Annabella sat on the balcony of her family’s mansion, gazing at the sprawling view of the city below. The sky was painted with a soft pink hue as the sun began to set. It felt like the perfect evening, the kind she always dreamed of when she was younger. But lately, something had changed. Her world, so perfectly crafted by her family, was beginning to feel like a bubble ready to burst.

She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the way she felt whenever her best friends, Mirabel, Precious, and Glory smiled at her, almost like they were waiting for her to keep playing the role she had always played in their group: the quiet, reliable one who gave everything up for them.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, shaking her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Mirabel, as always. The first to message, the first to lead any conversation. Mirabel had been her best friend since they were little, their families close for years. Mirabel’s father was the CEO of a major tech company, and her mother ran a chain of luxury spas. Everything about Mirabel screamed confidence, and it was always the same, her fashion, her attitude, even the way she talked.

Mirabel’s text: “Dinner at my place tonight? Mom said we’re having lobster.”

Annabella smiled. Mirabel always had the best food, the best clothes, the best everything. It wasn’t that Annabella wasn’t grateful for her family’s wealth her father was a renowned architect, and her mother worked as a high-powered lawyer but Mirabel’s house was just... different. Big, modern, and so extravagant that Annabella couldn’t help but feel a bit like a fish out of water sometimes. Still, she loved Mirabel like a sister.

She tapped out a quick reply: “I’m in. See you later.”

As she set her phone down, Annabella glanced over at the other two girls’ names in the group chat: Precious and Glory.

Precious was the quiet one, always the calm in the storm. Her family was one of the wealthiest in town; her father owned a chain of luxury hotels, and her mother ran a high-end jewelry business. But despite her family’s vast empire, Precious never flaunted it. She was more down-to-earth than anyone Annabella knew, her heart as pure as gold, with the kind of calm aura that made people trust her.

Then there was Glory. Her name alone said everything. If Mirabel was the bold one, Glory was the extravagant one. Always wearing the most expensive brands, driving the fanciest cars, and constantly surrounded by a group of people. Her family owned a chain of high-end restaurants, and Glory was the kind of girl who wasn’t afraid to show off what her parents had built. She was loud, full of life, and never afraid to speak her mind.

But when it came to their friendship, none of the wealth mattered. They were a team four girls, always sticking together through everything. They had each other’s backs, even when the world outside didn’t understand them. They didn’t care about money, and they didn’t care about status. To them, they were just Annabella, Mirabel, Precious, and Glory.

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It all started back in primary school, when they first met. Annabella remembered the day clearly: it was a school picnic, and Mirabel, as usual, was the loudest in the group, demanding everyone pay attention to her. Precious, sitting quietly under a tree, had noticed Annabella, and it was then that their friendship began.

Mirabel had seen them talking and, with her usual assertiveness, decided that the two quiet girls should hang out more often. From there, they all became inseparable. It was Mirabel who had gotten Glory to join their group, despite her reluctance to mix with the "boring" kids. But somehow, it all worked.

Despite their different personalities, the four girls had always complemented each other. Annabella was the one who kept the peace, offering support to anyone who needed it. Mirabel took charge, making sure everyone stayed on track. Precious kept them grounded, always with a level head, while Glory added the sparkle, pushing them all out of their comfort zones and into exciting adventures.

It wasn’t just about the fun times, though. Through their ups and downs, the fights and the tears, they always found a way back to each other. That’s what made their friendship so special—no matter how much time passed, no matter what happened, they would always find their way back.

Annabella looked at the time and realized she’d need to leave soon to meet Mirabel. She stood up from the balcony and went back inside to get dressed. Her family’s house was large, too large for just three people but Annabella never minded. Her father was always at work, designing buildings that shaped the city’s skyline, while her mother was caught up in endless meetings, trying to climb the ladder in the corporate world. It was easy to feel like an afterthought in a home like this. But when she was with her friends, none of it mattered. They made her feel seen.

As she walked toward her closet to pick out something for dinner, Annabella’s thoughts drifted back to Mirabel and how different their worlds were. While her family valued traditional success, money, respect, and power. Mirabel’s family valued status and appearance. Everything they did was about looking perfect on the outside. And Mirabel was their pride and joy, constantly praised for her sharp mind and fashionable lifestyle.

But that was where the tension always lay. Annabella had always been the quieter one, always following their lead. She was used to giving up her time, her preferences, even her opinions for the sake of keeping the peace. She had learned from a young age that being quiet, being the listener, was how she kept things from falling apart.

And maybe that’s why she’d always been the one to step aside when her friends wanted something. She never really minded; it was just how she was.

But now, something had changed. Something inside her had shifted.