Lucy wasn’t too worried about losing the bet. Jonathan had made it his personal mission to get her to smile more often, but Lavoie hadn’t warned him that he was doomed from the start. Lucy wasn’t the kind of person to openly show emotion — nor did she particularly enjoy doing so. She drifted through life with a neutral, sometimes even bored expression. It was hard to catch her off guard. She rarely gifted the world with a smile — unless there was a plate full of sweets involved. She was curious to see what tricks Jonathan would pull to try and win.

They met up with Lavoie on the top floor of CF Fairview Mall and headed straight to the movie theater so they wouldn’t miss the latest Marvel film. Lucy and Alan weren’t particularly impressed — it definitely wasn’t on par with the Marvel movies from a decade ago. Meanwhile, Jonathan and Tiffany, the superfans, launched into a full discussion about how modern productions were designed to desperately cling to audiences with an overload of special effects, explosions, and flying body parts.

"So, where to now?" Alan asked, cutting the debate short.

After the movie, they stopped by a Korean restaurant for a warm meal of ramen, mandu dumplings, and tea.

"Shopping, of course!" Tiff offered. "A staple part of every hangout."

Even though CF Fairview was all the way on the other side of Toronto, Lavoie and Mitchell always picked it for longer get-togethers. They liked the vibe, the setting, and the wide range of shops and restaurants — everything in one place.

"Just not shopping," Lucy muttered, sipping her aloe vera water.

Jonathan eyed her empty plate.

"You ate all that?" he asked, surprised. Lucy had ordered the same portion as Alan, and Alan was over six feet tall and weighed seventy kilos.

Mitchell shrugged.

"No big deal."

"Your inner demon has a hellish appetite."

"Not denying it," she said dryly and sighed. "Let’s get this over with."

As planned, they split up — Tiffany dragged her friend off on a girls-only shopping spree, while the guys headed elsewhere to avoid the battle.

Lucy browsed printed T-shirts in the men’s section with a clear lack of enthusiasm. She’d always thought men’s designs were way more creative than women’s. She held one up for Tiffany to see — a Shrek shirt that read “Idk why I am still single.” Tiff snorted silently from the next aisle over.

"So, how’s it going with Nath?" Tiffany asked casually while flipping through long, thick skirts.

"What do you think?" Lucy replied, taking another hanger from her.

"By your standards, I’d say you two are getting along surprisingly well."

"When he’s not annoying me, sure."

"You hated me talking at first too, remember?"

"Who says I don’t still hate it?" Mitchell shot back, blowing her a kiss.

Tiff flipped her off in return.

"Come on, save us a spot in the fitting room line. I’ll pick out a few more things."

Tiffany was in her element — like a stereotypical shopaholic. Lucy, on the other hand, felt more like the resigned fiancé, there to nod and act as a coat rack. She didn’t mind the role; they’d switch once they got to the art supply store.

She took her place in line for the fitting rooms and scrolled through the weather on her phone, unsure what else to do. Luckily, Tiff returned two minutes later with three more tops.

"Got this one with you in mind." She showed Lucy a black hoodie featuring a goose holding a knife with the caption: “Peace was never an option.”

Lucy chuckled under her breath as Tiff disappeared into the fitting room. She handed over the pile of clothes, then slipped on the hoodie her friend had picked. Tiff knew her well — oversized and comfy. Lucy figured she might as well treat herself to another black hoodie for her ever-growing collection.

Tiffany, on the other hand, loved the vintage-boho styles of the ’70s and ’80s. Bold, colorful clothes suited her personality. Lucy peeked into the fitting room.

Tiff was trying on a patterned long-sleeved shirt in shades of brown, red, and gold, paired with a green corduroy skirt with a frayed hem and front buttons. She’d cinched her waist with a black belt from the set. Not exactly winter-appropriate, but with thick tights and socks, it could work for spring.

"What do you think?" Tiffany spun in place, her twin braids whipping around her. "Is it a yes?"

"You’d look good in a trash bag. But yeah — a green headband would really pull it together."

Tiff tried on three more similar outfits but ultimately chose to buy only the first one. Over the next hour, they popped into several more clothing stores before Lucy finally dragged Tiff into the art supply store. Their roles now reversed — Tiffany played the silent fiancé.

"You already have like five empty sketchbooks," she said as Lucy stared longingly at another one.

"You don’t understand the pull," Lucy moaned. "It’s like artistic addiction!" she added, clutching it to her chest.

"An addiction that’ll bankrupt you."

Lucy rolled her eyes but didn’t put it back.

"I didn’t nag you during your shopping."

Tiff raised her hand in surrender.

"Mum’s the word."

Lucy eventually left the store with a sketchbook, three acrylic paints in new shades, two small square canvases, and a few more odds and ends.

Tiff’s brother called to say they were downstairs. The girls easily spotted Alan’s red hair in the crowd and headed toward them.

Lucy immediately noticed something was off.

"Where are your glasses?" she asked, surprised.

"Here." Jonathan pulled what was left of them from his back pocket. One lens had popped out, and the other was completely shattered.

"Completely wrecked!" Tiff gasped. "How did that happen?!"

Jonathan scratched the back of his head and opened his mouth, but Alan beat him to it.

"He collided with some kid, the glasses fell, and he stepped on them himself," Alan explained.

Jonathan raised his hands in defense.

"I didn’t see them — because when I’m not wearing them, I literally can’t see."

"You really can’t see anything?" Tiffany asked, holding up two fingers. "How many fingers?"

Jonathan shook his head.

"Pointless. Just a blurry blob."

"What’s your prescription?"

"Minus five in both."

Tiffany threw her arms in the air.

"How are you supposed to get home if you can’t see? Alan and I are staying out — but you have to head back..."

She suddenly fell silent and exchanged a glance with her brother — a moment of twin telepathy. Then she turned to Lucy.

"You’re walking Nath home," she announced.

Lucy’s eyes widened as she pointed to herself.

"Why me?!"

"Because I have guitar lessons, and Tiff has extra math class," Alan explained. "Plus, you guys live like two blocks from each other. You don’t want Jonathan to get hit by a truck, do you?"

"Tempting."

"Oh, come on, Lucy. One good deed won’t burn you like holy water on a demon," Tiffany pleaded, leaning closer.

Mitchell opened and closed her mouth a few times, unable to come up with a decent excuse. She looked at Jonathan, who smiled sweetly, clearly hoping to charm her.

She finally dropped her head and let out a dramatic sigh of surrender.

"I just hope you’ve got money for two coffins, ’cause I’ve got a feeling this little expedition’s ending in a double funeral."