Chapter 3

Luna cut in quickly, "It's a deal, then!"

Georgette curled her lip. "Are you insane? Who wants a treat from some hick?"

"Just smelling the dirt on her makes me sick. You want me to hurl, sitting at the same table with her?"

Luna looked smug. "She's disgusting, sure. Her money isn't."

"That restaurant belongs to a guy I know. I'll get him to make the bill sky-high, and once she pays, we split the money with him."

"He's run diner scams out of that place before. He knows how to work it."

Georgette's face lit up. "Not bad. Wipe out all fifty grand of hers. Just thinking about it feels good!"

Maxine hesitated. "Is it really that easy? What if she takes one look at those insane prices and won't pay?"

Luna gave her phone a little wave. "She agreed to treat us just now, no hesitation. Did you forget?"

"I recorded it. If she won't pay, we post it in the class group and say she was showing off, offered to treat everyone, then backed out when the bill came."

"She'll pay through gritted teeth just to save face."

The more they talked, the more pleased with themselves they got.

They never noticed my phone was recording too.

The next day at noon, Luna and the others brought me to a restaurant on the edge of the city.

The moment we sat down, the owner came over himself and handed us a menu.

I opened it. Not one dish had a price.

"Sir, why aren't there any prices on your menu?"

Luna pulled the menu out of my hands.

"That's how high-end places are. You wouldn't get it. Let me order."

I nodded, propped my chin in both hands, and watched her order.

Abalone, lobster, blue crab...

I ran a quick estimate in my head. Two thousand, tops.

When the food came, they watched me eat and started laughing again.

"Look at those table manners. Once a hick, always a hick."

"She's put away plenty. Let's see if she has the nerve not to pay."

"Luna, ask your guy how much each of us gets from this meal."

Right in front of me, Luna called the owner over.

"So? All figured out?"

Mr. Lambert nodded. "You wanted me to run the total at fifty grand, right? My cost is two thousand, so the four of you get twelve hundred each."

Georgette's voice cracked with excitement.

"Twelve hundred? Oh my God, I can finally buy that bag I've been eyeing!"

I tilted my head toward them.

"Are we settling up now? How much is it?"

Mr. Lambert hurried over with the receipt and handed it to me.

"Fifty thousand total. Card?"

I took the receipt and frowned.

"Fifty thousand? Sir, is this some kind of rip-off joint?"

"We ordered six dishes, no drinks. Eight grand a dish?"

Luna took the menu and made a show of glancing at it.

"That's right, Florence. You're from inland, so you probably don't know. Everything we ate is top-grade. That's just the price."

Georgette chimed in. "Don't tell me you've never had anything nice? A little money like this scares you stiff?"

"Back home in Bayport, dropping tens of thousands on one meal is totally normal."

Maxine rolled her eyes. "I told you people from out of town wouldn't get it, and you didn't believe me. We do her a favor showing her the world, and it comes off like we're swindling her."

Luna sighed. "My bad. You agreed so easily yesterday, I thought you didn't care about money."

"But we've already eaten. You've got no choice but to pay."

I pushed the receipt away. "This bill? I'm not paying it."