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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my "friend" needs to back off

95 replies

Backoff85 · 16/10/2017 05:36

NC because very outing. Feel a mixture of anger and guilt.

The back story is a year and a half ago I became close friends with a guy, N. He happened to be in an open relationship and I was reluctantly brought onside. Our "strand" of the relationship only lasted 2 months because I began to get very frustrated with what I saw as hypocrisy and unfairness. It doesnt matter though, because after just 2 months of this I moved to the end of the country and things ended between us.

Fast forward to last week: for the first time in a year I'm back in town and have loads of people to see. I've been with my DP, who I very much love, for a year and things are going great. Me and N have been in casual infrequent contact for the year, friendly contact but not very deep.

N announces that he has taken all the days off I'll be here off from work. I find that really intrusive and disrespectful actually, as if I didnt have anyone else to see.

On the first day I got here, I spent all afternoon and evening hanging out but had to cut the evening short at 11pm because I felt awful and was coming down with something - he did thia reallt sad puppy dog face that made me feel so bad.

The next day, a friend was coming to join me in town overnight so we could catch up. We included him on our night out but even then he spent tue whole day pressuring me to meet earlier. I met her off the train at 3pm and at 5.30pm he was like "shall we meet for dinner now at the indian?" I didnt see his message til 7 and replied to apologise and he said "no worries, shall we meet there in half an hour?"

It's like...arrrrgh its fucking Saturday evening and im here for 4 days, let me fucking breathe!

So Saturday the 3 of us went out and finished at 5am - he was gutted when I sent him home but didnt say anything :-/ On sunday morning i felt like an absolute wreck and it wasnt a hangover...my illness had intensified since I'd stupidly tried to push through it since i was visiting. So yesterday i woke up with it having developed into a fever and like a chest infection. I felt absolutely awful. Nevertheless, he expressed sympathy but asked if i wanted to meet up. Obviously i said no.

Today is my last full day and i wanted to spend it having a long lunch with my closest friend here, then walking around by myself just letting my mind reminisce, going to a few independent shops here and very possibly if i feel.well enough get a bus for early tea with another friend before going home early.

But last night he's texted two plans for tomorrow (both of which involve the great outdoors - sorry but i dont know exactly how many times i have to be fucking clear about the fact i am ill).

Im torn. On the one hand this is someone i used to be close to and i used to hold hom dear and feel i should make an effort to "honour" that friendship.

On the other hand theres the sickness thing, but more than that, i feel very angry, insulted and almost diarespected that he seema to be pushing his agenda on me. His girlfriend (the one who wanted them to be in an open relationship) has had countless lovers the past year and he hasnt, so....
What pisses me off is he knows because ive been very clear that i am in love with my DP and we dont do open relationships.

I honestly have no idea if N is hassling me out of his friendship feelings or romantic feelings, i genuinely couldnt say - possibly a blurring of both.

But im angry ive felt hounded during this stay, and that my last day may inevitably be spent bowing to the wishes of a persistent man IYSWIM.

Any thoughts? :-^

OP posts:
sonjadog · 16/10/2017 12:12

Well, done!

Now don't back down!

AdamBarlowsQuiff · 16/10/2017 12:15

Good for you - and please don't feel bad about it! If he genuinely wants a friendship and not just to get his leg over then he'll respect this and not be as demanding next time you're home.

Jaxhog · 16/10/2017 12:45

Excellent text. Have a lovely day.

diddl · 16/10/2017 13:19

If you like him & enjoy his company then that's great, but tbh it just sounds as if you find him a nuisance.

Was it really great to see him & you'll be glad to see him again?

Backoff85 · 16/10/2017 13:42

He replied with a crying smiley

OP posts:
StormTreader · 16/10/2017 13:57

Of course he did, hes trying to guilt you into a relationship.

sonjadog · 16/10/2017 14:02

Crying smiley was inevitable. You'll probably get a couple more manipulative messages throughout the evening. He won't get the message instantly. Best not to engage.

AdamBarlowsQuiff · 16/10/2017 14:07

Yeah, I'd just ignore tbh. Your other mates wouldn't try and guilt trip you if you didn't spend every moment with them. He might realise at some point he has been OTT. He might not..

Intercom · 16/10/2017 14:08

Well done for saying no. I can't think why you'd be wanting to hang out with him in the future though! The creepiness is likely to only get worse. He clearly doesn't get it or he would have apologised and said he totally understands, not sent a crying smiley to pile on the guilt again. I'd seriously suggest you block him and don't meet up again. He isn't even a real friend. What is it that keeps you going back for more of the same negative "friendship"? You do not need more of the same. Block, delete, move on. He will be fine and probably move on to the next unlucky person he thinks he can control.

GlitteryFluff · 16/10/2017 14:09

Well done.
Ignore messages from him now, til you're home at least.

diddl · 16/10/2017 14:17

"He replied with a crying smiley"

Good grief-block him.

and never contact or see him again

WhatchaMaCalllit · 16/10/2017 14:19

Reply with the middle finger emoji.

MehMehAndMeh · 16/10/2017 14:23

He manipulated you into a relationship you weren't comfortable being in and he's pushing your boundaries again. He wants to pick up where you left off. "You were ok with things being open last time so what's the difference now? Yes you have a DP but I know you and if he can't accept this side of you is he really right for you?" Are probably words that have hovered on his lips.
See your other friends, leave him out of your life. He has no place in it now and I suspect had no place in it before and wheedled his way in. You cannot be his friend, he wants everything on his terms. The only reason you haven't had the above conversation yet is because he doesn't think it's the right time for it, not out of any respect for you or your current relationship but make no mistake the second he fancies it he will be pestering you.

amicissimma · 16/10/2017 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Runningoverthefields · 16/10/2017 14:58

I have had to really work on my lack of assertiveness so I identify a lot with how you've got into this situation.

