She had been seeing him for eight months. They spent most weekends together, texted every day, and had met each other's friends. They went on trips, celebrated birthdays, and shared the kind of intimacy that usually comes with a committed relationship. He was affectionate, attentive, and present. He remembered the details of her life, supported her through difficult times, and made her feel loved. There was only one problem. They were not in a relationship. At least, not officially.

When she asked him where things were going, he said he was not ready for labels. He said he cared about her deeply, that she was important to him, that he did not want to lose her. But he was not ready to call her his girlfriend. He was not ready to commit. He was not ready to define what they had. They were in a situationship, a grey area between friendship and partnership, between casual and committed. They were together, but they were not together. They were in a relationship, but they were not in a relationship. The ambiguity was maddening.