BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF

I'm sorry, but did I miss the day in school this past week that taught everybody to take advantage of the friend that will do anything for just about anybody? Because it seems like lately everybody has been treating everybody like crap.
Yes, I'm the kind of person that will bend over backwards for a friend to help them out, whether it be for a ride somewhere, money for lunch, help making plans, or just taking time out of my day to help out a friend just for the cause... But either way, it seems to me like every one of my friends has been using me, and every day it just keeps getting worse.
I went to lunch with a group of friends the other day. I offered to buy a friend lunch because he didn't have money, &I knew that he would pay me back every penny of it.
Another friend walks up to me &asks to borrow $10. I didn't think much of it, so I said sure &forked over ten bucks.
Then I end up being the one to drive everybody all over town that day, using nearly a half tank of gas (which isn't cheap, I might add), I was volunteered by another friend to treat everybody to drinks, then causing me to drive back across town because water is no longer good enough for teenagers to drink, I ended up buy another friend lunch... &just keep in mind, this is all in the matter of like 2 hours.
Then today, I go to a school function that has an entrance fee of $3. The friend didn't have money, so I told her I could cover her, knowing that she would pay me back in a day or two. Another friend calls me from outside as I'm sitting inside, and asks to borrow $3 because she didn't realize there was a cover fee. Again, going back to the whole, just being generous and always willing to help out a friend, I walk out to her with my $20 and give it to her, it being the only bill that I have left in my wallet, from loaning out money to other friends.
As I go up to give it to her, I see she's with someone else, and that other girl turns to me &starts thanking me.
"Uh, am I paying for you too?"
"Yes!!!"

I turn to my first friend with a look of bewilderment, and then she says, "Oh, and then there's Casey &three other people too! Thanks Lydia, that's all."

ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?! I said I would cover YOUR entrance, not fucking half of the school! Fine, use my money to pay for them to get in, but I'm holding YOU accountable for all of it. If they don't pay you, fine, I could care less. No matter what, you're paying me $20 whether it comes from just you, or everybody I ended up paying for. YOU'RE the one I'm going to freak out on if I don't have it in like 2 days. I need that money.
Yes, I carry cash on me. There's a reason. Yes, I have a job, there's a reason. I have a job because I'm responsible and know that I have to pay for everything myself. Everything for ME, not for you and all of your so called friends. I carry cash because using a card gets me in way too much trouble. I don't keep cash because I'm made of money; I make MINIMUM WAGE! You need more money? Go get another fucking job.
I'm sick &tired of being the little bank for everyone that they can just go to whenever they don't feel like carrying the necessary cash.
After today, I vow to not pay for friends lunches or anything else. If they don't have money, they're not eating. If they don't have money, they're not getting in. I'm not longer the never ending bank of Lydia.
Friends &money are two things that should never cross paths.
I have a running tab for over 5 friends, and the total is nearly $50. I will bug every single one of them until I get every penny of it that they owe me, and once that is all done and over with, I'm done with lending money. I'll be happy to help out in any way, but when it comes to money, that is one thing that doesn't mix well with friends.

GAHHH!!! Stupid fucking people who only hang around me for the convenience of my cash, well, this looks like the end of a 'friendship.' I was (not so) nice knowing you. GOODBYE!

--KFeldman, TEaton, Emily, BBurrell, EWinland, ICollier, ASottosanti