Many teenagers count the days until the day of their senior prom.
It's the chance to get all dressed up and dance the night away with their classmates as their time in high school comes to an end.
But not everyone's prom night turns out to be the dream come true they were hoping it would be.
Redditor mazioo1233 was nervous about being seen at prom following a recent surgical procedure, fearing she would have to endure the wrath of a bully.
Her worst fears were realized, and making matters worse was that she did not receive the support she'd expected from a designated chaperone.
But fearing she behaved out of line, the original poster (OP) took to the subReddit "Am I the A**hole" (AITA), where she asked fellow Redditors:
"AITA for telling my counselor she failed at her job because she sided with my bully?"
The OP shared that her prom night was less than magical, owing to a bully making fun of an unwanted addition to her prom dress and corsage she donned due to recent surgery.
"So I (18 F[emale]) had to surgically remove my eye a short while ago and I am still wearing an eye patch."
"I worked up the courage to go to prom and I was super scared of being bullied of this one boy (Mike) who has always been a d*ck to me."
"Well, it happened."
"He constantly came over and made really mean comments about my eye and also related to my boyfriend (BF) Jacob (he wasn't there cause caretaker responsibilities)."
"Last thing he said was (mockingly) "AWW did Jacob's big nose poke your eye out?"."
The OP thought that her guidance counselor would take care of the situation, but was surprised by what she had to say.
"After that, I just lost it and started crying."
"The guidance counselor took me to her office and tried to calm me down."
"They also brought my friends there for a few minutes to avoid escalation."
"I demanded that Mike be removed from the event because he was being a bully."
'My counselor tried calling his parents but couldn't reach them, and told me that since Mike is not 18 yet, they can not remove him from the event without an adult."
"She then told me that since I am 18, if i do not feel comfortable staying there with him, I was free to leave and she would even call me an Über if I wanted to."
The OP did not take the guidance counselor's suggestion kindly, and wasn't afraid to say so to her face.
"I was furious that she suggested I leave to make the bully more comfortable, while I did nothing wrong and Mike is the one who should be forced to leave."
"The 'no leaving alone if below 18' rule also makes no sense because Mike's house is across the street."
"She then gave me the 'I dont make the rules' crap and I told her that if she doesn't have what it takes to protect her students she is a failure at her job and should quit in favor of someone who can."
"I talked about this with my BF and while did have a few choice words for Mike, he told me that while he understands my frustration and my response at the moment, he thinks the counselor was not at fault."
"I am very open to apologizing to her if I see that other objective people also believe the same thing my BF does."
"So AITA?"
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community agreed that the OP was not at all the a**hole for the way she spoke to her guidance counselor.
While a few acknowledged that her hands were tied, Everyone agreed that the guidance counselor should have done more for the OP, and that Mike should have faced more severe consequences.
"NTA."
"She can't remove him from the premises but she can remove him from the event."
"She should've taken him to her office and made him stay until his parents picked him up and she could've kept trying their phone."- waezxo.
"NTA."
"Because he could have been removed to the counselor's office and supervised there until parents could have been reached."
"And counsellor is major AH for 'I don't make the rules' crap."
"Counsellor had multiple options that were not siding against victim, and were still within safety rules."
"They were either unaware of them, or unwilling to use them; either way, you were right."
"They shouldn't be in that job."-PeggyHW.
"NTA she could have made him sit in a chair right next to her until his parents came. "
"The bully should never win."-mh6797.
"NTA at all."
"You lost your eye bruh like that ain't no light bullying."
"I know people who get expelled for lesser bullying."- thatrandomblackie.
"NTA."
"HOWEVER I don't think she was trying to protect your bully, just trying to limit harm to you by giving you different options to consider, such as leaving."
"Having said that she is the A as she should have been more sympathetic and sensitive towards your feelings and also made sure that one of the teachers immediately called this guy Mike in to tell him his behavior was unacceptable."
"Mike is obviously the biggest A here."
"I'm so sorry that happened to you."
"I hope you managed to enjoy your prom afterwards despite feeling unsupported by the school."-bunkbedgirl1989.
"As a teacher, I can confirm that she isn't allowed to just let him leave, even if she could literally watch him walk into his house."
"It's a pretty common rule."
"HOWEVER a good teacher/administrator/school counselor would have him sitting in the principals office until his parents showed up."
"This wasn't just bullying but ableism and thats not okay."
"I'd get your parents involved."
"Most schools have zero tolerance policies for bullying."
"In my area, he would've been suspended for a few days or at least end up with detention."
"He in no way should've been allowed to attend a fun event."
"That's a privilege."
"I'm so sorry they treated you this way."
"They should've protected you."
"What a little asshole this guy is."
"NTA, you were hurt."
"And in my professional opinion you aren't wrong."
"There was more she could've done here."-littlestgoldfish.
"NTA."
"Bad counselor."- anaveragetoaster23.
"I'm SO SICK of hearing 'While I support you I believe and support you, the person who completely sh*t all over you deserves some sympathy'."-TastyPerception9603.
"I am confused."
