Some background info:

When I was about 3 or 4, my dad moved into a big house, two houses down from another house where another 3-4 yo girl lived. let's call her J. We became friends. My mum moved two states away and I would visit my dad 3 times a year in the school holidays. J and I would always catch up and play/hangout.

For reasons I don't feel like explaining (short story: my mum was a bitch) I stopped seeing my dad for about 6 years. I also lost contact of J. I found her on myspace a few years ago, and we started chatting like old friends again. We were both exactly the same as years before, even though we had not spoken for 7 years.

One year when I visited my dad I stayed with her for two nights. We got a tattoo together and hung out. It was fun. The next year, I booked my tickets 6 months in advance and told her the same day, of the dates I would be visiting my dad. She also flew to my state and went to a concert with me. I had bought her concert ticket months in advance, and she had organised that her dad would pay for the flights, as a christmas gift. The concert was on a Sunday, so I organised Monday off so I could drive her to the airport. She booked her tickets two weeks before the flight, rang me and told me she would be arriving on Friday morning at 8am. 'you've got two weeks, you'll be able to get that day off yeah?' she said. Inwardly I groaned. Two days off was a lot of money for me, especially seeing as the weekend already was costing me about $200. I organised the day off. Her flight here also had her grandparents on it. They slipped her $300 for 'spending money'. She also flashed around a further $500 that she'd gotten paid that week. Her flight BACK home left at 7am the day after the concert. She conveniently forgot the concert was three hours drive away from my house, which is near the airport. So after the concert, at midnight, BF and I had to drive back so she didnt miss her plane. All is good, that's what friends do, right?

Fastforward a few months. I had reminded her every so often of the dates of my own treck to her state. Then, 2 weeks before my holiday, she asks me what date it was again. I tell her. 'Oh. I can't get any days off work. Sorry.'
I tried breathing deeply, and I even went for a small walk to calm down a little. I was just soooo annoyed, and I felt like I had to say SOMETHING. With most of my friends, I have tried being completely honest. I don't want to hold something back because otherwise it will build up and I'll end up resenting them. Besides, I figured I would word it non-conflictingly.
'I don't understand why you couldn't find any time for me even though I tried to give you so much notice. I just thought you would be looking forward to me visiting. I organised an extra day off with only a couple of weeks notice to pick you up. But even though I'm disappointed, it's ok cause I know you're probably stressed about nationals. Also my parents and little sister were just asking about you cause they want to see you.' (she competes in a fitness-type-thing)
Ok so not totally non-conflicting, but I was being honest. There was a lot more that could have been said.
'Whatever' she said and hung up.
Then she rang back.
'It's not MY FAULT I had to work so much to save up to come and visit you, and had to pay heaps of money for the airfair, and basically couldn't afford it but I came and visited you ANYWAY. You know, I missed out on a friends 21st party to come and see you. So i'm SORRY. And it's not MY FAULT I'm broke right now and have to work'.
Me: 'umm... ok then. that's fine. don't worry about it. for the record, you told me your dad was paying for the flight, and you splashed your cash around while you were down here, so sorry if I didn't get the message that you were broke. i kind of think you have taken it the wrong way - i wasn't blaming you, i just wanted to tell you i was a little disappointed.'

I did organise to see her, in the end. I had to organise it, and I had to take a 2 hour train trip to see her to have lunch, but I did it. There were awkward silences.

Fastforward to now, and any conversation with her, I have to initiate. We used to chat on an instant messenger all the time, but now, she will be online but I will have to eb the one to start the conversation. And when I do, it's stilted (and this is in typing! imagine a voice conversation!). And anything she says will be all about herself. She is not interested in anything I have to say, nor does she ever ask any questions. oh, except for the other day, she asked 'so are you still working at the same places and stuff?'. As though she either can't remember what I do, or it's not important to her. Either way, apparently her role of Trainee Assistant Sub Manager at a fast food place is much more important and exciting than whatever the hell it is that I do.
I also noticed that, a few weeks ago I asked if she'd done anything interesting and she said no. Then on my facebook, on my wall, yesterday, she wrote 'oh since i last saw you (five months ago) i've gotten two new tattoos'. I am guessing it's because she wanted everyone to know she'd gotten them, not just me.

Anyway. Sorry for the vent. I am just so angry and annoyed. Sometimes I feel like cutting all communication off from her - but we have such history, and my dad and stepmum ask about her - i feel like she likes them more than me, and that I would be doing something horrible by ending the friendship.

BF and his sister (who we live with) have commented that when she visited she seemed very self-important (read: up herself) and quite immature. I don't know if maybe that's what people my age act like, only I don't have many friends my own age so maybe I am just not like that because I have older friends?

She uses words like 'retarded' and 'gay', which I don't think I've ever used, or if I did, as soon as I found out how they could offend certain people, I made a concious effort to stop. We don't really like the same music or the same clothes, the same people etc. We are very different. The only things we connect on are things we shared when we were young, like SEGA games and barbies. We even have different approaches to relationships and money. (she cheated on a BF, blows all her money, lived briefly out of home, and lives with her parents still.) She constantly wants me to sympathise for her dad, who 'has to pay off an 800k mortgage, two cars (oh... just mercedes, nothing special) support his new wife and her baby, plus pay child support to his ex wife and younger daughter'. I just nod and agree.

BA's post about his 'friend' just reminded me of my own friend woes. So I guess I just wanted to share!

:`(

What would anyone else do in my situation? I've told my dad and stepmum what happened, pretty much.

So what to do? Cut ties? Pretend nothing ever happened and continue merrily along? Or wait until she starts asking me about my life?