Melinda is a freshman at Merryweather High who begins the year as a total social outcast. Over the summer, she called the police during a party, causing all her friends to abandon her. Carrying the heavy burden of a traumatic secret from that night, she struggles with severe depression and practically stops speaking altogether. She finds a small measure of comfort in her art class and an abandoned janitor's closet she claims as a hiding place.

Mr. Freeman is the expressive and free-thinking art teacher at Merryweather High. He assigns his students a year-long project to turn a randomly selected object into a meaningful piece of art. He is one of the few adults who provides Melinda with a safe, encouraging space to express her emotions without demanding that she speak.

Heather is a new student from Ohio who is desperate to fit in and become popular. She latches onto Melinda because she needs someone to talk to, but she is highly focused on joining school clubs and pleasing a trendy clique called the Marthas. She constantly talks about her own goals and ignores Melinda's obvious distress.

Rachel was Melinda's best friend until the summer party incident. She has completely abandoned Melinda, changing her name to "Rachelle" and spending her time with foreign exchange students to reinvent herself for high school. She prioritizes conformity and popularity over her old friendships.

Andy Evans is an attractive, popular senior at Merryweather High. He carries a reputation for ignoring boundaries, particularly with female students. Melinda silently refers to him as "IT" and freezes in terror whenever he is near, harboring intense fear of him following a traumatic interaction at a summer party.

Melinda's mother works long hours managing a downtown retail clothing store. She is constantly rushing, often highly stressed, and frequently uses a harsh tone that frightens her daughter. Instead of talking directly, she often communicates with her family through written notes and struggles to understand Melinda's sudden drop in academic performance.

Melinda's father works as an insurance salesman. When he is home, he usually sits on the couch watching television or argues with his wife. He reacts with threats and anger when he discovers Melinda's poor grades, showing little patience for her changing behavior.

David is an intelligent, high-achieving student in Melinda's class. He possesses a strong sense of justice and is unafraid to challenge authority figures when they are wrong. He treats Melinda with basic kindness and respect, ignoring the school rumors surrounding her.

Mr. Neck is the hostile and intimidating social studies teacher at Merryweather High. He demands strict obedience and often uses his classroom to loudly voice his own prejudices. He frequently targets Melinda for minor infractions and refuses to tolerate any student dissent.

Ivy is another one of Melinda's former friends who distanced herself after the summer party. She shares an art class with Melinda and slowly begins to interact with her over their shared struggles with their art projects, showing small flashes of her former kindness.

Ms. Keen is the biology teacher at Merryweather High. She runs a straightforward, predictable classroom where Melinda occasionally finds the lessons on seeds and dissection strangely relevant to her own life.

"Hairwoman" is the nickname Melinda gives her English teacher. She assigns difficult reading, including *The Scarlet Letter*, and expects her students to uncover deep symbolism in the texts, a task Melinda finds both exhausting and occasionally meaningful.

Nicole is a highly athletic, confident student who used to run in the same social circle as Melinda. She excels at every sport and generally ignores Melinda, though she lacks the active cruelty shown by Rachel.

Emily is a prominent member of the Marthas, a strict, image-conscious school clique that coordinates outfits and expects perfection. She acts as a gatekeeper for the group and openly mocks Melinda's appearance while flirting with older boys in the cafeteria.