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Article created by: Mindaugas Balčiauskas
When you're a kid, you're not used to hearing the word 'No' often. As you grow older, it becomes more and more familiar. You get rejected after a job interview, for a scholarship, and, of course, even during a date.
In fact, 70% of Americans claim they've been rejected at least once in their dating lives. Interestingly, about 60% of all rejections happen during the first few minutes of a meeting.
Bored Panda has scoured the internet and found the most brutal rejection stories that people have shared on Reddit. From childhood crushes and sibling affairs to divorces and first dates – rejection is lurking for us everywhere, it seems.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Many years ago, after getting divorced at 30, I hit the online dating scene. I had essentially never dated as an adult having met my ex-wife in college. I was not prepared for how brutal online dating was. This was in the match/eharmony days, not the apps. First online date, we meet up at a restaurant. She walks in, sees me, and says "Oh, you are much uglier in person" and walks out. Doesn't even sit down.
Everything turned out fine, been happily married for 10 years again. But I thought that was pretty unnecessarily brutal and strange. Dodged a bullet there.
Lvcivs2311:
Dodget a bullet, was my thought. Who would want to date someone like that? At least you found out quickly before she ruined your life or something. Good for you and many happy anniversaries.
cheeseburgerparty100:
I have a similar story. I was in a nightclub, and i saw this girl i thought was quite attractive. I eventually got the courage to go up and approach her, and when i did she said "ewww" and walked away.
RELATED:
#2
Got dumped by the girl I was going to propose to in a foreign city, halfway through a two week vacation. She just disappeared on me. Knew something was up when her luggage disappeared from our hotel room, she ignored every text I sent her, didn't hear from her for six months when she finally sent me a message: "How are you doing?"
I guess she got concerned, or as concerned as a heartless reptile can be, when I stopped updating Facebook, Instagram, and changed all my statuses. She never got a response from me, and went on permanent block. She then tried to blow up my Facebook, until I unfriended her. I may have talked to her had she provided an explanation, but she never did.
Anon:
That's sociopathic behaviour. You deserve so much better.
Tokenvoice:
Would it be similar to say that my ex-wife left me for another bloke and then a few months later discovered that I was about to go to the states for my mates bucks party and just went maniac on me because I didnt tell her, despite deciding it because she had left me.
#3
Maybe not BRUTAL, but it definitely makes me laugh in hindsight.
Met up with a girl from Match and we sat down at a restaurant and grabbed the first round of drinks. So far, so good. Decent conversation ten minutes in. She then asks if she can excuse herself a second while she goes to the bathroom. No problem. She walks away and two minutes later, the waitress comes over with the check. I gave her a confused look. Waitress says that she thought we were leaving because my date just walked out the front door and got in her car. Sure enough, ten minutes in was all this woman needed to decide to just back out, not even have the human decency to finish her drink and just run away.
Never even bothered to text her to ask what was up. Finished her drink and then headed back home.
nubosis:
I was on a blind date. Date was going well. On her way to the restroom she met anouther guy, and snuck out the back with him. The bartender saw everything, and gave me free drinks for the night, so at least I had that.
captcorncob:
Bartenders, the heroes we all need.
#4
In 7th grade, I asked a girl out in front of her friends in the hallway after school so I guess she decided to have some fun. She said she had a boyfriend named Waikiki. I was kind of bummed but I gracefully walked away and thought that was that. Then, she later revealed, in front of the whole class, that he was made up (guess the name should have given it away) and that I was a total loser she didn't want in her life period.
I would not relive elementary or middle school even if I was offered a trillion dollars. Kids can be the most vile creatures in the world before they develop empathy.
#5
I got rejected when I wasn't even trying to hit on the guy. A few years ago in December, I was at a bar with a friend when a guy dressed as Santa Claus was walking around. He walked up to my friend and said something like "Santa's giving out gifts, and all the pretty girls get one for free!" and handed her a trinket.
Then he looked at me up-and-down and added, "Yeah, you'd have to pay.".
CornbreadMonsta:
You missed out on the gift of STD's he was offering. Shame.
ramblinator:
This reminds me of when I was 12, I had just bought myself a bunch of Reeses minis and I knew my little sister would want some. So I went up to her and said "hello! I'm giving away candy to ugly poor children! Did you want any?" I thought it was hilarious.
#6
Not me but I was setting up a female friend of mine with a guy I knew and I got her to agree then I told him and he said "Did you send her a picture of me?"
I hadn't, because he's a normal looking guy and she'd already agreed. Then I sent her a picture and she responds "Left swipe".
