Someone I thought was a close friend, claimed we were not "really" friends. I quickly became good friends with a girl I met in graduate school. We both loved to hike and shared similar outlooks on life. We did most things together for over two years, including spending time with each other's families, taking yoga classes together, celebrating each other, spending the night, holidays, secrets, heartbreaks. I recall sending search and rescue to find her after a hike-gone-wrong. As I was going through a divorce, she was dating someone new. I was hoping for support from her and she was distracted by a new relationship. I was happy for her yet we entered a cycle of making plans and her not showing up, or canceling last minute. Things happen and I was patient. However, after several months of this happening, without any acknowledgement on her part, I built up the courage to say something to her. I thought if I communicated how I was feeling, she might realize how unreliable she has been and understand that, while I didn't expect her to put her life on hold, I needed a friend and support. I shared how tough of a time I was having and her response was defensive. She told me I was being "clingy" and we "weren't even really friends" and hadn't been for a while. I was hurt and thought back to how I tried to give her space to explore her new relationship, was struggling with my own life, and we had inadvertently grown apart. I doubted myself and felt embarrassed and rejected. I ended up apologizing but she never talked to me again.