I’m Cecelia, and I’d finally had enough of two freeloaders in my friend group Samantha and Arnold. We’ve all been friends since college, and I usually love our group dinners. But every time, those two pulled the same stunt: ordering the most expensive dishes, telling sad stories about money troubles, and then “forgetting” their wallets so the rest of us had to cover their bill.

When Jason invited me to dinner with them last weekend, I almost declined. But then I thought why not turn the tables? So I went, ready with a plan. At the restaurant, Samantha and Arnold didn’t disappoint. They ordered Wagyu steaks, lobster tails, and pricey wine, looking smug the whole time. Meanwhile, I just ordered a $3 iced tea. A couple of my friends followed my lead.

When the check arrived, Arnold grabbed it and said, “Okay, let’s split this six ways.” I smiled and said, “Actually, no. Samantha, Arnold, and Jason had meals. The rest of us already covered our drinks.” You could have heard a pin drop. Samantha’s jaw tightened, Arnold stammered, and Jason’s eyes went wide as he realized the math left them with a much bigger bill than they expected.

I slid a $5 tip onto the table, wished everyone a good night, and walked out with a light heart. The next morning, my phone blew up with angry messages from Samantha and Arnold. But some of the others secretly thanked me for finally putting a stop to their freeloading. Sometimes, standing up for yourself means rocking the boat. And that night, I made sure the freeloaders paid their fair share.