For me it was a blinding flash of light when I realised that my lack of assertiveness was not 'niceness' but actually a form of self-centredness. Expecting that others would put my needs on their agenda, and assuming that they would intuitively know what those needs were was unfair on other people. It created a situation where the only way they could respond to me was manipulative and indirect because I wasn't direct with them in the first place.

I think you've done very well to tell him clearly that you won't have time to see him again on this visit. Next time you go to this town you should be very clear about how much time you have available for him and how important it is that you have uninterrupted one-to-one time with your other friends. And if he responds with crying emojis just bear in mind that it will take a while for him to learn to be direct with you if you've been indirect with him for your whole friendship so far. Relationships are like supertankers - they can't turn on a dime.

Good luck. I'm still working on it myself.

Jux · 16/10/2017 15:43

Just remember that you don't have to apologise or explain yourself. A quick No, got plans that day, is more than enough. Compare his pushing with your other friends' attitudes in similar situations, every time., and think about how much detail he really needs to know (very little). IMO, there was no need at all for your explanation about your dp, for instance. "I'm here for 4 days, and have lots of people to see. Catch up again next time."

He really is no one special any more.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/10/2017 15:46

Stop being nice and accomodating him, just say no sorry I have plans for tomorrow, see you another time. I would seriously distance the friendship, he sounds very hard work and controlling.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/10/2017 15:48

Ignore the crying smiley and totally distance yourself from him. Enjoy your day and forget about him. He sounds like a controlling partner, but he's not your partner.

Willow2017 · 16/10/2017 16:39

He is only after one thing. And you know perfectly well what that is. He didnt clear his whole scedule just to have coffee and a chat!

You need to see people for what they are, what they are showing you. He is manipulating you because he thinks he can take up where he left off while you are there. He really doesnt care for you just what you have to offer.

You need to start standing up for yourself. How did you get dragged into an open relationship? Nobody dragged you to sleep with him, you went along with it despite knowing it wasnt what you wanted. Now he thinks that you saying no means he just needs to work harder on you till you come round again.

YOU do what YOU want to do with WHO you want to do it with, you are not obliged to meet up with someone just because they have decided that you should. He has basically muscled in on your whole trip when you really wanted to see lots of people alone, but to be fair you let him, you didnt tell him to sod off he wasnt invited.

Ignore any more txts or calls. Do not keep in touch after this, he will see it as encouragement for the next time you visit.

DO NOT tell him where you are going to meet friend or where you are going to be walking/shopping. He will find you bet your life on it.

Motoko · 16/10/2017 17:55

Time to cut him loose OP. He's not your friend, and you have no obligation to him, just because you had a relationship with him for only two months. I'm surprised you kept in touch.

Stop the contact now, and learn to be assertive.

Oh, and allowing others to set the pace? Do you know how frustrating it is to try and make arrangements with someone who says "I don't mind, I'm happy to go along with whatever"? You're putting all the decision making on other people's shoulders and that's not fair on them.

TheMaddHugger · 16/10/2017 18:04

He's no friend. I was thinking stalker but this coment made me think again
HerOtherHalf Mon 16-Oct-17 10:29:23
My instinct s that he sees you as a potential booty call. He managed to persuade you to be his bit on the side before (regardless of the open relationship, that's what you were) and that makes you sexually liberal in his eyes. He's already prized the lid off the honey pot before so it should pop off easily a second time, is the logic. Just be blunt and tell him to fuck off. You owe him nothing and socialising with an ex like him is just going to risk jeopardising your current relationship, even if you have no intention of anything happening.

((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))) OP

RunRabbitRunRabbit · 16/10/2017 18:10

This thing that running said is so very true

For me it was a blinding flash of light when I realised that my lack of assertiveness was not 'niceness' but actually a form of self-centredness. Expecting that others would put my needs on their agenda, and assuming that they would intuitively know what those needs were was unfair on other people. It created a situation where the only way they could respond to me was manipulative and indirect because I wasn't direct with them in the first place.

I have friends I can't ask an honest favour of because they will always say yes even if they want to say no. If they do say no then it comes with a massive essay/speech of an explanation of why they can't and a lecture/interrogation about what I could do instead of having their help.

I hate ever asking because I have to be so cautious and manipulative so they can say no or I can spot that they want to say no and back away from then trying to take ownership of my problem instead of letting me move on to plan B. FFS why can they just say "I can't, sorry, hope you work something out." It would be so much easier for us both.

Your ex could have spent those 4 days doing something far more productive than chasing a shag that was never going to happen. How have you been "nice"?

Schmoopy · 16/10/2017 18:36

You don't need to be assertive or rude, just state the facts

I'm sorry, but I had to pick up on this.

Rude and assertive don't even belong in the same conversation.

There is NOTHING wrong with being assertive. Being assertive is just part of being a person. It is NOT rude to set your own boundaries and maintain them.

RunRabbitRunRabbit · 16/10/2017 22:44

You didn't reply to the crying smiley did you?

sonjadog · 17/10/2017 19:25

What happened? Did you manage to avoid him?