I stared at my cousin’s wedding invitation like it had personally slapped me.

“Plus one required,” it said. Required. Not optional. Not suggested. Required.

“I hate them,” I muttered.

My best friend Tasha didn’t even look up from where she was sitting on my couch, face buried in a bag of popcorn. “You don’t hate them. You just hate going alone.”

“I am alone.”

“So take somebody.” She shrugged. “Make it simple. Ask someone. Literally anyone.”

I sighed. “I ...