Romantic partners come and go, but aren’t besties supposed to be forever? From love triangles to money arguments, from screaming matches to being completely ghosted, these Redditors faced some cardinal friendship sins that were horrible enough to ruin a friendship forever.
1. This Friendship Went Six Feet Under
My best friend, who also happened to be a colleague at the funeral home where we worked, did something unforgivable. He secretly shared private documents, documents about the individuals we looked after, and then attempted to pin it on me. This was not a minor error.
The documents he leaked were quite sensitive. They contained autopsy reports, images of the bodies, personal data, and so on. But his misconduct didn't stop there. He failed to respect the wishes of the deceased's family members—ignoring religious rituals like performing a thorough cleansing of the body before burial, among others.
I can sadly say that he was a terrible human being. I firmly believe his actions stemmed from some odd obsession of his, amplifying the serious issues he already had. We already had our suspicions about him.
2. It Was God’s Will
I was a full-time homemaker and my spouse was the only breadwinner in our small family. Sadly, my husband had to leave his job due to severe mental health struggles. This was a massive blow, not just financially, but also socially, as his colleagues made up much of our friend group. But things went from bad to worse quickly.
I was close to a fellow worker's wife—a man who eventually stepped into my husband's former senior role when he had to quit. We had no choice but to sell our house after falling behind on mortgage payments. This friend came over to help me pack up, and during that time, she shared a piece of information that chills me to the bone.
According to her, they saw this coming because her spouse had supposedly received a divine premonition years ago. Essentially, they had been biding their time, anticipating my husband's downfall and this coworker's rise in the name of fulfilling some "holy prophecy". With that, I bid her farewell, relocated to a different state, and haven't looked back since.
I simply refuse to accept anyone using their faith to act in an unkind and hurtful manner.
3. Wife Needed Help
My best friend, his wife, and I were really close. We had worked together on occasion and often hung out together among a group of friends. One day, I decided to relocate, hoping to grow personally, professionally, and gain some autonomy. Upon hearing my plan, his wife suggested I move closer to them. I agreed and started planning meticulously. Unfortunately, things started to deteriorate from there.
I spent a year planning and saving, wanting to ensure that I could afford several months without employment, just in case I couldn’t find work quickly. After six months of saving, my friend saw that I was serious about moving closer. Surprisingly, he began discouraging me from my relocation.
He tried to convince me daily not to move. I assured him my intentions weren't solely about being close to them. But he wasn’t convinced. When I moved on his birthday, I felt anxious about his reaction.
I threw a birthday party for him on my moving day. As he drank more and the night went on, he continuously made fun of me, even encouraging others to join in. It was strange and hurtful. Once everyone left and he fell asleep, his wife asked me to stay in the guest room.
I found it peculiar but accepted her offer. She told me that it was the first time in a while she'd slept well. I didn't inquire further. A month in, I was still jobless despite applying for several roles. Both my friend and I were unemployed; the difference was he considered himself a stay-at-home dad even though they didn't have children.
He told me that his wife earned the income while he managed the household. I jokingly commented that it looked like he spent more time gaming than doing house chores and noticed his wife doing more cleanup—he didn't take it well.
Upon expressing my observations, both he and his wife asked me to stop. I agreed, despite feeling uneasy about the situation. One day, I received news that my friend had been rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery due to appendicitis.
While he was hospitalized, I visited his wife, bringing flowers and pizza to comfort her. She was worried about his reaction to my visit and requested me to leave without asking why. Her odd comments were causing me anxiety.
The day after his hospital discharge, she called me, asking for help with the laundry because he couldn't manage it himself. She then confided in me a shocking revelation amidst one of my visits—he was abusive towards her, mentally and physically. She even disclosed he often forced her into intimate situations or threatened self-harm if she didn't comply with his demands.
According to her, my moving plans intimidated him. He had been spreading rumors among our friends that I intended to steal his wife and was threatening them for not including me in all their activities. I felt betrayed but stood by her. I refused to pressure her, even though she revealed he demanded access to all her online accounts.
I lost all respect and affection for my once considered "brother." In a painful four-hour conversation, his wife confessed everything she'd endured because of him. Her wish for my proximity was a desperate attempt to expose his true nature and secure an ally, as he constantly scrutinized her online activities.
Now, years later, I still struggle to trust people fully. Their messy divorce caused our friend circle to disintegrate. Despite the pain, I'm grateful to have uncovered the truth early on.
4. Designated Driver
My best friend of 11 years and I had gone out for a night of fun, sharing drinks with friends. A girl that I was newly interested in was there too, but as the night ended, we were headed in separate directions. As it turned out, my best friend, who wasn't drinking and was our designated driver, was going the same way as her. The choice was made for him to drive her home, leaving me to grab an Uber. Looking back, it wasn't a wise decision.
My buddy had always been trustworthy, so handing her care over to him seemed fine at the time; she trusted him too. Unfortunately, we both had our faith misplaced. When he was alone with her, he attempted to assault her. Thankfully, she had martial arts training and was able to defend herself. He then twisted the context of some text messages to try and tarnish my reputation and seem like the better guy to her.
Now, this is the really shocking part: the next day, he met up with me as if nothing happened. He even told me that he dropped her off without any problem. It wasn't until a few days later when she shared the horrifying incident with me that I found out the truth. Needless to say, it was a really tough pill to swallow for both of us.
That deceptive smile of his is still fresh in my memory. I severed all ties with him after that, and he's been a persona non grata in our social circle ever since. It's been four years, and we haven't spoken a word to each other.
