genuinely fucked in my head- people say that for attention and people say that like they want it but this isn’t that- for the past 6 years i’ve had extreme antisocial tendencies as proclaimed by my psychiatrist, and i just don’t know what to do. i feel stuck. i don’t know how to change in an environment that insists that i cannot and never will. i really just need someone to talk to; i told a real life friend, they thought i was insane. i need the anonymity.

TW (SA)
Dating Stories

Back in 2018 I was dating this guy he was 2 years above me in high school I was 12 and he was 14 and things were going really well between us I really loved him (so I thought)looking back on it now it wasn’t love, so after a couple of weeks he introduced me to sexting and I just thought it was a game, but then it turned into weekly games and then touching was creeping its way into it, he kept touching me and I told him to stop it but he carried it on anyway on multiple occasions, at this point it had been going on for over 2 months but then it took a toll and he then started blackmailing me saying if I told anyone what he did he would leak my nudes to my family and friends and completely embarrass me , it was Christmas time 2018 and i caught him cheating on me and he ended things because he didn’t like me no more, at this point i was sobbing my heart out and then in January 2019 i finally broke down in tears in front of my mum and i told her what happened, we went to the police station and told them what happened and they said unfortunately we can’t do nothing more because he is autistic and you haven’t got enough evidence, from that day on I could still feel his hands on me in the shower, in bed, out in public I hated it, I went to this place called RASA they help you with ptsd from r@pe and trauma abuse, yes I got the help I needed but it still haunts me every single day and I still get nightmares and flashbacks because even tho it was a long time ago it never goes away, but one thing I really wish I had done is, I found the clothes I was wearing each time it happened and I wish I had took them to the police station and then maybe I would have gotten my justice

My sister has been dating this guy named Bryan for pretty much 3 months now, and like— her life is already so tragic in some ways I can’t explain due to being too personal;; Jane was third wheeling for an amount of time and today I saw them on the basketball court— and you know the stuff they did

I’m afraid that if I tell my sister then she might lock herself up in her room for another week… shall I tell her tho? Bryan has been toxic to her the past few days and I think she knows— does she?

Frayromantic
Dating Stories

Loving someone who's frayromantic is not for the weak. I have this friend who's experiencing it right now, she's bisexual and the one she's courting is a lesbian. Everything's going well until one day, let's call my friend as "hannah" and the one she's courting as "kira". Kira confess to her that she fell out of love, it's not Hannah's fault it's just that she's frayromantic and when she gets close to someone she lost that spark with someone. And of course that totally broke Hannah's heart, I can the pain in her eyes as she try to understand kira. Hannah ask kira if they want to cut off but kira doesn't want to, so they still had communication and they're in the same school so they still see each other. Until after a few weeks when it's our last day of school, kira suddenly confess that she still has feelings for hannah. The day that kira told hannah that she fell out of love, after a few weeks she feels that something is missing and that's HANNAH. Now, when hannah heard that.. she couldn't process it that fast. She feels confuse but also happy?? She still has feelings for kira but maybe she's slowly accepting that they're just friends the day that there love story ends. After 1 week of thinking about it, hannah and kira made the decision to try it again. Hannah was really happy although the past still hunts her. Do you think kira will eventually fell out of love again?

Let's call my boyfriend A, this girl B, and this boy C.

Hi I'm V. I have a boyfriend. My best friend is C, and his best friend is B. B and C are exes. So far so good?

Recently, I stopped being friends with C. He was my best friend, and my emotional supporter, someone I could vent to. He was a great listener to me. However, it wasn't the same with A and my other friends. He would treat them horribly. Because of all the shit he did, I cut him off. let's talk about B now. I used to be friends with her but we distanced. But A and B are still best friends. Same situation, they vent to each other.

But nowadays, they've been getting so close. He would often show up in her photo dumps, and they text each other much often than A and I. A while ago, there were rumours about B talking shit about me, and I told A. He ignored her for a day, and guess what? She wrote an entire paragraph exactly like a toxic clingy ex, longing for him to give her attention. I can't handle it anymore. I told A how I felt about her actions, and all he did was run back to her and reveal everything I said. I can no longer take this anymore. All I want to do is break her neck and kill A. I thought I could trust A. He 's my boyfriend for fuck's sake. I did not realise that he was capable of breaking my trust. I don't know what to do. I feel so shit when I bring it up. I don't want to ruin a friendship for him. I don't wanna lose him too. He's not only my boyfriend, but my best friend too. I feel so manipulated and gaslighted every time he says something to defend her. It's like I'm not a priority anymore. He even stated that everything he did was in an attempt to "solve" my relationship with B. Including invalidating my feelings and then telling everything even when it was a vulnerable moment to B. I'm falling apart.

