The Down Payment

Summary

The notification popped up on my phone with a cheerful *ding* that felt like a slap in the face. A $900 debit from the Venmo Shared Pot Liam and I were funding. My heart did a little lurch.

I clicked open the transaction details.

*Sent by Liam Hale.*

*Note: New phone.*

What kind of phone costs $900 for a college student? More importantly, that money was our sacred pact—the “Escape Fund” we were building for a post-graduation backpacking trip through Europe. Liam’s family wasn’t exactly struggling; if he needed something, he wouldn’t have to touch our shared savings.