5. Pet Peeves
My family faced a challenging time when we had to rapidly shift to an apartment. We had a family of eight cats but the apartment only allowed two. Then, my friend offered to help; she was quite attached to one of our cats and offered to adopt it. Needless to say, given our desperate situation and dearth of options for the cats, her offer lifted my spirits.
But the happiness was short-lived. After a few months following the relocation, I checked in with her about the cat. To my dismay, she informed me that the cat was urinating on her furniture. But what shocked me beyond belief was her response to the situation—she let the cat out, despite knowing it was entirely accustomed to indoors. Unsurprisingly, the cat vanished and despite my best efforts, I couldn't find her anywhere.
After weeks of cold silence, I attempted to rebuild the friendship with her, but it was much harder than I anticipated. I no longer viewed her the same way; every text from her just irked me and responding was an uphill task. Eventually, my anger and frustration came to a head and I blocked her on all channels.
6. We Got On Like A House On Fire
So, my close buddy accidentally torched my mobile home out of pure lack of skill. He didn't even have the common courtesy to say sorry or offer any help. With my limited mobility and being left out in the cold at 59 during a harsh winter, I was suddenly without a home—just a few weeks shy of Christmas.
Every single possession was lost. I didn't have insurance because of my trailer's age, its rural setting, and the absence of fire hydrants around. I had just moved back in with my ex, so we lost everything we'd gathered over the years. We said goodbye to our family treasures and keepsakes, even the ashes of our dear dog.
In a blink, everything vanished—it felt like we were erased from existence. It's been incredibly rough. Oh, and just for the record: no apology yet.
7. It Was The Wrong Crowd
Our friendship spanned a decade, from age five to 15. My friend began hanging out with a sketchy crew, which I cautioned him about repeatedly. The tension hit a head when we argued about his new companions, and things got physical.
Onlooking kids gathered, anticipating a fight, but we came to our senses and parted ways. We reconciled afterwards, with me asking him to keep his new friends and their activities away from me and my home.
Not long after my birthday party, which he attended, and my weekly paper route, I switched on the PS3 to unwind. Before I could settle in, there was a knock. It was him, accompanied by the exact friends I told him not to bring over. They talked me into joining them at the park, despite my reservations. I hesitantly obliged, naively thinking, "What's the worst that could happen"?
Unfortunately, they ganged up on me, filmed the encounter, and stole my phone. That evening, all parents involved discussed the incident. Apologies poured in and my father warned them of personal consequences if a repeat occurred.
Our friendship ended there. We no longer spoke, even shared classes were strained. I later learned he had fallen into substance abuse and depression, unable to maintain employment. His parents reached out, hoping to reignite the positive influence I was in his life. But it was clear our paths had diverged.
8. This Girl Was Agony
For seven years, I served as a confidante and sounding board for her as she struggled through a turbulent relationship with her boyfriend, who was battling addiction and privately dealing with his homosexuality. Despite everyone around her imploring her not to, she married the man anyway. So I continued to listen and advise for another three years of their marriage, which was devoid of joy. But abandon my friend? That wasn't something I could do.
When she finally decided to end the marriage, my own life was also in shambles. I was pregnant and suffered a miscarriage, finding myself in a world of emotional turmoil. Physically too, I needed serious medical care to recover. Her response was thoroughly disappointing.
Instead of understanding, she chastised me, calling me selfish and uncaring, and spread negative rumours about me among our mutual friends.
Adding insult to injury, she messaged my husband on Facebook, denigrating me by dredging up past relationships and even proposed to expose more if he'd meet her for drinks. That's when I firmly closed the door on our friendship. My only regret is that it took me so long to do it.
9. Dump Him Or Else
My best friend gave up on me when I decided to stick with my husband after a big disagreement. The guy had been enduring tough times at work, absorbing all the stress because that's what people do. He'd pretend he was fine every evening, even though he wasn't. He messed up. I, too, have messed up more times than I can count. My friends suggested the only recourse was to separate from him. They vowed to guard me and would financially support me and my kids in our departure.
I voiced my desire to help him improve, that I would not destroy our two decades of togetherness and our family over a half-hour conflict. They labeled my perspective as dysfunctional and hoped I would come around. This response ignited a major upheaval.
My entire friend group—the same women I had supported during the birth of each other’s children—abandoned me. Only one friend remained, and she's fearful that if she's overly kind to me, they'll discover it and she'll end up isolated as well. But what about my husband?
Thankfully, he pulled through. I pardoned his past actions, and now we lead a lovely life. I'm still deeply wounded, however. I would never desert anyone, even if I disagreed with their choice to stay. I was sincere when I promised to be loyal. They, on the other hand, were not. They abandoned ship when the going got tough. From this, I learned a valuable lesson: They would have left me high and dry just the same if I had been struggling with homelessness. No question about it.
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10. She Turned Into A Monster
Throughout our friendship, I didn't need to see her daily, giving us space. But living together, she turned very unpleasant. She'd lose her temper over nothing, let dirty dishes accumulate till the kitchen reeked, and was constantly high—becoming nasty when it wore off.
Everything revolved around her: her wants, insecurities, and comfort. I departed after I became pregnant with my son, and while I was still there during my pregnancy, she was indifferent to my feelings. She made no efforts to comfort me. I had always supported her, and in return, she'd nitpick and lash out.
Eventually, I came to understand that she looked down on me for my financial struggles. I guess I should have considered being born to rich parents like hers. Our last interaction involved her using my traumatic childhood experiences against me in a dispute. I sent back a few items from our childhood together and cut all ties.
Frankly, I hope her parents realize how much she squanders from her allowance and put a stop to it.
