Footsteps Forest
Cosmo Finch, the class president, announces in the group chat that the graduation dinner is being held at 6:00 pm. I arrive at the restaurant ten minutes early and wait outside the private dining room, only for him to stop me and shove a payment QR code in my face.
"You're the last one in the class to arrive. Now, transfer me 300 dollars if you want to get in!"
I'm baffled. "Didn't you tell us it starts at 6:00 pm? It's only 5:50 pm. How am I late?"
Cosmo rolls his eyes and sneers, "Everyone else arrived an hour early to toast our advisor. You're the only one who shows up on the dot. Do you have no sense of team spirit? If you don't want to pay your share, leave!"
Not wanting to make a scene at our last college get-together, I transfer the money with a cold expression and push open the door to the private dining room. However, the moment I step inside, my classmates are already putting on their coats and getting ready to leave.
I take in all the sparkling-clean plates on the table, not quite processing what I'm seeing.
Cosmo calls out from behind, "Everyone, grab your belongings. It's time to hit the speakeasy bar! Kieran, since you showed up last, the rest of the bill is on you!"