Enter if You Dare
Mars: Spiked stilettos and cranberry juice; crimson passion bursting through restrained desires. The bed felt familiar but the curves before me took unpredictable turns. My anxious hands danced to a new tune. I could feel my heart throbbing, stopping, moaning, cringing, and stopping once more as fear and excitement pulsated through rhythmic bodies. In a land of opportunity, I allowed myself to do what felt right for me.
Venus: Frozen cubes of a broken heart floating lifelessly in a bath of alcohol. The sting feels nice against my throat. One look into his eyes and his body screamed out “the secret.” It was evident in his new look, impure and dark, obvious in the overwhelming stench of cheap perfume. Our disconnected hearts were riding down opposite sides of Love Boulevard. In a world of feelings, he chose betrayal as the perfect gift for me.
Infidelity in relationships is as common as a seasonal cold. In fact, 57% of men and 54% of women admit to infidelity (emotional and/or physical) in any relationship they’ve had. 36% of men and women admit to having an affair with a co-worker. 74% of men say they would have an affair if they knew they wouldn’t get caught. 68% of women also admitted their willingness to engage in a consequence-free affair. These astronomical percentages blatantly spit in the face of monogamy and the very purpose of being in a relationship to begin with. While it is true that most affairs are not planned, it doesn’t appear that committed people are doing a heck of a lot to prevent innocent attractions from developing into lustful trysts. The single counterparts in the affairs are also to blame. Instead of perceiving the affair to be a nod to their non-existent self-esteem, they could attempt to empathize with the person being cheated on and anyone else indirectly involved. It is true that some singles may not know they are apart of an affair, but the ones who do are just as guilty as the adulterer. I have developed a pre-cheater’s checklist guide which is a set of questions that one should ask themselves in the event of a blooming attraction for the “other person”.
- Am I doing anything to put myself into uncomfortable spaces with the “other person?”
- If my significant other were present, would I behave in this manner?
- Is this “other person” enough to replace my significant other, and not just fill a minor deficit?
- How will I feel immediately after the affair?
- How will I feel if my significant other discovered my actions?
- What would I do if a child resulted from this affair, or a sexually transmitted disease?
- How might this affair come back to bite me “where the sun don’t shine?”
It’s simple, think before you cheat.
*Stats taken from: http://www.infidelityfacts.com/infidelity-statistics.html