11. She Didn’t Feel Like Going Anywhere
You know, I was fortunate to have two close friends: a guy and a gal. About two and a half years back, the guy friend shockingly took his own life. He was a genuine, dependable fellow. We had been tight-knit for over a decade. My lady friend, though, was another story entirely.
For years, she was in constant contact—day in and day out—seeking advice or complaining about her two-timing husband and her own affairs. She persistently asked me to assist her with her kids, despite the fact that I'm a solo mom of two kids. I never asked her for anything in return.
Then one day, my doctor suddenly scheduled me for an urgent mammogram after discovering troublesome lumps in my breast. I asked her to accompany me, and she said: "Absolutely! I would not miss it for anything. You're my best friend! I promise"!
On the day of my test, I kept calling and texting her but got no answer. Looking out my patio, I saw her across the street, on her balcony, engrossed in her phone and blatantly ignoring my calls. When I shouted over to tell her that we needed to go, she replied: "Nah, I'm not up for going out today".
That was where our friendship ended. Roughly a year later, news broke out here in Ontario, Canada, that her deceitful husband was arrested for stealing their elderly neighbour’s pension savings—a whopping $130,000. He was subsequently deported back to the UK to serve his sentence. Naturally, she denied knowing anything about it. Yeah, sure. I say, good riddance!
12. Three Years Of Purgatory
My best mate completely abandoned me to hang out with his horrible cousin for a few days. I had no clue where he was, and he didn't pick up any of my calls. Meanwhile, I happened to have an incident that landed me in the hospital!
The hospital refused to discharge me without someone collecting me. Finally, my buddy and his obnoxious cousin picked up their phones. After we returned home, I did not speak to him for three years. However, three years later, I was met with a total surprise—my friend, a bit wiser, rang me up and proposed a meet.
He genuinely admitted he'd messed up big time. He disclosed how he'd ruined that trip. Now, he's back in my life as my best friend. He's a married man with children and no longer parties or hangs out with his cousin. So I guess forgiveness does sometimes pay off. We've managed to rescue a friendship we'd had for 15 years.
13. This Friendship Had Trouble In Store
So, my best friend hit a rough patch, and I figured I could sort him out with a job. My dad handed down his store to me, so I thought, "Why not help a pal in need, right?"
Well, things quickly soured. He started teasing me, calling me "Daddy's Boy" and claiming I was pampered. Despite earning more than his previous job, he still found things to complain about. Then things got even more intense. Suddenly, he was acting all stuck-up about the products we sold.
He even had the audacity to refuse service to some customers based on newfound moral grounds. Eventually, I had no other option but to let him go. I found out later he joined the marines. I can't help but wonder if he's running into the same issues there.
14. Empty Apologies
This one really hits close to home. We've been besties since the 6th grade, growing up together. But it always seemed like I was the one making all the effort, even when planning outings. Most times, like eight out of ten, he would call off our plans at the very last second.
I'd reassure him, saying, "It's okay," and he would apologize repeatedly. But as time passed, his apologies began to feel less and less sincere. And the disappointments kept mounting.
Eventually, we planned to meet up, but he left my message unread and disappeared on me. That's when I realized I couldn't handle the emotional strain anymore. I had spent a decade making excuses for him in my mind. While it feels good to finally acknowledge it, it's still painful to lose who I believed was my best friend.
Since he left that last message unread, I haven't had any communication from him.
15. Got Ghosted, Got Ghosted Bad
When I first moved to America in fourth grade, I didn’t know any English at all. This was a huge concern for me as I started school. Fortunately, I connected with another kid in my class who was also from my country. He was equally new to the English language as he had only been here a month longer than me. Needless to say, we became fast friends. My mom was thrilled to hear about my newfound friendship.
After a couple of weeks, we discovered that we lived in the same apartment complex! This meant that we spent almost every day together. From fourth to eighth grade, we shared the same school, the same classes, and even the same building. In ninth grade, my mom transferred me to his high school, three months into the school year.
Every morning we traveled to school together by train. We also shared a locker at school. Trust me, we were closer than brothers. If you saw one of us, the other was undoubtedly nearby. We were involved in the same activities, enjoyed the same music, and had the same group of friends. This went on until towards the end of high school, when things started to change.
We began to drift apart during the final years of high school. My interests began to shift more towards girls. I started caring more about my appearance, while he retained a taste for comfortable sweatpants. We still shared a locker, but we had branched out into different friend groups. We each started jobs and went to the same college at different times due to my daytime work schedule that led me to night classes.
Later, I settled into a relationship. Despite us living in different neighborhoods, we still managed to hang out frequently. We often met halfway at a park where we'd shoot some hoops or just hang around. One day, I called him, like I used to every day, and his mom informed me he wasn't home. It was a bit strange, but I knew he'd call back like always. But he didn't.
Days turned into months. He was never home on my calls and never returned them. It was baffling. Three whole months passed this way. Eventually, I ran into him at college, and his reaction was startling. He recoiled as if seeing a ghost, then slowly backed away. That was the last time I saw him. Even after 20 years, I occasionally dream of running into him and asking, "Why did you disappear? I just need some closure."
16. Knee-Jerk Reaction Kicked This Friendship To The Curb
My closest pal had a habit of dropping off the radar whenever she was smitten with someone. The final straw came when she left me hanging for quite some time at a lunch date, prefering instead to play games online with another individual. From that day, I vowed not to initiate contact with her again.
