It's not uncommon for someone to play a practical joke on their loved one to tease them, but it's important to remember that not everyone is a fan of pranks, and some things that might seem like jokes to you can be someone else's definition of going too far.
That's exactly what happened to one woman, who was left heartbroken when her boyfriend sent her a text message on her birthday telling her that they "need to talk". When she pushed him to tell her why, he said he "didn't think things were working" between them, and told her they'd talk more about it after work.
The woman took the message as a break-up text and refused to go and see her boyfriend that evening - before he eventually got back in touch to tell her it was "just a prank".
In a post on Reddit, she said: "I'd been friends with Dan for like two years and we were together for three years. In a lot of ways we really clicked, but one point of conflict was that he always took jokes too far. Two weeks ago was my birthday, and I got a text at work asking me to come over to his after work because we 'needed to talk'.
"I replied to say 'talk about what?' and he said that he just didn't think things were working between us. I had a cry with my work bestie in the bathroom, knowing that was pretty much a breakup text, and feeling hurt he'd drop it on me by text on my birthday at work.
"I was angry enough that I let my friend take my phone, so I wouldn't say anything I regretted, and she ended up just sending back 'k' and then blocking him.
"My boss came into the bathroom and found me crying, I said I'd just been dumped by text and it was my birthday too, and she gave me the rest of the day off work and told me to file it as sick leave, which was super kind of her. I got in my car and went to his house, knowing he'd still be at work, and I grabbed all my s**t. I left my copy of the keys on his table when I left.
"I met my friends for drinks, and had a long talk where I vented about how sudden it was, how it felt out of nowhere because we had plans to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together with his family, how we were starting to talk about getting engaged, and how I wanted to unblock him and actually talk.
"When I actually did call my ex the next day, he was getting upset with me about how I didn't come by to talk, [and said], get this ... it was a f***ing prank. He was also upset I was ignoring his calls and texts and that I wasn't home when he came to my apartment that night."
The woman's partner claimed he was expecting her to come over to talk so that he could surprise her with a fancy dinner date to celebrate her birthday, but she said she didn't believe him, and thought he was lying to cover his tracks after discovering he didn't actually want to break up with her.
She added: "He thought it would be funny to send me a 'we need to talk' text and when I show up, take me on a fancy dinner on a boat, and out to an exclusive rooftop bar, and basically surprise me with a really good night.
"I didn't buy it at first, and I was like 'You can't just change your mind about breaking up and make some s**t up.' He said it was seriously just a joke, and that he hadn't meant it to come off as a break-up text. I said that I just wasn't interested in being with someone who'd dumped me over text, whether it was 'jUsT a pRaNk BrO' or not. And I re-blocked him.
"I've since told all our friends that he dumped me over text on my birthday and then tried to get me back by saying it was a birthday prank, which is making him angry because he says he never dumped me at all but everyone thinks he did. He's angry, that I'd throw it all away like that, and that I'd 'lie' to our mutual friends."
Commenters on the post were largely on the woman's side, as many of them said the prank idea her ex-boyfriend had wasn't funny, and that he should expect to "deal with the consequences" of his actions.
One person said: "That is not a funny 'prank'. He needs to learn 'Do stupid things, deal with the consequences'. Take care of yourself."
While another added: "What the hell? No. He needs to grow up and you deserve better. That is so childish, and on your birthday? What the hell is wrong with him? So not only did he play a joke, but he ruined your birthday."
And a third wrote: "You totally dodged a bullet there if you ask me. How colossally stupid of him. He took the joke too far and then got his a** dumped. I'd start being honest about the break-up with people. Tell them he broke up with you through text as a joke and you ended it for good because you were over his childish games."
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