I am an IGCSE Biology Tutor, who does weekly Biology tuition, every Sunday, I sometimes do extra sessions during the week. Everyone was aware, including the depressed friend, whom we'll call Jessica.
My students who were entering the May/June exams decided that they needed an extra session, which I agreed to.
It was during the session, I received a call from Jessica, which is never good and is always worrying as god knows, it could be a call for help. Nonetheless, I declined as the center has a "no phones in class" policy. I carried on with my session and not even a minute later I received 2 following missed calls from Jessica, which then, I began to worry. So I excused myself and proceeded to answer her call.
I told her that I am currently in an important session, that I won't be able to talk and advised her not to do something reckless. She replied, sobbing, she needed me immediately, and she couldn't do this anymore. I, of course, felt guilty yet I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't just leave my class(especially as they had an igcse exam coming up)and there was no substitute teacher to take over the class. I urged her to just hang on as I was in the middle of a session and declined the call. I wasn't able to leave or else I'd get bombarded with tons of messages from angry parents.
As soon as my session was over, I turned my phone on and was faced with over 15 missed calls and 20 unread messages from Jessica. Without checking them, I immediately rushed to her house only to be informed by her housekeeper that she was taken to the hospital. My heart immediately sank.
I hurried to the hospital she was escorted to, the guilt eating me alive. Thankfully, she was alive. She had overdosed on medicine. I asked to speak to her and the nurse let me in. Jessica was wide awake, however, wouldn't look me in the eyes.
I profusely apologized and explained to her how I wasn't able to come and help and If I could've I would've directly come over. However, she started screaming at me instead, which caught me by surprise. She told me how bad of a friend I was, that not everything is about me, and that some people are in greater need of help than some pesky little children(referring to my students), She proceeded to swear continuously at me. I felt extremely humiliated and hurt. she knew I couldn't leave my class of over 35 students no matter what the circumstance was and she was definitely aware.
I stood up, told her that the world doesn't revolve around her, that the help she needs won't always be there when she asks for it. Just because she's depressed certainly doesn't mean I can leave behind my students and the job I'm obliged to work to come and rescue her. I turned around and left, without waiting for a reply.
I do admit, I did say quite harsh words considering her situation, however I was in the moment and it came out crueler than it should've.
So, AITA?