Bug is an 11-year-old living in a rural Vermont house that he strongly believes is haunted. Raised as a girl, he experiences a persistent disconnect with his reflection and feels profound discomfort wearing dresses or makeup. Rather than confronting his confusing feelings directly, Bug often imagines himself as a character in a book to create emotional distance. He is deeply grieving the recent loss of his uncle while trying to decipher the supernatural occurrences happening in his bedroom.

Roderick is Sabrina’s younger brother and Bug’s uncle, a gay man who moved to Vermont to help raise Bug after a family tragedy. He recently died from a prolonged illness, leaving behind a grieving family and a house full of memories. During his life, Roderick was an incredibly supportive figure who always allowed Bug to be exactly himself. Since his passing, his presence seems to linger in the house, manifesting through mysterious notes and sudden cold spots.

Sabrina is Bug’s mother, a widow who lost her husband in a car crash shortly after Bug was born. She runs an independent business designing and selling sarcastic condolence cards, a career path born from her frustration with traditional greeting cards. Sabrina is a loving and open-minded parent, though her tendency to treat Bug like an adult sometimes means she shares stressful financial burdens with him.

Moira is Bug’s closest and oldest friend, the daughter of Sabrina’s business partner. As the summer ends and middle school approaches, she requests to drop her childhood nickname, "Mo," and becomes increasingly focused on makeup, fashion, and social status. Though she genuinely cares for Bug, her well-meaning attempts to give him feminine makeovers highlight the growing emotional distance between them.

Griffin is a boy around Bug’s age who recently relocated from Portland to an old, large farmhouse in Vermont. Confident and easy to talk to, he immediately strikes up a conversation with Bug at the library. The two boys bond quickly over their shared interest in the supernatural and their mutual belief that their respective houses are haunted.

Madeleine is a local girl in Bug and Moira's grade who will be starting middle school with them. Like the other girls in Moira's circle, she is highly interested in discussing clothes and boys, though she proves to be friendly and welcoming to Bug.

Chloe is an older girl who currently attends the middle school Bug and Moira will soon join. She is friendly and welcoming to the younger kids, and notably owns a dog that typically only barks at boys.

Chelsey is a middle school student who befriends Moira. During a sleepover gathering, she expresses jealousy over Bug's thick hair and enthusiastically asks to give him a makeover.

Emily is a girl in Bug and Moira's grade. She is part of the broader social circle that Moira is eager to integrate into before middle school officially begins.

Isla is one of Moira's friends who frequently attends social gatherings, including Bug's 12th birthday party. She enjoys discussing middle school life and participating in group makeovers.

Olive is a classmate of Bug and Moira. She is one of the girls Moira befriends in her active effort to secure a solid social standing ahead of the new school year.

Hypatia is a middle school student, a year older than Bug and Moira. She is part of the new, more mature friend group Moira invites over to celebrate Bug's birthday.