“She and I are just coworkers. I never agreed to pay her bill. Whoever ate the food, take it up with them!”
I turned to leave, but two security guards stepped into my path.
The manager's voice carried a note of apology. “I'm sorry, but I don't care whether you're coworkers or friends. When she left, she made it very clear: you'd be covering the tab.”
“Our waitstaff saw the two of you talking at the register. You obviously know each other. Since she's gone, the bill falls to you.”
I was shaking with anger.
“She says I'll pay and you just take her word for it? Nobody thought to check with me first?”
“By that logic, any random stranger could walk in and stick their tab on someone else, and you'd all just go along with it?”
The manager turned and looked at the young waitress standing behind him.
She kept her head down, her voice barely audible. “I... I forgot to confirm.”
The manager gave me a weary look. “That was an oversight on our employee's part, I'll admit. But from what I can see, you and your coworker are on good terms. She even gave us your phone number when she checked out.”
“On top of that, after dinner she followed you into your private room. You two must be close.”
“Tell you what, I'll knock five percent off the total. Just settle it for your coworker, and let's not make things difficult for my staff.”
I laughed.
He said I was making things difficult for him.
They hadn't bothered to verify a single thing before shoving a bill in my face that had nothing to do with me.
And now I was the one making things difficult.
Right then, my phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message.
I opened it. Sandra.
【Don't think that just because you maxed out the card, you've got one over on me!】
【Consider this dinner a little lesson~】
Followed by a smirking emoji.
Fine. Fine. Fine.
She was banking on the fact that my parents were here, that I wouldn't cause a scene, that I'd just swallow the loss and shut up.
Not a chance.
I picked up my phone and dialed 911.
【Hi, yes. Someone dined and dashed at a restaurant and stuck the bill on me.】
