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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give up on my only friend?

56 replies

ObObO · 20/07/2018 13:16

She has always been time-demanding, she’ll text throughout the day and will get upset if she’s not included in things. Then when she’s in a relationship, she goes quiet. She went through a messy breakup which involved us texting every day and speaking on the phone for hours each night. I’d then go to see her at weekends or she’d visit me and I involved her in everything, she even came along on mine and DH’s anniversary break (although she wasn’t technically invited). She’s not had any other friends since I’ve known her but has recently started a new relationship and has quickly become friendly with her other half’s friends.

Before this relationship started, she wanted to go on a ‘girl’s holiday’. So we discussed the dates we couldn’t do, mine was just one week that I absolutely couldn’t get off work, and then agreed a date and both booked the time off work. We discussed places to go and settled on somewhere she wanted. It then turned out that the date we’d chosen clashed with an important work trip DH had to attend so I spoke with her to try and move it but she stressed how difficult it was for her to change dates so we stuck with it and DH had to tell his employer he couldn’t attend (we have no one to help with DC for that long a period).

Then she meets her new man and all goes quiet. I keep checking the holiday prices and letting her know it’s going up slightly every week. When she finally gets back to me she says she no longer wants to go to this place because her new man has been and says it’s awful and it’s now too expensive. Ok I say and begin looking for a new destination.

Whilst I’m doing that, she asks if he and his friends can come along. I say I’m not that keen on the idea as I don’t know them so she says that she’ll have to do two holidays and can’t afford that so might have to cancel ours unless they can come along. So I agree.

I then find a new destination in budget, find the flights, hotel and even excursions for us to do. She says it looks ‘ok’ but isn’t sold on it so I carry on looking. I stress that we’re getting close to our going away date and should book something so we agree to sit down on the Friday and book it together.

Friday arrives and she’s a no show. I then get a text on Saturday saying that her and the others have booked the holiday I found but for the one week in the year I’d said I couldn’t go. I replied in disbelief asking why she would exclude me and she then got annoyed with me for putting her in a difficult position. She ignored me for a few weeks, during which time the holiday happened and she updated every single detail on social media with #bestfriends etc.

After ignoring me for a while she text asking me for advice for her new man regarding a medical problem (I’m a nurse). I was reluctant to help so suggested he see his GP. She then didn’t stop and turned back to being friendly again asking how I am etc so I gave a lengthy reply to try and help plus asked some general questions about her and how she is and she never bothered to reply.

She then did it again. Text me for more advice for him, ignoring my last text.

I’m still so annoyed about the holiday and that I’ve stuck by her for so long and helped her so much and it seems like she doesn’t value my friendship at all. It all feels so dramatic and petty, on the one hand I want nothing more to do with her but at the same time it seems silly to throw away a friendship.

What do you think?

OP posts:
MirriVan · 20/07/2018 14:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ConciseandNice · 20/07/2018 14:20

I think you need to text her a link to this thread. She’s bloody awful. Get rid and meet some decent human beings. Good luck.

Strugglingtodomybest · 20/07/2018 14:22

No way would I continue to be friends with her after the holiday stunt. She's a user OP, move on.

witchofzog · 20/07/2018 14:30

She will need you before you need her. She sounds like a self absorbed arsehole and you deserve better op. Are you going to distance yourself or tell her why you are no longer entertaining the friendship?

MagicMoneyTree · 20/07/2018 14:50

You sound really nice. Too nice. Honestly I would block her number, delete her off social media and not speak to her again. No explanation needed- she knows she’s been a dick, she’s just used to you accepting it. Well not this time. Get rid once and for all. I can guarantee you’ll be better off without her. Fwiw I think if you try to fanny around with explanations, she’ll just try to twist things until you’re the bad guy and it’s you who’s being unreasonable. You’ve invested way too much time and energy into this “friendship” as it is. Time to find some real friends. I’m sure there are loads of people out there who would love to get to know you. Flowers

guccihandbag · 20/07/2018 15:17

I wouldn't bother with her again. I'd have the last day by telling her how she has made me feel throughout the 'friendship' and then not bother with her again. You deserve better than this.

guccihandbag · 20/07/2018 15:17

Last say*

NonaGrey · 20/07/2018 15:23

Do you realise how many times you’ve put this horrible person before your DH OP?

