Now you're just somebody that I used to know.

Today, a friendship ended.

It ended because I decided my well-being was more important. That for once, *I* need to come first.

It's funny, with everyone else, this has never been an issue.

With my soul sisters and brothers, we celebrate each other, we put each other first but never to the detriment of ourselves, it's how it's meant to be.

With this friend, that was not possible. So I gave, and I gave, and in the end I gave everything I had. It was never enough.

The final straw was on Sunday. I got my 6th tattoo, one that has so much significance to my life that it's not just branded on my skin, it's branded on my heart and soul. Instead of celebrating this with me, for me, this friend decided to cause drama. Petty, ridiculous drama. All because I went with 2 of my best friends and they weren't invited, because we 3 had such a powerful and emotional weekend together we wanted to keep it going, we wanted to love, and laugh, and just. Be. Happy.

The jealousy and resentment for a situation they created entirely for themselves spilled into what should have been a joyous occasion. I had it for all of 5 minutes before her poison intruded. I might sound harsh, but in reality, that's exactly what it is. The negativity, the constant drama, the sheer emotional avalanche this person would put on us, got to boiling point.

They made the mistake of not saying these things to me but to my closest male friend. I know he is fiercely protective of me, as I am of him. He didn't want to tell me what they was saying, he didn't want to tell me anything at all, but I could read it on his face in an instant.
And it was enough.

Yesterday, it continued on. For all intents and purposes, I had no idea, because again nothing was being said TO me, it was being said behind my back. From someone who was supposed to be like family to me, from someone who I had confided in and been confided into in return. I left it though, I let him handle it.

This morning. I get an email. Basically telling me that I'm a shit friend and that they'd be better off without me. Well you know what? I am SO much better off without them. I have a life. I have happiness and laughter and love surrounding me in such a perfect way.
I will not let anything ruin that.
I will not let the hatred and jealousy and self-loathing this person feels affect me anymore.
I will not do it.
I am sad.
I am exceedingly sad because when this friendship was good, it was great. It was fun, it was easy, it was nice.

I have to stick true to my principles though, and one of the biggest ones I have is that when the good outweigh the bad, it will always be worth it, no matter how hard.
In this case, the bad was far outweighing the good.

So now, they're just somebody that I used to know.