Why Having An Affair Never Works Out, By Zodiac Sign
A side dude is a side for a reason.
Unsplash I’m not going to sugarcoat it: There are some benefits to being a side piece, but there are also some serious downsides.
For one, you get all the advantages of a relationship – intimacy, quality time, not having to meet the parents – but you’re also a secret.
You don’t get to have quality time with the family, get to go on vacation or out on regular dates, and you’re always going to be playing second fiddle to the main squeeze.
Being the side piece is one thing, but having a side piece is totally different.
Now, instead of being the one who is being hidden away, you have to do the hiding.
You can’t let your main relationship find out about your side relationship, especially if you want to keep both guys happy.
Is it even possible to keep up appearances and make both relationships work?
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It’s possible, but it’s also likely to wear you thin, which doesn’t sound very fun. That said, if you’re diligent (and I’m not condoning cheating on your S.O. here), you can make it work.
The one thing – besides being caught in affair, of course – that makes this whole plan go awry, though, is falling in love with your side dude.
You might think it won’t happen to you, but it has happened to people before, and it most definitely will happen to people again.
One thing you might want to consider when you feel like your feelings for your side guy are starting to get more intense is this:
Are you actually falling in love with him or is it just a case of serious lust? You may have deep feelings for him, but lust feels just like love in its first few days, especially when it’s fierce and new.
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If you DO feel like you might be falling in love with him, just remember that you hold all the power.
Do you really want to put your relationship in even more danger now that you're falling for someone else?
Is it possible that you’d be much happier ending your current relationship for one with your side guy?
It would certainly eliminate most of your stressors, but it also means ending something you might not be ready to end, yet.
These are all things you will have to confront, whether you want to or not when you feel like you’re falling for your side dude.
But falling for someone else while you’re in a relationship usually comes with a lot more problems than you think.
In fact, it’s best to not let your feelings get that deep in the first place, especially if you intend to keep your side guy (or any side guy) around.
Here is why you should never fall in love with your side dude, according to astrology.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
You’re a super honest zodiac sign, Aries. You prefer to tell someone up front that you have feelings for them, but the rules are definitely different when you fall in love with your side dude.
It’s best to cut the cord and call things off with your side guy because you’re always going to feel like you’re beating around the bush instead of being straightforward with him.
Unless you own up and tell your main guy what’s going on, there’s always going to be a black cloud of dishonesty hanging above you, which is something that will eat you up eventually.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
You shouldn’t fall in love with your side dude, Taurus, because you will always feel like you're missing out on some relationship milestone or another. Sure, you might be hitting the same milestones with your main guy, but it’s not the same.
You won’t be able to meet the family, move in together, meet his friends, or anything like that because it’s all supposed to be a secret. You might think you can handle it now, but when things start to get more serious, you’ll realize that it’s not that easy.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
As someone who is deeply connected to technology and finding ways to connect with others when you can’t be with each other in person, Gemini, falling in love with your side dude is just going to end up being a recipe for disaster.
Not only will you never be able to take selfies together and splash them all over Instagram and Snapchat, but you’ll also have to go to great lengths to hide your communications with each other – like naming him “Pizza Place” in your phone. Is that really the secret life you want to lead, Gemini?
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Family is deeply important to you, Cancer. You highly value the time you get to spend with your own family, and you feel the same about your S.O.’s family. For you, spending time with someone’s family is a way to get to know them better.
Just know that, if you fall in love with your side guy, you won’t be able to do this.
Sure, you might be able to get away with seeing them every once in a while, but they will be able to catch on pretty quick once they realize that you’re practically nonexistent outside of the few times you’ve been with them.
A relationship that can’t include family time just isn’t a relationship to you.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Falling in love with your side dude should be a big, fat no-no for you, Leo. As someone who likes being in a relationship with a lot of passion and intensity, I can assure you that you will be spreading yourself pretty thin when you try to share the love with your main guy and your side guy.
It might sound nice to have two guys who love you at your beck and call, but when it comes to keeping both guys happy at once, someone is bound to suffer – and it’s most likely going to be you. It’s a lot easier to invest in one guy than two, Leo.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
What goes around, comes around, Virgo. And if the idea of being totally conflicted the entire time you’re trying to keep up two relationships isn’t enough to scare you, having to deal with the lasting karma might.
As someone who prefers to be single than with the wrong person, choosing to be with two wrong people just doesn't sound like you. How do I know they’re wrong for you? Because you’re clearly unhappy to be sharing your affections with two guys who probably aren’t as committed to you as you are trying to be to them… Sh*t just got real.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
I mean this in the nicest way possible, Libra, but you are the zodiac sign with the most chance of success if you’re having a relationship with your main guy and a side guy. Commitment isn’t easy for you, but falling for someone who makes romance flow every day is.
That said, you still shouldn’t fall in love with your side dude because you’re totally missing the big picture. Not allowing yourself the chance to have a healthy, happy relationship is self-sabotage. You’re discounting yourself by staying in a clearly unhappy relationship and brushing the real problems under the rug just for a side fling. Give yourself a little more credit, Libra.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Really the only reason I can see you falling for your side guy, Scorpio, is because he’s better in bed than your main guy. You’re not the kind of person to bare your heart and soul to just anyone, and chances are, you’re not doing that now with your side dude.
Maybe you’re not totally happy in your relationship, but that person has still seen your most vulnerable side. The only reason you’re not ending it altogether is because you still feel like there’s a deep connection between you two. But falling in love with your side dude is still a bad idea because he’s using you. Maybe you don’t see it yet, but you will, and it will hurt.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius, one of the best qualities about you is that you are endlessly devoted to whoever you happen to be dating at the time. Even if your relationship doesn't last very long, you still put your all into it.
That said, you shouldn’t fall in love with your side dude because you really have no intention of leaving your main relationship. You may leave it eventually, but if you wanted to leave your main dude now for your side guy, you would have already. You’re just playing with his feelings at this point, Sagittarius.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
You’re not afraid to admit it, Capricorn: You’re a sucker for an S.O. with status. You love being with someone accomplished because it makes you feel more accomplished and successful in comparison. It’s like surrounding yourself with the best of the best in life; it elevates you just by being around people like that.
So, while having a side dude might feel thrilling and nice in the moment, all it’s really doing is devaluing you. You should think twice before falling in love with your side guy because you’re just selling yourself short. Go for the long haul with someone you truly love instead of feeling like you need a side guy to pick up the slack in a not-so-great relationship.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
You like being surrounded by people who invigorate you, Aquarius. There’s something so stimulating to have people you can connect with on a multitude of levels – one of which being physically. You can fall in love with one person and still be in love with someone else – simply because those two loves feel different but equally important.
While you might be having fun with your side dude, think of it from his POV. You’re not one to get jealous, but by ditching him whenever you want to spend time with your main guy is making him jealous. Is it really fair to play with someone’s feelings so recklessly like that? You tell me.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
One thing people tend to forget about side relationships is that they aren’t meant to take over your main relationship – they’re just there for a little extra fun. Of course, when you find yourself falling for your side dude, all rules go out the window.
The reason it’s best for you not to fall in love with your side guy, Pisces, is because you’re going to start becoming much more dependent on him. In addition to being dependent on your main guy, you’re going to start expecting more and more from your side guy, too. And if you’re not on the same page, this is going to spell disaster in a lot of different ways for you.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.