"Is there not some place (say, a classroom or a teacher's office or even the counsellor's office?) where she could have made him sit with her as in detention until the prom was over?"
"Then he is supervised but he's not enjoying himself and no threat to you."
"Unfortunately, though, neither she nor you are ah."
'Mike, however, is a grade A ah."
"So, I guess NAH."- MonkeyMagic1968.
"There's only one asshole and it's the bully."
"The counselor likely has no choice about removing a student, however, you also weren't wrong for expressing yourself to them."- the_amberdrake.
'NTA You are going to rough time and I'm sorry for you."
"How anybody could be that mean to you in time like this is beyond understanding."
"The counselor should have done more instead of hiding behind the rule making."
"If you had to leave it would be like saying to ur bully he is in the right."
"That said you can't send a minor on the street without reaching the parents."
"It is just logical but the counselor should have pulled him in her office and talked to him about the consequences of his actions and his words."
"I'm sorry you went through that."
"You have the right to be furious."-YKw1n.
"Nta."
"I am so sorry about your eye."
"It sucks he ruined your night."-bachelorette2020.
"Nta."
"F*ck em."- Eastern-Editor9034.
"NAH minus the bully."
"You were in an emotional state and lashed out when your aggressor could not be removed."
"The counselor tried to contact his parents but failed."
"Due to safety reasons and likely alcohol, school rules state they can't leave unless they are of legal age."
"But, I have some questions for the counselor."
"Mike did not need to be at the event and could just as easily been made to sit in an office due to poor behavior."
"After tonight, I would suggest reaching out, apologizing for lashing out, and ask about punishment that Mike will receive at school for bullying."- NuggetSD.
"NTA."
"Schools always do this siding with the bully bullshit because they are scared of getting backlash from the bully's parents, which is a huge flaw in today's school system."
"Let me tell you something: any counselor who sides with a bully is an a**hole and isn't qualified for the job."
"I wish there were other ways to stop bullying, but from my experience, the best you can do now is to counter roast the bully until they stop by bothering you."- SuperbTurtle.
One can sympathize with the guidance counselor, as it is her job to follow and enforce the rules.
But it's hard not to agree with all of those who felt there must have been other ways to get Mike out of the prom, without leaving the building, as his bullying should not have been tolerated.















Woman Breaks Up With 'Clingy' Boyfriend For Making Joke About 'Getting With' Her Sister
As much as we might want to date someone, there's no point in trying to gain the attention and affection of someone who does not want to reciprocate.
Dating someone "similar" to fill that void isn't a good look, either, cringed the members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subReddit.
Redditor Flashy-External1666 had been long-distance dating a guy from her friend group for about a month, even though he'd expressed his attraction to her older sister repeatedly before they started dating.
When her sister entered a new relationship, the Original Poster (OP) was hurt and disgusted that her boyfriend insinuated that he could have been trying to "get with" her sister while he was instead busy dating her.
She asked the sub:
The OP was aware that her boyfriend had his eye on someone close to her before dating her.
"I (19 Female) am with M (21 Male), and we've been together for a month. We were friends before this, for a while."
"For some background, when we were in a friend group, he'd always talk about how my sister (23 Female) was super hot and how he wanted her, but she was in a relationship at the time."
When he found out that her sister had been in-between relationships, he had an unsavory reaction.
"Earlier today, I mentioned to him how my sister started seeing this new guy, and I was super proud of her, because she went through a lot with her last relationship."
"His immediate reply was, 'Dang,' one month too late' with a sad emoji, insinuating that he was one month too late to get with her, because we've been together for a month."
You can see the text message exchange here:
The OP was immediately turned off by the idea of dating him.
"After I got upset and he apologized, he immediately sent me a reel that said, 'When she's already upset about me, but I have a second joke in mind.'"
"I feel like he genuinely doesn't care about me."
"He has also gotten weirdly clingy within the month, like red-flag clingy."
"He keeps trying to say how he loves me, wants to marry me, and wants me to go live with him. But he also always brings up my exes and gets super jealous when HE mentions them."
"I don't know what to do. Should I block him??"
"He's mentioned before that I would need to block him on everything if we ever broke up because he'd never leave me alone (we are currently long-distance)."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some were grossed out by the boyfriend's text message and understood why the OP was upset.
"The fact that he wrote all that out and even added a little emoji at the end and still decided to send it, knowing it would be hurtful for you."
"Seems like he’s texted that to see if he could get away with it. Either way, you don’t say something like that to someone you care about…" - Oven_Traditional
"NOR. Ew! That’s so disrespectful coming from someone who should be thrilled to have you."
"I’m team 'dump him.' If he has a brother, maybe ask for his brother’s number as you end it just to see how he likes it." - Entire-Tonight-1463
"NOR. He's not joking about your sister. Based on what he's said about her in the past, it would have been a wise move to NOT date him at all. PERIOD."
