Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Their How 'The One That Got Away' Stories

We've all wondered what ever happened to the one who got away. Perhaps we dated them once, and it didn't work out. And we've all at some point entertained what our lives would have been like had we actually gone ahead and pursued relationships with people long gone. Relationships are, in lots of ways, about timing.

Thanks to Redditor melancholyoversmiles, who asked the online community, "Have you ever met someone and thought "wow, if we had met at a different time, we would have made a great couple"? If so, what happened?" we could listen to the people who opened their hearts.


"I liked this boy at school..."

I liked this boy at school when I was 14. I wasn't allowed to date (strict parents, first girl) but he liked me too. A decade later I run into him at my university of all places and we catch up and he tells me he always liked me and I liked him so we go out. It was fun. It was nostalgic. Lasted like a month before he told me he's like super gay. So... yeah it didn't go anywhere after that. Turns out we did not in fact actually make a great couple. Still friends though.

Flirtninja

"I just had the wrong set of friends at the time..."

I just had the wrong set of friends at the time, they picked on him tirelessly even though he was damn near perfect. Years later one of those friends ended up with him after I moved away.

kiraaerial

"It may sound weird..."

It may sound weird, but when I was 13 I had a best friend. As a teenager not knowing what love is. If he had not been super depressed, barely capable of keeping up a friendship and not killed himself when he was 14, we would have been perfect for each other after puberty. We loved each other so much, we never tried anything, because we knew that we would mess it up for later. I hope he rests peacefully, and he was the first male to ever feel and show real love to me until I was 21.

Kunfidha_98

"In the long run..."

My best friend and I in high school were so in sync that we probably would've made a great couple. We even both came to this realization so we sat down one day and talked about it.

In the long run we decided the timing wasn't right at that point in time, and to just stay friends to keep our friendship in tact. Still see her 2-3 times a year, she's a wonderful person and even has a boyfriend now! I'm not as far along unfortunately.

Curator44

"I am pretty sure he's married."

Aww, that guy was named Justin. We got along so well. We had everything in common and the chemistry was crazy sexy. But we never lived in the same place at the same time and most of the time one of us was in a relationship. And that just was the case, always. So it never worked out. Once we got a bit older I finally said we shouldn't talk anymore, because it always gets in to flirtation and that's not appropriate if we're gonna be dating other people.

He's not a lost love or anything though, just a fond memory I guess? I am pretty sure he's married. I am, and who I'm with now is much more than just us being a great couple.

DaughterEarth

"I soon realised..."

Met her during my school time. She was perfect. Beautiful, smart, intelligent, funny. We spent time together just talking for hours, and telling each other random stories, sitting on a the compound wall of her house.

I soon realised though that I was not good enough for her as while she was amazing in every aspect, I had absolutely zero skill, zero hobbies, I didn't even look that impressive physically. So, come university, I decided to improve myself and become somewhat worthy of her. So, I started reading, going to the gym, socialising more, etc. Then life happened. One of thing led to another, as I completed my grad and went on to do my post grad and then got a job, i had to change several countries.

2 years back, when I went back to my country I happened to bump into her and found out that she had married someone now. They both write stuff for magazines and newspapers. Blogs and what not. She was happy that I made it so far in life. I never found the guts to tell her that it all started with trying to be even with her.

She seems happy with her life and I am happy for her, but who knows, how everything would have turned out, if I would have spent more time with her in the past, rather than go off in a trip for self improvement.

Thr0w_away20

Teachers Describe The One Student That They'll Never Forget | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

"In my experience..."

We both met way back in middle school and throughout the years we've had great chemistry but she always seemed to be dating someone. Freshman year of college we were both single and she asked if i wanted to try dating but I'd moved to a different city and I didn't want to try long distance. Since then I know we've both had feelings for each other but the timing never seemed to match up right. In my experience, the most important thing about starting a relationship with someone you already care about really comes down to timing.

Kenobi800

"I met a girl..."

I met a girl who is highly energetic, extroverted, pretty, and very fun. I'd known her for years beforehand but only actually got to get to know her then. The only reason I didn't ask her out was because she was dating a close friend of mine at the time... which is how I got to know her in the first place.

They broke up, I still liked her, and then she started dating my best friend. They're actually super cute and happy together so I'm happy for them (if not a little jealous).

DaNerdyDude

"At the very least..."

I can think of a few.

  1. She was already married. We were good friends while our lives intersected, but haven't kept in touch since I moved for work.
  2. She was dating/engaged to her now-husband while I knew her. We were good friends while our lives intersected, but haven't kept in touch since we went our separate ways.
  3. She's dating the person I expect she'll marry. At the very least, she'll still be together with him by the time I move away. We're polite acquaintances but otherwise try to stay out of each other's way. This was the one that really hurt because I developed feelings before I found out she was unavailable. With the others I never hoped for anything more than friendship; not so here.

"I was broke..."

I was broke at the time and she moved on to someone else. They live together and have been in a relationship for 5 years. I'm in a long distance relationship with someone else now.

Urizen777

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Donald Trump; Tim Walz
Spencer Platt/Getty Images; Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Unearthed Audio Shows Trump Calling Walz An 'Excellent Guy' Over Handling Of George Floyd Riots

Former President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans are currently trying to attack Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz over his handling of the riots in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd in 2020, but newly-released audio shows that Trump felt the exact opposite at the time during a phone call with Walz.

Floyd was murdered in May 2020 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, an event that set off international protests in response to racism and police brutality after a bystander's harrowing video footage of the death went viral.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ryan Reynolds; Brandon Sklenar
@vancityreynolds/Instagram

Ryan Reynolds Hilariously Grills Blake Lively's On-Screen Love Interest In Bizarre Promo For New Film

Ryan Reynolds had some fun with his wife Blake Lively's co-star Brandon Sklenar during a recent press event for the upcoming film It Ends with Us.

Reynolds, whose Deadpool movies have delighted millions, decided to interview Sklenar himself and brought along his mom, Tammy, and his friend Hugh Jackman for backup.

Keep ReadingShow less
Suni Lee
Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Image

Suni Lee Hilariously Mocks Herself After Balance Beam Fall—And Fans Are Loving Her Attitude

US Olympic gymnast Suni Lee was a good sport about her falling off the balance beam by laughing about it afterward.

Lee lost her chance at winning a medal after she slipped and fell during her routine at the women's gymnastics balance beam final on Monday. She placed sixth with a score of 13.100.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

Elon Musk's Daughter Slams Him As Fake 'Christian Family Man' In Blistering Social Media Rant

Elon Musk has become a darling of the right wing despite, much like Donald Trump, not conforming to many of the moral standards conservatives supposedly stand for.

And one of Musk's 12 children has taken to the app Threads to call him out for it.

Keep ReadingShow less
Valentina Gomez
@ValentinaforSOS/X

Homophobic GOP Candidate Roasted After She Loses Primary—And It Wasn't Even Close

Valentina Gomez, a GOP candidate and known homophobe vying to be the next Secretary of State of Missouri who was once roasted for telling people not to be "weak and gay," was mocked online after her homophobic rhetoric backfired and cost her the primary.

And it wasn't even close—Gomez received 47,931 votes, amounting to just 7.5% of all those who voted in Missouri's GOP primary election. State Senator Denny Hoskins was declared the winner, winning 24.4% of the vote.

Keep ReadingShow less