1. The relationship you always knew wouldn’t work out

There was always something a bit off about this guy you couldn’t quite put your finger on. It was doomed from the beginning and everyone knew it – your friends, your roommate, your mom, even you knew deep down inside there was an aching suspicion it wouldn’t last. “No, seriously. If you really knew him like I do…if you saw what he’s like when it’s just the two of us…”

2. The one you ended that still makes you wonder if you did the right thing

You broke up because you were graduating college, because he got a new job across the country and it would never work, because you had been together for years and you felt like you needed to have more experiences before settling down – there was some reason you had to end it even though you didn’t have a bad relationship. Because of this you still find yourself thinking of him from time to time and the memories you made together. Maybe you even catch up with each other every so often and you think about what it would be like if you had stayed, if things had worked out, if you would have tried just a little bit harder.

3. The casual-hanging-out-non-relationship-relationship-thing you still can’t make sense of

You still aren’t sure exactly what you two were. You stayed in that grey area of ‘hanging out’ where in the best moments of being together you felt like if everything could just align itself perfectly you two could have an incredible relationship and in the worst moments of being together you felt completely disconnected and scared and unsure of what was happening. He refused to commit, to make you two official, and when everything was said and done he used that label-less relationship as the biggest excuse as the reason why he didn’t need to take responsibility for what happened. “We were never official…”

4. The relationship that only lasted as far as the season or your next departure would take you

Maybe it was summer or maybe you were on a four month backpacking trip through Europe. You caught each other’s eye and the next thing you knew you were in that heady and sublime feeling that only comes from the kind of romance you know can never last.

5. The one you can’t believe you were actually in

You’re hanging out with your BFF talking about old boyfriends, going through old photos, when suddenly you two come across that one guy you dated. You had all but erased your mind of this dude and now you’re looking at him seriously wondering what you ever saw in him.

6. The one you can’t say no to

There’s something about him you can’t let go of and he knows just how to pull you back in. You both know you’ll never work but every once in awhile you come together and try again only to eventually part and start the cycle all over.

7. The fuck buddy

The sex is hot. You guys are decent friends but this isn’t really a friends-with-benefits situation. You don’t expect anything from each other and you honestly don’t really care what he does when he’s not around you.

8. The relationship where you pretended to like a bunch of shit you didn’t really care about

He was just so cool. You wanted to be considered good enough, cool enough, interesting enough for this guy so you smoked Parliaments, listened to some shitty bands while sitting on his bed, and probably had pseudo-deep philosophical conversations at coffeeshops with him all in an effort to win over his approval.

9. Your first love

It was sweet. It was innocent. It was the first time you ever developed romantic feelings for anyone. He’s likely either still in your hometown or off somewhere actually fulfilling his dreams. You have no idea where he is but he’s the one ex you know you’ll never be able to forget about.

10. The relationship that seems like it could actually last

He makes you laugh. You two like all the same things. You can spend hours talking late into the night about anything and everything. You find things endearing about him most people wouldn’t even notice. He makes you feel happy and fulfilled and like anything is possible. Even if it’s just the first serious relationship this is the first time you can look back at someone and feel hopeful about the future.