Fast forward a year later, she suddenly dropped me a heart-stopping message—she wanted to inform me about her engagement. I responded quite candidly, reminding her that we hadn't spoken in a year and I was unsure why she was sharing the news with me. To this day, I still harbor some regret about my impulsive reaction to her joyful announcement.
After some time and a few therapy sessions, I've come to understand that I should have been upfront with my feelings when she let me down at the lunch date, rather than let my bitterness accumulate. Although it might not have salvaged our friendship, it would certainly have been a healthier approach.
17. She Left Me In The Dark
I used to share a house with my best friend when I discovered a late notice for the electricity bill, which was under her name, in our mail. My boyfriend and I had been regularly paying our share of the bills, thinking she was handling the electricity. But it turns out that wasn't the case.
Apparently, she had only been paying enough to keep the electricity on, whilst pocketing the remaining balance. I sensed something was wrong when she wouldn't show us the accounts for the various household bills.
It didn't stop there though. One night while I was asleep, she took $15 off my office desk. I'd planned to use that to buy a microwave for our use the next day. To me, this act was incomprehensible. But this paled in comparison to what came next.
Without warning, she moved out in the middle of the night and disconnected our water and electricity. It felt like a cold wind swept through, plunging us into darkness with no running water. I was then left to pay a whopping $1,000 to cover the overdue bills and late fees so we could get our utilities back on. To add insult to injury, I kept finding late notices hidden all over for a full month after she left, and a lot of my personal possessions were missing.
Reflecting back, I suppose I should have seen it coming given her history of shoplifting. But what hurts most is the betrayal and loss of trust. I would have gladly lent her money if she needed it, but her need to steal resulted in a strained 20-year relationship.
18. All Work, No Party
One of my pals once asked me to come to a "work party". That's what he labeled it. We spent our time at the event tidying his half-acre yard, which involved mowing the lawn, clipping shrubs, and clearing away junk. We also pitched in to install a volleyball net. When we finished all the tasks by roughly 2 pm, he served us lunch. Then I saw a large set up of food and drinks. I began to wonder, what's this all for?
Subsequently, my buddy came over and told me: "Looks like we're nearly done here, so feel free to head out whenever." As I surveyed the scene, I saw that most of the helpers had already left, but a new set of guests were trickling in. I was curious about who these newcomers were, but as nobody enlightened me, I just called it a day.
Later in the week, I discovered that the "work party" was actually a setup for a real celebration that I hadn't been invited to, even though I had lent a hand. Folks were surprised and upset at how I was sidelined, yet not to the point of severing ties with him.
19. From Friends To Lovers To Nada
I was in a relationship with my closest friend. When we began dating, I made it clear that should we not work out as a couple, our friendship was important to me because she meant a lot. We were together for two years, and I felt we were drifting apart due to lack of time and dedication in our relationship, which led to issues.
I attempted to step back and restore our friendship, but she entirely misunderstood my intentions. She interpreted all my messages completely oppositely. I was excluded from our shared friends and circles, which left me heartbroken.
I had been straightforward, stating that I needed some breathing room and wanted to return to our friendly relationship. However, she presented me with an ultimatum of being lovers or nothing, and I was left with nothing. Truthfully, I'm shattered. She was my closest friend, and I cared for and loved her.
Unfortunately, she responded in a petty and passive-aggressive manner, intentionally causing me pain. I am devastated by the current situation. Her absence leaves me feeling hollow and alone, considering we built a friendship lasting 10 years. As one of the few things that remained consistent during my turbulent early adulthood, I genuinely miss her.
Three months have passed. I'm uncertain if I'll ever fully recover. She appears to have moved on, leaving me to suffer in silence.
20. She Likes Sloppy Seconds
Whenever I was into a boy or talking with one, it seemed like my best friend always tried to make a move on him. She never succeeded, but it was painful to see her attempt it time and again. I decided to address this problem with her calmly, expressing my feelings towards the whole situation. She seemed sincerely sorry and vowed never to do it again. You'd think that would be the end of it, right? But no.
The same thing happened again not long after. This time, I didn't give her any opportunity for explanations. I just cut her out of my life. She knew exactly what she'd done. Since then, we haven't exchanged a single word.
21. She Waited Eight Years
I first crossed paths with my future wife and her companion one evening. It was actually the companion who approached me when they were spending time at a pub.
She was attractive, but it was my future wife I found more intriguing. Perhaps this caused some emotional distress or similar feelings. She obsessed over that evening for several years, until she eventually acted out in an extreme manner.
Fast forward eight years, this friend attempted to seduce me–yes, on the night of our wedding!!! All the red flags were suddenly glaringly obvious–you could say I'm a bit slow on the uptake. I quickly informed my wife about the incident and she was surprisingly nonchalant. Turns out, they had an exchange of texts where she admitted to being troubled by that initial encounter all along.
The friend, unfortunately, was a bit unstable and could never really let go.
22. Tired Of Being A Life Coach
My closest friend tends to lean on me for emotional support, but when it's my turn to air out, all I get are vague affirmations before she hijacks the conversation. It's now a pattern we don't chat unless she's having a rough day and needs to let off steam. I've attempted to steer our talks to other topics, but it's not proving successful.
She frequently takes days or even weeks to reply to a harmless joke. However, she's quick to unload her issues onto me at the drop of a hat. Whenever I invite her to hang out with hopes of having a good time, it ends up with me donning a counselor's hat before long. We're slowly drifting apart too. She's morphing into a carbon copy of her parents, who are just epitomes of uptight suburbanites with a knack for being overly critical.
