Man Rejects Lavish Gift From Female Friend Intended As ‘Peace Offering’ For Declining His Love Proposal

“I told her that I don’t need expensive gifts to get over her.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• April 20, 2024

Ah, unrequited love—a timeless classic that plays out in countless friendships between opposite sexes. But when Cupid’s arrow strikes one party only, what exactly is the proper reaction?

Run for the hills? Smile and move on? Well, one Reddit Romeo found himself in the same predicament, and he can’t say he handled it well.

Our narrator (Original Poster) had been friends with Jessica since they were both thirteen, and it had been seven years of pure bliss. But things took an unexpected turn when he mustered up the courage to confess his long-standing love. Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well.

Jessica had just started seeing someone, so she let him down gently—and boy, did it hurt. Yet, OP bravely decided their friendship was worth holding on to. So, he resigned himself to a lifetime in the friend zone.

Fast forward to OP’s birthday, and Jessica gifted him a pricey Hugo Boss cologne. Now, for a guy who usually sticks to deodorant, this was a surprise—a far cry from their usual exchange of paperback books and chocolates.

However, this was so out of character for her that OP questioned its motives. And true to his suspicion, Jessica confessed she made this year’s gift extra special to make up for causing him pain, even though it wasn’t intentional. 

But OP didn’t need expensive presents to fix his heart, and the fact that the gift was borne out of guilt made it all the more uncomfortable, so he chose to decline. Jessica’s face fell instantly.

Her family was pretty well off, so OP’s mom saw no reason for him to hurt her feelings by refusing her gift. She could comfortably afford it, after all.

Did OP really muck things up in the name of appearing noble?

The story in detail

A bit of background

OP was surprised at the unusually expensive birthday gift from Jessica. On inquiry, he discovered that she went the extra mile to appease him for breaking his heart earlier

OP rejected the gift while making it clear that he didn’t want money to be involved in their friendship

Let’s see what the community had to say:

“She's probably scared that she's going to lose her best friend, and honestly she probably has.”

“NAH. She wasn't trying to give a bad gift.  She just wasn't thinking about the way it would affect you.”

“NAH. She was definitely trying to be nice but just didn't think about the implications thoroughly.”

“She's probably afraid of losing your friendship which obviously means a lot to her.”

“NTA— You don’t need to be pitied at by anyone. You expressed your feelings, she rejected as she is entitled to her choice.”

“NAH. Rejection hurts, and good friends don't like hurting their friends, so it is normal for her to feel some kind of guilt.”

“She recognized saying no would hurt you and wanted to make you feel better in the only way she knew how.”

Important updates

Sometimes, accepting kindness is more about comforting the giver than satisfying our own reservations. 

Moms, as always, have a knack for seeing through our emotional tangles. So, after a wise nudge from his mom and a heartfelt apology to Jessica, OP accepted the cologne. 

Happy birthday to OP, and may his friendship with Jessica continue to bloom like the sweetest of roses!

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse