There's little lies and there's lying for safety against a homophobic family, but making up a descriptive storytelling event to the LW who is his ally and just as vulnerable in coming out and then blaming her for believing his illustrated story, and lying to their friends to punish her for his own set up of her--no way! Ray is a vindictive, manipulative, lying little fucker.

The LW may be right about his motives, but if he was making her his trial balloon, that is horrible despite it turning out well for her, and that doesn't excuse his trying to turn everyone against her. LW is way too forgiving. This storyteller is going to hurt a lot more people and it would be kind to her friends to let them know the truth before they fall into more of his traps than putting a barrier between them and an empathetic friend it would be good to have like the LW. It's not surprising she lacks the self-esteem to be angry that Ray is trying to deprive their friends of her friendship and be as angry for them as she should be for herself.