I faked a car breakdown because I was too humiliated to admit I couldn’t afford her bachelorette trip

Six months ago my college friend announced her bachelorette trip to Scottsdale. When the group chat started dropping links for four-star luxury villas, bottle service at day clubs and matching customized linen sets, I did the math. My share was going to be almost $2,500. At the time, I had about $340 in my checking account and was literally skipping meals to pay rent. Every single girl in that chat has wealthy parents or tech jobs. I was so profoundly embarrassed to be the "broke friend" dragging down the vibe that I couldnt bring myself to tell the truth. So three days before the flight, I called the bride in hysterical, fake tears. I told her my transmission blew on the highway, that towing and repairs were going to cost $3,000, and that I was completely wiped out financially. She felt terrible and told me not to worry. I spent that entire long weekend sitting in my dark apartment with the blinds drawn, eating cheap boxed mac and cheese while watching their Instagram stories. I feel pathetic looking back on it, but the relief of not having to go $2,500 into credit card debt outweighed every ounce of my self-respect.