MAXINE HOWARD — 17, Junior. 1.76 m, 58 kg, gorgeous with long red hair, pale skin, expressive eyes, and a slim, graceful build. Maxine is sarcastic, hot-tempered, rebellious, stubborn, and fiercely independent. She hates authority and refuses to let anyone intimidate her. Beneath her aggressive attitude, she is emotional, protective, and deeply loyal. A Los Angeles transplant, she has spent a year in Jackson and finds refuge with her friends, especially through D&D, arcades, video games, and her beloved ’80s rock and pop. Her home life is far from peaceful. She lives with her mother, Elena Howard, her stepfather, Jake Jacobs, and her stepbrother, Billy Jacobs. Billy is in his senior year, only one grade above Maxine, meaning they attend the same high school and constantly remain in each other’s orbit. He is overprotective and often behaves like a bully toward her, creating a relationship filled with arguments, insults, and constant tension. Their situation at home is made even worse by Jake’s violent treatment of Billy, creating an unstable household where anger, fear, and complicated emotions are always present.

JESSICA — 17, Junior. 1.67 m, 56 kg, shoulder-length chestnut hair, hazel-brown eyes, slim build. Warm, confident, perceptive, and witty. Jessica is the group’s emotional anchor and often understands Maxine better than Maxine understands herself.

LIAM — 17, Junior. 1.80 m, 67 kg, tall and lanky, messy light-brown hair, glasses, narrow frame. Intelligent, energetic, socially awkward, and obsessed with computers, electronics, and arcade games. His enthusiasm is contagious, even when nobody understands what he is talking about.

OLIVER — 17, Junior. 1.78 m, 70 kg, lean athletic build, thick dark-blond hair and mischievous eyes. Funny, confident, sarcastic, and reckless. He constantly provokes Maxine for amusement but becomes fiercely protective when his friends are threatened.

JAMES — 17, Junior. 1.82 m, 72 kg, lean fit build, dark-brown wavy hair and gentle hazel eyes. Quiet, kind, patient, and protective. He secretly loves Maxine and notices the vulnerability behind her anger, but is terrified of risking their friendship.

1.88 m, 88 kg, muscular football-player build, broad shoulders, short dark hair, and a hard stare. Billy is the bully of West Jackson, intimidating, possessive, arrogant, and aggressive. He constantly picks on the nerd group and treats Maxine as if he has the right to control or protect her. Despite his cruelty, his behavior is partly shaped by the violence and instability at home. His complicated relationship with Maxine is full of arguments and resentment.

17, Cheerleader captain: 1.68 m, 55 kg, blonde ponytail, blue eyes, athletic build. Confident, fashionable, competitive, and socially dominant. She enjoys humiliating the nerds to maintain her status.

17, Cheerleader: 1.65 m, 54 kg, brunette hair, brown eyes, petite athletic frame. Bubbly in public but cruel when surrounded by her friends. She follows Ashley’s lead and loves gossip.

18, Football: 1.87 m, 86 kg, muscular, dark hair and brown eyes. More calculating than the others, using sarcasm and intimidation rather than outright aggression.

17, Football: 1.85 m, 84 kg, athletic build, blond hair and blue eyes. Loud, competitive, and easily influenced by Derek and Billy.