My roommate’s constant demands for gourmet groceries with promises of repayment that never come were pushing me to my breaking point. The final straw was when she asked for a whole list of premium items for a party. I knew I had to teach her a lesson, and boy, did I ever!
I never thought I’d find myself plotting revenge against a roommate, but here we are. It all started about a year ago when Taryn and I moved into our cozy little apartment in the city.
Interior of an apartment | Source: Unsplash
At first, everything was great. We split chores, had movie nights, and even went out for drinks a few times. But then, slowly, the cracks began to show.
Taryn was one of those people who seemed to have a knack for getting others to do things for her. She had this way of asking that made you feel guilty for even thinking of saying no.
It started small.
“Hey Kelly, could you grab some milk on your way home? I’ll pay you back,” she’d ask. No big deal, right? But then it escalated.
A woman lying on a sofa | Source: Unsplash
See, part of the problem is that Taryn has expensive tastes.
“Kelly, could you pick up some of that fancy truffle cheese for me? It’s for a study snack. I’ll pay you back, I swear!” Spoiler alert: she never did.
At first, I brushed it off. Taryn was busy, or at least she claimed to be. She was always whining about her demanding study schedule, how she was stuck at home buried in books. But I knew the truth.
While I was out busting my butt at work, she was home throwing parties and lounging around with her friends.
Friends raising their glasses in a toast | Source: Pexels
One evening, after a particularly grueling day at work, I came home to yet another request. Taryn was perched on the couch, scrolling through her phone.
Kelly and I had been roommates for about a year. At first, she seemed like the perfect roommate: considerate, easy-going, and always willing to help out. I guess I took advantage of that a bit too much.
She barely looked up as she said, “Hey Kelly, can you pick up some things for my party this weekend? You know, cheeses, nice fruits, imported chocolates, and some good wine. The list is on the fridge.”
That was it! It wasn’t just the money; it was the principle of the thing. She was taking advantage of me, and I was done playing the fool.
A woman rubbing at her temples | Source: Pexels
I stood there, clutching my keys, feeling a mix of exhaustion and frustration bubble up inside me.
“Sure, Taryn. I’ll get right on that,” I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm that she, of course, didn’t catch.
That’s when I decided to get creative. If Taryn wanted premium items, she was going to get them, just not in the way she expected.
I headed to the store with Taryn’s list clutched in my hand. Premium wines, gourmet cheeses, exotic fruits, imported chocolates.
Interior of a grocery store | Source: Pexels
I chuckled to myself as I imagined the look on her face when she realized what I was about to pull off. Instead of hitting up the upscale grocery store, I went straight to the bargain aisle.
First up, wine. Instead of the fancy, imported bottles Taryn loved to show off, I grabbed the cheapest boxed wine I could find. It was the kind of wine that made you cringe just thinking about it.
Next, I made my way to the cheese section and picked up a pack of processed cheese slices. You know, the kind you slap on a kid’s sandwich—definitely not what she had in mind.
A woman shopping in a grocery store | Source: Pexels
Then came the fruits. I bypassed all the exotic stuff and grabbed the most common, bland apples and bananas I could find. No one was going to be impressed by these.
Finally, I strolled down the candy aisle and found some off-brand chocolates. Perfect.
I headed home, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. When I walked in, Taryn was still sprawled on the couch. She glanced up briefly.
“Did you get everything?” she asked, her tone implying she couldn’t care less about the answer.
A woman on a sofa scrolling through her phone | Source: Pexels
“Yep, got it all,” I replied, setting the bags down on the counter. I couldn’t help but smirk as I watched her barely glance at the contents before dismissing me with her typical, “Thanks, I’ll pay you back later.”
“Sure, no problem,” I muttered, my heart pounding with anticipation. The stage was set.
That’s when I saw Kelly, leaning against the kitchen doorway, a smug look on her face. When she made that snarky comment about my party, I lost it.
Party night arrived, and I made sure to stick around to see the fallout. Taryn was in full hostess mode, all smiles and false modesty as she bragged to her friends about the “premium” spread she’d put together.
People chatting at a party | Source: Pexels
I leaned against the kitchen doorway, sipping my drink and waiting for the show to start.
It didn’t take long. The first sign of trouble came when she started pouring the wine. Her guests exchanged puzzled looks, their noses wrinkling as they took tentative sips.
One guy couldn’t hide his disgust. “Uh, Taryn, are you sure this is the right wine?”
Taryn’s smile faltered. She grabbed the box, her eyes widening in horror as she realized it was the cheapest swill available.
A shocked woman | Source: Unsplash
“I don’t understand,” she stammered. “It must have been mislabeled.”
She quickly moved on, trying to save face.
“Let’s have some cheese, shall we?” She unwrapped the processed slices, and her guests burst into laughter.
“This is the gourmet cheese?” one girl asked, struggling to keep a straight face.
Taryn’s cheeks flushed red. She was clearly mortified but tried to play it off. “Oh, you know, it’s all about the presentation,” she said, her voice strained.
The final blow came when she offered the “imported chocolates.”
A box of chocolates | Source: Pexels
One guest took a bite and immediately spit it out. “This tastes like cardboard!”
The party atmosphere quickly deflated. Her friends, trying to be polite, murmured excuses and started to leave. The momentum fizzled out, and Taryn was left standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by cheap snacks and awkward silence.
I couldn’t resist twisting the knife a little.
“Wow, Taryn, your party is really something,” I said, barely able to keep the laughter out of my voice. “Everything okay?”
A woman leaning against a wall | Source: Unsplash
Taryn’s Perspective:
You know, it’s funny how you think you know someone until they pull a fast one on you.
Kelly and I had been roommates for about a year. At first, she seemed like the perfect roommate: considerate, easy-going, and always willing to help out. I guess I took advantage of that a bit too much.
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