From #SquadGoals to #Betrayal: The Social Media Saga | 10 Mar 2023 | @rey01v

There once existed a group of buddies in the world of social media. They had been together for a long time, sharing their highs and lows and being there for one another through it all. They embodied what camaraderie and a squad should be like.

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Together, they grieved, laughed, and even shared their darkest, most intimate secrets. They believed they knew every detail about one another, but they had no idea that their alleged friendship would soon be put to the test.

It began when one of the pals, let's call her Amy, began to gain influence on social media. She began gathering fans and getting complimentary goods from numerous businesses. Although her other friends supported her and even shared her messages, things began to alter over time.

Amy started concentrating more on her online reputation than her real-life friends. When she finally showed up to events after cancelling plans with them to go, she spent the entire time shooting selfies and sharing them on Instagram.

Her other pals started to feel ignored and excluded. They tried to discuss it with Amy, but she would dismiss them by saying they were merely envious of her success. They couldn't comprehend that their formerly devoted friend had abandoned them.

But, things started to go south when one of the pals stumbled across a picture on Amy's Instagram story one day. They all had a private conversation in their group chat, which was captured in the screenshot. Amy had mocked their anxieties and private feelings while broadcasting their talk to her thousands of followers.

The gang was in shock. They found it hard to accept that a person they trusted would turn on them in such a way. When they approached Amy, she simply dismissed them, saying they were being overly sensitive and that it was all a joke.

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But, the harm was already done. They were aware that things would never be the same again because the gang was fractured. They had been deceived by Amy's success on social media, and they had no idea that it would cost them their friendship.

They all went their separate ways after that day, and Amy continued to lead a life of influence. Yet, she realised in her heart that she had lost her true friends' trust and love, which was more priceless than any Instagram follower or free gift could ever be.

The group of pals attempted to put the treachery behind them as time went on. There was always a part of them that missed the enjoyable times they had spent even though they all went their separate ways and acquired new pals.

Amy's online profile grew over this time. She grew in popularity, influence, and even launched her own brand. She was successful, but she couldn't get rid of the sense that something was lacking.

She would read through her feed for hours, admiring photos of her old acquaintances and wondering what they were getting up to. She made several attempts to get in touch with them, but they were never responsive.

Amy didn't fully understand the consequences of her treachery until a few years later. She had lost sight of what was truly important—true human connections—because she had grown so preoccupied with maintaining her online presence.

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She had believed that her online success was all she needed, but this belief was only a facade. She had given up true friendships in exchange for likes and followers, and now she felt empty within.

The first time she completely understood what she had lost was when she came across an old photograph of herself and her friends. She experienced a twinge of sorrow and shame about how she had treated them, and she understood that she needed to make amends.

She apologized for what she had done and made an effort to reconcile with each of her old pals by reaching out to them. Several of them were reluctant at first, but with time they gradually started to open up to her.

They exchanged stories from their past, caught up on one another's lives, and even decided to meet together in person. Amy was shocked by how much she had neglected and taken for granted their friendship.

Amy eventually came to the conclusion that genuine friendship cannot be purchased or gauged by likes and follows. It has to do with the real connections we forge and the memories we develop with others. Although she had learnt her lesson the hard way, she was appreciative of the chance to put things right.

So, the friends got back together and this time they were better than ever. They had been through a lot, but they had emerged with a fresh understanding of one another and the value of genuine friendship. And as for Amy, she knew that she would never take her friends for granted again.