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Honesty is important in friendships.

But the way an honest opinion is delivered can make a big difference.

In this story, a teenage girl was asked by her friend how she did in class.

Her friend was shy and struggled to answer the teacher’s questions clearly during the lesson.

So she told her she could have done better, but her friend didn’t take the honesty very well.

Read the full story below to find out more.

AITA for telling my friend that she could’ve done better on a subject?

I (17F) told my friend (17F) that she could’ve done better in a subject today.

So, we do this subject with a teacher who fires off rapid questions every 2 minutes to see if we are listening.

Today, he asked her a lot of questions.

She is a bit shy, and often when teachers ask her stuff, she says things silently.

So, as you’d expect, the same thing happened today, and she only got a sentence out.

This teenage girl gave her honest answer.

After the class was over, she asked me if she answered well because I’m the one with the highest grades in the group.

And I said that she could’ve done better.

She told me that she tried her best and that I shouldn’t be so harsh on her.

Then, she stopped talking to me for the day.

Now, she’s confused if she should have just lied to her friend.

I am a bit confused because she repeatedly tells me to be honest about things I think of her.

For example, she asks if she looks good in something, how her hair looks, or, well, what happened today.

So, I was honest and told her that I thought she could’ve done better.

So, AITA? She’s a very close friend, and I don’t want to walk on eggshells around her.

Well, her friend technically did ask for honesty, so OP wasn’t necessarily wrong for sharing her opinion.

However, I also understand that saying someone could have done better might feel discouraging, especially when they genuinely tried their best.

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Perhaps a little encouragement alongside the criticism could have helped.

What do you think? Let’s read the responses of other people to this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s another valid point.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a son who wants his deceased father’s car repaired, but insurance refuses to do it without his father’s consent.

This one makes sense, too.

These things happen, says this one.

Real friends share honest opinions, no matter how painful they are.

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Author

Heide Lazaro

Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet's most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn't sifting through the web's wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.