I'm an 18-year-old female, and I'm experiencing problems with my boyfriend, who is also 18. Lately, I've been feeling unwanted by him.

About a month ago, I connected with a friend (let's call him "F") while playing an online game. We often played together with my boyfriend and another friend, but we didn’t interact at all for about a month. During that time, I found myself having serious discussions and sometimes arguments with my boyfriend. I felt increasingly unwanted and sensed that we were drifting apart. About a week ago, F logged into the game, and we spent some time together, watching a show and chatting while my boyfriend was at work. The next day, I asked F if he wanted to hang out again, and we ended up discussing our sex lives. It felt normal to talk about such topics with friends, but the conversation took a more flirty turn, and I eventually told him that I couldn’t continue because I was in a relationship. However, the attention I received from F made me realize how much I missed feeling wanted. With the ongoing issues in my relationship, I started considering a breakup, feeling justified in my decision. That night, I slept on the couch to think things over, while still communicating with F, despite knowing it was wrong. The following night, I confided in a friend about my situation. She pointed out that I seemed unhappy in my relationship and encouraged me to break up with my boyfriend, a thought I had been dreading. The next morning, I did just that, telling him I needed space to reflect on our relationship. I reassured him that it wasn’t his fault; I just needed to evaluate my long-term needs. Since then, I’ve talked to F more and appreciate how he makes me feel. I don’t foresee a long-term future with him, but our conversations have made me realize that I need more than what I currently have. Being bisexual, I’ve always wanted to explore that side of myself but have only dated men. If I’m in a relationship, I can’t pursue that, which has been a source of conflict in the past. I do miss my boyfriend tremendously and care about him deeply, and the thought of hurting him is difficult for me. If we don’t reconcile, it’ll be painful for both of us, but I find it hard to take that step. We've been living together, and now I’m essentially homeless, staying at friends’ places until I figure things out. I really don’t want to leave him alone and face this situation. I’m seeking outside perspective on whether I should try to salvage my relationship or if it’s best to move on to find what I truly need. I know my actions have been hurtful, and I want to avoid making things worse if I can. **TL;DR** My boyfriend and I have been having issues for months. I connected with an online friend who gave me the attention I’ve been lacking, which made me realize how much I miss it. I broke up with my boyfriend to take some time to think and now need advice on what to do next.