I'm a single girly and I'm curious about the bestest ways to meet people. I recently am able to drive around and got my ID's and stuff... Super jazzed about that. But I'm curious, since these days most people just suggest dating apps... And I've tried them...😑.

They didn't work out🫠. Plus, even though money isn't technically an issue for me anymore... It's annoying as all heck to have to pay to find love or at least a compatible relationship😒.

I'm also new to the area I live in, and I don't know what people would recommend meeting people😅. Especially in this day and age.

I'm totally open to meeting people, even if it's just to make friendos... But it's hard to tell if people would be open to being friends with a stranger🫠. Life ain't like the movies where there's a convention meet-cute and we all dance around the fire and sing kumbya🤪!!

I think my mental health has gotten better, I eat better, and exercise more... And now I'm ready to meet other like minded individuals... But where🤔. And what do others look for? No one really ever gives detailed descriptions of what they want in a partner🤷🏻‍♀️. Maybe cause they don't wanna be perceived as judgemental, or maybe they haven't thought about it... But I'd really like to know such things before delving too deep into a relationship. Obviously not overwhelming the other person, but sharing some major red flags or make or break things. Do you people know what I'm saying🥹🙏🏻✨?

yo i kno this prob sounds dumb but i swear i cant stop thinkin bout this girl i went on a date with like 5 years ago. like for real it was just one date, ONE, and i was only 15 but that whole thing stuck in my head like glue. i’m 20 now bro. twenty. i’ve finished high school, started college, got a job, met other girls, like life kept movin on but my brain?? nah, it stayed right there in that one lil coffee shop where we sat n laughed like idiots bout dumb stuff. nd i dont even kno if she ever thought of me again after that day but here i am, five years later, still wonderin wht could've happend. like we didn’t even kiss or anything, it wasn’t even deep, but i still remember what she was wearin, how she smiled, the way she looked straight in my eyes like no one else ever did since. nd i hate it cause it’s blockin me now. like i go on dates now n i always compare. always thinkin “she wouldn’t say that” or “it didn’t feel like this back then.” it’s messin up everything. like i wanna move on, i wanna feel something real again but it’s like my heart’s still parked in 2019 waitin for a moment that’s never comin back.

i tried forgettin her, swear i did. deleted her socials, stopped bringin her up, even told myself she prob don’t even remember me, but it don’t help. it’s like she’s just there in my head rent free 24/7. nd it’s not even just her, it’s like what she represented, u feel me? that lil spark, that feelin of maybe being seen for once, like i wasn’t just some background dude. nd now every time i talk to a new girl, it feels forced, fake, like im pretending to care when all i’m really doing is wishin it felt like that again. nd then i feel bad cause these girls didn’t do nuthin wrong, they just not her. i know it’s dumb to be stuck on someone from when i was a kid but i cant help it. maybe it's cause nothin better came after, maybe cause i never really healed from the way it just ended and she ghosted me like it meant nothin. i try to act chill bout it but inside i’m lowkey still hurt. like why did she smile at me like that if she was just gonna disappear? nd now i sit here thinkin maybe the problem’s me. maybe im just not built for love or whatever. or maybe i just been holdin onto a fantasy too long n it’s time to let it die. but man… why can’t i stop thinkin about someone who probably forgot my name?

I wasn't exactly sure what category to put this story in. I'm not exactly dating these people, and the reasons for that are super complicated.

My ex, Gunner, made me feel horrible. He said he couldn't date me because of my multiple personalities, which I get, I have mood swings, but I'm pretty sure what he was experiencing was just emotions. And also because I was adopted, I was "taken out of my natural habitat and who knows what I'd do." Which was said by Gunner's mother. Me and Gunner had only been dating for a week. I had to watch him date another pretty girl, who he stayed with longer than me. Me and Gunner only lasted a week, but we'd been talking for a month. After they'd broken up, she had a similar experience, saying he was extremely racist to her, and didn't want to be with her because her anxiety was something he couldn't "handle".

I sometimes wonder if maybe it is me who is doing something wrong. I know Gunner and me just weren't meant for each other, and I know something is wrong with him because I talked to Valeria (His ex). Gunner went around saying I was a bad kisser, which I know for a fact isn't true. He just needed something to around talking about, even though he'd broken up with me because of my background...? He's not fooling anyone.