23. It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To
Our friendship hit a rough patch when she didn't invite me to her birthday bash. I had just returned from my freshman year of college, so I was actually available to attend. She created a whole event on Facebook and invited everyone—except me. I got wind of it through some friends we both know. Now, here's the twist: Not a single person turned up at her party, and she rang me up, tears streaming down her face, saying no one appreciated her.
24. He Lost Them Both
Here's a tale that ends two friendships: I set him up with his first girlfriend, and the trio of us had a blast together. But he changed, stopped caring for her, and ditched his studies, thinking he was too smart anyway. He would switch between different games he played every day, expecting us to tag along.
Then, one day, things took a drastic turn. Suddenly, he began yelling at his girlfriend for no apparent reason. As a result, she started joining me on day-long walks. We grew close yet maintained boundaries. I noticed that when visiting them, I was only talking to her as he didn't engage in conversation or seem to care about genuine relationships anymore. And so, she became my closest friend.
When they finally broke up, he didn't reach out or respond to any of us. Years have passed, and I've had no desire to reconnect with him. His ex, on the other hand, was a different story—she was there for me during tough times, and I returned the favor. We flirted unabashedly, but she ended up with someone else.
Keeping their relationship a secret for a few months, she ultimately chose to date him over me. That's when she morphed from a sweet girl to a difficult character. She fluctuated between enticing me for intimacy, expressing her love for me, and then gossiping all day about her new boyfriend's perfection, claiming she needn't anyone else.
Her mental health deteriorated due to this whirl of emotions, making her unbearable to everyone, except her new beau.
25. You Wanna Mess With Me?
So, there's this guy I've known for over 40 years --since I was six or seven. He's kind of been my best buddy all along. Yeah, we were the best men at each other's weddings, and he even invited me, a non-family member, first to visit his kids at the hospital after they were born. Time sneaks up on us, though, and you begin to recognize the tiniest changes first.
Eventually, even though the friendship is still alive, the time spent together or contacts made dwindles. We still touch base once or twice a year over text or calls for important stuff– be it family or work– but our regular fun hangouts are now a thing of the past.
I'm certain that if one of us was in a tight spot and called the other saying, "Hey, I need help immediately," we'd each drop everything to rush to the other's aid. But what I truly miss are those insignificant yet fun chats we used to have.
26. She Came Out, Then Took Off
You know, I'm still not sure what exactly tore the fabric of our friendship apart. We had been thick as thieves for seven years, ever since my freshman year of college. But out of the blue, she chose to sever ties with me. It was quite obvious that she felt there was some tension between us because our common friends also started treating me differently. Contrary to expectations, it wasn't really as heartbreaking as one might imagine.
I believe that if I had seriously wronged her, she would've confronted me, so it's likely that some other factors played a role. She revealed that she was lesbian and started dating someone just before everything changed. I wonder if her girlfriend was uncomfortable with me being so close to her. Surprisingly, it didn't hit me as hard as I thought it would, revealing a strength I never knew I possessed.
When these others started behaving oddly towards me, I distanced myself from that whole group. I viewed it as a welcome goodbye to toxic connections—if that's what they truly were. Perhaps it would've been a bigger blow if we were still in college, but those days were far behind us. Moreover, embarking on such a petty drama felt quite childish.
27. He Joined A Cult
When my dad was sadly battling cancer, my so-called "best friend" reached out for a chat. Naturally, I shared the distressing news about my father's condition. Shockingly, his reaction was, "Your dad's illness is due to his lack of prayer. If someone prayed for him in tongues, he would recover."
I was taken aback. I couldn't believe my friend had been sucked into the extreme religious belief system that his parents pursued. I let him know his words were the most hurtful thing he could have ever said to me and put the phone down. My dad passed away a fortnight later. It's been two years now, and he hasn't contacted me at all. All I can say is, I've had enough of Tim. Honestly, I'm better off without him.
28. We Were On A Break!!!
My best friend and I were band members together. But things changed when he abruptly decided to leave the band. Surprised but determined, we quickly found a replacement. However, he circled back not long after, claiming he didn't want to leave the band, just go on a hiatus. Cue the drama...Unfortunately, by this time, we'd already spent several weeks practicing with our new member, who was turning out to be an excellent fit for us.
It seemed unfair to simply dismiss the newcomer after he had dedicated his time and effort into mastering our songs. So, we decided to stick with him. This decision led to my friend and I not speaking for the next five years. Thankfully, we're now back on speaking terms even though he's living in a different state.
29. This Was The Last Straw
I made a friend back in fifth grade. She used to revel in creating chaos and drama. She was forever hopping between romances, swearing each guy was 'the one.' Being friends with her was exhausting. Eventually, she tied the knot with a really good man and I became close to him too. But, sadly, after a brief four-month marriage, she left him. But the story didn't end there.
When she decided to end things with her husband, she didn't go quietly. She involved her young daughter from a past relationship in wrecking their apartment. She ruined, tore and discarded things everywhere. Heirloom family photos were dumped in the bin, and then she spread a lie that he had abandoned her.
That moment was the tipping point for me. I couldn't deal with her toxic behavior any more, so I decided to end our friendship. Interestingly, I remained friends with her ex-husband. We've been great pals for three years now. After they broke up, she discovered she was pregnant with his kid. She has since had her second child, remarried, and now she's a mother to three kids from different fathers and is in the process of divorcing again.
She's the epitome of the "crazy" that guys are always cautioned about. Regardless, since distancing myself from her, my life's been more tranquil and joyful than ever! Looking back, I realize sticking around for 15 years was far too long.
