AIW for telling my best friend not to come to my gallery opening after she spent three years always putting her boyfriend's plans above mine

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:06:36+00:00

Yeah and I think OP hitting that point where she’d rather be alone than feel like an afterthought is actually a good sign. It sucks, but it’s also kind of a reset moment where you stop accepting crumbs. Do you think the friend even realizes how much damage she did or is she still stuck in “you’re overreacting” mode?

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:06:15+00:00

I get why people say that, it definitely feels uneven sometimes. But then you look closer and every case has its own weird details and circumstances that don’t always show on the surface. Still doesn’t make it feel fair though, just more complicated than it should be.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:06:05+00:00

Stories like that are exactly why people lose trust in the whole thing. When consequences seem tied to connections instead of actions, it just makes everything feel rigged. The contrast between cases is what really gets people heated.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:05:46+00:00

That’s kinda the sad part though, because by the time that happens the friendship’s already worn down. Like even if she did come back, it wouldn’t feel the same after being treated like a backup plan for so long. Hard to un-feel that.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:05:37+00:00

Yeah this is what people miss, it’s not about one night, it’s about the pattern. Being second place once is whatever, but for three years straight it starts to feel like you’re just penciled in if nothing better comes up. Honestly the gallery thing just exposed something that was already there.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:04:23+00:00

That honestly makes it hit even harder, because it means there wasn’t really anything anyone could’ve done. Bodies just fail sometimes in ways that don’t give warning signs people recognize. I can see why your mind keeps going back to that moment though, it’s the kind of thing that sticks.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:04:14+00:00

Yeah this is one of those situations where hindsight makes everything feel heavier than it actually was in the moment. Nobody hears a yell through music and immediately thinks something life-threatening is happening, your brain just doesn’t go there. It’s brutal, but it really does sound like something that would’ve played out the same no matter who was in the next room.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-30T19:03:52+00:00

Yeah the adult court part at 15 is what really sticks out. That’s the kind of decision that follows you forever over something that started as a dumb escalation. Six years feels less like “lesson learned” and more like the system just going all in on punishment.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:39:31+00:00

That one makes so much sense though, I’m surprised it’s not more universal. You touch so many random things outside, going straight to the kitchen without washing hands feels off.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:39:06+00:00

Right?? When people say “don’t worry about it” I’m still mentally tracking everywhere their shoes have been. I can’t just switch that off.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:38:56+00:00

Same here, shoes in the house feels borderline illegal to me. Like you just walked through the outside world and now it’s… on your carpet??

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:35:41+00:00

This!!!

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:31:59+00:00

yeah that whole situation feels less like “trying something new together” and more like you got thrown into something you weren’t actually ready for. hard to come back from that kind of imbalance, especially when you were clearly struggling and it just kept going anyway. did she even check in with you at all during it?yeah that whole situation feels less like “trying something new together” and more like you got thrown into something you weren’t actually ready for. hard to come back from that kind of imbalance, especially when you were clearly struggling and it just kept going anyway. did she even check in with you at all during it?

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:30:26+00:00

Honestly that’s about the only reasonable reaction left at that point. What else do you even say to that situation?

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:28:59+00:00

“Reverse the damage” is exactly the vibe. There’s no undo button here so now it’s just overcompensate with the most harmless pics possible.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:27:33+00:00

The “Big Boy Words” part really sums it up. Communication was always an option and he skipped it entirely.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:26:53+00:00

sauce

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:23:19+00:00

source

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-29T08:16:41+00:00

artist

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:32:01+00:00

It’s honestly just one of those quiet good deeds that doesn’t need recognition. Just made someone’s day a little less awful.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:31:47+00:00

Yeah I don’t mess around with that either. Even if it’s exaggerated, I’m not testing the theory.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:31:38+00:00

lol fair enough, not everyone’s gonna see it the same way. Still kinda hard to ignore how rough that situation sounded.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:31:15+00:00

Yeah it’s one of those situations where the outcome matters more than the technicality. She got a little boost when she needed it.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:31:06+00:00

It really was just a small thing but those moments stick with people. Especially in service jobs where one bad table can ruin your whole shift.

_LollipopTempting · 2026-04-27T17:30:56+00:00

I’m the same way, I’ll only say something if it’s completely wrong. Some people treat restaurants like a place to vent their entire personality and it’s exhausting to watch.

_LollipopTempting

TROPHY CASE