Four years ago, I took a girl's iPhone 6 at school. This happened because my own phone was broken, and I wasn't going to get a replacement anytime soon. The girl consistently left her phone exposed, so by the end of the day, it began making the "lost" noise. This made me anxious, so I placed it in a random locker. Unfortunately, the girl whose locker I chose was sent to the school office the following day and was falsely accused of theft. I still encounter the girl whose phone I took on a daily basis since we ride the same bus. This situation serves as a constant reminder of that particular memory.

I had a friend whom I deeply cared for, and we were in a FWB (Friends with Benefits) relationship for almost two years. I had pursued him for the same duration. Initially, I was content with our FWB arrangement because I genuinely liked him. He was kind, considerate, and even my travel companion. However, I decided to end it because I began to believe he was primarily interested in the physical aspect of our relationship. He would often send mixed signals – being affectionate one day and distant the next. I was willing to be patient and wait for him, hoping for assurance that our relationship could evolve into a committed one. But as time passed, and with no clear commitment from his side, I grew tired of chasing him. Consequently, I ventured into a dating app, where I found someone who was caring and considerate. After some time, we decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend. During this period, I convinced myself that I had moved on from my previous love, especially since we hadn't been in touch for several days. However, recently, he invited me and my cousin to a get-together. While we were eating, he accidentally noticed my messages on my phone but didn't comment on them at the time. Later, when I got home, he messaged me, saying, "You should have told me you had a boyfriend. I wanted to court you, but someone beat me to it." This revelation stirred up all the emotions I had been attempting to suppress. It's been a week since then, and I am still in a relationship with my current boyfriend. However, I am feeling confused, uneasy, guilty, and uncertain about the situation.

• October 1, 2023