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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Friend getting cosy with my ex…AIBU?

220 replies

AmonRa1 · 09/02/2015 09:50

I was seeing my ex, casually, on and off since 2009. It ended for good last year when I finally woke up, got some self-respect and ditched him. I did love him though, a lot, would’ve done anything for him and I think a small part of me will always have a soft spot for him but he treated me appallingly and meeting my now OH has totally shown me what a real, loving relationship SHOULD be like.

Anyway, when I first got with my OH, ex couldn’t stand it and was literally bombarding me with texts/phone calls/whatsapps etc begging me to give him another chance, he realised he’d been an idiot, I was the girl he wanted to marry, blah, blah, blah. I stopped responding and so he started messaging one of my close friends asking her to speak to me, to tell me he’s sorry, get me to ‘see sense’ (arrogant so and so) blah, blah.

Ex and I do share some of the same friends, although, tbh, to me, they are more like acquaintances. The past couple of months, my friends and I have been out on a Saturday night and have bumped into him due to him and us all being with the same people, in the same pubs/ bars etc. He and I have been fine, we have a drink and a chat but that’s it.

ANYWAY, my close friend that he started messaging that time, asking her to speak to me on his behalf, told me the other week that he had messaged her on FB after she had ‘checked in’ at his local pub on FB asking why she didn’t tell him she was there as he would’ve gone down and had a drink with her?! She said it very blaze, like that was a completely normal thing for him to do. I wanted to ask why he was messaging her and did she message him back but just kept schtum.

He has told me before in passing that he thinks she’s ‘fit’ (she is) and he is stupidly handsome and the majority of females aren’t exactly immune to his charm!

A few weeks ago she ‘checked in’ again at his local pub on FB (which is a bit weird as it’s nowhere near where she lives but she has recently palled up with a girl who lives near him and that is her local too, so fair enough) and when I saw it, I wondered whether he’d be messaging her again or whether the ‘check in’ was for his benefit as she very rarely uses FB/ does check in’s etc so it’s a bit odd. She’s also started to get a bit obsessed with hanging around with the same people as him, so those acquaintances that I mentioned in my 3rd paragraph, if we are out she is constantly saying ‘Let’s text so and so and see what they’re doing and where they are.’ Or she’ll text me before the weekend saying ‘So and so are going to be at the rugby club on Sat, shall we go and watch the match and go out with them after?’ I’m really not bothered to be honest as the majority of them irritate me and she has never been bothered about them or ever wanted to give them the time of day before?

ANYWAY, I haven’t seen her for a couple of weeks as I’ve been on holiday and work has been manic. She came over last night and in the middle of a conversation, casually managed to drop in how ‘A couple of weeks ago her and XXX (her friend) were down his local again and my ex came down to meet them and they all got really drunk and he invited them both back to his to stay the night, which they did…..in the spare room.’

At the time, I felt like she’d slapped me but I acted nonchalant and didn’t say anything, however when she left, I felt really upset. My OH noticed and asked what was up and so I told him and his first words were ‘Well that’s a bit off to be honest as she doesn’t even know him, only through you and even that’s not very well and why do you need to know that she’s getting drunk with him and staying around his house?’

And that’s exactly how I feel. I KNOW I am with someone else, him and I are history so it shouldn’t matter but this man was my utter world for a very long time. She is one of my best friends and in general, is a BRILLIANT friend. I just can’t help but think something is going on somewhere. They don’t know each other from Adam, apart from through me and I only really introduced them to each other in the last few months of him and I’s relationship, so that is only about a year ago. In that time they’ve probably met a handful of times when we’ve bumped into him out and about. She ‘dislikes’ him (like the rest of my friends) for how he treated me whilst we were together etc. Although obviously not, because she’s now getting drunk with him and staying over at his house.

He doesn’t do female ‘friends’ he only gives someone the time of day if he finds them attractive (shallow git) so I know his intentions would not have been honourable. I just don’t get how she thought I was going to react, am I expected to be doing cartwheels that one of my best friends is now spending time with my ex and staying over at his house? If they were friends before then that would be different, but they don’t know each other at all?

I feel like I need to speak to her about it and say that if anything were to happen there, I’m sorry, but I could not forgive her. Out of all the men in the world that is the ONE man that I couldn’t forgive one of my friends for going behind my back with and I shouldn’t even have to say that as she should know. Also, I have spoken to her every day in the past 2 weeks and not once has she mentioned that she stayed over at his. I have also spoken to him too a few times as his dog (who was my world when we were together) had a fit, fell down the stairs and ended up at the vets very ill. He was devastated and just wanted to talk to someone I think and I am the only other person who loves her like he does. Not once did he mention it either yet if I had stayed around her exes’ house or had his best friend randomly stay over at mine, I think I’d have mentioned it!