#7
High School dance, I decided to try to put together a little get together with some friends and some friends of the girl I was taking to the dance. Had numerous people say they were going to come by and thought everything was solid.
After dinner and the dance, she said she wasn't feeling well and I took her home.
I went home to prepare for the guests because I figured this would still be an OK evening.
Not a single person showed up.
I found out later that the girl wanted to go do something else afterward with another guy, and everyone just had something else (better) to do.
I felt like I was rejected by the girl and numerous friends, and it felt like a gut punch.
I went to a dark place for a while after that, and haven't really had any significant friendships since then.
I am currently happily married, have a great family, and may do some after-work stuff with co-workers, but I still don't have any significant friendships that I could call dependable.
Still quite happy though.
#8
I've told this story in other threads, but perhaps this is the most appropriate of them all.
Ask female friend of mine to be my date to an upcoming dance, she declines, and I don't see it as big of a deal. In the coming days, I found that she and her friends had spread gossip/rumors about me being a creep/stalker, even to the point where women I had never even spoken a word to gave me a disgusted snarl if I so much as glanced at them.
Of course, the salt in the wound is that literally every single one of my friends were able to snag dates, and I was literally the only guy among that group of friends to never get asked to the next dance (a dance where the tradition had the girl asking the guy to be her date).
Needless to say, it shattered whatever confidence I may have had, and has me rolling my eyes at "The worst she can do is say no"
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have said yes to me either back then. I was a desperate kid just wanting to be accepted and not be treated like I was some sort of monster. A simple "no" would have sufficed however.
Feltica:
Oh my god, I did this in middle school. I am so sorry. I even told his mom I thought he was stalking me. To be fair, he would follow me to like every class.
#9
More "weird and funny" in hindsight, but felt weird and brutal at the time:
University years, I'm nerdy, loser-y girl, in a hopeless crush, yadda yadda. Then, suddenly, one guy asks me on a date. And on a second one. I almost start thinking that maybe I'm not that much of a loser.
Then he - a bit arbitrary - asks me what is my Rh factor. I have no idea and reply, "negative". He sighs, "you know you gonna have pregnancy problems if your man is Rh-positive, right?"
I'm trying to process that a random guy plans my pregnancy. What? Should I joke? Should I run? He continues:
"Oh well. You know, actually, I have a girlfrend, sorry, let's just be friends".
We never talked again, so, alas, I still don't know whether he actually cared about Rh-factor or maybe he just likes weird excuses.
Or maybe he's a vampire of very particular tastes. Who knows.
#10
I asked someone for a smoke once and he pointed to my stomach and said...nah, you shouldn't if you're pregnant.
Yeah I was not pregnant, just a sloppy, fat 20 year old. Who is no longer fat or a smoker, thankfully.
#11
This is kind of off but still relevant. I had low self esteem in early high school so one day at lunch I was like, "I'm going to ask the first OK looking girl who comes around that corner out and they'll say no." So, the first person to walk around the corner is a pretty girl. I ask her out and without hesitation she says "sure." Now, I was 100% expecting to be shot down so I caught myself unprepared. I kind of studdered, "Haha just kidding" then I walked away and face palmed. In short, some girl got asked out, said yes, only for the guy (me) to awkwardly say, "haha just kidding" and walk away. I shot myself in the foot hard, and it still haunts me.
#12
I was friends with this girl who was a grade above me in high school. We were friends on Facebook and one day she listed me as her brother. (._.).
mini-actualsize:
She could be into that sort of thing, I mean some girls are into weird stuff.
JYHTL324:
You did say you were friends. Unless you indicted romantic interest beforehand, she thought you guys had a genuine solid friendship.
#13
I applied for a job, the interview went really well, and I was told to ring in two days for the results.
I rang and gave my name and explained why I was calling. His reaction was, and I quote:
"Hahaha, it ain't you,"
Then he hung up.
funkyb:
I can't imagine that would have been a pleasant place to work if that's how they handled potential hires.
#14
Wrote poetry to a girl in the grade above me. When I finally admitted it was me who was writing them, all she said was “Oh.” I was so crushed I stopped.
Two decades later I found out from someone that the “oh” wasn’t disinterest. It was that she knew it was me and didn’t realize I thought I’d kept her in the dark. She’d actually loved getting my little letters in her locker and would read them to the other girls who’d all be jealous. If I’d known she knew I would’ve never stopped.
