ARE YOU HIS CUSHION?

The telling signs that you’re his fallback girl and nothing more.

It’s a new term for guys who already have a main squeeze (although things haven’t hit the boyfriend-girlfriend zone), but are keeping their options open with other women. It can range from just irting on dating apps to going out on actual dates. But isn’t that cheating on their main girl? Not according to the men we spoke to. Because the relationship status isn’t official, it’s still a grey area. “Even in long-term relationships, you can’t always be certain that it won’t fall through. So what more with a edgling relationship?” asks Arthur*, 30. Why cushion? Why not seal the deal? “Well, sometimes it’s not up to us,” says Michael*, 28. He explains that if a woman says she’d rather take the time to get to know him better, this signals that there’s a chance of failure. Joshua*, 30, likens cushioning to “diversifying your portfolio: it’s not smart to put all your money into just one great investment”. Are guys who cushion even serious about getting into a relationship? Not really, says Arthur. There might be one girl you’re more into, “but as a single guy who doesn’t want to be tied down, I would continue dating others for variety”, he adds. If you’re doubtful, ask your man to come clean about how many women he’s sending irty one-liners to.