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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

Upset by friend - forgive or not?

124 replies

ThatchersCold · 27/02/2021 15:51

I’m not a confrontational person so don’t know how to deal with this.

A couple of weeks ago it was my 40th. Obviously it’s impossible to do much celebrating at the moment, but my long term best friend said she would throw me a mini ‘party’ at hers. She’s my support bubble (both single parents). Let’s call her friend A.

She said she would also invite friend B (before the covid police start yes I know this was against the rules but it was my 40th and depressing enough, it’s not like we had 30 people over). I’ve only really become good friends with friend B since last summer, which mostly came about because we started seeing 2 blokes who were brothers and working temporarily in this area. Friend A was never very happy about me being friends with friend B, which she admits is daft and she’s been trying to be more understanding and inclusive. So there was always the potential for that to cause problems.

Long story short, the blokes that me and friend B left the area, I carried on seeing the one I met, whereas his brother ended it with her. She really liked him, and has since then found it difficult to accept that I’m still with my bf and she’s not.

However she has been seeing this other guy for a few months, who I haven’t met in person but to be honest from what she’s told me he sounds like a controlling knob. She doesn’t even like him that much and still obsesses over my bf’s brother.

That’s the backstory. So it gets to the night of my 40th, Friend B was already hammered when I got to friend A’s house. She talked a lot about how she was ‘going through a breakup’ - basically this twat that she’s seeing hadn’t texted her for three days. So probably not an actual breakup, he just does this sometimes to punish her (like I say, he’s a knob).

Friend B kept putting her feet on my lap while we were sat on the sofa, I kept asking her not to but she kept doing it and laughing which pissed me off. I don’t like feet and really didn’t want her bare feet on my lap, which I think is fair enough.

Earlier that day I’d received some flowers, with no name on the card. My bf is working abroad at the moment, and I really hoped they were from him, and had messaged him to ask but hadn’t heard back. Friend B kept saying things like ‘oh they could be from anyone’ and ‘be nice if they were from him but I don’t think it’s his style’ - like she wanted them to not be from him. Anyway he finally messaged back and confirmed they were from him, which I think is what pushed friend B over the edge. She really can’t handle that I’m still with him, it’s bonkers.

So then she just started being a right PITA, firstly picking arguments with friend A, saying she don’t know why she was invited as clearly neither of us wanted her there Confused. Then she started going on about how she was going through a breakup again. I tried to be kind and supportive over that but she just really turned on me, stood up and was shouting in my face about how I don’t understand what she’s going through, how it’s fine for me because ‘my life’s perfect’, I’m still with my bf and he sent me flowers etc (the real crux of the matter I think).

For the record, my life is really not perfect. I have ME and PTSD from a really bad time of domestic abuse, and I am a single parent of 2 disabled children. I have a lovely bf but I hardly ever get to see him as he’s rarely in the same country as me. Literally no one has ever described my life as perfect before!

This culminated in friend B storming around getting her things together and saying she was going. I pleaded with her not to, and said please stay, it’s my 40th, but she was determined to flounce off, and went.

Didn’t hear from her for a few days until she messaged suggesting we went for a run. I replied saying I wasn’t well. Since then I’ve had I think 3 messages from her asking how things are, with lots of kisses. Well how I am is pretty pissed off that she behaved like that on my birthday, it put a real downer on what was already a pretty shit 40th.

I like my life to be calm and chilled and I’m selective about who I spend my time with, I hate drama and I haven’t experienced anything like this since secondary school! So I’m torn between just writing her off as a friend, and forgiving her. I realise that what she did comes from a place of drunkenness and jealousy, so maybe the right thing to do is to let it go. It would have been nice to get some kind of acknowledgment or apology from her but that’s obviously not happening. She is generally a kind and nice person so this was out of character for her.

WWYD?

OP posts:
ekidmxcl · 02/03/2021 22:01

COVID provides a great opportunity to ghost morons like person B. I suggest you take the opportunity!

