My best friend DUMPED ME

Andrea explains her struggle to come to terms with her friend’s disappearance from her life

- Andrea

I’ve always felt a hint of pity for people who don’t have a best friend. It’s arguably one of the strongest relationships – one that’s bound, not by blood or romantic love, but by trust, laughter and honesty.

A best friend is a confidante who’ll cry with you when your heart’s broken and triumph in your successes. They won’t hesitate to call you out when you’re wrong or being a downright pain. That’s what Charlotte was to me.

We’d met aged 10 and, while we had other good friends, with Charlotte it was just different. When she was bullied, I defended her, and when my parents were divorcing, she invited me for sleepovers every other night or stayed at mine so I wasn’t alone.

The older we got, the closer we became, and whenever one of us got work in a bar or restaurant, the other would always end up with a job, too.

It was no different when Charlotte started an office job in our early 20s. A year later – broke and fresh out of university – I joined her at the contracting company, planning to clear my debts before deciding what to do next.

We spent every working hour together and always had each other’s backs. I’d cover for Charlotte and have coffee ready if she was running late, grateful that she’d got me the job.

After several months, though, the opportunity for promotion came up and, after making a pact not to hold grudges should one of us get it, we both applied. Charlotte had been there longer, so I figured she’d get it – but, in fact, I did.