Mara took one last puff on her cigarette and threw it in the snow, watching the flame struggle to live, and finally die. She thought about her friends, Liza and Jacqui, they were all at different colleges and lately their friendship had seemed like that flame, struggling to live when all signs pointed to death. She meant to call them often, but she was so busy with college and her boyfriends, yes in plural, she usually forgot to call and check on them. She picked up the phone and call Jacqui, voicemail again. Jacqui was probably modeling or chasing some exciting new American boy.

"Hey Jac," Mara began, "I miss you guys, how about a weekend retreat? Call me back. Love ya." Mara wiped a tear from her eye as she snapped her pink razr shut and opened it back up to call Eliza. Eliza didn't answer either, so Mara left a similar message and headed back into her dorm for a nap.

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Eliza had just finished packing the picnic basket when she heard her phone ring from the bottom of the basket. "Damn!" she swore and begin to unload the basket in search of her phone. By the time she reached the Treo, the caller had already hung up. A missed call from Mara. As Eliza began to call her back, Eric embraced her from behind and began kissing her neck. Eliza, startled, dropped the phone back into the picnic basket and melted into his arms. Mara would have to wait, she had a romantic picnic to attend with her baby.

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Jacqui ran out of the room brushing her hair and buttoning her shirt. Once again, her alarm had failed to do its job and now she was late to Calculus. As she settled into her seat in the giant classroom, Jacqui dug in her Juicy Couture metallic blue messenger bag for her Sidekick. Oh shit. I forgot it. Jacqui thought to herself as she remembered seeing it sitting on the bathroom counter. Jacqui slumped in her seat, this was gonna be a long day.

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Mara woke up from nap, a new idea in her head. She opened her Dell Inspiron notebook and opened a browser window up to facebook. They'll check their facebook. If nothing else, they will she thought She began with opening an event. "Hm. What to name it?" she pondered aloud. Another lightbulb flashed, Reunion In The Sun. She closed the browser and opened her phone to call her good friend and sometimes boyfriend, Ryan. She had a Labor Day weekend to plan for her and her two best friends.

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Jacqui rushed in the room for a quick book change and to get her phone off the charger. On her way out, her eyes caught a lavender envelope sitting on her bed, obviously addressed to her. Nobody but Mara she thought as she saw her unique handwriting. She grabbed it and walked out the door, she would have to read this on her way out. It was an invitation, with a border of tiny lavender umbrellas and rich purple palm trees. Purple confetti fell to the floor as she took it out of the envelope. You are Invited to A Reunion In The Sun it said and Jacqui brushed a tear from her cheek as she realized that Mara had planned a weekend for the three of them. She's so sweet Jacqui thought always calling and trying to check on us, I gotta do better. Jacqui resolved that she would call Mara tonight, to apologize for being such a bad friend, and of course to RSVP. And of course, she had to call Eliza too….just because.

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Eliza stopped to check her mailbox on the way to the coffee shop. Eric wanted to talk, and she was hoping it was another surprise trip to the Virgin Islands, or a tennis bracelet with nigerite diamonds, to match the earrings he had bought her. Eric was perfect in every single way, Eliza felt like she was finally the fairy tail princess she knew she was. As she flipped through the junk mail, Mara's individual handwriting caught her eye. She was filled with curiosity as she opened the envelope to find an invitation. Eliza laughed as the purple confetti fell on her pants, Mara was overly creative at times. As she studied the invitation, her heart warmed, Mara had planned a weekend for the three of them. Instantly she felt bad, I should call them tonight, especially Mara. Eliza made a note in her Treo to call the girls, and hurried off to meet Eric.