Thirty Reasons Not to Date a Player

00. Prologue

Urban dictionary defines a “player” as someone who:

(1) doesn't understand the meaning of a relationship 
(2) is in full reproductive mode 
(3) is very good at making girls think he is into them (also very proficient at breaking girls’ hearts) 
(4) often "dates" several girls at several schools (girls are often unaware of each other) 
(5) is an asshole!

Normally, I’d be totally against categorizing a person solely from what I’ve heard about them through the grape vine. But when it comes to Ryder Hayes, I’m pretty certain that a previous girlfriend is a reliable source, if I’m looking to learn about his character—or lack thereof.

Although I haven’t “dated” since the seventh grade, my best friend, April Porter, had been in a relationship with Ryder for the majority of our sophomore year. He was a junior at the time. You’d expect him to be at least somewhat mature, but that would be giving him way too much credit. 

Things were great between the two of them for a while—seven or eight months at the very least. I had a front row seat when he held her hand in the hallways, when he asked her to be his date to junior prom, and even when he kissed her out on the football field after the South River Blue Jays won their first game of the season.

And don’t get me started on all the sweet texts and late night phone calls, which April would promptly share with me the next day at school.

But despite what they tell you in the movies, high school relationships just don’t last.

After a messy breakup, over lying and cheating and God knows what else, Ryder pretended that the whole thing never even happened. April, on the other hand, just couldn’t move on.

Melanie Stone, April’s cousin and a permanent member of our exclusive friend circle, encouraged her to write down all her feelings and then burn it, as a symbolic gesture.

Hence, the creation of the list. We titled it 30 Reasons NOT to Date a Player.

During fifth period lunch on a Tuesday, we hid out in a bathroom stall and lit the sheet of loose-leaf paper on fire. We watched it crumple and burn for a few seconds before tossing the remains into the toilet and flushing it. Just like that, the list was gone, and April said that she felt relieved.

I never told her this, but I made a copy of the list for future reference.

A reminder, really, of all the reasons why I could never, ever fall for a guy like Ryder Hayes.