The afternoon sun hit the window of Michael’s apartment. It made a warm but calming atmosphere as the light shone through.

He sat on the old couch in the living room, fiddling with some cash between his fingers, looking deep in thought. His gaze shifted over to a small box filled with other belongings, mostly jewelry. He got up and took the box, placing it on the coffee table. Opening it, he began rummaging through the pile of gold and diamonds.

His eye caught one particular ring. A pretty white gold ring. Michael’s hand lingered over it for a moment before he took it out of the box. He turned the ring over slowly in his hand, staring at it intently. It was his mother’s ring. It was the only thing she left behind after dying in an accident a few years ago.

Michael knew he had become successful, that he was now famous and rich. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that none of that mattered without his mother by his side.

He looked down at the ring in his hand, a bitter smile crossing his face.

“Proud,” he whispered to himself. “She would be proud…..”Michael remembers the plans he made with the friend group, they’d left me out again cause I’m a girl. He leaned back on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. He knew he shouldn’t be so bothered by it, but he couldn’t help feeling angry on your behalf.

You were always treated like an outsider, like you didn’t fit in... Michael’s mind wandered to all the times you had stood up for yourself, refused to be pushed around or ignored. You were a fighter, that’s one of the reasons he liked you. You were strong, you didn’t take crap from anyone... He shook his head, trying to dismiss the idea from his mind. He didn’t like you like that, he was just being stupid. Besides, he couldn’t like you in that way. You were his friend…