Waking Up to “Leech”: The Missed Call That Ended My Best Friendship

Sunken Ships is a weekly series that examines how and why relationships of all kinds fall apart. In this edition, Iyebiye shares how a missed FaceTime call led to the collapse of her decade-long bond with her best friend, Remi. They met in secondary school and quickly became inseparable, bonding over late-night BBM chats and family introductions. Their friendship survived university miles apart—until 2022, when Iyebiye’s struggle with depression and financial stress caused her to miss a call. Remi accused her of being a “leech,” calling out a gift phone as evidence of manipulation. Hurt by the harsh words, Iyebiye cut ties. Later, she learned Remi was suffering a mental breakdown and got help. Remi apologised, and after months of cautious reconnection they rebuilt a cordial rapport on Snapchat. Today, Iyebiye reflects on the limits of forgiveness and how this experience changed her approach to trust and generosity in friendships.

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