Claudia is an eighth-grade girl living in a Washington, D.C., neighborhood. She has dyslexia and heavily relies on Monday to help her face academic and social challenges. Fiercely loyal and determined, she actively investigates her best friend's disappearance when adults remain indifferent to the situation.

Monday is Claudia's outgoing, brave best friend who suddenly vanishes before the start of eighth grade. She acts as a protector for Claudia at school, willingly hiding her friend's reading difficulties. Behind her bold exterior, she endures severe poverty and a difficult home life that she fiercely conceals from the outside world.

Ma is Claudia's caring mother who works hard to provide a stable, loving home. Having suffered multiple miscarriages, she is deeply invested in Claudia's safety, requiring her to constantly check in and leave physical or verbal trails about her whereabouts. She dismisses Claudia's initial concerns about Monday's absence, believing the missing girl is simply dealing with private family matters.

Mrs. Charles is the strict mother of Monday, April, August, and Tuesday. She fiercely guards her family's privacy and distrusts outside intervention, especially from the government. Facing eviction due to neighborhood gentrification, she grows increasingly hostile toward anyone asking questions about her children.

Michael is an athletic, well-liked high school student from Claudia's church. He takes a supportive interest in Claudia, offering her a safe space and gentle encouragement as she struggles with Monday's disappearance. He provides a positive influence and stands by her as she starts attending tutoring sessions.

Claudia's father is a truck driver who delivers new cars and plays congas in a go-go band. He maintains a warm, steady presence in Claudia's life, regularly buying her coloring books to ease her anxiety. Like Ma, he initially advises Claudia to stay out of the Charles family's personal business.

April is Monday's older sister who carries the heavy burden of providing for her younger siblings. She is fiercely protective of her family but resorts to risky sex work to ensure they have food and school uniforms. When asked about Monday's whereabouts, April provides conflicting answers and attempts to deter Claudia's investigation.

Mrs. Valente is the approachable seventh-grade English teacher whom Claudia trusts enough to confide in. She is one of the few adults who takes Claudia's concerns about Monday seriously. She attempts to check school records and eventually visits the Charles home herself to investigate the situation.

Jacob is a popular, attractive boy at the girls' middle school. Monday is deeply infatuated with him, seeking his approval and attention. His arrogance and reluctance to publicly acknowledge her lead to painful conflicts and public humiliation in the school hallways.

Tip is the largely absent father of Monday and her siblings. He left the family years ago and avoids contact out of fear of Mrs. Charles and unpaid child support. His absence leaves his children vulnerable to their mother's erratic behavior and neighborhood instability.

August is Monday's younger brother. Monday frequently acts as a parental figure for him, fixing his hair and managing his behavior. Like Monday, his abrupt absence from school eventually raises alarms that go largely ignored by the community.

Tuesday is the youngest child in the Charles family. She is deeply dependent on her older sisters for care and often appears neglected when seen out in the neighborhood. Her brief appearances offer Claudia unsettling clues about the conditions inside the Charles home.

Ms. Walker is Claudia's tutor at The Learning Center. She provides Claudia with translucent colored sheets to aid her reading comprehension. She quietly encourages her grandson, Michael, to look out for Claudia during her transition to receiving extra academic support.

Megan is an older dancer in Claudia's jazz class. She is friendly to Claudia, inviting her into a new social circle and acting as a bridge to high school life. She encourages Claudia to loosen up during freestyle sessions and invites her to social gatherings.

Ms. Manis is the instructor for the advanced jazz dance class. She challenges Claudia to step out of her comfort zone by assigning her an emotional solo piece. She views dance as a necessary tool for personal expression and emotional release.