[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] [name_u]Padgett[/name_u] (17) is Jae-sang’s girlfriend who also belongs to the school council, although some people claim this is more by default thanks to her founding the Fashion Society just this year and acting as its main spokesperson. As her founding suggests, [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] wants nothing more than to express herself through design and dreams of debuting her own brand focusing on angelcore and ethereal themes - two of her most beloved aesthetics. Style wise she can be a bit of a chameleon, always enjoying experimenting and pushing boundaries, regardless of what rules say about appropriate clothing - and when confronted by nitpicky teachers, [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] gives pretty much as good as she gets: something that hasn’t made her the most beloved student.
Living with her dad, stepmom, stepbrother and younger brother, she loves her blended family, even if her stepbrother did face some jealousy over [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f] becoming close with his mom. This stems from her loosing her biological mother when she was only six - after undiagnosed breast cancer became inoperable - and longing for a consistent maternal figure, but don’t bring this up as she hates being psycholanalysed. Often the two will take the family Australian sheepdog [name_u]Nyx[/name_u] for long walks together, doting upon her while talking about a broad range of subjects. Aurelia’s usually in the company of her fellow fashion minded students and not many people even know she’s dating but she likes things more this way as mystery is terribly in vogue.
[name_f]Titania[/name_f] [name_f]Erin[/name_f] Padgett-Brown (29) is often mistaken for Aurelia’s big sister, rather than her Step-Mom. She is 10 years younger than Aurelia’s Father, and has a 13 year old son named [name_m]Josiah[/name_m]. She loves photography, nature and fashion, especially cottage-core fashion. She works as a photographer for big names like [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_u]Watson[/name_u], [name_m]Leonardo[/name_m] DiCaprio and [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] [name_u]Oliver[/name_u], and she also styles and does the makeup of other various celebrities. She is a big fan of [name_u]David[/name_u] Attenborough and would one day would like to be like him and have a show of her own.
[name_f]Nicolette[/name_f] " [name_u]Nico[/name_u] " [name_f]Ada[/name_f] Russo (17) is an acquaintance of Titania’s step-daughter, [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]. The president of the school’s National Arts [name_f]Honour[/name_f] Society, [name_u]Nico[/name_u] is always in the fringe of school politics, getting vague details from some of her friends. She’s mostly glad that she, of all people, doesn’t know most of it— some of the drama that [name_u]Nico[/name_u] sees from afar goes beyond high school arguments— preferring to stay out of the limelight.
[name_u]Nico[/name_u] is a controversial student in the eyes of the administration: just like [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f], [name_u]Nico[/name_u] is constantly pushing the boundaries of art and what is deemed appropriate. [name_m]Just[/name_m] a month ago, she wrote a scathing open letter to their school’s principal, stating that the school’s dress code was in fact, either rooted in sexism or the principal’s inability to control himself in front of underaged girls. [name_u]Nico[/name_u] was suspended for a week and nearly got her position as NAHS president taken away from her, but her lawyer father managed to talk the principal into just suspension. Her parents were proud of her, although her dad wishes [name_u]Nico[/name_u] did what she did in a less explosive manner.
[name_u]Nico[/name_u] lives with her mother, father, and younger brother. Her younger brother and herself are complete polar opposites— he’s a jock and she’s an art student— but they love each other regardless. At one of her younger brother’s games, [name_u]Nico[/name_u] saw a cheerleader who stole her heart at first glance.
[name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] [name_u]Hartley[/name_u] (17) came out as bisexual last year and has been loving it, and she’s also been able to find her true friends, the ones who stuck with her. She hasn’t had a proper relationship with any one yet, but she has had dates. She is the one [name_u]Nico[/name_u] is crushing on, and [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] is friends with Nico’s brother, [name_m]Harvey[/name_m], and [name_u]Nico[/name_u] is hoping to be introduced to her through [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]. [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] has always admired Nico’s confidence and passion for art.
