I've been living with my housemate for just over 3 years (June was the 3 year mark). She's female and I'm male. We haven't had any issues living together up until her and her boyfriend broke up in November last year.
She went from being someone who sang my praises in social situations to making me out to be the proverbial bad guy. I have no idea what brought this on, and I broached the subject with her about a month ago and again this past weekend, but she doesn't think her behaviour has changed since the breakup.
The reason they broke up was because she felt like she was always came 2nd to everything else in his life (surfing, working, cricket). I think she was hoping that if he knew she wasn't going to stick around, he'd make more of an effort. However, that wasn't the case and so she ended it.
I know I'm not imagining any of it, so how do I resolve this in order to get things back to the way they were?
@Spagirl: I don't have a partner. I'm a bit of an introvert, so I generally don't make plans unless I'm invited out by my friends. This isn't to say I don't go out at all. I'll spend every second or third weekend relaxing at home. We're the only two in the flat. Home life since the breakup has consisted of her bringing home boys she's met on Tinder for one night stands (basically using Tinder for sex only). We mix our social engagements with friends...she'll invite me to a thing and vice versa.
On to the belittling: Jane (for all intents and purposes) has a tendency to exaggerate things when she's talking to people. She started telling her friends that I never leave the flat and that I'm a hermit. This didn't stop until she had told everyone she knew.
After New Year's, Jane made a resolution to eat more vegetables (i.e. green leafy vegetables). I eat most vegetables but I don't enjoy the greens apart from spinach. So we agreed to start cooking our own meals. One night Jane was making dinner for herself and I jokingly commented on the fact that she was making enough food to feed a small country. She got defensive and went on about how it's all healthy food etc., and then looked me straight in the eyes and said in all seriousness "You eat like an actual c**t".
Around the same time, I started cooking enough meals on a Monday to last me the week. Jane started telling friends how I'd cook for the week, but made it sound like it was the wrong thing for someone to do.
There have been other smaller instances which I can't recall right now, but the most recent had to do with dirty dishes left by her friend who was staying with us before moving to India (it's very rare I leave dirty dishes in the kitchen). Jane blamed me for the mess and brought it up in two social settings.
So for those that haven't noticed the pattern, she keeps bringing up an issue until everyone knows I'm not a great guy, when in reality I'm a pretty standup person. I've been called a real gentleman by a number of women and more often than not I treat others with respect.