For those who don’t pay attention to the New Yorker or social media in general, a story was recently published called “Cat Person.” The story explains the struggles of modern-day dating and how girls can become shamed for being honest when their feelings don’t match their partner’s.

“Cat Person” focuses on the relationship between fictional characters Margot and Robert. The relationship starts out simple: they meet once at the movie theater where Margot works, begin flirting and eventually exchange phone numbers, and eventually develop feelings for one another. Robert eventually takes Margot out on a date, where she learns more about his mannerisms, his personality, and his age. After a night she probably will never forget, Margot discovers she doesn’t truly feel attracted to him like she once thought, and things spiral from there.

Robert, a 34-year-old male, is probably what I’d call the perfect male figure for this story. He seems nice enough at first, but throughout the story, it was hard not to feel uneasy about him based on certain characteristics, from his shyness to his slouched posture that gave me the sense he’s insecure. As the story went on, I wanted to root for him. I really wanted him to be the good guy in this story so the author could subtly prove me wrong, but I had a feeling such wishes would not be fulfilled. The way Robert conducted himself throughout the story made me want him to go away almost as much as Margot did. Everything about Robert, from looks to personality, made him seem like a guy who would be insecure enough to insult a girl based on her rejecting him, and the author successfully made that aspect of the story believable.

Through Margot’s perspective, the author gives us readers an insight into what it’s like to be a girl rejecting a guy. Sure, it seems like she’s being indecisive, but Margot may appear to have insecurities of her own that just aren’t apparent. I say this because it’s easy to fall into a web of feelings for someone who gives you the attention you’re craving when you’re feeling like no one would do that for you. Margot has friends that she mentions throughout the story, but it isn’t until the end that we see her interacting with anyone other than Robert. Furthermore, she alludes to former boyfriends and how those relationships didn’t end in the best of ways, which can easily take someone’s self-confidence down a peg. It’s possible that she doesn’t want to reject him because of this, because if she’s been hurt before, she likely doesn’t want to put someone else through that. Even though Margot doesn’t seem openly insecure like Robert, her behavior in the story shows that maybe she does have some self-doubt about her ability to reject a guy. Either way, she made the right move by not leading him on in a relationship where she did not feel for him as strongly as she once thought.

My hope with this story is that everyone reads it and takes something from it. There is a lesson for everyone out there, whether you’re a Margot or a Robert. The lesson for the Margots out there is to trust your gut. If you feel like your feelings for someone aren’t as strong as you once thought, then make it clear. It’s hard and scary, but it’s the best move. For the Roberts out there, never demean a girl for rejecting you. Rejection may hurt, but it doesn’t give you the right to put a girl down or shame her in any way, shape, or form. Be a better person than that.