The Backstory
Back in early February, my friend we'll call Mickel and I were planning on dating but I backed out so he dated a man we'll call Ayren.

Ayren stopped seeing Mickel to go back to his ex we'll call Nathan. Nathan stopped seeing Ayren. So Ayren went back to Mickel and they started dating again. But Ayren left Mickel AGAIN to go back to Nathan AGAIN! Then Nathan left for the last time.

I have always been very vocal and open about how I feel Ayren isn't right for Mickel and how he sounds like a deeply controlling, manipulative narcissist. When Nathan left him that second time, I had enough and suggested Mickel not continue dating him. So they agreed to stay friends. But Ayren doesn't accept that so he's persistently been trying to get Mickel to give him sex or at least another a chance.

I know all of this because Mickel occassionally sends me screenshots of his conversations with Ayren whenever there's a problem and needs advice/opinion.

The Paranoia
Mickel told Ayren how I felt he wasn't right for Mickel. So Ayren manipulated Mickel to orchestrate this massive plan to make it seem like he and Mickel fell out/aren't on dating terms. So that I would meet Mickel thinking that Ayren was out of the picture. This would give Ayren a good opportunity to attack me as I'd be super vulnerable and oblivious.

But in actuality, I'm aware... or at least paranoid.

I had a vision in my mind of them sat down with their phones, telling each other what to text so they could screenshot them and send them to me. But I doubt it.

Forgive me, I've not had therapy in 5 weeks so this could be a build up of irrational anxiety... but what helps is second opinions for reassurance as I'm told my own judgment can be clouded.