Maya is a 17-year-old student who recently moved from New Jersey to Colorado. She lost her hearing at age 13 following a bout of meningitis and identifies strongly with the Deaf community. Ambitious and fiercely determined, she hopes to attend Cartwright University to become a respiratory therapist. She approaches her new hearing high school with skepticism and defensive caution, expecting to be excluded by her peers.

Beau is the student body president at Engelmann High School. He sits behind Maya in AP Statistics and attempts to bridge the communication gap by learning American Sign Language. He performs well academically and participates in numerous clubs, but he faces intense familial pressure to attend Yale and become a doctor.

Maya's mother is a hardworking single parent managing a recent cross-country move to Colorado. She works long hours to support her family while overseeing the medical needs of her youngest child. She acts as a stabilizing force in the household, consistently offering patience and practical advice.

Connor is Maya's eight-year-old brother who has cystic fibrosis. He uses supplemental oxygen and tires easily, but he maintains a cheerful, positive outlook. He communicates with Maya using a special notebook covered in Marvel comic stickers since he does not yet know much sign language.

Nina is a senior student council member at Engelmann High School who takes her mentoring duties seriously. She loves history and hopes to study it at the University of Colorado Boulder. She makes a sincere, consistent effort to treat Maya respectfully, speaking directly to her rather than to her interpreter.

Jackson is a senior baseball player and student council member at Engelmann. He is loud, fast-talking, and heavily reliant on clichéd charm. He lacks awareness about Deaf culture and frequently makes ignorant comments that frustrate Maya.

Kathleen is the educational interpreter assigned to Maya at Engelmann High School. She is enthusiastic and visibly expressive, which initially embarrasses Maya. Beyond simply interpreting, she tries to offer Maya guidance and encouragement during difficult school days.

Melissa is Maya's best friend from Pratt, the New Jersey school for the Deaf they previously attended together. She remains a vital source of long-distance support for Maya. She is incurably optimistic and frequently reminds Maya of her own inner strength.

Dr. Rivera is the principal of Engelmann High School. He insists that peer mentors are a standard procedure at the school, trying to assure Maya that she is not being singled out.

Mrs. Richardson teaches AP Statistics. She makes immediate, practical accommodations for Maya to ensure she has a clear sightline in the classroom, though her methods briefly cause friction with other students.

Mr. Wells is the AP US History teacher at Engelmann High School. He demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of Deafness by yelling and assigning group work that is highly inaccessible for lip-reading.

Mrs. Stephens is a guidance counselor at Engelmann. She is encouraging about Maya's goal to attend the prestigious Cartwright University to study respiratory therapy.

Erica is a pretty, talkative student at Engelmann High School. Her apparent interest in Beau sparks early feelings of jealousy in Maya.

Dana is a family friend who helps manage the Watson household because Beau's father is frequently busy. She is warm and observant of the dynamics in the home.

Dr. Watson is Beau's stern, demanding father. He places immense pressure on his son to uphold a family tradition by attending Yale and studying medicine.