'There's a possibility that he's clingy/close to you for the purpose of indirectly keeping an eye on your sister. Release him and let him go, thereby setting yourself free from foolishness." - AtlJazzy2024
"He’s not for you… Break up with him and block him. You deserve a guy who treasures YOU!" - Muted-Lynx-8745
"He might be your boyfriend, but you're not his girlfriend. In his mind, your sister is." - Save-your-spoons
Others urged the OP to block her boyfriend and move on.
"Girl, it's been a month. Let that loser go." - sleepymelfho
"He kept OP as a backup, while circling her sister's orbit. What has happened to transparency and honesty in relationships? All I read now is obnoxious men doing obnoxious things to their partners."
"OP, he's keeping you around to stay close to your sister. You deserve better... NOR." - ColdHandGee
"NOR. You know that he's not joking about wanting your sister. He told on himself before you even got together, talking about how hot she was. Believe him."
"Break up with him and cut him off immediately. I can't believe you ever agreed to date him in the first place. I'd never want to date someone who had the hots for someone else in my immediate circle, whether that was a sibling or a friend." - Lanky_Mud_8148
"You’ve been dating one month, and that’s one month too long."
"He’s not joking about your sister. He fancies her more than you, and you’re the consolation prize. He will pursue her given the chance."
"Time to dump him." - Special_Wind_6708
"NOR. He can't have your sister, so you're just the next best thing. Him being a clingy weirdo that 'will never leave you alone' is the cherry on top."
"You know what to do. Dump him and block him on everything. If anyone from the friend group asks, just tell them what you told us. And you REALLY should warn your sister; you have receipts." - sdoM-bmuD
"Ditch him. Honestly. What are you waiting for?" - forget_me_not_uwu
"NOR at all. Cut this loser out of all channels of your life."
"I wouldn’t block, though. Just ghost so that he can watch you become happier without him as the ultimate revenge because I’m petty like that, and he clearly deserves it."
"ALSO, if he's as creepy and clingy as he sounds, you can have him muted, so he can see your activity, but you won't have to see his... But you'd have all of his messages as receipts if he ever became threatening or stalkerish for police purposes."
"For more context: My mum started dating my dad (when she was 19, too), who initially tried to go for her older sister (two years older) and got rejected."
"After three years of dating, seven years of engagement, and 20 years of marriage where she put up with an incompetent man-child that wouldn’t do anything for himself and expected her to completely cater to him while he berated her and treated her like s**t..."
"...it ended in him cheating on her with a waitress for over a year and denying it until my mum had literal photographic evidence, to which he had the audacity to respond with the reasoning that she was the reason he was 'driven to cheat' (as if that was even remotely close to the truth and the only option to solve his ‘problems’)."
"Save yourself, girl. This man-child can learn to pine over you and your sister from afar as you both skip into the sunset together, moving on with your lives and into better relationships that fulfill you the way you deserve!" - peachycritter
Some cautioned the OP to also cover her tracks after the breakup, as he sounded worse than "clingy" to them.
"The actual scary part isn't even the sister joke; it's, 'he said he'd never leave me alone if we broke up,' only one month in."
"That line gave me chills, and that alone would have me Googling how to block someone on every platform that exists." - babydoodle91
"Ew. These super clingy guys right out the gate are scary. Please watch your step, and erase your tracks." - Immabirb
"He sounds like a stalker... Drop him now, fast. And block him everywhere." - Admirable_Program720
"NOR, yes, you block him, and you keep him out of your life, and you tell mutual friends that if they try to facilitate contact between you two, you will block them as well. He isn't joking." - JustAsICanBeSoCruel
"I watch way too much crime for this!"
"Girl, block him. Also tell your sister to block him, too; he’s obsessed with her." - MrsRoronoaZoro
"NOR. You're underreacting, honestly."
"He wants your sister, but you're close enough. He's obsessed with her and won't give it up even though he has someone he 'wants to marry.'"
"Also, he's not lying. He probably will stalk you online afterwards; please be careful." - Phoenix-Phire-38
"NOR at all. Your post kept adding on more red flags with each additional sentence. I know you’re young, but he’s toxic, and yes, you will need to block him."
"Breaking up with someone you have strong feelings for is really difficult, so when you leave, you should make sure to lean on friends and family and keep yourself distracted with things you like and find engaging." - query_tech_sec
"The s**t with your sister is nothing compared to the love-bombing and jealousy. This guy is trouble, and scary, and you will have done the right thing when you leave him and maintain the distance between the two of you. NOR." - potatomeeple
After receiving feedback, the OP posted an update, but it seemed to be only the beginning.
"Thank you for making me feel less crazy."
"I blocked him on everything and deactivated my Instagram."
"He DM'ed a girl that I had posted ONCE on my Instagram Stories, asking about me."
"I'm not sure if he's going to keep trying to talk to me, but I hope not."
The subReddit's internal alarm bells were ringing while reading the OP's post, and they hoped that she'd leave her boyfriend in every sense of the word. They already lived long-distance, but she needed to cut him off in every other sense.
Not only was it obvious that he wanted someone else and was with the OP to "make up for it," but his "promises" of not leaving her alone if she ever broke up with him were love-bombing and stalker-like, at best.