Yanse " [name_f]Sana[/name_f] " Nuwang Gao (18) is a fellow member of the cheer squad, who’s known for her dedication and no-nonsense attitude towards any kind of bullying: both within the squad environment and also anything being directed towards other students. [name_f]Sana[/name_f] hates stereotypes and assumptions thanks to those placed on her growing up, and is very clear that once someone joins the team, they aren’t to think of themselves as better than others, wanting to stamp out the divide within high school to the best of her ability.
This stems from her own older brother being severely harassed and taunted to the point where he had to moved schools, being considered an atypical ‘nerd’ and easy target by atypical popular students who made his life hell. [name_f]Sana[/name_f] actually is in the same year as some of their siblings and things are uncomfortable for these students when it comes to her, as it’s well known how angry her brother’s treatment makes her to this day.
In spite of intimidating some, Sana’s a very caring and thoughtful person who just wants to see everyone treated with fairness and understanding. She’s very receptive to suggestions and loves making creative routines, being an accomplished gymnast too who’s known for her astounding flexibility. Her co-captain is her best friend and they’re incredibly tight knit, regularly staying at one anothers houses and she calls the other girl the aunt of her beloved Persian cat, Bluebell…
[name_f]Padma[/name_f] [name_f]Shilpa[/name_f] [name_f]Rajani[/name_f] (18) is Sana’s friend and the co-captain of the cheer squad. She is Bangladeshi although often mistaken for Indian. Her family is not as strict as many other South Asian families with the arranged marriages but after Padma’s older sister had an unplanned baby out of wedlock, she was forced to marry the baby’s father or be cut off from the family. [name_f]Padma[/name_f] noticed her family seemed to not treat her sister like a real person until she was legally married. [name_f]Padma[/name_f] is straight but is not looking for a relationship and fears that her family may try to arrange her into a marriage “before she ends up like her sister” although [name_f]Padma[/name_f] is still a virgin and wants to keep it. While [name_f]Padma[/name_f] does have strict parents in terms of certain subjects, they are still more liberated and are okay with [name_f]Padma[/name_f] being co-captain on the cheer squad and socializing with other people outside her culture. Few South Asians and fewer Bangladeshis attend her school so they know it is hard for her to find fellow South Asians. [name_f]Padma[/name_f] thought her parents wouldn’t approve of the cheer uniforms but they are proud of her and they don’t mind as long as she is a good co-captain.
She and [name_f]Sana[/name_f] are great friends and she loves Bluebell, finding a sense of support in Bluebell. She is impressed by Sana’s skill in gymnastics. [name_f]Padma[/name_f] feels she has a voice within the cheer squad. [name_f]Padma[/name_f] gets along with Sana’a brother and [name_f]Sana[/name_f] gets along with Padma‘s sister, brother-in-law, and child.
[name_f]Samiha[/name_f] Rifah Hossain (23) is Padma’s elder sister. She was 19 herself when she had the unplanned baby, and is now 11 weeks pregnant, but wears baggy clothes to hide the bump because often she feels ashamed because she feels like her family sees her as an outcast. Her husband is lovely but she wanted to explore her options before settling down and the unplanned baby was a mistake, but she does love her beautiful 4 year old more than anything else.
[name_m]Yamil[/name_m] [name_m]Bilal[/name_m] Hossain (23) is Samiha’s husband, Kala’s father, and Padma’s brother-in-law. He is of Middle Eastern descent, namely Jordan. He is ready to welcome his second child and although he loves [name_f]Samiha[/name_f], he is not particularly sure if he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He and [name_f]Samiha[/name_f] feel that their families will never see them the same and will dehumanise them if they get divorced although [name_f]Padma[/name_f] and Yamil’s siblings are still going to be nice to them and respect them. He is good friends with [name_f]Sana[/name_f]'s family as well and rumours around the school spread that he is leaving [name_f]Samiha[/name_f] for [name_f]Sana[/name_f] and that [name_f]Sana[/name_f] was enabling it but these rumours were completely false and started by a former cheerleader who used to be on the squad. Needless to say, those rumours were instantly squashed by [name_f]Sana[/name_f] and the cheerleader was kicked off because no bully can get her for much long.
