My roommate knew exactly how badly my previous relationship ended. He had seen me spend weeks unable to sleep properly after the breakup. Almost eight months later, he casually told me he had matched with my ex on Tinder.
At first, I laughed because I thought he was joking. Then he showed me the match. He said he hadn't messaged her yet and wanted to ask me before doing anything. I appreciated that, but I still felt uncomfortable in a way I couldn't explain.
I told him he was free to make his own decision because she was my ex, not my property. He unmatched her anyway. Sometimes friendship is not about rules; it is about understanding which situations are technically allowed but emotionally complicated.