His birthday dinner used to be twelve people and a bar tab that made everyone nervous. This year it was four people at a restaurant she picked, with a fixed menu, and she ordered for him. The other eight found out via Instagram. The screenshot that circulated in the alternate group chat — the one she doesn't know about — is genuinely historic. She doesn't dislike his friends exactly. She just thinks her friends are more "at their level now." Whatever that means. The guys have started rating their own hangouts on a 1-10 "how much did this feel like a hostage situation" scale. Last outing scored a 7.