Hello, my name is Jessica and I'm here to talk a little bit about some misconceptions when it comes to friendships and acquaintances.

Friendships, relationships in general, are built on the understanding that there is give and take. However, when we start getting into semantics, such as, 'well, I did this thing for you, so therefore you HAVE to do this thing for me', we start trickling into an area of "friendship" that I'd like to call being an asshat.

It's a weird area, most definitely, because it's almost like what happens when a guy does things for a girl with the thought in the back of his mind that says 'yes, she owes me now, because I'm such a nice guy'. I didn't realize this happened with friendships.

So, let's back up and give some meat to the story!

My roommate, who happens to be a Taurus and I swear I NEVER had anything against them until knowing this person, works at a movie theater and thus gets free movie tickets at said establishment. She asks me to see a movie with her, because she didn't want to go by herself (a point that will be later brought up) and I went. I've never known anyone who worked at a movie theater, so the whole concept of getting in for free was (and is) new to me and uncomfortable. Before every movie experience, I tell her, "I can pay for my own ticket," because she always tells me about how her co-workers get in trouble for going too often, and also because I don't like feeling indebted to people, especially people who annoy the shit out of me with prolonged exposure.

So fast forward to now, after seeing maybe 8 movies for free (I'm not counting, but it's probably less than 10) and now (10:50 pm on a Wednesday), this happens:

Roommate: Did you eat dinner?

Me: Yes!

Roommate: Lameee. Wanna go to Alehouse with me anyway?

Me: Not especially! I already showered and am getting ready for bed

Roommate: Come on!

Roommate: I'm hungryyyyyyy

Me: Noooooo

Roommate: You're so mean! I get you into all these movies for free and this is how you repay me!

Wait, what? Suddenly an act of friendship is being used against me. Okay. That's new. Didn't realize I was entitled to do things I don't want to do, because you did something YOU wanted to. Gotcha.

Me: I could pay for my movies if it bothers you!

Roommate: I'm just proving a point. If I do you favors then you should do favors for meee. Like coming to Alehouse with me so that I don't have to eat alone

Me: I've gone to my fair share of restaurants alone! It builds character!

Roommate: well, in the next two weeks when I'm gone you can go to as many restaurants alone as you like. But for now I'm still here and I don't wanna go alone

Me: still not goinggggg~

Roommate: Meannn! That's okay I'll just starve

Me: guilt tactics won't work!

Roommate: you should feel guilty! Now I'm gonna be hungry for the rest of the night

Me: too bad I don't feel guilty :D

Roommate: that's because you're so mean!!!!

And this is where I have all of my issues. Why should I feel guilty over something that's not my problem? Answer: I shouldn't.

Eating alone in a restaurant is not the end of the world. As I said, I've done it NUMEROUS times, whether by my own volition or because I had no other option. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why going to a restaurant alone is a big deal... or why going through a drive thru couldn't be an option if you were so hell bent on having company with your meal.

Friendship isn't about keeping score of how much you're doing for one person and trying to make it equal. I mean, maybe sometimes it could be and it'll work out, but you should want to do something for someone because YOU WANT TO. When it comes to people I genuinely care about, I'm not like, "well, ____, I've done such a such a thing for you, so you HAVE to do this for me." Who does that?

Answer: MY ROOMMATE.

I could probably talk about this until thy kingdom come, because this frustrates me beyond belief.

And then the fact that she wanted to see the movie at a time that wasn't convenient for me, because of a TV show, and she's like, "ugh! just download it or watch it the day after tomorrow" and I say, "I wouldn't guilt you to make you miss your favorite show" and she says, "well, I wouldn't throw a fit like you are if I did miss it"

I'm sorry. It's almost as if we have different priorities in life and I'm supposed to feel bad, because I don't deem you important enough to miss something I actually enjoy. That seems logical.

I can't wait to move out. It cannot happen soon enough. There are no more words.