TIFU by using the restroom at my local game store

Today I fucked up by using the restroom at my local game store.

For some context, I play Magic the Gathering at my local game store most Sundays. I’ve only been playing the game for less than a year and only been playing at this shop for the past few months. However, I come to the shop all the time to buy cards. It’s to the point where some of the staff knows of me when I come in, and a few even know my name due to playing with them. There are a few different card shops in my area but this is my favorite place to go just because the environment is comforting and everyone is super nice. However, after this experience I’m not sure I can show my face there ever again.

Today I went to the shop to play like I do most Sundays. Everything was normal, except for the fact that I had chugged a Redbull before arriving since I didn’t get much sleep the night before. I also brought a water bottle with me since I usually play for a few hours, and tend to get thirsty. Now, this is where I made my first mistake. The first game ends and I really have to pee. So, I say I’ll be right back and excuse myself from the table. Now, this is a smaller shop in a strip mall, so the restrooms here are located in the back room and not normally for public use. However, if you’re playing in events like it’s an unspoken rule that you’re allowed to use them. I’m normally pretty socially awkward, to the point where I’m testing my anxiety every time I come and play with complete strangers. I say this because it took me a while to get used to going past the door that says “No public restrooms”, but over time I had built up the courage to go back there to use them anyway. This had never been a problem until today.
After getting to the restrooms I noticed the men’s single stall was locked. In all the times I have played here no one had ever been in the restrooms before. Whatever, I thought. I’ll just wait until the other person is done. After waiting a minute another guy walked into the backroom and started waiting behind me. We both wait in silence for a bit until the other guy says, “No one is that one, right?” As he pointed to the women’s room.
The door knobs on the restroom doors are the ones that let you know if they’re available or not by reading “occupied” or “vacant” above the handle. It read vacant.
“Nope, looks like its empty.” I replied.
“Well, you wanna go?” He gestures towards it.” I mean it’s a single stall right?”
He was right, it was a single stall and I really had to go at this point. I also felt awkward waiting and didn’t want him to have to wait even longer.
That was the moment I fucked up. That was the moment that led to the most embarrassment I’ve felt in a long time.
“Oh, yeah I guess you’re right.” I said back rushing into the restroom, locking the door behind me.
I quickly finished and exited the back room before anyone could see me. So, I head back to my table and I play a few more games.
About 3 and a half more hours go by, and I have finished my water bottle at this point. The last game took about one and a half hours, and for the last half hour of it I was holding my bladder. The game finally ends after a long back and forth with my opponent, and I end up losing. Which at that point I wasn’t even mad about cause I could finally excuse myself again. I get to the backroom and it’s empty, except for sounds of movement coming from one of the open staff rooms. I go over to the men’s door, grab the handle and see it reads “occupied”.
By this point I’m essentially dancing cause I’ve held my bladder for so long. That’s when I see the women’s room once again reads “vacant”. This is where I made my biggest mistake. Against my better judgement I danced my way over into the restroom and locked the door behind me.
I’m only in there for less than two minutes, but it turns out that was long enough for people to gather in the backroom. When I exited, I was met by three people. Two staff members, both of which knew me by name, and the third being the owner of the store.
Immediately, they all stop talking and stare at me closing the restroom door.
The owner glares at me and in a frustrated tone goes, “if you can’t be respectful, then don’t play here.” My stomach drops and I freeze before looking over at the staff members, then back over at the owner.
“W-what do you mean?” I stuttered, blanking on what I had Just done.
The owner stops what she was doing, walks over to the restroom sign clearly marked “women’s room” she repeats even more frustrated. “If you can’t be respectful, then don’t play here!”
“What does this say?” She then asks, tapping on the women’s sign. Immediately following up with, ”Women’s room. Not men’s. Respect the rules or don’t play here.”
“I’m… I’m sorry I really had to go and the men’s room was…”
I couldn’t even finish my sentence before one of the staff members spoke up and said “I mean I completely agree.”
What makes matters worse is I knew this specific staff member from high school. We chatted a bit about life each time I came in. I didn’t expect him to take my side as I was obviously in the wrong, but coning from someone I personally knew just added to the embarrassment tenfold.
The owner crossed her arms as she stared into what felt like my soul, as if she was waiting for me to respond back. But I couldn’t. There was nothing I could say that would justify my actions or help me out of this awkwardness.
That sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach became a gaping black hole, and I was filled with an overwhelming sense of shame and embarrassment.
“You’re right.” I managed to mutter back.
“It won’t happen again, I’m so sorry.” I added shuffling away back out of the backroom to the table.
It was like the room closed in on me. The thirty-ish second walk back to the table felt like an eternity. My vision narrowed and my breathing became super heavy. The entire time back the owner’s voice echoed in my head, rattling my skull with each word. I hung my head down in shame as I sat back down at the table. I had planned on playing one more game before leaving, but I couldn’t handle the embarrassment that consumed my mind. Not to mention the fact that the staff members were very clearly looking at me from across the way. I apologized to the table and said I had to go before quickly packing up my stuff and leaving.

I’m incredibly embarrassed and feel so stupid. I truly don’t know how to show my face at this store again. I can’t even disagree with the owner either. It was disrespectful to use that restroom and no matter how bad I had to go. I should have waited. Part of me wants to go back and apologize to her, but since I ran out I feel like I came off as a creep who just wanted to use the women’s restroom. I’m not a creep, and I never meant to disrespect anyone, but my actions in that moment did not prove that. There’s supposed to be a pre-release event happening this Friday at this store and I really wanted to go. Now I don’t think I can show my face there again at the risk of being called a creep.

I’m not looking for sympathy by posting this hence why it’s here and not on AITA or one of the parallel subs. I know I’m the asshole here. Instead I’m writing this to therapeutically vent and help me work through the anxiety and depression that’s been festering as a result. This has been eating me alive since it happened, and I needed to write it out to help work through the emotions. Plus, if someone gets a chuckle from my embarrassment and shame, then hey, maybe something good can come from it.

Anyway, TL;DR: I used the women’s restroom at my LGS when the men’s room was occupied, got called out by the owner and staff, and then ran away out of embarrassment.