When a messy relationship ends, sometimes you’re left with a little thirst to settle the score. Here, five women reveal the saltiest way that they got back at their old bae — from crafty Facebook maneuvers to putting a cheater firmly in his place.
1. "During my freshman year of college, I was dating a senior. I dumped him to date another guy and he was very bitter about it ... he made it known via Twitter rants [about me]. My and friends and I bought a composition book and wrote 'Jared's* Diary' on the front. On the first page we wrote, 'Because no one cares to read your shit tweets.' We left the diary on his doorstep that night. He stopped tweeting after that." —Jessica, 21
2. "During my freshman year of college, this guy was dating both me and another girl who lived on the same floor of my dorm. He told each of us that the other was a 'creepy girl' who wouldn't leave him alone. After the other woman and I talked, we finally figured out he was playing us. And we both ditched him. A few months later, his frat had a pie-themed fundraiser. I paid my $5 and stepped up on their stage but asked if I could make a request on who to pie. They said sure, and no one was surprised when my ex got pulled up on stage. I smashed the whipped cream pie in his face and scooped the remaining out and dropped it on his head. He laughed and said, 'OK, OK. I deserved that,' and reached his arms out for a hug. Instead, I said, 'Yes, you did!' and walked away, leaving him hanging. It still is one of my proudest ever girl-power moments." —Kirstin, 24
3. "While finishing up his degree at a university a few hours away, my then-boyfriend cheated on me with multiple women, including his ex and a few of our mutual friends. He even let them wear my clothes I kept there for late night booty-calls. I was in the process of dropping everything and moving in with him, and we were even discussing marriage. Heartbroken, I did the only thing that seemed rational at the time that I knew would cut him deep ... I slept with his brother. We did it right on the couch I had sitting in the garage ready to be moved the following weekend into our new apartment. I never told him, and we never got back together, but I still smile when I think about the pain he caused me and the revenge that helped me get over it." —Hali, 22
4. "My boyfriend and I broke up because of 'distance,' according to him. I found out a few months later that he was dating someone even farther away than I was. I was livid. So, I used a fake texting app to text him pretending to be a guy this other woman was seeing telling him to back off. She ended up texting that number, so then I had her number. I saved that number as a contact and texted myself pretending to bitch myself out. I screenshotted it and sent it to my ex asking him who this psycho was. Looking back, I was obviously the psycho. I'm so embarrassed, but I was also 19 and emotionally unstable. Hands down the worst and craziest thing I ever did. So many regrets." —Lauren, 24
5. "Years ago, my dumb boyfriend cheated on me while he was away on a cruise. I found out about the cheating before he returned — and while he was still out of range of internet. I broke up with him on his Facebook wall and tagged the girl he cheated on me with in the post (who happened to be engaged). It was up for five days and had hundreds of likes and comments, including one from his parents, before he returned and could delete it. Nowadays, I'd never do something so immature and vengeful, but I was in high school at the time and the guy was a total douche." —Wendy, 24
*Names have been changed
These confessions are edited for length and clarity.
