You meet a guy who you start to really like. He's not perfect, but who is? He pulls you in tight but then pushes you away for days. He always takes, but rarely gives. You act like it doesn't bother you because you're afraid to pick a fight, it might cause you to lose what little you have of him.

You repeatedly tell yourself that because you care about him, you are willing to look past even his worst flaws. He's only being like this because he's had a bad day, or he's never been loved right. You think that seeing his potential makes you noble, you think that you might finally be the one to save him.

So, you give him second chances. And thirds. And fourths. Your friends start to question his behavior, the way he treats you. But they just don't get it. They don't know him like you do. You're always the first one to defend him, every time without hesitation. These are the things that happen when you become so invested in someone while ignoring the reality.

You blindly fell in love with someone that you created in your head. The person you made him out to be isn't the person he is, just the person you wish he was. Remove your rose-colored glasses and see what's going on right in front of you. Allow yourself to see who he really is.

He isn't going to change. People rarely change. I mean in small bits, sure. When someone wants to change and evolve they have a better shot at it, but you can't make someone change. Only they can do that. It's a hard pill to swallow, to realize that all of the time you spent trying to fix him, trying to make him realize that he needed to change, was just a waste. You were starting to sound like a broken record and your efforts were never appreciated.

But loving someone won't suddenly make them right for you. Or good for you.

You can't meet somebody and only love or accept half of them. He might be lost, he might seem misunderstood. He might not be ready for a relationship right now, maybe he never will be. But those are things that you can not change. You can't make him love you, you shouldn't have to.

It will hurt and it will take time. You meant the best, you gave him everything and then some. Remember that feeling should be reciprocated, you deserve that much.