Graduations are rare occasions; it’s only natural for graduates to want their friends and family to be there.

This woman had intense back and neck pain on the day of her best friend’s graduation, so she had to miss a part of it to go see her therapist. When she got back to the celebration, she wasn’t her normal self due to her meds.

Read the full story below for more details.

AITA for going but “not really” to my best friend graduation ceremony and lunch?

I (26F) graduated last year. My best friend (24M) texted me the night before my ceremony and celebratory lunch, saying that he wouldn’t be going because he was mad at me.

It turns out it was all just a joke to make me more surprised when he actually showed up to both events (to clarify, he was never really mad; he just wanted me to think so).

The best laid plans don’t always turn out.

This year was his turn to graduate, and both the ceremony and lunch were on the same day. I had planned to attend both events.

The night before, my neck and back were killing me. This is not the first time it has happened; I have a physically demanding job, so I take some pretty strong pain meds.

However, it was bad enough that I had to make an appointment with my therapist. Sadly, he could only see me during the time of the ceremony, so I wouldn’t be able to go.

And then things got tense.

I texted my friend to apologize, and he didn’t respond. I could tell that he was furious. So I asked my brother to still drive me to campus at 7 a.m. (the ceremony was from 8 to 10, and my appointment was at 9) so I could see him beforehand.

He was pretty happy and touched. I got to hug him, and I told him again that I wouldn’t be there when it ended, but that I’d try to make it to lunch.

I guess he thought I was joking, because when I got out of my appointment around 10:30, I had several texts asking me where I was. I called him and told him I was going home to get changed and that I’d see him at lunch.

Why is this person so high stress?

I went to lunch, still a bit drowsy from the meds, but I knew he wouldn’t forgive me if I missed both things.

I did my best to socialize, and I also managed to give the speech he had asked me to do. I still had to leave a bit earlier than everyone else, but all in all, I thought I did well and that things were okay between us.

I was wrong. He’s angry. He really thought I was joking about missing the ceremony as he did as payback, so he was taken aback when I wasn’t there for pictures afterward.

This clearly wasn’t her fault.

He also thinks I’m a jerk for going to his lunch on meds. I wasn’t; I was just a bit sleepy. I wasn’t slurring my words or anything, just a bit quieter than usual.

Still, he thinks I shouldn’t have gone at all, but I’ve known him for almost a decade now, and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have forgiven me for missing both things unless I was actually hospitalized or somebody died.

So, AITA?

It’s better to show up sleepy than not at all.

Other people in the comments are chiming in.

Props to her.

Find a new best friend, says this user.

Another reader calls out the best friend.

And here’s a valid point.

Real friends understand medical issues.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.