In the glittering world of Westbridge, where mansions line the streets and family legacies are worth their weight in gold, five childhood best friends-Lisa, Theo, Gabe, Gen, and Sam-have grown up in the shadow of privilege, bound by a friendship as...
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It was a week after the restaurant outing, and the sun hung low over the Kingsley estate, casting long shadows across the tennis courts. The place had the kind of quiet elegance only old money could buy—manicured lawns, sprawling gardens, and a sense of privilege lingering in the air. Theo stood at the far end of the court, bouncing a tennis ball off his racket. He'd been here since early morning, blowing off steam in the way he knew best: out-performing himself, again.
"Can you stop showing off for two minutes and actually hit the ball?" Lisa's voice broke through the quiet as she approached the court, dressed in a sleek white tennis outfit, her hair pulled back in a ponytail.
Theo grinned, narrowing his eyes playfully. "What? Scared I'll win?"
"Win what? I didn't agree to a match yet," she shot back, picking up one of the stray tennis balls and tossing it toward him. She dropped her bag near the bench on the sidelines, her movements fluid, like she owned the court as much as Theo did.
Just as Theo was about to serve, the sound of a car pulling up distracted him. He turned to see Sam and Gabe stepping out of Theo's black Range Rover. Sam had a casual energy about him, a slight bounce in his step, while Gabe, predictably, wore an amused expression, like the idea of Theo taking tennis so seriously was the highlight of his day.
"Couldn't resist the invite, huh?" Gabe called as he and Sam made their way over. "Looks like I showed up just in time for a showdown."
"Please," Lisa said with a smirk. "Theo's been hitting balls at imaginary opponents for hours. I'm about to crush his ego for you guys."
"Good luck with that," Theo muttered, bouncing the ball on the court with a casual flick of his wrist. "And just so we're clear, I'm undefeated on this court."
Sam laughed, shaking his head as he plopped down onto the bench near the sidelines. "When was the last time you actually played a full match?"
"Does it matter?" Theo replied, flashing a grin.
Gabe, always ready for a good laugh, leaned against the fence, watching as Lisa prepared to take her position on the opposite side of the net. "You're both gonna wipe out in, like, five minutes."
Lisa spun her racket in her hand, her eyes locking on Theo. "Care to make a bet on that?"
"Please don't involve me in your competitive streaks," Sam interjected with a grin, leaning back, one arm slung casually over the bench. "But if you're going to embarrass yourselves, I'll definitely stick around to enjoy the show."
"Obviously," Lisa said, twirling her racket playfully. "I need witnesses for Theo's defeat."
"Fat chance," Theo shot back, serving the ball with precision.
For the next thirty minutes, the sound of tennis balls smacking against rackets filled the air, punctuated by Lisa's quick insults and Theo's increasingly determined grunts. Gabe, lounging on the side with his arms crossed, provided running commentary, much to Sam's amusement.
