It’s cliche to say but the heart wants what it wants, and some times the heart wants things it really shouldn’t. When I met my Hady, I didn’t think it would amount to anything serious, but love can blind us all. I was charmed by his demeanor, looks, and witty persona but his affection was not the only one I was receiving. Knowing myself and being chronically single, I made a decision to enter the dating game as a free agent, no attachments, promises, or commitment until I was sure of the person, and more importantly sure of myself.
When it came to Hady, I was sure he was a great guy and he made me happy, but I was definitely not sure of myself. My attention was focused on Hady but was dissatisfied and began to wander…until I set my sights on Karim. He was everything my heart and soul were craving, and didn’t even know that it desired; just a simple look and he had me melting in front of a crowd and I couldn’t compose myself. Karim was smart, mature, and deep, he held parts of a soul that were missing from Hady, so I did what any non-tied-down woman would do… I dated them both. This is the part where the double standard misogynists (probably calling me a slut) should probably stop reading.
While Hady and Karim are different in many ways, they also harbor many similarities; because at the end, you really are the company you keep. On top of that, the two were friends. Yup, I was dating two friends. It sounds like a terrible plot for a Reese Witherspoon rom-com, but it was my reality.
Of course I had a sense of guilt. Not because I was dating two guys but because I was dating two friends. They must have never seemed to talk about it because the subject never came up, but I still was antsy at the mention of the other person’s name. So I decided to do the “mature thing” and end things. At first, I thought why give up both when I can at least have one, but the notion did not seem fair to either of them or myself; not to mention how awkward would that be when they find out?
WE SAID THIS: Moral of the story, there’s nothing wrong with dating around, committing or not, but it’s best if you make sure your selection of dating has at least a few degrees of separation.