She came along on your anniversary trip?
You speak to her on the phone for hours every night when she has a break up?
Your DH has to change work plans to accommodate her tantrum?

End this abusive relationship asap and then apologise to your long suffering DH.

ObObO · 20/07/2018 15:25

Thank you all for being so kind and helping me see this for what it is. That’s an overwhelming consensus on her using me, which I guess I already knew deep down. It’s strange how used to someone’s behaviour you can become, to the point where it seems normal. But you’re all right, it’s not petty at all. That’s just how she’s made it to seem so she can excuse her behaviour.

It’s definitely not worth having it out with her or texting her an ‘I’m ending this friendship’ kind of thing, she’ll blow it up into something huge and I’m sure it’d cause weeks of stress.

I think I’ll ignore her when she does text and if she hounds, which she will if things get difficult within her relationship, I’ll send a simple ‘busy, sorry’ until she gets the hint. Of course in her eyes all of this is my fault and she’s done no wrong so hopefully me being distant will annoy her more and she’ll leave me be.

I’ll try Mush, thank you Lemony. I’ll get the Louise Hay book too, thank you Hector and thank you for the kind offer to send a copy.

I definitely wouldn’t treat someone how she treats me. I’ll even tell DD when I think her friends are taking advantage of her kindness but then I’m obviously not doing as I say and probably setting a bad example. I’ll make it my mission to have surrounded myself with good people by the end of the summer!

Thank you all. I hope people in RL will be as friendly as you all are, it’ll be a breeze making new friends if so Smile

OP posts:
gorgeoushazydaysofsummer · 20/07/2018 15:25

What Nona says! I can't believe you have pandered to her so much.
She is a user.

ObObO · 20/07/2018 15:27

You’re right, Nona. He used to get sucked into her dramas but for a long time has just rolled his eyes at it all and steered clear so I think he’ll be very glad to hear I’m distancing myself from her.

OP posts:
KC225 · 20/07/2018 15:30

I cannot believe she booked the holiday you found for her and her friends and didn't include you then she ignored you. Then asks for advice about her new man and you write a helpful lengthy reply. YOU ARE YOO NICE. There is a reason you are her only friend and she can't hold down a relationship, everyone wises up to what a user she is - dump her and while you're at tell her to get a travel agent as well.

sonjadog · 20/07/2018 15:36

I would have ended the friendship after the holiday thing. That was unacceptable. She is just using you and you have been letting her. There are nice people out there who you can have balanced friendships with. I know how easy it is to get sucked into these friendships with users, I've been there myself. But really, they are not real friendships and real friends. When you find real friends, you will understand how poor these relationships are and how little you want these people around you.

manicinsomniac · 20/07/2018 15:50

Totally agree with everyone else that she sounds like an awful friend.

But, tbh, I'd rather have an awful friend that no friend at all. For whatever reason, you obviously don't find making friends easy if you only have one. So I would think carefully before ending this one and leaving yourself with nothing.

If you feel better about the idea of not having this woman around than having her then go for it; she sounds horrible.

Spaghettijumper · 20/07/2018 15:51

I think you should work out why you've allowed yourself to be treated so badly for so long. This person wasn't in any way a friend to you - you were just a resource for her that she pumped for whatever she needed, whenever she needed it.

I think if you work on your self esteem you'll find you attract lovely friends no problem. You are clearly very kind and considerate, but your lack of belief in your own worth is holding you back.

Spaghettijumper · 20/07/2018 15:55

I absolutely disagree with @manicinsomniac that a terrible friend is better than none - that is not true at all in my experience. When I met one of my (now) closest friends, she had terrible friends and it really stood in the way of her meeting new people because it affected how she related to others. It was only when I told her that I felt her (then) closest friend was bleeding her dry that she started to come out from under their influence and started making better friends (one of them being me!). Life's too short for bad friends. There are so many great people out there if you only have the chance to get to know them.

billybagpuss · 20/07/2018 15:55

Definitely right to distance yourself.

