Yamilet is a sixteen-year-old Mexican American high school student transferring to Slayton Catholic. After a traumatic outing at her previous school, she acts strategically to keep her sexual orientation hidden while balancing the financial pressure of paying half her tuition. She feels highly responsible for her family's stability, frequently managing her mother's online jewelry shop and looking out for her younger brother.

Bo is a Chinese American adoptee who stands out at Slayton Catholic for her openly gay identity and progressive political views. Raised by white parents, she struggles with feeling disconnected from her cultural heritage. She refuses to conform to the school's strict social expectations, preferring to speak her mind directly.

Cesar is Yamilet's academically gifted younger brother who skipped a grade and attends Slayton Catholic on a scholarship. Despite his intelligence, he frequently gets into fights and struggles with internal shame regarding his sexual orientation. He uses humor and fabricated stories, such as pretending to join the football team, to deflect attention from his personal struggles.

Maria is a hardworking mother trying to provide for her children as a single parent following her husband's deportation. She works a full-time job while attempting to manage a Mexican jewelry business, placing heavy responsibility on Yamilet to assist. Her strict Catholic views create significant anxiety for her children regarding their hidden identities.

Emiliano is Yamilet and Cesar's father, living in Chiapas, Mexico, after being deported following an immigration protest. He represents the family's connection to their Indigenous roots and initially serves as Yamilet's primary confidant. He provides the initial funding for the family's Etsy shop.

Jamal is an emotionally mature teenager dealing with an unsupportive home environment. After facing rejection from his stepfather, he temporarily stays with the Flores family, displaying polite manners that quickly win over Maria. He patiently manages complex social situations to support the people he cares about.

Amber is Bo's fiercely loyal best friend since kindergarten. She frequently intervenes to protect her friends from awkward situations, effectively rescuing Yamilet from an unwanted homecoming invitation. She occasionally worries about her future college plans, providing a contrast to her friends' more immediate concerns.

David is a Navajo teenager who lives on a nearby reservation and identifies as an atheist despite attending a Catholic school. He is loyal and humorous, willing to wear Cesar's football jersey during a game so Cesar's mother believes her son is on the team.

Hunter is a popular senior who plays on the football team and develops an awkward crush on Yamilet. Beneath his traditional athletic exterior, he is a comic book enthusiast who harbors personal insecurities and proves capable of keeping sensitive information private.

Karen is a wealthy white student at Slayton Catholic who wears matching blue ribbons with her friends. She frequently makes thinly veiled racist remarks and organizes cruel pranks disguised as jokes, enforcing the school's strict social hierarchy.

Jenna is part of the popular group at Slayton Catholic. While she initially appears friendlier than Karen, she participates in calling Yamilet's earrings inappropriate and executes a humiliating public homecoming prank at Bo's expense.

Emily is the third member of Karen and Jenna's friend group. She initially follows along with her friends' exclusionary behavior and dances aggressively at a party to make Hunter jealous, operating primarily within her friends' shadow.

Rick is Bo's adoptive father. He is a wealthy, progressive man who tries, sometimes clumsily, to surround his daughter with Chinese cultural items. He is playful and welcoming, actively supporting Yamilet when she feels like a burden in his home.

Emma is Bo's adoptive mother. A successful lawyer, she provides Bo with a stable, accepting environment. She later hires Yamilet for part-time secretarial work, recognizing the teenager's need to earn money.

Mrs. Havens is a language arts teacher at Slayton Catholic. She facilitates hostile classroom environments by allowing students to make degrading comments during debates, using her authority to silence those who protest the rhetoric.

Principal Cappa is the administrative head of Slayton Catholic. He enforces the institution's strict religious and social codes, implementing rules that target students who do not fit traditional expectations.

Doña Violeta is an elderly neighbor of the Flores family who experiences depression following the death of her husband. She plays sad mariachi music that echoes through the neighborhood but remains a reliable presence for the family.

Bianca is Yamilet's former best friend from Rover High School. After Yamilet confided her sexual orientation, Bianca reacted with cruelty, outing Yamilet to their peers and causing deep emotional trauma that dictates Yamilet's current fear of exposure.