17-year-old teenager backs out of vacation plans, entitled mom refuses to pay friend back for the plane ticket: 'I do expect to get the money back'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Apr 16, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Never count on a 17-year-old to be reliable about their plans. Of course, anyone who remembers what their mental and emotional states were during that turbulent time in the twilight of their high school years should know this. Clearly, however, some people tend to forget what it's like to be that age.

In this instance, we have a high school senior who was wishy-washy about joining her mother and her mother's friend on a vacation. her initial resistance to the idea should have been the indicator that no matter what, this teenager was not going on that trip, and if she did, she would be miserable to have around. She later agreed to go on the trip, only to back out once again four days before their departure. That's when the mom's friend started to get testy since she paid for half of this girl's plane ticket. 

Keep scrolling below for the friendship fallout that ensued!

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  • 01
    "[I'm] demanding my friend pay me back for her daughter's plane ticket today?"
    via Marissa Grootes

  • Leave it to a 17-year-old to create a ton of drama without even knowing it (or caring, for that matter). Since the author had counted on her friend's daughter to be there (she had agreed to babysit the author's kid during one night of the trip), the author decided that she deserved to get her money back at the very least. The friend told the author she should be more understanding of her daughter's situation, but the author didn't see it that way. Frankly, neither do we! She deserves her money back!

  • 02
    Throw away because my main page has a lot of my friends on it. My friend and I planned a trip in November to Hawaii with our younger kids. Initially we asked her oldest daughter who is 17 if
    via throwingitawayof
  • 03
    she wanted to go, but she said no. Fast forward to February when we decided to buy the plane tickets, we asked her daughter again, and she said she would like to go. My friend asked if I could pay for half of her ticket,
    via throwingitawayof
  • 04
    and I agreed since the daughter said she'd babysit for one night so we could go out alone. Our trip is in 4 days, and today her daughter said she no longer wants to go because she doesn't want to miss school. When I
    via throwingitawayof
  • 05
    heard this, I asked for my half of her ticket cost back since she's no longer going, and the reason I paid was for the night out. Now my friend is upset, saying I shouldn't expect to get anything
    via throwingitawayof
  • 06
    back. I explained that if she chooses not to go, that's fine, it's her choice but I do expect to get back the money I paid for her trip.
    via throwingitawayof
  • 07
    A lot of people are calling me the ah, saying I should be more understanding. Honestly, I would have been if this had been discussed earlier and if we hadn't
    via throwingitawayof
  • 08
    asked her before buying the tickets if she wanted to go. So I know you're super honest aita in this situation?
    via throwingitawayof
  • 09
    TeenySod 11h ago • NTA 17 is not too young to understand that when you make a commitment, you stick to it (barring actual emergencies of course, which it doesn't sound like this is).
    via throwingitawayof
  • 10
    You don't say how long you were going for: even if just a weekend then a trip to Hawaii for half price with only one night's babysitting sounds like a very reasonable deal.
    via throwingitawayof
  • 11
    How do "a lot of other people" even know what's happened in what should have been a private transaction between you and your friend? I expect it
    via throwingitawayof
  • 12
    was because your friend or her daughter told them. To be honest, I'd be reconsidering the trip, and possibly the entire
    via throwingitawayof
  • 13
    friendship given what appears to be b over your perfectly reasonable request.
    via throwingitawayof
  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10493881344
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 15
    Stu hobbitsis 11h ago • What kind of a 17 year old would rather go to school than go to Hawaii?
    via throwingitawayof
  • 16
    Miakki 11h ago . NTA. Your friend is the AH for expecting you to be out of pocket for her own child's indecision in going on the vacation in the first place..
    via throwingitawayof
  • 17
    Also, she asked you to pay for half the ticket, in EXCHANGE FOR her daughter babysitting your kids for a night out.
    via throwingitawayof
  • 18
    Her daughter has failed to provide the exchange, and therefore the mother or the daughter now has to return. the money.. Friends ain't friends if they're happy to rip off their mates.. Nu-uh-UH..
    via throwingitawayof
  • 19
    Username7099 . • 11h ago NTA. I want to know: who booked the tickets? Is there any refund option? How is the friend acting about the whole thing? Are they being weird?
    via throwingitawayof
  • 20
    UarNotMe 11h ago . NTA - it seems obvious. Who (besides your friend who doesn't want to repay you) is telling you you're an ah and why?
    via throwingitawayof

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aita entitled parents AITAH mother teenagers parenting karen entitled people
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