Second week of June hit me hard, not gonna lie. Emotionally, I was done. People were texting me with all kinds of messy energy—defensive, impulsive, sometimes even low-key rude. And I just… took it. Stayed calm. Let them talk their talk, even when it stung.

It wasn’t that they were trying to hurt me. I could tell they were upset and didn’t know how to say what they really meant. Texts can be so misleading like that. So I asked if we could FaceTime. I needed a real conversation—voices, faces, tone. Something more human than cold little blue and gray bubbles.

We picked a day. We called.

And honestly? It helped.

I brought up one moment that bothered me—when he asked for a name I mentioned, and I hesitated to tell him. I explained that I didn’t want to bring other people into our conflict. It was between us. He got offended at first, but when I explained where I was coming from, he actually listened. We cleared the air, piece by piece. Talked about what we liked and didn’t like in our friendship. It wasn’t easy, but it felt… real.

Then I brought up something deeper. He had shown screenshots of our texts to someone else. That hit different—it felt like betrayal. I told him that if something I say bothers him, I want him to tell me directly. Not share it around like gossip. That just adds more confusion, more hurt.

He saw my point. He apologized.

And in that moment, I realized: this is what I want in my circle. Not perfect people, but people who are willing to show up and listen. I’m tired of guessing who’s real. Tired of fake peace. Tired of people crossing lines and saying, “I didn’t mean it.”

I want real friends. I want truth, even when it’s awkward. I want people who respect me enough to talk to me, not about me.

I know it’s hard to find people like that. But still, I’m hoping.

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What about you?

• Have you ever felt misunderstood through text messages?
• Do you think some convos are better face-to-face or FaceTime instead of texting?
• Have you had to set boundaries with someone you care about—and how did that go?
• What kind of people do you want in your circle?

Let’s be real. Friendships are work. But when they’re honest? They’re worth it.