"What are you doing tomorrow night, Ria?"

Victoria Lynn Allen looked up from her poetry book.� "Not much," she said.� "Why?"

"I was thinking we could have another Girls' Night In at my place," her best friend, Donna Peterson, said.

Their small group of friends usually got together on Friday nights.� The Girls' Night In consisted of pizza, movies, and "girl talk."� The location changed every week -- no one wanted to clean up the mess two weeks in a row.

"Donna, I'm sure everyone might like a Friday night to themselves for once."

"I'll ask them," the petite redhead said.� Donna was a manager of a local restaurant, and couldn't wait to see her steady boyfriend on Saturday.� At 22, she was the oldest in the group, and usually the leader.� Whatever she wanted to do, Lauren and Michelle probably wanted to do too. Ria was the only one that had to be pestered into doing some things with them.� Just a month over 21, she wasn't into parties, droolfests, and barhopping.� With her long, wavy, jet-black hair; chocolate brown eyes, and flawless porcelain complexion, everyone said she should've been going to modeling school instead of a business college.� Ria thought they were crazy.

A few minutes later, Lauren Thompson walked into the small student lounge.� She walked over to their table, set her bookbag down in one empty chair, and sat down in another.� Lauren was almost 21, just a few weeks younger than Ria.� She still wore her uniform from the nearby grocery store, where she worked as a cashier.� "What's up?"

"I was just thinking that we could have another Girls' Night In at my place," Donna said.

The brunette smiled.� "I'm up for that.� Just don't let Shelly order the pizza again."� She made a face.� "Pineapples, jalapeno peppers, and anchovies do *not* mix."

"Amen to that," Donna said.� "I'll order this time."

"What movies are we going to watch?" Lauren asked.

"'You've Got Mail,' definitely.� It's my favorite movie."� Donna turned to Ria.� "What are you going to bring, Ria?"

I think I'll bow out of this one," she said.� "I could use another night to do my homework."

"Homework on a Friday night?" Lauren asked, surprised.� "No one does homework on Friday nights.� It's..."

"It's boring, that's what it is," another voice interrupted. The three of them turned to see twenty-year-old Michelle Douglas there. Her blonde hair was growing out of its short cut from the summer.� Shelly was the youngest in the group, and worked in the film developing department of the local discount store. "Ria, you can't give up food, friends, and fun for homework," Shelly said, sitting down in the empty chair next to her.� "I simply won't let you."

**Typical Shelly,** Ria thought.� **Partying is always her first priority.**� She sighed.� "Okay, okay, I'll go."� She grinned slightly at Shelly.� "Just to make you happy."

Shelly grinned back widely then declared, "I know exactly what movie I'm bringing.� I taped it off the Disney Channel the other day."

"The Disney Channel?" Ria asked, surprised.� "I thought MTV was more your taste."

"It is, but this movie has ...," Shelly grinned and paused for dramatic effect, "David Bowie!"

Lauren squealed with delight.� She was a huge fan of him in "The Linguini Incident."� "Bowie!� What movie?!"

Ria noticed the other students in the lounge staring at Lauren like she had grown another head.� "Big Bowie fan," she explained, then turned back to the group.

"A Henson movie from the '80s," Shelly said.� "I'd never heard of it, but it's really good."

"What's it called?" Donna asked, curious.

"'Labyrinth.'"