#15
I posted this story in an AskReddit regarding the most cringe worthy thing that's happened to you. Here goes:
Me and my best guy friend at the time were planning on going to the movies to see Deadpool last year. We lived on different sides of campus, so we planned on meeting at the theater. I thought this was going to be like a date, so we split a popcorn and grabbed seats. We chatted a bit, and once the previews started, he leaned in towards me and I definitely thought he was going in for a kiss. I went for it, only to be met by his hand on my mouth pushing me away and a weirded out look on his face. Turns out he was trying to ask me to move down a seat because he had decided to invite his new gf (who I had never met/knew about) and he wanted to sit by her. Not only was I mortified, but he kept the popcorn for himself and this chick. First and last time I initiate plans.
Anon:
The take away from this, is that you should never share popcorn. On a more serious note, I'm sorry that this happened to you.
You should try initiating plans, but make your intentions clear when you do.
Even if it's just saying something like "It's a date!" in a joking manner it still puts the onus on them to correct you.
KlassikKier:
You should have taken back your popcorn.
#16
He asked me to open the window that I was sitting by on the bus because he was hot (he was on the row opposite me) and I said no I want to keep it shut. I didn't like having it open because my hair always flies out the window. He looked at me, said "whatever, you're ugly anyway" and reached over and opened my window.
#17
Took a girl out on a date. She had a great time and said she'd like to go out again (she brought it up). Asked her to homecoming a few days later and she said "oh, yeah, about that. I kind of already have a boyfriend".
AaroNine:
This is how my last relationship, which lasted over 5 years, started just you know, without the admitting to having a boyfriend already (or the homecoming, we were 20). Then guess how it ended? Same as it began, she left for another dude. I've ended up dating multiple, 9, girls that already had a committed boyfriend and just didn't tell me. My best buddy likes to make the joke that I need a shirt that just reads "The Other Guy."
It's infuriating when I'm actively trying to avoid that situation by only asking girls I've been told are single and still end up wrong.
I guess, if at some point, whoever is reading this, if your girl cheated on you with me, I'm sorry, and I promise I didn't know.
IWishItWouldSnow:
I've learned to never trust people when it comes to dating. That whole thing is just one big, stupid game that isn't worth playing.
#18
I was once looking for a job. I had been looking for a long time and I received yet another rejection email.
But!
I immediately received a follow up from the organization asking that I disregard the prior message as it was sent in error and that I would receive the correct message shortly!
The subsequent email was a differently worded rejection letter.
Brutal.
#19
For me, it is "ghosting" because it still feels open, long after the point that it shouldn't anymore.
#21
In Junior High, during lunch, I had a group of guys take me aside and say that one of the really pretty girls liked me and that I should ask her out. I knew it was the usual teasing, since I've had lots of this sort of thing (being asked out on a dare, or as a prank, etc.), so I thought nothing of it.
About 2 minutes later, I see her walk up to me, and loudly exclaim "I AM NOT INTO YOU. I DON'T WANNA DATE YOU. AT ALL" and run away. I actually kinda had a crush on her, too.
feelsbadman.
#22
“I fell in love with the idea of you.”
My ex long-distance boyfriend after a little over two years of an off and on relationship, right before breaking up with me.
#23
Going out with my school girlfriend for 4 years. she left 1 year, came back and we got back together. things were doing great. and then I asked her what she thought about us being more than just boyfriend/girlfriend, we were 22 at the time.
she laughed , looked at me straight in the eyes and pierced my heart with a dagger saying "you thought I would marry you?" while continuing laughing.
I couldn't live near the thought of her anymore, moved to Paris and then moved 2000mi away across the Atlantic.
#24
An ex broke up with me on Valentine’s Day.
I had bought her 3 bouquets of flowers and planned to cook dinner for us lol
This same ex had once asked me never to break up with her on a holiday or her birthday, and also insisted that a breakup should be done in person if possible, but over the phone at the least.
Yet, she attempted to break up with me via text.
#25
After hanging out a few time, she wrote me a 3 page long letter that basically boiled down to saying she found me repellent, all women should avoid me, and she hoped I would die alone and unloved
Needless to say I’ve had some self-esteem issues since then.
#26
Not sure if this counts as rejection because I didn't even ask her out.
In middle school I had a crush on this one girl for a while. One day she pulled me aside and said, "Hey so I know you have a crush on me and I just don't feel the same way so can you stop liking me please?"
I didn't even ask her out and I got rejected by her.
#27
I once agreed to meet a woman I'd met online at a nightclub. After saying hello and telling me how cute she thought I was she proceeded to start sucking face with some other guy. I just laughed.
#28
Was told we should just be friends. A week later I was told we should be the type of friends that don’t talk to each other.
#29
She smiled so pleasantly at me. Paused for a second and when the smile faded she let out the sternest and most blankly faced… “NO”.
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