I (18F) bailed on going to a concert with one of my closest friends, “M” (19F), to go to the same concert with my best friend, “J” (18F).
M and I have been friends for almost 7 years. We went no contact for about a year and a half due to issues but later rekindled and are now very close. J and I met 1.5 years ago in Paris and instantly clicked. Since then, we’ve traveled to six countries together, and she even flew to my home country in Asia for my birthday. We only see each other every two months because she lives 6 hours away, but she’s my best friend. M and J don’t know each other; they’ve only heard about one another through me.
A famous artist announced a summer tour. I’m not a huge fan, but both M and J are. M first asked me to go with her, and I said I wasn’t sure because of cost and travel. When dates were announced, both M and J sent me the post. I suggested all three of us go, and M told me to ask J to try getting tickets too, to increase our chances.
On presale day, I couldn’t queue properly due to school. J was far back in line, M was closer, and a second date was added. M managed to get 6 seated tickets (116€ each, very far back). I could’ve gotten standing tickets but didn’t since M already bought some. I excitedly told J, missing a voice note from M asking me not to tell her yet.
Later, M told me she planned to keep 4 tickets (for her parents, herself, and me) and resell 2 at market price to make money. This shocked me, since we’d agreed to get tickets for all three of us. She said she didn’t feel bad overcharging J because she didn’t know her and wished it was just the two of us anyway. I told her I wasn’t sure I’d go if J couldn’t, since I’d feel awful attending one of J’s favorite artists without her.
I tried getting tickets during general sale but failed. M then said she’d sell J a ticket for 250–270€, possibly more. The concert wasn’t sold out, and better tickets were available for that price, so J declined out of principle.
Later, M said no one wanted to buy the tickets at her price and apologized for prioritizing money. She offered to lower it to 200€ and said she wanted all three of us to go. J was still hesitant, so we decided to try again for tickets on a newly added date (which was also J’s birthday).
I ended up skipping class to queue and managed to get two tickets for 116€ each. J was thrilled. I told M and apologized, saying this was all a miscommunication, but she hasn’t replied since. She’s still going with her parents, but I feel bad.
So, AITA?
Edit: I just wanted to add that J wasn’t mad at M at all, she even said M didn’t have to feel sorry at all. She was more disappointed but understood that it was her decision to sell the tickets for a higher price since they were technically still M’s tickets. Also we’re all going to the same concert, but M is going a day before us since we got tickets for the added date. I also told her she could sell my ticket too so she could profit more.
I just also wanted to add that even if the concert was sold out and more dates weren’t added, J still wouldn’t have bought the ticket, its just too out of her price range. Therefore, I also wouldn’t have gone in solidarity to J.
If J/I was the one who got tickets we wouldn’t have charged M extra, so we just didn’t think it was right for her to do that to J even tho she didn’t know her, or she could’ve atleast given a heads up.
NTA
Dont feel bad she changed the plans without talking to you or you agreeing. I’d reconsider this friendship though, someone who does what J did is not a nice person.
I’m glad you’re going with J though and on Js birthday too, which means you’ll miss whatever M plans
Shes going with J on Js birthday, M is the one that bought tickets and then tried to sell to J for more than it was worth so shes stuck with extra tickets and going with her parents while OP and J go together.
NTA that’s what I agree with your judgment but think you got the letters confused. M was playing games with the tickets and OP is going with J
NTA Trying to scalp tickets for a show that isn’t sold out creates her own mess. It’s her problem now.
NTA.
None of this was miscommunication, it was driven by M’s jealousy. You all agreed to go together, and then M deliberately excluded J and even tried to overcharge her for a ticket because she didn’t want her there. Even if M doesn’t know J at all, that’s a shitty thing to do to *you* too, since it put you in an uncomfortable and unfair position. It’s completely understandable that neither you nor J would want to attend the concert with M after that.
NTA it sounds like M was greedy and so she lost out. Prioritizing money over friends always causes you to lose out on both.
NTA. M changed the plans to make money off the ticket. The three of you agreed to buy tickets to go as a trio. M bought tickets, tried to sell them overpriced and got screwed as tickets were still available and later dates were added. If M had stuck to the plan, all three of you would have attended together and nobody’s feelings would be hurt.
NTA. Yall agreed to go together and M wants to rip off your best friend right in front of you? Nah, she changed plans and got greedy. Happy birthday to J, have a good time.
NTA – I was gonna say the opposite but after re-reading it, M agreed with the plan for J to be included then switched up after the opportunity to get tickets passed because she didn’t want her included instead of just being honest beforehand. I can’t imagine J would even want to attend with her after all that.
NTA and I’m baffled at the people saying you are. You agreed to go as a 3, she tried to charge J more than double what she paid for the ticket because she thought she could, only apologised when she couldn’t scalp the tickets for obscene money elsewhere and STILL wanted to make an $84 profit off J to offload one? No. I’d already think it was weird she added her parents in without asking but the attempted extortion? Nope.
M is not a friend. Infact shes a shitty person to do that and try to scalp your friend because “i dont know her” rhetoric, prob based on jealousy/insecurity…very school yard mentality.
The deal was to get 3 tickets. M decided to change the deal when she ordered the tickets, she lost. We live in a time of FAFO.
NTA, the unspoken rule of concerts is you charge everyone in the group what the tickets cost, not double the price for the rest of the group because you think you can get more on the secondary market. M sucks.
NTA, M is actually insane for that, agreeing to get tickets for all and then overcharging a friend for her own benefit is crazy bro.