Punk 57

Misha Lare, who does not use his last name to avoid association with his prestigious family, is one of the novel’s main protagonists, and his point of view is one of the two narrative perspectives. Misha is a guitarist and lyricist for his band, Cipher Core, and his long-term, pen pal relationship with Ryen serves as a source of inspiration for his music. Misha cherishes Ryen and her letters. He cannot write without her as his muse. However, at the beginning of the novel, Misha’s life changes. Not only does he accidentally meet Ryen and keep his true identity from her, but his younger sister, Annie, also dies that very same night. Throughout most of the novel, Misha grapples with his guilt and grief over Annie’s death—an event that leads to him abandoning his correspondence with Ryen.

In his grief, Misha finds himself at Ryen’s school, posing under the identity of Masen Laurent. With Ryen still believing Misha has abandoned her, Misha gets to learn who Ryen is as a person outside of her letters, and he doesn’t like what he learns. Misha feels betrayed that Ryen portrays herself one way in her letters and acts completely differently at school. Misha is particularly disturbed when Ryen participates in bullying. Misha embraces his feelings of anger and betrayal toward Ryen and uses them to become her foil and bully her back, emotionally manipulating her and making her conscious of the bad person she’s become.

Despite Misha’s feelings of betrayal toward Ryen, Misha finds himself enamored by her and by the flashes of her true self that he sees when he watches her. Misha cannot keep himself away from her, and their passionate banter quickly gives way to a passionate physical romance. Misha understands the implications of hooking up with Ryen under his false identity of Masen, but his attraction to her and determination to see her true self emerge keep him from telling her the truth. When Ryen eventually finds out on her own that Misha has been posing as Masen, forming a physical relationship with her under false pretenses, Misha understands the work it will take for him to get them back to a place of normalcy. Misha proves himself to be the same loyal friend he’s been to Ryen since they met as pen pals, providing her with emotional support, leaving her personalized messages, and defending her from her former friends. In the end, Misha proves that he and Masen were always the same person, and the physical romance he built with Ryen as Masen combines with the mental and emotional connection they’ve been building for years, allowing their relationship to become official and stronger than ever.

Misha’s original intentions at Ryen’s school also come full circle by the end of the novel, when it’s revealed that Misha’s mother, who abandoned Misha and Annie when they were toddlers, is Principal Burrowes. Misha retrieves the stolen heirloom watch from Trey’s wrist and unloads his feelings to his absent mother, bringing closure to his character arc and demonstrating The Importance of Maintaining Close Relationships.

Trey Burrowes is the popular jock at Ryen’s school, whose relentless and uncomfortable sexual pursuit of Ryen positions him as the novel’s main antagonist. Trey is Principal Burrowes’s stepson, which gives him a lot of room to make trouble before he’s punished. Trey uses this power advantage to bully and intimidate the other kids at school, particularly “Masen” and Manny. Ryen narrates, “Trey has it all. Friends, popularity, the world bowing to his precious feet…But unlike me, he loves it. It defines him” (31). Both Ryen and Misha have conflicts with Trey throughout the novel.

Ryen’s conflict with Trey is sexual. Ryen explains, “Trey Burrowes isn’t my boyfriend, but he definitely wants the perks. I’ve been keeping him at arm’s length for months” (31). Ryen isn’t really interested in Trey. She explains, “I don’t give in to him. But I don’t reject him, either. I know what happened to the last girl who did that” (38), indicating that there are consequences that come with rejecting Trey’s advances outright. As Ryen begins to grow closer to Masen, Trey grows more aggressive with her, seeking her out in class and following her to the car wash with Masen.

Trey also grows more aggressive with Misha as Masen currently, jealous that Ryen is giving more attention to the strange new guy. Their conflict becomes physical on multiple occasions, most notably when Misha attacks Trey at Trey’s party in Chapter 17. Misha recovers his grandfather’s timepiece from Trey’s wrist during the attack, showing that there is a deeper link between Trey and Misha than just their interest in Ryen. The narrative explains this later, revealing that Misha is Principal Burrowes’s biological son, whom she abandoned to later become stepmother to Trey. This revelation explains the amplified animosity Misha feels toward Trey.

Trey gets his comeuppance for being a sexual threat to the girls of Ryen’s high school in Chapter 21, after Ryen and her crew vandalize the school with direct quotes from Trey, illustrating the predatory nature of his sexual pursuits. The police come for Trey, and it is implied that there will be charges pressed. Trey is a static character who does not change throughout the novel.