Being a third wheel is hard enough, but what about a SEVENTH wheel?

I don’t think anyone would be cool with that being a thing for any length of time.

So maybe it’s not that surprising that this friend has had it up to here.

Check it out.

WIBTA if I stopped a tradition among my friend group?

Hi, I (23F) am in a friend group with three other girls (all 23F).

I’ve been single for two years, and the rest are all in committed relationships, the shortest being eight months and the longest being almost two years.

And how is it being the odd one out?

Ever since they all started dating, our hangouts have turned to triple dates, with me as an extra, and we never hang out as just the four of us anymore.

I’m not too put off by this, as their boyfriends are all super nice and I enjoy being friends with them.

Then, the dubious tradition began…

Somewhere along the way, one of my friends, ‘Maya’, started a tradition of taking a ‘seventh wheel photo’, where I stand alone staring at the camera and the three couples doing couple-y things (e.g. holding hands, hugging, etc.) around me.

We all found it funny at first, and we always get a lot of likes and comments whenever we share these photos online.

It did get a bit tedious for me after a couple months of doing this at every hangout, but my friends got upset when I suggested stopping it or at least doing it less.

So, the tradition continues

Seems like that’s the kind of thing that kind of REQUIRES you to be on board.

Fast forward to this month, when they texted in our group chat about having Valentine’s Day dinner together.

I didn’t respond for a while, because 1. I was at work, and 2. I figured it was a romantic thing so I wouldn’t be invited.

However, they started getting frustrated at me not replying and ‘Maya’ called me to ask if I could make it.

I asked if they really wanted me seventh-wheeling them on Valentine’s Day, to which she replied “Of course, we have to continue our tradition! How can we take the photo without our main character there?”

Talk about a bad Singles Awareness Day.

I got annoyed at this and told her that I needed to work that day and can’t make it.

So, on Valentine’s Day, they went on a triple date and I stayed home to watch movies with my roommate.

However, I’ve been thinking about how uncomfortable taking those photos have been making me, but wonder if it’s something worth voicing out and potentially having an argument about, as my friends seem really excited about taking it each time.

WIBTA?

Let’s check in with the comments:

You’re a pal, not a punchline.

No joke is funny this many times.

You shouldn’t even need to say it twice.

If your friend is telling you they don’t like something, listen the first time.

Hopefully this will work out for her.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.