ThatchersCold · 02/03/2021 22:05

Opportunity has been taken! I will nod at her in passing but that’s as far as it will go. It’s pathetic to behave like that at her age.

OP posts:
gutful · 03/03/2021 02:11

Sounds like her attitude to romantic relationships is same as platonic.

She will keep you around as she is so insecure she craves friends, any friends, even if she doesn’t particularly like you & has now admitted she can’t even pretend to feel happy for you.

That’s not a friend.

Your life clearly isn’t perfect - you just had a milestone day spoilt by her antics

Being drunk is not an excuse - it unveiled her true feelings about you

As someone else said block the cunt

There is no way she can be in your life if things progress with your boyfriend. She wouldn’t be welcome at a wedding due to her ex being BIL

People like this add nothing to your life & drain your energy

justilou1 · 03/03/2021 02:52

Wow! How utterly tone-deaf to think it's okay to verbalise thoughts like that. It would be great to think that she will one day realise that the world existed before she had feelings about it, and that it will for a very long time afterwards - but that's not going to happen. I bet she has form for falling out with female friends for exactly this kind of shit. She's an emotional black hole.

Mittens030869 · 03/03/2021 08:31

Friend B is jsut self obsessed and as she’s said she can’t be happy for you she’s not really a friend is she?

That’s how I see it as well.

ThatchersCold · 03/03/2021 11:02

Just had another chat with friend A as the signal was really bad yesterday when I spoke to her, and I wanted to know whether friend B seemed at all shocked/remorseful about what happened.

Apparently not...it was just lots more me me me. Firstly she was like “well I don’t remember any of that”, as if that made it ok. And then “well I was having a really bad time, I was really upset that XXXX hadn’t messaged me”. And then going on about how heartbroken she was that it was over between my bf’s brother and her, and how difficult that was for her. I mean, which is it? Surely if you’re still heartbroken about one guy you can’t be that bothered about another one not messaging you? At no point did she seem ashamed or bothered that she’d ruined my 40th, or any kind of acknowledgement of how that must have been for me, it was all just trying to justify her behaviour and talking about herself.

As she left she asked A to pass on the message that she loves me and wants to be friends. I’ll pass.

OP posts:
Silenceisgolden20 · 03/03/2021 11:03

Oh just cut her out. Stupid twat

ContessaDiPulpo · 03/03/2021 12:48

Maybe you do need to message her (as promised) OP and say something like: I think it might be best to take a break from getting together for a while, as honestly I feel pretty hurt by your behaviour. I know you don't remember it but it did still happen, and it has had an impact on our friendship. I'm sure you'll understand. All the best, Thatchers'.

That makes it clear that she's not escaped consequence-free, but is also clear and polite so anyone she shows it too will struggle to find anything offensive in it.

ThatchersCold · 03/03/2021 12:56

@ContessaDiPulpo yes that’s a good idea, she can’t be the victim then.

OP posts:
thosetalesofunexpected · 03/03/2021 13:43

Your friend who created all the drama and and teenager girl like angst.
She comes across as very needy and childish and ego self centred

You say this was a one off op?
Really??

I say I think you are a people pleaser type of person and cause you are so good at this,

You do not see this side of her personality /shadow side of her.

I be very tempted to text her to let her know that she upset you /or put a damper on your birthday a event cause of lockdown was allready not going to that good anyway.

But the way she acted made it ,even more memorable for the wrong reasons.

It be quite interesting to see what she says thinks op

Its not a nice thing to do ,to grab this event as her time to wallow in her self etc.

I don't think she is a good/nice enough friend as you think she is.

thosetalesofunexpected · 03/03/2021 13:51

@ThatchersCold

Why do some people allways excuse Shitty type behaviour on booze or because of emotional baggages issues then?

Booze is the truth teller op

When people are pisssed their inhibitions fall down(their let their guard down and say/do what they really think thats on their mind.

Many a truth told in drink and in jest under the guise of whatever op. 😕

thosetalesofunexpected · 03/03/2021 13:53

@ThatchersCold

Your one off drama angst friend is a skilled emotional manipulater op. !😕

ThatchersCold · 03/03/2021 21:14

Oh I’m sure this isn’t her first rodeo when it comes to behaving like this. And yes there was a clear case of vino veritas going on there.

