After years of lighting up The Real Housewives of Atlanta as a “friend of,” Shamea Morton is finally holding a peach in Season 16—and she’s not holding back. Known for her light-hearted energy, deep faith, and loyalty, Shamea Morton is now opening up about one of the season’s most emotional storylines: her fractured friendship with longtime best friend, Porsha Williams.

“To finally be here on this platform, living in my truth, in my true authentic self and just showcasing everything from my family to my friendships to my faith is just such an honor,” Morton told Decider in a recent interview.

But alongside the glamor and growth comes undeniable tension—especially with Williams. The two, who’ve been friends for over two decades, have seen cracks forming in their bond, from subtle shade to painful miscommunications. In one scene, Williams shows up late to Morton’s birthday party; in another, she interrupts Morton’s debut of her new song with a dismissive comment.

And things only get more complicated in the midseason trailer, where newcomer Angela Oakley tells Porsha that Morton feels their relationship is “lopsided.” Morton says the way that moment played out was misleading—and deeply disappointing.

“These are things that I do feel. However, I’ve never voiced them to Angela. These are Angela’s words and that’s the disappointing thing,” Morton explained. “Angela is afraid of Porsha for whatever reason. She can’t express that, ‘OK, looking at your friendship, this is how I feel about your friendship.’ She’s taking it back to Porsha as if this is how I feel when she’s asking probing questions to me, like, ‘Oh, well, I saw Porsha didn’t come to your wedding.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s true. That was hurtful. That was a bump in our friendship, but we moved past it.’ [She’s like], ‘Well, don’t you feel like it’s a little lopsided?’ At times. But we’re good.”

According to Morton, Angela took that nuanced exchange and turned it into a narrative that wasn’t hers to tell. “Now that’s been taken to, ‘Oh, Shamea feels like this and she came to me and said this.’ And I’m like, ‘Girl, I would never. I don’t even know you. I’m just getting to know you, why would I wanna come and confide in you about my best friend? What you’re doing is picking our friendship apart.’”

Morton says this dynamic wasn’t isolated. “A few of the ladies have done that, but the disappointing part about it all is that [Porsha has] allowed it,” she said. “If they’ve come to me, I’ve shut it down. I’m like, ‘Yeah, this happened, but we’re good.’ The fact that she opens up and she’s like, ‘Yeah,’ and crying about it with them, it is unfortunate because she never gave me the grace to call me and say, ‘Hey, this is what they’re saying. Is it true?’”

She continued, “Give me the benefit of the doubt. Give me the grace that I’ve extended to you and let’s talk about it if we’re real friends and if you want the friendship. I think that’s the thing that [was] the most hurtful part about it all because after 20 years of friendship I still didn’t get that grace.”

When asked about those accusing her of being “too loyal” or even a “lap dog” to Porsha over the years, Morton remained unapologetic. “I would rather be accused of being a puppet, a lap dog, too loyal, than to be accused of being a bad friend,” she said. “I operate in love and from a good space… I’m gonna try to be the friend that I want you to be to me. And if it’s reciprocated, I’m happy, but if it’s not, that’s not my fight.”

“I love this person to the point where it made me look like a bad—puppet and lap dog,” she added. “And that’s just what it is. I don’t feel bad for it, because we all want a loyal friend, right?”

With rumors swirling about former castmate Phaedra Parks possibly returning—and given her history with both women—Morton was also asked whether that could affect things further.

“I would hope not,” she said, “but I think at this point anything with Porsha is going to affect our friendship because she’s just so open to letting people pick it apart.”

Morton, however, is choosing to focus on peace. “I’m gonna continue to operate in love and I’m going to meet them where they are. If they continue to show kindness and they’re not shady to me, I won’t be shady or nasty to them. Yeah, I’m all about meeting them where they are now. I’m over it. I’ve given enough grace.”

As Season 16 unfolds, fans will have to watch and see whether this long-standing friendship can be repaired—or whether it marks the end of an era.