A few months ago, I was talking to this boy named Jeremiah. We were good friends before we started talking, and my sister is the one who decided I should try to get with him. We'd only been talking a week before he ghosted me, and stopped talking to me. I heard from my sister, who promised that Jerry wasn't going to be like my ex, he said he "just wasn't feeling it."

We were talking today in pottery, when he told me that he thought I hated him. The way I heal is: I totally ignore the person while I cry and be sad over them. That's just how I am. Yeah, I see that as a red flag, but I can't help caring for someone I think cares for me too.

He told me today that I wanted to have a friends with benefits situation, and his friend Ethan started yapping about it, and telling Jerry how good of an idea it was. I just sat there. I know he's just going to use me with this whole benefits thing. And the reason I say "use me" is because that's what he's doing.

I had just gotten out of talking to someone, which only lasted a week. Wow, are you guys surprised? What's the pattern here? Hmm...

This guy's name is Tanner. Tanner and I have known each other since the seventh grade. He told me he's liked me since last year, but then just on Saturday, told me he's lost feelings for me. Okay, but how do you lose feelings that fast? It was clearly lust, not love. And he's been waiting to do stuff with me for a year, it's obvious. At first, I was so happy he liked me! Then, I heard the stories of him getting with girls, and as soon as he got what he wanted, ghosting them. Did I listen? No. I gave him what he wanted... I'm sure you can image what I mean. And, he ended up leaving anyways. Then, to make matters worse, I saw him, the next day, with his hand between Cory's thigh. Holding her hand in the halls, looking at her like he looked at me. Like he really likes her. Like he really liked me.

So, when I say that Jerry is using me, it's because of what happened with Tanner. Literally a month ago, this boy whom I really liked, we "did it" but I'd only done it because I really like him, and I thought, if I did it, he would like me too. But, he didn't. It was really sad, because like everyone else, he ended up ghosting me too. Guess how long we'd been talking! A WEEK!!!

So, remember when I said it must be me who's doing something wrong? That's because of things like this! It must be my fault! I was talking to Jerry today, and he said Tanner broke things off because I'm too nice.

Guys, my love language is physical touch, and gifts. Tanner told me he didn't like me anymore, according to Jerry, because I'm too nice. I'm too nice? What? That's ridiculous. I know I can trust this source because him and Tanner are best friends.

Oh, and also, when Jerry was talking about that dumb friends with benefits thing, he said that if it did happen, he couldn't tell anyone, and that it is supposed to be secret. So, wait, he wants to do it with me, but I'm not allowed to talk about it?

It just shows he's literally ashamed to be with me.

All of this has been hurting my mental health. It's coming to a point where I feel kind of insane? And it's not like I'm doing it on purpose, I just really don't know if I can handle my heart being messed around with. It's only been a couple weeks that this has happened to me. I hate going around from guy to guy, but I'm also tired of being played.

That's not even the worst part about this.

I can't even tell anyone about this, which is why I'm glad there are sites like these...

So, we all know - lots of teens have Snap chat. I've been talking to this guy on snap, who actually just recently told me his age today. I guess it's kinda creepy because all along I've thought he was my age. He told me he was going to buy me a bunch of stuff, and that he loved me, and that we were going to get married.

Okay, so what's the problem, just block him! RIght?

Right.

I wish I could say that it was actually that simple. It weird. I know he's mentally ill, because he's 39 and I'm 15. But I just can't ignore him. It's not hurting me to say goodmorning to him, right? And besides, he listens to me. It's not like he's asked for my address, or for me to send to him, so he's not harmful. And although its really weird, and you guys probably think it's gross, its not like he's grooming me, right? And, sadly, I really like the attention. It would never work, because he's like 23 years older than me, but it's kinda nice he's the only person who hasn't made fun of me for being, well, me.

And I know he says I'm his fiance, and he'd do anything for me, and he wants to come see me in June... but I can't let him go. I do that, and I'm just as bad as all the guys at my school who are trying to ghost me. Why can't we just find people who like me for me? Who want to be with me? I want someone who wants to be with me, all the time. Who can't stand to be with out me. Who likes to hang out with me, who will let me braid their hair, laugh with them, has jokes, good style, can help me with my homework. Someone who won't leave just because, I have a good butt (Which was said by my friend Daryl who just wants to do me too) or because they just weren't feeling me, or because I'm adopted or well...

Because I'm too nice.

