Personal freedom in a relationship is a balancing act.

Have too much of it and it raises questions, but have too little and it feels suffocating.

One woman thought she was simply enjoying a quiet drink alone after work, but her boyfriend saw it as an unwelcome secret.

You’ll want to read on for this one.

AITA for going to get a drink and a snack after work?

I (28F) sometimes like to go get a drink after work, always on days my boyfriend of almost two years (24M) works until 10 p.m.

Tonight after work, I wanted to grab a drink like I sometimes do.

She thought she had plenty of time before her boyfriend would be home.

My boyfriend was scheduled in a position that is on until 10, and I only work until 8, so I figured I’d go grab a drink at the bar of a local restaurant I like, then go home and cook dinner.

Around 8:30, I arrived and got a cocktail and an appetizer.

To clarify, I was there alone, just scrolling through social media and eating my appetizer.

The place was nearly empty.

But then her boyfriend started hitting her up.

Around 9:10, he texted me asking where I was. I told him I was at that restaurant (we’d been there together before), having some chips and tartare, and I was about to go home.

It quickly became clear the two were not on the same page.

He then proceeded to tell me he had been home for an hour because he was able to get out early.

He asked why I didn’t tell him I was going out or why I didn’t go right home after work.

I am pretty sure his intention was to surprise me by being home early.

I told him that I was sorry I didn’t tell him, but I had expected him to not be home until about 10:30, so I planned on going home after, around 9:20, and cooking dinner for both of us.

He took personal offense that she hadn’t shared her whereabouts sooner.

He is upset I didn’t tell him what I was doing, to which I replied that he didn’t tell me he had gotten off work early either — so how was I supposed to know?

He answered that by asking who went home after work, me or him.

She tries to defend her point of view.

I really value my independence, and alone time is important to me.

So yes, sometimes when I know my boyfriend is working late, I’ll go and have a drink by myself before he gets home or do something solo on a day off and not tell him.

She thinks this is just a part of who she is.

I’m not with anyone else, and nothing I do is particularly destructive. I just like to enjoy my alone time doing things I like to do.

I told him this when we first started dating, and he told me he would never control me or tell me what to do, but this seems like a line crossed.

AITA for not telling him what I was doing?

What was supposed to be a simple evening away turned out to be not simple at all.

What did Reddit think?

This commenter thinks the boyfriend’s behavior is a red flag.

The boyfriend should know his girlfriend isn’t a mind reader.

On the other hand, this user thinks her behavior sends the wrong message to her boyfriend.

Alone time is still necessary — even in an intimate relationship.

If trust means knowing your partner’s whereabouts at all times, maybe they’re not on the same page after all.

After all, a little alone time never hurt anyone.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.