A cool story with some interesting reflections. I've moved about a lot over the years, and ended up meeting heaps of people as a result. But as I've got older I've realised that I don't really need that many friends, and I'd rather put the effort into keeping the ones that I really care about and the ones I'm sure care about me.
I like your policy of honesty. Sometimes there's a moment where you're completely honest with a person in a way that you haven't been before and they surprise you with a revelation. I love those moments. They are exhilarating - it feels as if some wall between you has been broken down and anything could happen as you're both standing there in the rubble. It sure does seem that the friend you mention in the last section probably won't get back in touch, and that's really sad, but maybe there's someone else that you can focus on instead. Narrowing your circle can be a good thing if the remaining friends are the good ones.
I love those honest moments too. When you get to clear the air and finally express the things that have been bugging you. As much as that conversation with my friend hurt, it had been weighing on me. I had thought of letting her know via text for some time but it felt like it wasn’t the best medium to have such a serious conversation. There are a few more of those conversations coming up.