You see, cuz my parents are getting tired of me. They don't really care what I do anymore. But it's sad, because at these moments all I need is my mama. We found out that she might have cancer. I don't know if I'm glad, or if I'm scared. Why would I be glad? Because I was almost taken from her because of abuse. So why do I want her? Where was my bio mama when I needed her? Lynda was there for me, not Dominique. I've started taking pills again, sleeping more, smoking, eating less. I actually hate sulking around all the time and hating life. But, when you've been spit out and thrown away like a wad of ABC gum, I can't held but feel how other people treat me. And I wonder, does Cory even see how she looks? Getting with someone who does things with girls and then dips?

Or maybe she's blinded by love, like me.

Well, I'm rambling now. But you all get the point.

So what do I mean it's going to be the last?

The last time I ever said I love you ever again.

Because no one ever deserves my love.

And no one ever will.

Okay, so about the end of the school year last year I met a boy, we were long distance but we only live 40 mins away but neither of us had a way to see each other so we never did but we loved each other so so much. He used to be a drug addict but he started going to therapy for it ( I pushed him to go because he started looking very unhealthy.) eventually he quit and he’s been clean for a couple months now (from what I know) long story short he ended up ghosting me and we haven’t talked since last year. At least that’s what I thought, well I was under very strict rules at my house, I didn’t have a phone, all devices at 6pm in moms room, no seeing friends on school days, bedtime for me was8pm, stuff like that but I had an idea just to use Gmail to text him on my school iPad on an email I had made, so that’s the only thing we could communicate on, so FaceTiming became google meets, changed his name on it to Hailey so if I was on a call with him my parents would think it’s a girl, going out to friends was sneaking off and having them cover for me, yk the good old “strict parents raise sneaky kids” hits hard, but he’s changed since then, a lot. See, I’m 16 soon to be 17 and he’s newly 18. He had a scar on his chin that I’ve never seen before and I saw it and asked him about it, and before he answered I said that I have to same kind on my chin as well, saying it was from when I was a baby, when I asked after he then said “I got shot” i was so confused and scared, was it from a cop? Was it a robber? What happened? Hes completely changed his slang and his personality, yea I would be happy but he didn’t change for the better. He wasn’t the sweet, sensitive, loving boy I knew. He was more like a gang membe. He kept telling me how someone’s currently trying to kill him, and I’m scared that since I’m with him now I’m gonna get involved. Like what if me and him are at the park and that person sees? Will they come after him only or me as well? I’m not sure where this is even going just, I needed to vent about how much I miss how he used to be. He’s trying to make me do gang signs, he’s listening to drill rap (murder/drug music) and I’m scared he’s gonna never be the way he was. He use to tuck in his phone when he had to go. (mostly around 9 but I got super tired around then so he’d tuck in his phone till he got back) he would stare at me with love and I could tell, his eyes would look at me like I was the only person in the world, the big eyes, the smile, the eye contact, everything. He’s started calling me ml, I think it’s super cute because he acts all tough and scary but around me he’s sweet, he lets his guard down and i can just feel his love. But I felt it way more back then. For example, one time I told him that a song reminded me of him (what would I do by strawberry guy) and I told him to listen to it. He then replied 2 minutes later, calling me and crying that I make him feel so special compared to literally anyone and how he feels like I love him more than I could anyone, he even texted me saying “I’m sorry, I don’t want to make you mad.” I asked why and his answer crushed me in the best way possible. He said, “I said sorry because I don’t want to lose you. You have a special place in my heart and it’ll never leave even if you do.” And I broke down crying right there right then. He doesn’t even know it either, then when I re-showed him the song a little ago he said “oh yea I remember, nice song” and I felt my heart being squeezed. Nice song? What happened. I’m wondering if I did it to him, since I left him (I didn’t as I explained) and then he went on to change his behavior because he didn’t have anyone to talk to. But now he’s not responding and he still hasn’t. (3 days and he hates not talking to me and texts me every time he can) I don’t wanna be ghosted again or left. Otherwise we got close again for no reason. What do I do here?