Have fun at the gym try and get regular classes so you meet the same people each week, I rarely see the same person there twice there is such a big turnover of people and a gym membership is a commitment so people tend to come with existing friends. It might also be worth looking into a community sports club/running club or something similar and more local when again it will be the same people regularly.

BlankTimes · 20/07/2018 16:04

You had been so tolerant and accommodating to her, but when it got to this point,

It then turned out that the date we’d chosen clashed with an important work trip DH had to attend so I spoke with her to try and move it but she stressed how difficult it was for her to change dates so we stuck with it and DH had to tell his employer he couldn’t attend (we have no one to help with DC for that long a period)

you really needed to tell her to go and do one.

Friends can mess us around a bit, you've tolerated much more than I would have, but when that friend's messing around affects a serious part of a partner's job, (or any other outside the friendship 'must do's) then it's a huge red flag for you to say NO.

Great to hear you're going to different places and meeting different people, hopefully you'll make some good friends.
You've just been through a big life-lesson, being kind and helpful to the wrong sort of people doesn't do you any good.Instead of being treated the same way, you are used and ignored when you're no longer useful.
We all learn that one at some point and it hurts.Flowers

Ravenesque · 20/07/2018 16:06

I'd rather have no friends at all - well other than online ones that can be found in lovely places like this - than a terrible one with a twat who thought shitting all over me was just fine and dandy. Equally, I'd rather be single than in a relationship with a man who treated me like this awful woman is treating this lovely sounding OP.

We all deserve - well most of us do, obviously not Bitchy McBitchface who's using OP - so much better in life than "anyone will do as long as I'm not alone". OP has her husband and her daughter, her colleagues and is clearly a caring and decent person who will find actual friends and have a far better life than she has with this "friend".

OP, I'd block her, but I know that's not always how people want to go with something like this. The reason I'd bloke her is not to be spiteful, but because then the stress would be gone. I wouldn't be wondering when she'd next text/call, I could get on with my life knowing she was gone and my life was my own again. That said, we all have to do what is right for us. I'm just glad that you're going to get her out of your life, because you are worth more than her.

BlueEyedBengal · 20/07/2018 16:13

She's a user not a friend, block her ignore texts and emails and put her in you past. Who the hell books a holiday that you found and makes sure that you are not included by booking the date she knows you can't goHmm. If that is not a message to you that she has no thought to you then I don't know what is. You have wasted too much of your time on this c f and need to go total n c. It comes a time when some people are too nice and horrible people take advantage of your niceness.

NoisyFridge · 20/07/2018 16:16

‘busy, sorry' maybe add hope you're well. only reply after a day or two. she'll get the message ... eventually ...

100% agree with you don't bother with a "conversation about the friendship" that doesn't exist or ending it dramatically by text. You don't even owe her this. You are right, she will blow it up and even make trouble for you! Distancing keeps things light and drama-free.

onwards and upwards!

TemptressofWaikiki · 20/07/2018 16:19

Oh OP, you deserve so much better than this toxic cow! I hope you will find some nice friends that respect and value you. Flowers

manicinsomniac · 20/07/2018 16:26

Spaghetti - have you ever had no friends? I had 3 years with no friends at all. Days and days when I would speak to nobody at all. The loneliness was crushing. I would have welcomed the most fickle, most manipulative friend in the world at that time. Hence being very very cautious about recommending someone cuts themselves off from the only person in their life.

Lemonsnlime · 20/07/2018 16:27

I cut someone very similar to her out of my life 4 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did!!

Isawthelight · 20/07/2018 16:32

Oh my goodness, she's very disrespectful to you. Just be aware, when her new relationship goes wrong(and it will, guaranteed), she'll be thinking she can just pick up where she left off with you...please don't fall for her manipulative ways again.

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