Irrespective of anything else, he is bad news. She is younger than me and without meaning to be patronising, quite naïve when it comes to relationships and men. She would get SO hurt, just like I did, just like all his ex’s have, hence why he’s 36 and on his own!

Should I speak to her do you think?

OP posts:
DistanceCall · 10/02/2015 11:22

Oh, and she did say that the ex had been "her world".

Î KNOW I am with someone else, him and I are history so it shouldn’t matter but this man was my utter world for a very long time.

Twinklestein · 10/02/2015 11:22

Exactly Dixie it really depends on the circumstances.

A recent ex who betrayed and hurt a person, is a different scenario to an old relationship that ended amicably.

Zucker · 10/02/2015 11:25

I AM aware it is none of my business and they are free to do what they like, but I HONESTLY would NOT go with one of my friends exes. I just wouldn’t.

This jumped out at me. This is how you feel but your friend isn't you. She has obviously no problem being with a friends ex.

To be honest if I was your DP I would be worried you aren't over your Ex at all. You protest too much about him. By over him I mean you really are not bothered either way by him or his presence and never give him a second thought.

Not the "over him" you have achieved so far which is the "I'm Fine, I don't care about that twat" [stamps foot]

AmonRa1 · 10/02/2015 11:30

I'm sorry that you find my tone adolescent. It is what it is, I'm not going to change my tone to suit you.

For a long time, I thought a lot of this man, I was stupid and has no self respect and kept allowing him to worm his way back into my life each time I left. I was weak and stupid, I genuinely thought he'd change his old ways for me. He didn't. And him declaring undying love and marriage proposals and all that crap after I'd met someone else was purely him panicking because he had lost control and could no longer use me as his toy to pick up and put down when he felt like it.

Do I think he'd change for my friend? No I really don't. But if she wants to go there and find out that's up to her, but no, I won't still continue to be friends with her. I'm sorry that bothers so many people on this forum, but that is my stance and it won't change

OP posts:
Twinklestein · 10/02/2015 11:33

She used 'my world' in the OP but not in the passage you quoted DistanceCall, and she doesn't use any of your other terms.

Ironically, I find many of the responses here 'adolescent'.

Distance was summarising her interpretation of the text, Pictish.

DistanceCall · 10/02/2015 11:36

OP, that's fine. No one is questioning your decision to break ties with your friend because she is getting together with someone who hurt you. Or the fact that it will hurt you to lose your friend.

But you do sound a bit overinvested. And making it sound as if your friend was betraying you (which she isn't. She may be making a bad decision, though).

I hope you can detach enough from this situation so that it won't hurt you and you can focus on your own life and your own happiness.

DistanceCall · 10/02/2015 11:38

Twinklestein, I know I was giving my interpretation of the text (of the OP's texts in general, not that specific passage). That's precisely why the point about the terms not included is irrelevant - I wasn't quoting, I was paraphrasing.

shovetheholly · 10/02/2015 11:38

OP, I am confused. Is this about your feelings or her wellbeing?

You say that this man is a prize twat and that you are really worried for your friend, which is very noble of you. (He does sound like a royal pain in the ass, and I'm not surprised you're annoyed with him). But then you say that you won't have anything to do with her if she sees him - you will effectively drop her as a friend forever. Surely, if you care about her wellbeing primarily and can see this relationship disaster about to unfold like a car crash in slow mo, the best thing to do would be to say that you think she's making a mistake but that you'll be there for her if it does go wrong? I.e. to preserve the friendship but make your feeling that it is a bad mistake clear?

SaucyJack · 10/02/2015 11:39

The irony is OP you're sounding suspiciously like someone who is panicking because you've lost control of your ex's feelings yourself.

Just my humble opinion.

My other humble opinion is if that you let him move on to someone else (even if it is your friend) and focus on your own relationship that'd be about the best thing you could do for all involved. Not least your poor DP Wink

AmonRa1 · 10/02/2015 11:48

Thanks for your concern for my 'poor DP' I'm sure he can take care of himself though.

OP posts:
DistanceCall · 10/02/2015 11:52

Well, then show your DP this thread and see what he says.

grocklebox · 10/02/2015 11:54

So, OP, why did you ask if YWBU if you are so utterly assured you are not? Do you always ask people for opinions that you have zero interest in? And whats the point of that?

diddl · 10/02/2015 12:02

Is there need to break ties with her completely?

I would see how it went first tbh.

Twinklestein · 10/02/2015 12:02

You paraphrased your interpretation of the text, Distance. As a straight or paraphrase or summary of the OP's post it was inaccurate and not supported by the actual text.

There's a difference between objective summary and subjective interpretation, this is just basic GCSE level English right?

