Oh, the bad boy. How we love ye. Most of us have gone through a bad boy phase at some point in our dating careers. After all, sometimes bad can be good. Bad boys are fun, sexy and wholly unpredictable, making for some very epic highs and crushing lows when you decide to date one. However, for most of us, the emotional rollercoaster that comes with falling for these guys eventually gets old. Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.
- You work hard for… his indifference. No one likes desperate, needy, clingy guys, and the bad boy’s appeal lies in the fact that he’s the complete opposite. No matter how hard you try, it’s impossible to crack him, and the challenge just sucks you in… like an addiction.
- His unpredictability keeps you on the edge. You literally jump whenever he texts or calls, because you never know when it’s going to happen. It’s exciting and keeps you on your toes. It’s also kind of annoying because it makes it really hard for you to, you know, plan your life.
- He never makes you a priority. Whether he’s an aspiring rock star or a high powered investment banker, he’s always talking about how busy/stressful/high-stakes/all-consuming his job is. Oddly enough, he always seems to have time for after work drinks, after-after-work drinks, moderate drug use and showing up at your house in the middle of the night. But don’t call him – he’s really busy at work.
- You’ve been deluded enough to think you can change him. As long as you’re the most amazing girlfriend he’s ever had, he’ll leave his bad boy ways behind. He’ll finally call when he says he’s going to call! And clean his apartment! And stop getting blackout drunk with his buddies on Thursday nights! All of this is within your grasp. It’s only later that you realize that the only way he’s going to change is if HE decides to stop being a bad boy and become a responsible, considerate adult – something that was never in your power to begin with.
- You end up in ridiculous situations you’d never expected. After not hearing from him for a month, he calls you out of the blue to let you know that the reason he totally bailed on your date was because he was was picked up on a DUI and has been in county jail for the past month.
- He spends money like it’s water. He spends what little income he has on video games and bottles of liquor that cost more than your utility bill and his rent is always late. As a true bad boy, this dude loves his toys – the more dangerous or financially risky, the better. It’s always touch-and-go as to whether he’ll be able to buy groceries, but at least he’s got the latest Nikes!
- He operates on a completely different schedule. Making set plans with him during normal dating hours is pretty much a no-go. This could be because he’s dating other girls or because he’s perpetually unemployed and therefore doesn’t understand the concept of keeping normal 9-5 hours. Either way, his invites to hang out usually sound something like this: “I’m going for after work drinks with X, then I think I’m meeting up with some buddies, but I should be in your area around 8pm and might be able to grab a beer between 8-9pm. I’ll let you know.”
- Even his friends know he’s a mess. “He’s a really amazing, awesome guy” – said no one ever. Instead, when you ask his friends about him, they reply with vague, backhanded compliments like, “Yeah he’s a good guy – despite everything” or “I know all about him – and I still love the dude.”
