“Unfortunately true,” Lex agrees, but only seems more troubled. We continue our walk, Winston tugging ahead as we round the final corner back to my house.
“And I already promised you I wouldn’t ignore red flags like that again,” I say, nudging her arm.
Lex nods, mildly appeased. I, however, won’t be satisfied until I hear three magic words from those full lips of hers:You were right.
“What more do I need to do to prove to you that the curse is real?” I ask, tugging Winston away from his fiftieth pee spot.
Lex purses her lips thoughtfully. “Jumping to conclusions and calling your circumstances a curse isn’t something I, as a scientist, am willing to do.”
We pause in front of my place as I turn to face her, raising an eyebrow. “Then whatareyou willing to do?”
chapter eight
One Long Catastrophe of Cringe Humour
“This place is... cute,” Lex offers as she assesses my basement suite while turning in a slow circle.
“Thanks,” I say, popping a bottle of Shiraz. “I sold my car when I left Calgary, so I needed a place within walking distance to the SkyTrain. It’s a little inconvenient, but it’s better for the environment. And my wallet.”
“That’s thoughtful of you,” Lex comments as she takes her full glass.
Winston claims his usual spot on the couch and Lex and I join him, one on either side. I take a moment to order a pizza from the Italian restaurant down the street before turning on Netflix and navigating to another Ben Stiller rom-com for background noise.
Lex sips her wine. “I haven’t seen this movie in years.”
“I’ve seen it like ten times.” I wish I were joking.
She crinkles her nose. “Why would you do that to yourself?”
I shrug. “I love rewatching movies. It soothes me.”
“Fair enough. But whythiswhen you could watch like, I don’t know, anything else?”
“What! You don’t likeMeet the Parents?”
Lex’s lip twitches. “Cringe humour gives me the ick.”
“Well, if that’s the case then our friendship should probably end here. My whole life is one long catastrophe of cringe humour.” I take a big gulp of wine.
When Lex doesn’t reply, I glance over and catch her looking at me with her big blue eyes all wide and round.
“What?” I ask, my shoulders raising an inch.
“You said friendship,” she states, pressing a hand to her chest like she’s touched.
I laugh, relieved. “I think a friendship becomes official somewhere between drinking wine together and emergency hospital trips.”
She nods. “True.”
I reach my glass over Winston, who snores quietly between us. “Cheers to that.”
She clinks her glass against mine, making it official, and a wave of giddiness rises in my belly. Finally, a friend! A super weird way of making a friend, but I’m not in the position to question it. And as far as friends go, I got lucky with Lex. She’s cute and sort of funny and incredibly smart. A little skeptical, but the longer she’s with me the more she’ll witness the catastrophe that is my life, and then she won’t be able to deny the reality of the curse.
Lex turns on the couch to face me, tucking her feet against herself so she doesn’t disturb Winston. “Does the awkward problem extend to your friends too, or is it just your romantic relationships?”
I look up as I ponder her question, running through my small Rolodex of friendships through the years since high school. “Just romantic relationships.”
Lex’s short fingernails tap on her glass. “I need more data. Do you have a spare notebook?”