The thing is, I am naturally a bit of a hermit/not very peopley, therefore it’s really no skin off my nose not to have her in my life. I do have a number of good, genuine long-term friends, and I don’t have the time or the energy for immature drama queens.

OP posts:
justilou1 · 04/03/2021 01:24

Good for you! You're better off with cheese! (I feel that about most people these days!)

gutful · 04/03/2021 01:44

I bet if you told her ex (BF’s brother) about all this he would say/think “I told you so”

She clearly does remember what she said & did.

TaraR2020 · 04/03/2021 04:00

@justilou1 better off with cheese! ??

Brilliant, I'm adopting this as my motto Grin

justilou1 · 04/03/2021 05:07

@TaraR2020- if I were to Mari Kondo my life atm, I think I’d be left only with cheese. (Currently out of gin.)

Porridgeoat · 04/03/2021 06:32

Wait it out and see what friend B says to you next, friend a might have out her own spin on the discussion.

Also it seems this has happened twice and both times she had been drinking heavily. She probably did this when younger too. She must know that’s she’s a horrid drunk but strangely chose to get pissed on your birthday.

Porridgeoat · 04/03/2021 06:34

I would struggle to forgive her

ThatchersCold · 04/03/2021 10:16

This is what I sent to friend B. It’s a bit weird, I’ve never had to ‘dump’ a friend before.

I gather that (friend A) has filled you in on what happened that night. I realise you can’t remember what you said and did, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened, and believe me you meant it. It’s a shame that you chose my 40th to let rip with that - it was already going to be quite shit and you didn’t help there. As for not being able to pretend you’re happy for me anymore re (my bf), well that presents a bit of a difficult situation. No matter how shit my life has been (and there have been some very shit times), I’ve still felt happy for friends who had good things going on, and certainly never resented them for it. Anyway I don’t hate you, I just feel upset, hurt and to be honest drained by what happened, and I don’t really feel like spending time with you at the moment. I really hope you find a happier headspace to be in.

OP posts:
ThatchersCold · 04/03/2021 10:21

And this is what she sent back. So it’s done now.

Obviously I didn’t set out to ruin your 40th, as I said to (friend A) I think everything had just built up, I am happy for you and (my bf), I haven’t lied about, it’s just been hard trying to get over (bf’s brother) at the same time but since having this time away from you I’ve realised that it wasn’t (bf’s brother) himself that I was so in love with, it was just the way he made me feel and the idea of it, what you have with (my bf) would have been great but it wasn’t meant to be. I also think that part of me is just envious of you, you are always so optimistic, nothing ever seems out of your reach and I admire you for that, I wish I was more like that and I do hope to be!
Thank you for helping me to do things I never would have done if we hadn’t have become friends like that, I realise I’ve ruined that now!! I’ve never thought of myself as a nasty person and I still don’t think I am, I just snapped after what was clearly an emotional build up waiting to happen, again I’m sorry it happened on your birthday, I’m sorry it happened at all, I wish you all the best and hope that one day we’ll be able to have a drink together, I’ll always love you 😘

OP posts:
Cocogreen · 04/03/2021 10:22

Drunks who say they can’t remember events still need to apologise. The bad behaviour still happened. You don’t need her in your life and I’m sorry she spoiled your birthday.

ZoobyZoobyDoo · 04/03/2021 10:25

I’d listen to Friend A a bit better in the future as she seems to be a good judge of character.

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 04/03/2021 10:28

OK, well that is a gracious exit, and hopefully the apology has relieved some of the injustice of what she did / said.

You did very well to be clear and direct and explain how you felt - that should feel good, too. You weren't unkind or vengeful, but just honest and sticking up for yourself.

uh healthier than glossing over the whole thing and pretending still to be friends.

You can always see how you feel in a year or so. Hopefully this experience has given her food for thought and reflection.

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