Feeling weird about ending a long term friendship. Let's call her Ann. Ann has been my best friend for nearly a decade. I'm graduating in a few weeks and starting grad school across the country in the fall and since I've gotten my acceptance letter, Ann has been awful to me.
For context, Ann and I got into cosplay together as baby weebs in middle school. Due to our different personalities, Ann always loved the spotlight, while I liked just feeding off the positive and fun energy. Ann was fun and probably the number one reason why I have the self confidence I have today. She was the first person to get me to feel good in cosplay and then as myself. Ann fell in love with cosplay and wants to be cosfamous. I know cgl has their beef with cosfamous wannabes, but that aside, I think Ann just loves the attention. I fell in stride by helping her out building her "brand", doing cosplays with her, helping her out with prop making, being her handler, etc. I didn't mind or care at all, because by hanging out with Ann I got in with the In crowd at cons and she always gave me credit and thanks. Besides, she was my best friend.
Flash forward two weeks ago where Ann leaves me a scathing text that our friendship is through if I go to grad school. At first I thought it was because she was going to miss me and was misdirecting her emotions? Since she wasn't responding to my messages, I tried to talk to her though mutual friends and they came forward with how Ann has been shit talking me for years, calling me a doormat, her personal secretary, and basically a flunky and how easy it is for her to get me to do stuff for her.
Now I don't know how many people in our comm know about this, or if I bring this up, she'll drag me through the mud. Or if I even have the energy for all of this. Ann has a bit of reach, she's pretty mid-tier. I don't want to give up cosplay, but I also want to end this as quietly as possible. Not sure if I can do that with Ann...