30. He Got Called Whipped
My closest buddy despised the fact that I began dating my current fiancée, who'll soon become my wife. He took to calling me weak, spreading rumors about me and constantly badmouthing my girlfriend. I realized he'd been acting this way throughout our friendship. This behavior escalated when we rented a place from his mother and ultimately, it brought our friendship to a permanent end.
He started sending messages to his mom, painting my fiancée in a bad light. His mom showed us those messages. I can handle insults aimed at me but attacking my girl is a line crossed. Clearly, he was never a genuine friend, but growing up, he was the only buddy I had. Our friendship ended when we were 21. Nowadays, I don't really have any pals, and that's kind of tough.
31. She Wanted All The Stuff
Our friendship came to an end due to envy. We were inseparable for two decades, but as we matured, she constantly compared our successes. As I began to prosper, landing a great job and securing my own place, it seemed to deeply upset her. She even confessed that she struggled seeing other people thrive. It was just too much for me to handle.
Additionally, her continuous subtle insults were something I couldn't ignore. Even though we have shared a lot of memories and experiences, I endeavored to preserve our friendship. But it dawned on me that it wasn't right for me to always have to downplay my achievements or face constant negativity. Eventually, I stopped responding to her calls and moved forward without regret.
32. Lost In The Weeds
Throughout high school, my two closest friends and I were inseparable. One day, my friend Nick and I experimented with some substances that weren't exactly legal, and we found we enjoyed it. Despite living in California where these substances were nearly decriminalized by the mid-2000s, our other friend, Dan, was strongly against it.
His strong reaction was puzzling to us, because he wasn't opposed to drinking, and it felt like perhaps he took some of those dramatic scare tactics from Substance Abuse Resistance Education to heart, misjudging us as addicts. Things between us only got more tense from that point on.
Nick and I were accepting of Dan's choice not to partake, but his decision to inform his parents about our activity, who then let our parents know, was a turning point for us. We weren’t punished since our parents actually indulged in the substances themselves. But Dan’s choice to disrupt our trust and tell his parents without discussing his feelings with us first put an end to our friendship.
Fast forward nearly two decades, and Nick and I are just as close as ever. In fact, I was his best man at his wedding. I stopped using those substances more than ten years ago. We never made amends with Dan and don’t really intend to. His loss—that’s the way we see it!
33. I Said Goodbye To Peter Pan
We've known each other since our early school days. Back then, she had that typical pure, child-like spirit—which is normal for any kid. Surprisingly, she never outgrew this playful character.
She maintained her childlike glee, expressing boundless enthusiasm over every detail of life. I don't see it as a bad thing; she viewed life from a bright, optimistic perspective and sprinkled in her own joy.
Believe it or not, her upbeat personality stemmed from her challenging family circumstances: a dysfunctional household and a frightening father. Plus, being the middle child, she felt the responsibility to maintain harmony among her family members. So, this bubbly personality was a coping mechanism for a grim home situation.
The issue was, I started to feel a growing incompatibility between us. I often felt the pressure to be equally cheerful around her, which became increasingly hard, especially during my late teenage years when depression hit me. Simply being around her became a draining task. So, slowly but surely, we slipped out of each other’s lives.
Of all my friends that I've drifted apart from, she's the one I feel most remorseful about. She's done absolutely nothing wrong—she's genuinely a good-natured person even with her tough background. Now we're in our twenties and our mothers are still good friends.
Last I heard, she's settled down with a wonderful guy. She doesn't intend to marry—and I can't blame her—but he treats her well, which is all that matters. I couldn't be more pleased for her.
34. Choose Sides, Or Else
We were practically joined at the hip for over two years, following a decade plus of friendship. But later on, it hit me: my first toxic relationship had been with my best friend. The idea threw me off, as toxic relationships were typically associated with romance, not friendships.
Initially, my financial stability allowed me to be generous. When we became close friends, I was happy to share what I had. But things took a turn when I lost my job. Suddenly, not offering as much turned into accusations of caring less. She resided in the city, and I in the country. If I couldn't afford the gas to visit, she claimed either laziness or apathy.
I slavishly drove into the city almost daily for two years, in comparison she visited my home just four times. She had no qualms berating me over minor errors, using guilt trips about her vulnerability to yelling if I ever retaliated in a heated argument. But this was only the start.
She was also subtly possessive. Though she never explicitly said so, she seemed to influence me negatively against anyone I started to get close with. The prime example, my roommate. I became so resentful, I moved out leaving behind only a note. It took me four months of hard work to mend that relationship. But then, there were the issues with men.
She was passionately against me forging close ties with men, perhaps for fear of me finding a boyfriend and spending less time with her. When I chose meeting a guy over her, which was pretty infrequent, she would explode. The ultimate deal breaker was when I befriended a guy.
Though the guy in question and I had just been friends, she detected a potential romance brewing. One day, I mentioned he was having a bad day, and I wanted to help. She offered to help, alluding to having been in his shoes. She ended up clashing with him, based on his not-so-polite behavior given his situation. Her refusal to see reason and subsequent demand for me to take sides led to me stepping away. I haven't been more relieved.
35. Like Mother Like Daughter
We were inseparable for two decades. Yet in the past half-decade, I found myself being the one always putting in the work to keep us connected. Anytime we tried organizing to catch up, she'd respond enthusiastically, "Absolutely, let's chat next week!" But her words fell flat—they were consistently unfulfilled pledges. Fed up, I eventually halted my attempts.
I never heard a peep from her again, barring the occasional superficial comment on my Instagram—which I consciously chose to ignore, because of its hollow and showy nature. Interestingly, her mom had a similar pattern of behavior with my own mother. Mom always referred to her as inconsistent. Moms do know best.
