Definition: Given a real-life anecdote of a complex ethical situation, generate a suitable title that describes the main event/root cause of the situation. Imagine that the given text is a social media post, and you have to write the title of the post, so the users can decide to read the main text or not.
Input: Throwaway just because i’d like my privacy. A slightly long story, sorry.

My stepfather, who’s actually been in my life for longer than my biological father, is a great man. He’s well-liked, smart, he’s kind and i can see that he makes my mom incredibly happy. I never used to have problems with him — we’d do regular father-daughter activities as if we were related by blood, and I think of my stepbrother as a real brother. The point is that i love him just as if he was my real father. 

But sometimes he has outbursts i don’t understand. My mother often works late into the night, and when she’s not here, my stepfather tends to get weirdly angry. He’d chastise me for every single thing i do wrong, he’d slam doors, yell at me and my stepbrother. When he’s particularly angry he throws things and call me worthless. I don’t usually take things like that to heart, but it’s different when a man you’ve trusted for most of your life does it. The breaking point was sometime early last year, where some of his actions went out of control and caused me to have a severe panic attack.

I think he was remorseful after that incident, because ever since then he’s rarely gone out of control. He seems calmer, and his outbursts are rare now. He also acts more cautious around me, as if he’s afraid of hurting me. He’s also gone out of his way to, idk, care about me more. He’s started to pick me up from school and bring home food from work he knows i like. Which is a refreshing change, and i appreciate that he’s being so nice, but i have to admit that ever since that incident i never acted the same way around him. I was cold and distant, despite his efforts to reach out to me. I’d ignore his calls and texts, rarely make an effort to speak to him, and when we did interact i always was short with him and a lot ruder than i had to be. I was openly warm and caring to my mother and stepbrother, while i barely spared him a glance. I guess I didn’t realize i was doing this until just recently my mother pulled me aside, and asked why i was being so cold to him. I promised her i would be nicer, but even after i’m aware of my actions, i just act like i used to around him. I know it’s hurting him that i won’t look him in the eye, but it’s almost impossible for me to bring myself to do it.

AITA for not being willing to reconcile with my stepfather, despite his efforts to mend our relationship?





not trusting my stepfather