Charlene and Jillianne "Jilly" Cuevas became best friends on the first day of freshman year at West Ranch High School—Jilly likes to say she "planned" their friendship. After overhearing a side conversation about Ouran High School Host Club, Jilly turned up her LG Chocolate phone so loud that Charlene came over and asked, "Is that Ouran High School Host Club?" That moment started a friendship filled with running first 5Ks together, traveling the world, making long-running "Mama Mia" videos, and navigating money decisions with Jilly’s trademark budget-savvy advice. Jilly has been a steady, adventurous, and endlessly supportive presence in Charlene’s life.

Lyn Torio and Charlene met through Jilly, and their friendship felt effortless from the start. A true "girlie's girl," Lyn is always listening, always present, and endlessly supportive. They grew closer during the San Francisco 5Ks in 2023 (with a little nudge from Jilly), and Charlene treasures Lyn’s creativity, fun spirit, and steady loyalty. Lyn always has Charlene’s back and gently ensures her life decisions remain her own.

Amy has been friends with Charlene Rugayan since high school, but their bond deepened around 2013 when Amy discovered Charlenes Disney pass. Since then, “Char & Amy” moments pop up at any hour — spontaneous midnight trips to West Hollywood for karaoke, secret Downtown Disney shopping sprees (shh—don’t tell Nick), and ice cream runs whenever Charlene needs a pick-me-up. These two are delightfully trouble together, and Amy always knows how to make Charlene smile.

Alyssa (pronounced uh-lee-suh) met Charlene through Amy, and they clicked immediately—Alyssa’s fun, active personality made her a natural fit. She’s always down for anything, brings endless energy to every plan, and Charlene admires her dedication to helping children as a BCBA. There’s never a dull moment when these two hang out—more often than not it’s a lively trio with Amy.

Charlene and Alex have been close friends since Stevenson Ranch Elementary School — a timeless bond that never faded even as life changed. No matter how much time passes, their conversations pick up like they were never apart, full of catching up on new chapters and reminiscing about the good old days. Alex is a steady listener and trusted confidant who Charlene can always rely on.

Mallory "Mal" Casey has been Charlene Rugayan’s best friend since 7th-grade Religious Education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (OLPH). From Target runs and cheering Charlene on through the LA Marathon to helping her stay grounded through big life decisions, Mal keeps Charlene steady while always letting her be her silly self.