A couple close friends of mine(m20) were planning on going out to watch a movie. I wasn't so keen to go because I get hesitant about going out when the circumstances are difficult. In this case, I needed my dad to drop me off and he's not keen on doing that and I also had another commitment to go to later that day, thus, the whole outing would be rushed. But I figured that I actually want to watch this movie, so I made plans to get there.

Part of the plans was that my dad would drop me off near my best friend's (m20) house (this was his choice, normally I go to his house directly) and we'd go together to the cinema, and he'd pick up some other friends too. I also asked him if I could catch a lift with him back to his house and then I'd get my own lift back to my home from there. This isn't a new thing; we always do this whenever we go out to this cinema, and he's never had a problem with it (as far as I know). I never figured this would be a problem because I always go to his house, and he takes me back to his house as well. So it's not like he's making any extra trips.

Anyways, the night before we go out, he asks if we (another friend and I who were carpooling with him) could pitch in some money for gas. This upset me because, we're going to a cinema about 15-20 minutes away because HE insisted that this one was better quality meanwhile there was a decent one that we always go to about 5 minutes away that is also cheaper which I asked to go to multiple times, but he said that that one is bad quality. However, he said that he'll give me a lift to the further one and back so I agreed to go. Another thing that made me upset was that he asked for a lot of money, the amount to fill up about 15 liters of fuel in my country. Basically, with the amount he asked for, I could just pay for an Uber to go there and back. Lastly, now it's like I owe him every time I go with him.

So I was baffled, I didn't know what to do, because I couldn't afford to give him that amount of money and also pay for the movie and lunch. I got upset at this and I messaged him and said that this is why I was saying lets go to the cheaper/nearer place. He responded saying that nobody wants to go there (which isn't true) and that fuel isn't cheap, and he said that this is the first time he's asking for money because he doesn't have enough money for fuel for the month and that normally he wouldn't ask because he knows money is tight for us.

So, I settled that I don't want to go anymore, because it's not the same now if he drives me there, before I thought it was okay because we're both going to the same place, now I know that fuel and money is on his mind so I don't feel right getting a lift with him if I can't pay. Plus, the other friend agreed to pay so I'd be the only one with a 'free ride' there. Also, I just didn't feel like going anymore after this.

Thus, I told him that I'm just going to sit this one out. He then said that I should forget about the money and just come. But I still didn't feel like going anymore. I then complained again saying that idk why we can't go to the cheaper place and avoid all of this drama. This was when he got angry and said fine we'll go to the cheaper place. After he got angry, I just said that I'm not coming, period. He then gets even more angry and writes that all he did was ask if we could pitch in and that I got angry at this and that he is always this groups uber, give him a break, etc. After this I didn't feel like fighting and explained to him shortly how I felt and that I'm not angry (I was). He calmed down after this and just said that I should come. But I still said I'm not coming. I didn't feel like going anymore, it was already difficult enough getting there now this was just the last straw for me. After I said that I'm not feeling it anymore he wrote a long pity story that he feels like he's always walking on eggshells (he just had a fight with another close friend) and that he doesn't know what's wrong with him, etc. I ignored this.

We haven't spoken since; I think they went to the movie without me (to the cheaper place). So I just want to know if I'm being an AH here. Should I have just sucked it up and went to avoid the drama after he agreed to go to the cheaper place? Because he said after I said that I couldn't pay him to just come and forget the money, but I was already upset. Was I wrong to be upset at him for asking for cash? I feel like the AH now because he said just leave the money and come to the cheaper place, but I still didn't go and now they're upset at me.

TLDR: Friends were going to a movie together. We were going to carpool and my friend asked us to pitch in for fuel, despite him choosing to go to the further and more expensive spot. I got upset and said that I'm not going. Now I'm the AH for not going after they compromised to go to the cheaper spot.

Edit: added bigger paragraph spaces