TW: Domestic abuse, sexism, depression and PTSD
[name_f]Serenity[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] [name_m]Abebe[/name_m] (18) is the cheerleader who spread the rumours. Her Dad is a African man and Her Mom is American. Her Dad would emotionally abuse her Mom by playing mind games and making sure he always knew where her Mom was going, even going as far to place trackers on her Mom’s phone. He would make sure Serenity’s mom was scared of him. Deep down she knows her Dad’s behaviour was rooted in his depression and PTSD from when he was sent to fight for his country at just 14 years old but she also knew she couldn’t forgive him, especially seeing as he told her so many times that she was ‘just a girl’ and she would never amount to anything, and he let her three older brothers torment her, and he rooted the idea in their minds that boys were always better than girls. This is why her, her younger brother and sister and Mom ran away to live in a different state. So at the moment she lives with her Mom, her Mom’s new boyfriend, her little brother, her little sister and her new baby brother. She took her anger and pain and put it on others, but recently she opened up to [name_f]Sana[/name_f] about why she did that and [name_f]Sana[/name_f] forgave her but knew they couldn’t be close friends because of [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] bullying her for years. [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] bullied people who she thought had perfect lives and perfect families, but she didn’t know anybody’s back story, especially the story behind Sana’s brother being bullied.
[name_m]Tynan[/name_m] [name_m]Ross[/name_m] [name_m]Abebe[/name_m] (1) is Serenity’s baby brother. He is innocent and does not understand the family turmoil, falsely believing his mother’s new boyfriend is Serenity’s biological father because he has never met the biological father. He gets lots of attention because he is a baby and he loves his older siblings. The family takes good care of him and do not have any plans to introduce him to meet Serenity’s father because they fear he would make things dangerous for [name_m]Tynan[/name_m] and raise him to be sexist as well. While he and [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] love each other, he is closer bonded to her other siblings because they are younger than her and he doesn’t quite understand her pain.
[name_m]Uriel[/name_m] [name_m]Warren[/name_m] [name_m]Abebe[/name_m] (15) is Serenity’s younger brother, who has vivid memories of his father’s actions that have instilled a degree of PTSD in the young man. In spite of his trauma, [name_m]Uriel[/name_m] is determined to not fall into a similar behavioural pattern his father displayed and is terrified of that happening, something he regularly speaks to his therapist about. [name_m]Uriel[/name_m] is a sensitive, introverted person who doesn’t have many friends, but those he’s close to mean the world to him and he’ll do anything for those he cares about. Aside from his sessions, he uses art as a means of self-expression, particularly collages and tapestry that he’s become increasingly involved.
He’s joined his school’s Design Club recently and this has allowed him to make a few more friends, regardless of what others think about his presence. [name_m]Uriel[/name_m] knows people have gender stereotypes regarding men in fashion but isn’t at all phased or ashamed, starting to recognise his queer identity in the process, now suspecting he’s likely pansexual. Due to her prior actions, [name_m]Uriel[/name_m] and [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] haven’t had the best relationship and have even argued about how she treated [name_f]Sana[/name_f], with [name_m]Uriel[/name_m] struggling to fathom how his sister could hurt someone after all they’ve been through. Her apology has mended wounds between them somewhat and they’re getting on better now, to the especial relief of their younger sister who hated seeing this ongoing estrangement and tension within the family.
[name_f]Leanne[/name_f] [name_f]Mariella[/name_f] [name_m]Abebe[/name_m] (13) is the younger sister of [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] who was only 6 when they left home, so she doesn’t really remember. She loves her siblings and she uses art and desighn as a coping method with stress.
[name_u]Dustin[/name_u] [name_m]Claude[/name_m] DuPoint (46) is the boyfriend of Serenity’s mother. He acts as a father figure to everyone staying with him but is only the biological father of [name_m]Tynan[/name_m]. He had trouble shifting in as a role of being a father figure when he first starting dating her but since fathering [name_m]Tynan[/name_m] and knew his place, realising that he was the adult and should make the first initiatives to the rest of the family even if he was only the father of one. He is related to [name_f]Shanti[/name_f] [name_f]Sommers[/name_f] as they are niece and uncle and related to [name_f]Corinna[/name_f] DuPoint as one of her sons. He has only met the biological father of [name_m]Tynan[/name_m]‘s older half-siblings a few times years ago but has no interest in contacting him or bringing the family to see him.
