1

Their reunion was bloody red.

Tonight was a Friday night, and Crystal rushed to join her friends in one of Miami's most exclusive bars. Her high-school friends were waiting for her at a table a little way back, and from their laughter and chatter, they'd already had quite a few drinks.

When they saw her, they couldn't hide their admiration, for their friend was breathtakingly beautiful, with her jet-black hair, her perfectly symmetrical face, and her sublime long nose that gave her profile an extraordinary purity, and her sapphire-blue eyes, bluer than a summer sky, gave this ensemble perfection. On this day, she was wearing an apricot ensemble and high heels that showed off her slim body with a few curves.

"One of her friends, Fiona, a florist who had recently opened her own store, exclaimed, "Beautiful! She was short and brunette and not very pretty, but her friendly nature redeemed much of this lack of sparkle, and helped her a great deal in bringing in her customers and keeping them loyal. She was also the only one of Crystal's four friends present that this person didn't know, since she didn't befriend her until a few months after they broke up.

"Thank you, Fiona!" replied Crystal as she took her seat and immediately called the waiter to order her favorite drink - a fresh mint mojito.

The waiter, a very handsome Italian, like most straight men, couldn't help detailing her with admiration. After placing her order and thanking the Italian for his admiration, she finally relaxed.

"Sorry girls, there was a job I really wanted to finish today."

Her friends obviously understood this. In the adult world, work is a priority and a necessity.

A few minutes later, while sipping her refreshing drink, Crystal studied her four friends. She could boast that she was the most beautiful of the group, but her friends had never held that against her, much to her delight, for they were too close-knit to feel that way about each other, and even then, apart from Fiona, they were all engaged and looking forward to the big day. Crystal had to be the first to take the plunge. Besides, her friends kept teasing her about her fiancé, and the deep love they shared for each other.

"You're in the same boat, so your jokes ring a little false!"

The five of them burst out laughing.

"That's not true!" protested Fiona, poking an olive, "I'm as single as I was at birth, so my dubious teasing should be taken seriously."

"At birth..." pointed out Crystal with a falsely scandalized air, "I think celibacy doesn't suit you too well. You're man-hungry!"

"All couples say that." 

"Don't you really want in relationship, Fiona?"

"Of course I do, but you know very well that my store takes up all my time, so...and then, even if I find someone, it won't necessarily go well...And you're in a good position to know that, aren't you Crystal."

The young woman had no choice but to nod. In any case, she refused to deny her past simply because she'd suffered in it, as if she'd never get over it, but fortunately, to her great happiness and relief, she did. It was finally true, no matter what anyone said, that love was the only true remedy for love.