Selena Gomez can assure you that the days of Jelena are behind her—but she also understands why some people just can't let go of her relationship with Justin Bieber.
The 23-year-old singer opened up to the U.K.'s Sunday Times (via Yahoo!) saying, "It's difficult for people to separate us. The internet wants to freeze this moment in time and constantly repeat it."
However, despite the constant tabloid rumors that surrounded her and her ex-beau, she doesn't regret anything about their relationship.
"I didn't think I was doing anything bad by falling in love," she explained of her romance with Bieber, which began in 2010 and ended, again, last year. "There's such an emphasis on people being the perfect thing and then destroying them because it's good press. Throw in the fact that you're a teenager—it makes it more difficult."
Another thing people went crazy over was Gomez's decision to take off her purity ring while dating Bieber.
She originally got the ring when she was 13. "I said, 'Dad, I want a promise ring,'" she recalled. "He went to the church and got it blessed. He actually used me as an example for other kids. I'm going to keep my promise to myself, to my family and to God."
But as she got older (and coincidentally started dating the Biebs) she realized it just wasn't for her.
"I'm not embarrassed to say that," the singer explained. "I'm also not embarrassed to say that the ring has come off. I got it was I was 13 and I respect so much what it represented, but it isn't for everyone."
Of course the public had a field day with her change of heart, but she does her best to keep her chin up.
"Sometimes you have to lie to yourself to get through the criticism, and then you're in your closet crying," Gomez revealed. "It's been like that for me a couple of times, but I only want to learn from those things."
One thing she's learned for sure: her next romantic endeavor will be incredibly special and the media won't take that away from her.
"The next relationship will be something dear to me. There is no way I will ever hide my life."
You go, SelGo!