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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sketchy friend

15 replies

LewI89 · 02/02/2022 05:11

I had a disagreement with a group of women who kept repeatedly talking very badly of other friends behind their backs. I considered myself very good friends with one of them, I’ll call her Emma for the sake of this post. I’d known what she was like for 5 years and tolerated it for far too long. More fool me.

I decided to distance myself from them as I’d just had enough of the constant snipes and put downs and deleted them off social media once some time had passed. They threw me to the wolves. Talked badly about me to our mutual friends. Accused me of reporting friends to social services, the lot. I suffered with terrible anxiety. My only issue is that my ds and dd attend school with one of the women’s children and they’re quite close so I can’t escape her entirely. I’ll call this woman Sally.

12 months had passed and I needed to RSVP to a party invitation so I unblocked Sally. She would then randomly pop into my inbox to discuss things she knows interests me. She never once mentioned what happened and I still felt very uncomfortable but I was civil. She then sent me a friend request and I accepted. I wasn’t sure if she was even friends with those women anymore but hoped that it would be water under the bridge.

Backstory: 3 years ago, I worked with a man who quite literally became obsessed with me. He ended up hounding me so badly in work and out. I ended up going to the police as he was stalking me (I’ve been happily married with 4 children for 12 years). Sending me messages over and over again declaring his love for me. CRAZY, awful, unnerving time for me. He thankfully moved back to his home town which is on the other side of the country.
Because I’d known Emma the longest, she knew all about my troubles with him. She’d never met him but knew who he was. I always thought it strange that he even went as far as to follow her on Instagram and was replying to all of her stories (which she showed me) but she didn’t go out of her way to block him when the rest of my friends did. Red flag?

So fast forward to now. A week ago, on Sally’s timeline pops up Emma. They were out together having drinks. Fine. But I then noticed that Sally is following my stalker!?!? (a new account of his and my profile is super locked down). I’d never mentioned him to her. Not once. She’s not just following him from her personal account but her business account too as she’s a beauty therapist. She follows less than 150 people on her personal account so why is HE one of them? From his account, he’s still living on the other side of the country. He’s still following Emma but he hasn’t followed Sally or her business back. I had a real nosey at when she started following him and it was the night the women were out having drinks. I’ve gone over it in my head and there’s absolutely no way they would ever have the opportunity to meet. All of the women are married with children.

I know that Emma felt really scorned when I removed her from my life and I know that she’s a very aggressive, spiteful, childish and vindictive woman. So much so, she told all of our mutual friends that my newborn baby was actually my stalkers and not my dh. That’s how spiteful and hateful she is.

I can’t for the LIFE of me understand why on Earth Sally is now following this man.

I’m starting to wonder if she only re-added me to have a nosey at my life and report back to Emma, Seems odd timing that they went out for dinner together and suddenly starts following a man who made my life a living hell for almost a year?

AIBU in thinking they’re out to get me? To think that they’ve clearly been sat having a good bitch about me?

Husband says I absolutely shouldn’t confront her about it and rather sit back. Keep her on my social media, smile and wave whenever I see her. Don’t for one second let her see that she’s triggered me because she has. I’m back to feeling like an anxious wreck.

On the other hand, I’m seriously considering blocking her again but I’m really scared of the backlash… again.

OP posts:
MsChatterbox · 02/02/2022 05:24

Yes absolutely block her. If she questions why at the school gates I would say I found it weird you were following my stalker and didn't want you on my social media. End of! You don't want her to have access to your posts.

Yesthatscorrect · 02/02/2022 05:25

You need to block them again. Let your husband deal with any party invites and any contact with them. Remove yourself from the situation as it is affecting you badly. You don't need to subject yourself to this, there's nothing to be gained from it. Just leave themselves to their sad little lives.

LewI89 · 02/02/2022 05:40

Thank you. It’s worth adding that we live in a tiny, secluded village and Sally has a lot of friends here. I keep myself awake at night worrying about what she’s going to say about me. When I initially blocked all of them, I didn’t do the school run for months after how badly they reacted and the things they were saying about me. They’re like the playground bullies I feel as though I can’t escape.

OP posts:
HereIfYouNeedMe · 02/02/2022 05:47

Do you have any good friends in your life now OP? I wish I lived near you!

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/02/2022 05:54

@HereIfYouNeedMe

Do you have any good friends in your life now OP? I wish I lived near you!
Hmm
Luredbyapomegranate · 02/02/2022 05:55

Sorry to hear all this OP. As PP has said - block them all and keep them blocked. They sound like an unpleasant group all round.

HereIfYouNeedMe · 02/02/2022 05:55

@Luredbyapomegranate to show some support against bullies. Why the eyebrow raise? Rude!

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/02/2022 06:49

[quote HereIfYouNeedMe]@Luredbyapomegranate to show some support against bullies. Why the eyebrow raise? Rude![/quote]
Hmm

Lolabray · 02/02/2022 07:00

Let her follow the stalker. It’s clearly unnerving and hurtful behaviour from a ‘friend’

phishy · 02/02/2022 07:05

@Luredbyapomegranate are you Emma? Hmm

@HereIfYouNeedMe you said nothing wrong.

@LewI89 what social media is this? You can tighten up your Facebook settings to the extent Sally can’t see your pictures or updates. I’m not sure about instagram.

But if Sally is still with friends with Emma, then you’ve given vindictive and spiteful Emma a window in to your life again.

Xiaoxiong · 02/02/2022 07:22

I'd block her and explain that you have a stalker (play dumb like she might not already know), he's made your life a misery for years, he tries to get at your social media through friends - you think he's trying it on again as he popped up as a connection as soon as you and she connected, and as a result you're locking down your social media so DH will take over all comms about party invitations etc. Blame it on the stalker, rather than Emma or anyone else.

Then you will only have to see them in person - you can stay polite and cordial for the sake of living cheek by jowl in a small village, but I would always keep them at arms length.

canofsoup · 02/02/2022 07:31

Sounds bloody awful and it's obviously causing you a lot of unnecessary stress. Do you use your social media for business? If not, I'd consider closing it down, or setting up a new account, with a different name. Then add Sally and Emma (and the rest of the nasty bunch) to your block list. That way they won't be able to find your account. Even if they have mutual friends, none of your comments will appear. If asked why you don't have FB etc just explain about the stalker.

Good luck with it all x

Flutterflybutterby · 02/02/2022 07:37

@luredbyapomegranate seems like one of those people who lurks mumsnet boards waiting to be horrible to people for absolutely no reason.

@hereifyouneedme, you sound lovely Flowers Sorry the other poster was so rude to you.

MacauliflowerCulkin · 02/02/2022 10:12

@HereIfYouNeedMe well you sound lovely and kind. I wish MN was full of people like you!
OP, i would block. These people can't hurt you more than you already are. If you keep sally on your Facebook, you'll subconsciously go over everything you post to see if there's anything they can bitch about. Your page is YOUR page. Get rid.

@Luredbyapomegranate well that's back fired for you. HmmHmmHmmHmmHmmHmm have them back. You're rude.

MisgenderedSwan · 11/02/2022 17:37

Block block blockety block on social media. In person - look straight past them with a slightly puzzled air. If I was in charge - all bullies would be burned at the stake.

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