The Hating Game

Lucy apologizes to Joshua and thanks him for all he did for her when she was ill. She remembers she bought him strawberries as a thank you gift and brings them to his desk. She also tells him she’ll go with him to his brother’s wedding. Danny calls and confirms dinner, and Joshua says Danny will likely try for a kiss.

Lucy, trying to fix things between her and Joshua, pulls him into the cleaner’s closet. She says: “’Josh, I want to be friends with you. Or something’” (144). She tries to get him to kiss her, and although he’s clearly tempted, he won’t. He says he wants her to kiss Danny on their date tonight: “‘The Or Something Game doesn’t resume until you tell me no one kisses like I do’” (149). He tells her to report back to him after the kiss.

Lucy tells him that they, she and Joshua, will have sex exactly once to relieve the tension, to get it over with. He writes his address on a Post-it and sticks it to her computer screen before she leaves.