She looked confused.

“The bill,” she said. “You’re paying, right?”

I looked at her family.

Her parents suddenly became very interested in their drinks.

Her brother looked down at his phone.

Her aunt started looking through the menu.

That was the moment I realized everyone already knew.

This wasn’t a surprise to them.

They had come to dinner expecting me to pay.

I felt embarrassed, but more than that, I felt disappointed.

I turned to Emma quietly.

“You didn’t tell me this was a family dinner.”

She shrugged.

“I thought it would be fine. You always say you like taking care of things.”

That sentence bothered me.

Taking care of someone doesn’t mean being responsible for every expense without being asked.

I cared about Emma. I cared about her family. But there is a difference between being generous and being taken advantage of.

I took a breath and placed the bill back on the table.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “but I wasn’t expecting to pay for everyone.”

The mood changed instantly.

Emma’s smile disappeared.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I came here thinking we were having dinner together. I didn’t agree to pay for a family meal.”

Her face turned red.

“You’re seriously going to do this now?”

I looked around.

Nobody was saying anything.

I felt like everyone was waiting for me to give in.

Maybe they thought I would feel pressured.