BauerTime · 10/02/2015 12:05

I'm confused. you were seeing him casually but he was your world? On-off for 5 years but he never knew your BEST friend?

You seem to have constructed this whole secret relationship of their's in your head. Nothing is going on but you are suspicious that there is because you are still too invested in your ex's life. You will protest otherwise but there is no other plausible explanation. You seem to have resolved this by simply texting your BEST friend to say you don't want her to see your ex. She has text you back saying that she wont. End of.

What's the problem here???????

Ems1812 · 10/02/2015 12:06

I do sort of get where you're coming from OP. I was once in a similiar situation where a friend I've known for most of my life started messaging my ex (who like yours, hurt me & treated me like shit). By this time I was definitely over him & had moved on, but it still hurt. Not because he was moving on, I would have been pleased if it was anyone else but because she was meant to be my friend, she knew the hurt I had been through because of him & she still went there. Its more humiliating than annoying as I had confided in her so much about him. It's just not something a good friend does.

Long story short- he treated her like shit too & she came back with her tail between her legs. I told her to jog on. I felt I couldn't trust her anymore & there was no point in being friends.

DistanceCall · 10/02/2015 12:07

"A paraphrase /?pær?fre?z/ is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words."

Twinklestein, I paraphrased the OP's texts according to my interpretation, in order to state the meaning that I inferred from them. I wasn't summarising them. You then asked about specific terms (one of which at least was found in the original text), which was beside the point.

A paraphrase is not an objective summary. Although that may be A-level English, perhaps.

AmonRa1 · 10/02/2015 12:10

Did I not say in my OP that I have discussed all this already with my DP? That wasn’t fabricated, it was true. I told him my reasoning behind me being upset about it on Sunday night and in that reasoning I said ‘I really, really loved this man, stupidly but I did, it’s not just someone I dated for a month or 2, I wouldn’t care then. It’s the circumstances.’
He was fine with that explanation, he knows ALL about this man, so I’m afraid you gleefully and smugly hoping that this is all one big secret and if my OH found out we’d be done for is going to be short-lived.
I wanted some unbiased opinions, I’d consulted some of my friends before posting and they were in agreement with me that it was a bit off. However, I’m not stupid, I understand they know him and I and her too so it’s hardly impartial advice.
With regards to not listening to the answer, well, maybe deep down I knew that I couldn’t just leave it, that I’d want to speak with her, I guess I was just really interested to know whether other people would be bothered by it. The general consensus is that no, they wouldn’t. Fine, fair enough, unfortunately that hasn’t made me go ‘oh well you’re being stupid, just be fine with it and all live happily.’ I can’t help feeling upset.

OP posts:
grocklebox · 10/02/2015 12:14

but you've rejected all of the impartial responses, only agreeing with those who are the same as you had before you started. All seems a bit pointless.

Agree with whoever said above that your account doesn't add up. Casual, on and off, never met even your best friend, yet he was your whole world and you can't stand yuor friend being with him? You're either lying to yourself or to us, but it doesn't add up.

binspin · 10/02/2015 12:17

I'd be really hurt if I was your dp and you were putting this much thought into a relationship that may or may not happen with your ex.

AmonRa1 · 10/02/2015 12:18

Of course he had met her, but only a handful of times and only through me. She didn't know him from Adam before me.

She is ONE of my best friends yes but I have others, who have interacted with him a lot more than she has over the years. They were introduced late because her and I only started to become close friends a couple of years ago.

OP posts:
AmonRa1 · 10/02/2015 12:21

I DONT CARE WHO HE SEES, I DONT CARE IF HE HAS A GF, HE COULD BE WITH FLIPPING MARIAH CAREY FOR ALL I CARE, JUST NOT ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.

If that makes me controlling and childish then fine! I am really past caring what you lot think!

OP posts:
BauerTime · 10/02/2015 12:24

The 'behind your back' bit is also confusing. You say yourself that you gleaned all of this info from either her directly or her Facebook postings so its hardly been done in secret.

You cannot dictate her social groups just because your ex is part of one of them. You cannot expect your friends to alienate themselves from their mates just because you are worried that they might get a bit too close to your ex. If you feel that them becoming to pally with him is an insult to you and would cool your relationship with them then that's your prerogative and if they are like minded and loyal to you then you have nothing to worry about.

PrivatePike · 10/02/2015 12:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

momb · 10/02/2015 12:30

I've found this thread an eye-opener.
I was very good friends with a couple for over 20 years. They remained my friends through my divorce and we are mutual godparents for each others children etc. When she fell in love with someone else and the marriage broke down. He was devastated and needed a friend. Reader I married him, a few years later but still. She never contacts me and I honestly thought it was because things just seemed uncomfortable, not that I had broken some unspoken code.