I (F28) didn’t have the best childhood. My dad (RIP) was an abusive alcoholic—he’d b*at me and my sister regularly. He worked as an HOD in a govt school in a small town and got housing through the job. My mom worked in another city, so me and my sister stayed in the hostel near his school. At 14, I was a city girl dropped into a conservative, rural school. We were bullied by students and even teachers for being “outsiders.” Eventually, I got close with two girls—Monica and Nikky. We were a trio, but Nikky and I were especially tight.

Monica had a friend named (Ronny)smart, shy, and the first guy I liked. He liked me too, and since we couldn’t talk openly (people were judgy AF), we passed a notebook with secret messages in the back pages. One day he slipped me a letter, confessing his feelings. I didn’t read all of it just a bit and hid it in my bag. Nikky saw me with it, asked what it was. I lied, said it was notes.

Later that day, I was with Monica. Nikky stayed back. When I came back & letter was gone. Someone gave it to the warden. My sister and I were humiliated, called names, and expelled. We had to move in with our dad.

That year was hell. He’d bat us with belts, a tennis racket once broke my wrist. Abse went on the whole year. We never told mom she was already struggling. We just survived.

Years later, I moved to London. Last year, I reconnected with Monica, who mentioned Ronny. Out of curiosity, I messaged him. We became friends again. He told me something I can’t forget: after I got expelled, Nikky proposed to him.

I didn’t bring it up. Around the same time, Nikky and I reconnected too. I helped her get a job in London, paid for her flights, let her stay with me rent-free while she got settled. I thought she was family.

Last week, we went out to eat. A couple guys came over, I turned them down. As they left, Nikky said, “Still desperate for attention, huh? You haven’t changed. Always needed to be the center.”

I asked what she meant. She scoffed, “Back in school when Ronny liked me, you kept doing slutty little things to grab his attention. Couldn’t handle not being chosen, could you?”

She said, “At least I did the right thing giving that stupid letter to the warden.” I froze. “Wait… you gave the letter?”

She fumbled. “I didn’t mean to, okay? I accidentally opened your notebook, saw it, other girls saw too, things just happened.”

I snapped. “Oh, you accidentally opened my bag, flipped to the last page of my notebook, read a letter not meant for you, and just watched while it got passed around?” She shrugged. “You had to move in with your dad anyway. What’s the BIG DEAL??” That sentence broke something in me. Next morning, I packed her stuff, changed the locks, left her bags outside, and went to work. She called crying, said I overreacted, that she was just curious, and that I owe her for school stuff and being a “shoulder” back then. I told her we’re done. I don’t care if she lives or dies. I cut the call.