Chyou Guang " [name_f]Maple[/name_f] " Zhao (16) is one of Dustin’s employees at the hardware shop he owns. The youngest child born to Chinese American parents - having an older brother, sister and non-binary sibling - [name_f]Maple[/name_f] sometimes finds herself a bit lost when it comes to the future. [name_m]Art[/name_m], specifically pottery and clay work, are her greatest passions but she knows they aren’t considered the most reliable career paths to venture down, and with her sister now studying fine art anyways, she doesn’t want to feel like a poor imitation.
She sometimes asks [name_u]Dustin[/name_u] questions about how he came to choose his career, seeking guidance she doesn’t want to look for at home, as Maple’s mother can spot a doubt from a mile off and right now, she doesn’t want to ask anything of her as she’s a busy psychotherapist.
When she isn’t working or crafting something - usually fairly abstract - Maple’s with her large group of friends. At school she’s pretty popular, in part thanks to belonging to the volleyball team, and sports are the one area she outdoes her siblings in; ‘not much of a contest’ she likes to joke though. Her dad’s currently letting her borrow his car sometimes now she has a license but Maple’s limited in just how far she can go: a boundary she can’t wait to break as it means she can visit her best friend, who lives on a remote farm, without having to rely upon the chaotic local buses.
[name_u]Fern[/name_u] [name_f]Violet[/name_f] Demarest (17) is Maple’s best friend, and her family have owned Demarest farm for generations. She is the eldest of her 3 siblings, and is therefore taking control of the farm when their mom steps down. she loves animals and sewing.
Loretta Daisy Demarest “Lori” (50) is Fern’s mother. She loves their farm with all of her heart, and she loves that wrung-out feeling at the end of the day once she’s taken care of all the animals and chores. She married her childhood sweetheart, who is a phenomenal cook and makes sure that Lori takes time to relax, because otherwise she might forget to do it.
[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f] Demarest (16) is the middle child of the family. She and [name_u]Fern[/name_u] due to be bridesmaids at their cousin’s wedding at the farm where the Zhaos, DuPoints, and [name_f]Serenity[/name_f] [name_m]Abebe[/name_m] are guests at. Her best friend is Vietta Goldriche and Vietta loves the farm [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] lives on for Vietta’s love of pets and friendly animals. She is on the same lacrosse team as [name_u]Lesley[/name_u] [name_f]Maria[/name_f] [name_m]Ward[/name_m] and both are amazing players. She loves the farm but is considering staying in lacrosse and thinks [name_u]Fern[/name_u] is definitely qualified to run the farm when [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] retires. Still, she is very close with the farm, her siblings, and her parents and will always stay that way.
August Clay Demarest (9) & Finch Elmore Demarest (9) are Dahlia’s and Fern’s twin brothers. They were an unexpected gift to the family since Lori was 41 when she had them, and the girls helped name them.
August (on the left) tends to be more quiet, but don’t take his introversion for distance; he observes everyone and everything, and he’s got a sharp wit, so he’ll say the funniest and sassiest things out of nowhere. Some people say he should be a stand-up comedian. He’s not the biggest fan of physical labor since he’d rather read, play the piano, or make his own comics, but he does what he has to do because that’s what you do in the Demarest family; you work hard, and then you can play hard.
Finch (on the right) is talkative and clever. He also does his chores begrudgingly, and sometimes, he’ll even sneak off to do his own thing. He likes building things, taking things apart, and performing little experiments (like setting things on fire or dropping things off of the barn roof) just to see what happens. But if you ask him to take care of the baby animals, he’ll jump at the chance. He has a soft spot for small, cute things, perhaps because he was born a little smaller than August and had a few health issues as a baby.
