I Trusted Them—Until They Betrayed Me
- Davis
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
I never thought I’d be the kind of person to say, “I didn’t see it coming.” But I didn’t.This is my story. A story about trust, betrayal, and learning the hard way that not everyone who smiles at you is your friend.
Everything Felt Perfect… Until It Wasn’t
It started in my second year of university. I had a good group of friends, I was in a relationship with someone I truly cared about, and I felt like I had finally found “my people.” We would study together, go out on weekends, support each other through stressful exams—it was the kind of college experience you hope for.
My girlfriend, Sarah, and my best friend, Malik, were two of the most important people in my life. We all hung out as a trio often. They were both funny, supportive, and always seemed to get along well.
Maybe too well.
The Signs I Ignored
Looking back now, the signs were there.
They would laugh at inside jokes I wasn’t part of. Malik started showing up randomly when Sarah and I were hanging out. One time, he even borrowed her hoodie “because it was cold”—and she gave it to him without a second thought.
But I trusted them. I didn’t want to be the jealous boyfriend or the paranoid friend. So I kept telling myself, “They’re just close because we’re all close.”
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The Moment Everything Broke
It happened one night while scrolling through Snapchat. I saw a story from a friend of a friend—someone I barely talked to. It was a short clip at a house party I wasn’t invited to.
In the background, blurry but clear enough, were Sarah and Malik. Kissing.
I froze. I played the video five times just to be sure. I kept thinking, There’s no way. Not them.
But it was them.
I messaged Sarah immediately. No reply. Then I called Malik. Straight to voicemail.
That night, I barely slept. My stomach was in knots. I felt like I had been punched in the chest.
The Confrontation
The next day, Sarah finally messaged me:
“I didn’t want you to find out like this. I’m sorry.”She said it “just happened.” That they had been spending more time together, and things “got complicated.”
Malik didn’t say anything for three days. Then I got a voice note.
“Man, I messed up. I didn’t plan to hurt you. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
They both said they didn’t mean to hurt me. But that didn’t change the fact that they did.
Losing More Than a Relationship
The breakup hurt. But the friendship ending? That destroyed me.
Malik and I had been best friends since freshman orientation. We had each other’s backs through everything—or so I thought. It felt like I had lost a part of myself. My days got quiet. My group chats dried up. I didn’t want to go to class, to events, to anywhere I might run into either of them.
For weeks, I kept wondering what I had done wrong. Was I too blind? Too trusting? Was I not good enough?
According to Psychology Today, betrayal trauma often causes people to doubt their self-worth and perception of reality.And that’s exactly what I felt.
Finding Myself Again
Time didn’t fix everything—but it gave me space.
I started journaling again, just to let it out. I talked to a student counselor who helped me stop blaming myself. Slowly, I reached out to old friends I had distanced myself from. And surprisingly, they were still there for me.
I joined a student writing club. I turned my story into a short piece. When I read it aloud for the first time, my hands were shaking—but afterward, people came up to me and said, “That happened to me too.”
That’s when I realized: I’m not alone.
What I’ve Learned
If you’re reading this and you’ve been betrayed—by a partner, a friend, or both—please hear this:
What matters is that you take care of yourself. Talk to someone. Write your story. Rebuild, even if it takes time. Trust can break, but you can still believe in yourself.
Final Words
I don’t hate Sarah or Malik anymore. I don’t wish them pain. I just don’t want them in my life.
Some people are lessons.Some people are chapters.And some people… are just a warning sign you missed the first time.
I’m still here. I’m still standing. And I’m learning to trust again—starting with myself.
Comments