After the journal entries, and after Halloween, the anger portion of my grief set in. The lovely Facebook showed me pictures of Adam in a frat boy costume for Halloween. He was with a girl who was dressed as a pirate wench.
She is now his wife.
Although I had declared my single status on Facebook, I wasn’t an idiot—Adam hadn’t met his wench after-the-fact {their wedding website proves my point even further, but I didn’t know that then}.
So I put my anger on paper and wrote this column for the LSU newspaper:
Relationships with Holly A. Phillips {published Monday, November 7, 2005}
Any guy who tells you he doesn’t play games is a liar—and nothing makes me angrier than a liar.
In the past week, I’ve come across more guys who have one particular game in mind. This would be the “I’m-in-college-and-I-can-treat-girls-however-I-wish” game.
Never heard of it? Consider yourself lucky.
In this game, the rules are simple. You need two players: one man and one woman, both 18 years or older.
The woman must be interested in the man. After she confesses her feelings for him, he leads her on. The macho man then finds pleasure in her phone calls, text messages and pleas to go out again.
In this game, the man always wins—until now.
Did the guys forget that women are masterminds when it comes to games of any sort? So girls, if you find yourself caught in this game, don’t be afraid to play it right back. Trust me, it’s easier than you think.
If a man thinks he’s cool enough to pull this kind of stunt on a lady, he deserves to be slapped. Honestly, find yourself someone new, don’t put up with child’s play.
I’ll admit, sometimes I do lie—about my hair color. I don’t play games when it comes to relationships because they’re a waste of my precious time. If I like someone, I tell them.
In middle school, during sex education our teachers told us women mature much faster than man. I’m just now starting to see how much of a problem that’s causing.
The men—or boys, rather—in my age group aren’t ready for the same type of relationships I want. These boys don’t know what they want, unless it involves beer or sex.
Let me give you some advice: you won’t get any of the latter unless the games cease.
My best friend Sheena told me a guy made out with another girl in front of her just to make her jealous. It didn’t make her like him anymore; in fact it made her mad.
Another game guys play which I just love is the “I was too busy game.” I don’t believe that for one second. Don’t fall for it. No one is too busy to call.
I’m a full-time student in a sorority with three jobs, yet I’ve never been too busy for my friends or my boyfriend. Funny how that works, isn’t it?
I may never understand why it is men feel they have to play games to get what they want out of a relationship. Mach it’s their age or their macho attitudes, but it’s not working.
Don’t waste your time on someone who wants to mess around if you’re ready for something serious. The next time he calls, don’t forget to play the hand he dealt to you.
Tell him you’re just too busy.
The Bitter Lemon 
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