This piece is about a woman’s right to choose what truly fulfills her. She's free to explore sex, relationships, and connection with men—but Mona L. explains why she’s chosen a different path.

Your scenario above made me imagine my 32-year-old self slipping back into the shoes of a high school nerd girl—a fun little fantasy! I’ve got a crush on the nerd guy, but he doesn’t even notice me...

Lucky for me, I’m not the girl chasing boys for validation. I wouldn’t date him. I wouldn’t even be his friend.

Meanwhile, he’s busy chasing the varsity cheerleaders, completely unaware that I’m right here. But then one day, it hits me—he’s completely out of my league.

Not because I’m beneath him, and not because he’s unworthy, but because my standards are non-negotiable. What I want is something he just can't meet.

And that’s perfectly fine.

He’ll figure out what he wants—whether to keep chasing girls or take a different path.

But the choice is always mine. I said no, and that choice is entirely valid.