so I like this boy named henry but I don't know if he likes me back and i wanna ask him but I don't know because so theirs this guy and i'ma just call him j and him and his friends are known for telling people that person a like person b when it's not true. so I'm was walking to my class (keep in mind I have every class with j but I don't have any with henry) and j called my name so I turned around to see what he wanted and he asked me if I wanted put on's with henry but I was already upset with him(J) so I had rolled my eyes and said yeah but as I said that henry started say that he doesn't get down like that but i kinda ignored it and continued walking to class. so, after a few minutes I was already in class but j wasn't so after a few more minutes j walks in the class and tells me that henry said that he was ready when I was and he wanted to know if I knew if I could cook but I was still mad @ j so I said I'm fucking Hispanic why the fuck would I not know how to cook. so fast forward to like maybe a few days later i was outside my school and henry was standing with his friends infront of me and I look up and he was already looking @ me, and we kept eye contact for maybe a second or two then we both look away. so, moving on to lunch time and I told some of the girls @ my lunch table and then we went to go get lunch and they kept telling me that he was looking over here (the lunch line we were standing in) then when we sat down, they said that we was looking @ me a lot. so again, fast forward to today and it friday and i wanna ask him but im scared

I met a guy online a little bit ago and we quickly discovered we had a lot in common and liked talking to each other. We eventually made plans to meet in person. (We confirmed we both were who we said we were and did all the proper safety steps like meeting in public etc) I traveled to where he lives. ( I know now that I should have had us meet halfway in a neutral location but it is what it is now.) we met in a public location and we had hugged and kissed and chatted a bit. He was very sweet but it was a little awkward. I figured maybe we just needed to get used to the in person dynamic. Things improved after a little bit of talking.I was feeling more confident. This is where things went south, I know I shouldn’t have but I did let him convince me to hook up with him at my hotel. I was incredibly uncomfortable and he even said he could tell I was uncomfortable. Not to mention it hurt horribly because he was very rough. He also said right after that he kept having flashbacks of his ex during it. We met up the next day for lunch and right in public he tells me he felt nothing when we did romantic stuff but he did like hanging out with me. I was floored by his coldness and the fact he would do that in a crowded restaurant. It was a relief in a way though because I felt uneasy about him to say the least. Intraveled home early and we have spoken since and he once again told me he could tell I wasn’t ready and that I was uncomfortable when we hooked up and that I was “lucky to have discovered that with him and he was caring enough to be patient with me”. I had tried to bring up some feelings I had from the whole thing like that it effected my confidence and he said it wasn’t fair to him for me to have feelings about the whole thing because he was moving on too. Am I wrong for feeling so torn up and gross about this experience? What do you think?

I'm 19F and my gf is 21F, my best friend lives with me (M23). he started acting weird when me and my gf started dating but i thought nothing of it. Untill he started saying bad things abt my gf or pointing out "Red flags" randomly; She is one of the nicest peolple ive met and we've been dating for 5 months. He started saying he didnt want her over at the apartment anymore and such. We got in a fight over it but i eventually folded and now i stay at hers most nights. Untill last night when i got a call from my gf that at her work he went up to her and told her to break up with me. He called me a whore and said she was too good for me and that she needed to end it. i was furious and now im staying at hers full time because she knows he was lying.

I need advice
Dating Stories

I’m dating this guy right now. He’s absolutely amazing and deserves the world but I want to break up with him. Not because I don’t love him anymore. The thought on breaking up with him makes me sad. But I’m not in the right mental space right now. I feel exhausted and tired and just done with everything. I told him multiple times that I feel like that before dating but he kept pushing it and now we’ve been dating for a couple months. I made the decision to break up with him because I think it’s best for me and him. How do I do it?

2 and a half years.
Dating Stories

Me and my ex girlfriend were in a relationship for two and a half years. Until we hit a wall. Wed been camping and her parents loved me and so did she. But unfortunately as she moved off to uni we realised we were in two very different places. I loved that girl with all my heart and wouldve married her given another couple years (were both 19) and i know she loved me but it just wasnt meant to be it seems. It hurts to lay in bed and realise shes not the smiling pretty face next to me anymore and realising ill never be able to give her a long warm hug again. All those nights spent listening to vinyls and slow dancing and chatting and just loving eachother comes flooding back. After she left it felt like my hesrt was torn out and taken with her never to return. Shes moved on and has a boyfriend already but i just cant because id devoted myself to her and to moving in together and getting married and having kids etc. Hell even moving to her home country for a more peaceful life together. Now i just feel so.... empty.

ughhh
Dating Stories

a dude cold opened me a few days ago and asked me out i panicked and gave him my info/said yes (i know! not good for either of us!) and yesterday we went on a date. he was perfectly nice and im sure it "went well," but i truly wasn't feeling it at all. i don't know him, i found out he was 28 (im 19, we're both college students and he saw me on campus so it's not like a creeper thing), im just not that interested in dating... i turned down a second date last night over text and i have yet to look at his texts back. i dont feel bad about turning him down, but i just feel really embarrassed and guilty about the whole situation. it sucks!!!!!