In Fans, Rumy and Ally spent a year before the marriage, and more time after it, slowly building to the point where that relationship was a true threesome. But even in their early history, when they were actually physically threatening each other, there was a grudging mutual respect between them.

Malaya and Robin don’t even have that. They wouldn’t last thirty seconds, even if it turns out Malaya’s bi after all.

Look at it this way: at least you got to be with the person you loved.

“If you’ve had no relationships, look at it this way – you don’t get to carry around annoying relationship issues. What’s there to be bitter about there?”

In other words, hey, congratulations! You’ve gotten to miss out on the stupid self-doubt, the regrets, the self-recriminations, the scars and the terrible feelings that never fully go away, only lessen with time, that only another person can make you feel after you’ve had the chance to open your heart up to them, and they just treat it like it’s nothing. That is what I was angling at.

In case you forgot, you asked: “Why would someone who’s never had a relationship be bitter?” Really? REALLY?