36. I Never Knew The Real Him
I considered my college buddy as a second brother, my closest friend. But when the truth started to bubble to the surface, I found out I barely knew him. I was there for him during challenging times, yet didn't receive the same comfort in return. Much of what I believed about him wasn't real; it was all a smoke screen.
This friend had a sibling who, strangely, didn’t resemble him or their parents at all. It wasn't until our friendship imploded that I found out from a mutual friend that he was adopted. I wouldn't have treated him differently had I known, but evidently, I wasn't a trustworthy enough friend to share that fact.
Things started falling into place once I pieced together that revelation. It shed light on many of his lies throughout our long friendship. Looking back, the dark truth was obvious—he was manipulative, deceitful, egotistical, and a downright fraud—and I either failed or refused to acknowledge it for nearly four decades.
The pain still lingers as I realize how he tainted so many of my cherished memories. Each time I remember our shared past, I can't help but think, "Ah yes, those were the days when we were best friends. At least, that's what I believed".
37. She Held Back My Dreams
We've been best buddies since we were 8. But around the time we both hit 25, things started to shift. Both she and her dad are tattoo artists, and I've always seen her father as my surrogate dad, given that my real one wasn't much of a father figure. She's been battling self-loathing for years, and unfortunately, I've often been on the receiving end. Things have finally come to a boiling point.
On my wedding day, she didn't cheer for me. When I shared the joyful news of my pregnancy, she reacted with disappointment and told me I was too young to be a mother – even though I'm 27, own a home with my husband, and we both have a reliable income. For a long time, I've expressed my desire to become a tattoo artist, but each time she'd dismiss it and discourage me, claiming I couldn't handle it.
It struck me as odd, seeing as I've been an artist all my life and even worked as a medical assistant specializing in dermatology for a year. I held off from becoming a tattoo artist for too long, just to please her. But when I broke the news that I was finally going to follow my calling, our communication ceased.
Looking back, she's been a negative influence in my life for the past seven years, beginning from when we were 20. I've finally reached the conclusion that it's time to let her go.
38. Gossip Guy Ends Friendship
Growing up, my childhood friend had a tendency to often discuss others behind their backs—a classic gossip, really. He'd spill details that had no relevance to me, most of which revolved around negativity or a judgemental perspective. Looking back, I doubt the accuracy of his accounts. Naively, I had thought I was exempt from his gossiping, but I soon realized I was mistaken.
The reality of his behavior hit me when I started college. I realized that I could also be a subject of his fabrications or exaggerated tales whenever he chatted with others. A mutual friend, who was making a cross-country move and decided to stop at my place, confirmed my fears by revealing some of the narratives about me.
While we do catch up a few times each year, I've been careful about the details of my life that I share with him. He's no more a friend, rather a bridge leading to a wave of childhood recollections.
39. International Friend Buster
My former best mate resided in a country different from mine: I'm based in England, he's in Norway. Our paths crossed on the internet when we were just 15, marking the beginning of a decade-long bond. At the age of 25, I discovered that his girlfriend, who he had been dating for four years, was, in his own words, about to turn 18. Doing the maths, she was only 14 while he was 21 when they began their relationship.
I terminated that friendship on the spot. Since then, I haven't had anyone close enough to call my best friend. I'm now 29.
40. Left On “Read”
It seemed like this individual and I were on our way to becoming best buddies. We worked side by side, constantly chatting and having a good belly laugh. We shared many interests. When they left the job, I wasn't fully aware of how deeply I'd miss them. We spent their last working day together, and it was such a blast. As the evening winded down, they told me to keep in touch and not to hold back.
Awesome, right? I thought I had a new friend...But no.
However, when I did reach out, I was kind of left hanging, with no reply after quite a bit of back-and-forth texting. I must have misunderstood the situation, and it's a bit heartbreaking to realize that. It would have been so nice and thrilling to have them as part of my life. It's been forever since I've felt such a bond with anyone, and now it's just vanished... It really bites. Situations like this make me hesitate before reaching out to people,
41. This Weirdo Wouldn’t Change
A few years back, there was this girl I terribly miss on certain days. She started to change; she was growing more feminine each day, while I still felt adrift—not entirely feminine, not totally masculine either. She was somehow making more friends and I was getting more secluded.
It was painful to accept, but her life was taking a different trajectory than mine. We still interact but we're not best pals anymore. Her grandfather suffered a stroke and she was no longer around my vicinity a lot—we just started growing apart. Our familiarity moved from spending entire days together, particularly the weekends, to the last time I saw her at her grandfather's funeral in April.
I bump into her mom and her little sister more frequently than her. But I wouldn't trade those ten years we spent together for anything, even though it concluded on a bit of a sad note. As she's transformed so much and turned into a “fantastic" person, I hardly know her anymore. She still, however, knows quite a bit about me as I haven't changed much.
Currently, I quite fancy calling myself a nonbinary chaotic gremlin.
42. It Only Took Eight Months
It's tricky to explain, but something happened with our friendship. We were hanging out at a pub with some buddies, got into a pointless squabble over something meaningless, and I headed home. I didn't see him again for about eight months, but when we eventually reconnected, I felt a bizarre shift.
Suddenly, I found myself disliking everything about him: his demeanor, his views, his behavior towards his family. It was as if I'd been overlooking these things all along. After eight months of not seeing him—and experiencing a lot of personal changes in that period—I finally saw him for who he truly was.
He turned out to be a self-absorbed, egotistic, and arrogant man who believed he was the center of the universe. Today, I don't even acknowledge him with a simple nod when we cross paths on the street. This all transpired about four or five years ago. I've known him nearly all my life and I'm 43 years old now.
43. He Was Cool—To A Point
My best friend was a unique personality—a 56-year-old gaming enthusiast who also happened to be a credentialed IT professional. That was pretty neat. On top of that, he smoked, drank, and indulged in certain substances, which I interpreted as intriguing. He had a knack for Italian cuisine, making shared meals a real treat. Far from your typical sluggish gamer stereotype, he was a veteran, having served in the army—something I found impressive.
However, his practice of making me accompany him on two-mile walks daily was less agreeable. That certainly strained our friendship.
44. It Was Bad Breath That Did It
She had a habit of trying to outdo or humiliate me when she felt down about herself. A specific instance sticks out in my memory. We were at one of her house parties, and she'd often drink so much she'd end up sprawled out on the floor. As a friend, I felt compelled to help her—she appeared to be passed out.
As I bent over her to check if she was okay and give her a hand, she unexpectedly shook herself awake. Her next statement had me gagged—she exclaimed loudly, "Your breath stinks!" Then she erupted into laughter, leaving me the center of attention. Sure, I had just smoked something, so she could've been on point—LOL. However, she was that kind of friend who felt the need to humiliate me when she was feeling diminished.
45. I Flipped His Switch
For a while, I chose to overlook his manipulative ways as they never seemed to affect me. He came across as a light-hearted mate, supportive of my imaginative spirit and thirst for new experiences, despite the constant turbulence in his life. However, the moment I confronted him about his actions, everything changed; he began to react by threatening to lay bare all the secrets I had ever confided in him.
At last, the realization hit me—this had been his true nature all along, which I had failed to recognize primarily because I found his company enjoyable. I just wish I had distanced myself sooner.
46. Farewell Friendship Tour
My best pal and I arranged a journey to a foreign land. Coincidentally, she was in an online relationship with a guy from the same place. As soon as we landed, she met her new beau and I didn't see her again until the trip ended.
We only bumped into each other at the airport because we were on the same flight. Things got extra awkward when she wanted her boyfriend to stay with us in the hotel room. She was not pleased when I objected to this. When we returned from the trip, she stopped communicating with me.
47. It Was All In The Family
My best buddy and I gave dating a shot once. It was alright, but we lacked communication. Then, while we were still an item, I learned through a TikTok video that she had started seeing someone else. My suspicion was that she might have intended to keep this from me, with me as her fallback option, perhaps? That romance fizzled out and we managed to stay friends.
I was pretty impressed that we could carry on as pals, until a shocking revelation stopped me dead in my tracks. I found out that she'd been involving my brother in her love life while we were still seeing each other and even after we parted ways. Now she's aiming to be in a relationship with my brother, and I've cut off contact with both of them.
48. He Went Cat Fishing
I'm struggling to put this into words—my closest buddy did something completely terrible. He created a fictitious account on messenger, his cunning plan was to trick me into going behind my wife's back. His motive? It was a dark one...He was attempting to get me to cheat on my wife.
Initially, I didn't have a clue who was on the other side, so I played along hoping to gather some hints. He took screenshots of our chats, and though I confronted him about it later, these insistences were conveniently ignored when he sent the conversation to my wife. This led to turmoil in my relationship, nearly resulting in divorce, and I'm honestly baffled as to why he would do something like this.
This is the guy who stood as the best man at my wedding, and I did the same for him. Despite the evidence I gathered insinuating that it was him, he adamantly denied it. Consequently, I blocked him on all my social media accounts and deleted his number from my contacts. We haven't been in touch since.
49. I Was Her Scapegoat
In 8th grade, I had a close friend who was friendly and warm-hearted. Although we were both comfortable with some level of physical affection, it never went beyond mutual hugs or playful touches. She'd sometimes rumpled my hair or rest her hand on my knee, to which I'd reciprocate.
Her boyfriend knew about our friendship and didn't mind, in fact, he and I got on really well too. Just an ordinary day turned stressful when I was summoned to the principal's office. Waiting there were my parents, the principal, and surprisingly, a police officer. With a sinking feeling, I thought it might be about a loss of someone we knew, but it turned out to be something far worse.
Apparently, I was being accused of behaving inappropriately toward her. The following two hours were spent tearfully watching them scrutinize my text messages, review CCTV footage, and question her boyfriend and her. Eventually, it became clear that she had used me to divert her parents' attention from her relationship with her boyfriend.
She finally confessed that her boyfriend had been physically abusive toward her. My parents received a call from the principal informing them that I was in the clear. He even suggested we could successfully sue if we chose to. After that incident, seeing her would make me feel sick, as if I was some sort of villain.
I struggled with severe depression before finally managing to pull myself back together, sitting quietly in my room. Despite everything, I stayed friends with the boyfriend, and as the years passed, we often joked about this ordeal.
He was a good guy, but she... she was a different story.
50. Personal Trainer? Try Professional Loafer
So, here's the story: after 14 years of being buddies, my friend and I decided it's time to get an apartment together. Out of nowhere, he loses his job as a workout instructor—apparently, he showed up in a hoodie one day and they fired him for breaking dress code. As a result, he was unemployed for two to three months.
So, we had a deal that he'll reimburse me when he gets back on his feet. But all I ever received was $400, and that too from his mom.
In the end, I had to shell out more than $14,000 for the whole year. Basically, I ended up paying for the entire lease while he lived there for only eight months. But wait...that's not even the worst part.
One day, I stumble upon a receipt that suggests he was trying to get a duplicate key made for my car! Talk about a nightmare!
Sources: Reddit,
