Arthur is a sixteen-year-old from Milton, Georgia, spending the summer in New York City. He interns at his mother's law firm and approaches life with a strong sense of romanticism, believing the universe has a deliberate plan. Having ADHD, he occasionally struggles with focus, and he holds high hopes for getting into Yale. He is eager, openly enthusiastic about Broadway musicals like *Hamilton*, and prone to making quick emotional assumptions about those around him.

Ben is a sixteen-year-old Puerto Rican native New Yorker enrolled in summer school to avoid repeating his junior year. He is an aspiring writer currently working on a fantasy novel titled *The Wicked Wizard War*, which he uses as an escape from real-world stresses. Grounded and occasionally pessimistic about relationships, he relies heavily on his close-knit family and his best friend to help him process a recent heartbreak.

Dylan is Ben's childhood best friend and primary confidant. He has a loud personality and a habit of diving quickly and intensely into romantic relationships, which sometimes creates distance between him and his friends. Despite his intense focus on his love life, he remains highly supportive of Ben's pursuit of happiness.

Hudson is Ben's recent ex-boyfriend and a former member of their core friend group. He attends the same summer chemistry class as Ben but claims to already know the material, maintaining a cold distance after their messy split. His lingering presence creates emotional tension for Ben.

Jessie is one of Arthur's best friends from Milton, Georgia. She frequently communicates with Arthur through group texts and FaceTime calls, offering him support and encouragement regarding his social life in New York. She is highly attentive to Arthur's emotional state but maintains clear boundaries regarding her own private life back home.

Ethan is Arthur's other best friend from Georgia. Their communication has recently become strained, with Ethan participating in group chats but ignoring Arthur's direct messages. This distance causes Arthur significant anxiety about their friendship, especially following Arthur's recent decision to come out.

Samantha works as a barista at a local coffee shop and is Dylan's new romantic interest. She finds herself somewhat overwhelmed by Dylan's intense affections and rapid pacing in their relationship. She makes an effort to integrate into his social circle by offering to help track down the boy from the post office.

Harriett is Dylan's ex-girlfriend and a former core member of Ben's friend group. Following the dual breakups within the group, she maintains a strict loyalty to Hudson, ensuring Ben understands her current allegiances during their brief interactions at the school steps.

Mara is Arthur's mother, a busy lawyer working on a case in New York for the summer. She balances her demanding professional schedule with parenting, often intervening when Arthur and his father begin to bicker. She actively monitors Arthur's emotional wellbeing.

Michael is Arthur's father, a web developer who was recently laid off and is spending the summer in New York looking for employment. The stress of his unproductive job search frequently causes tension in the apartment, but he remains highly supportive of Arthur's romantic pursuits.

Isabel is Ben's mother, a devout Catholic who takes immense pride in her Puerto Rican heritage and her cooking. She maintains a warm, lively home environment and shows constant curiosity about her son's creative projects and emotional state.

Diego is Ben's father. He works at Duane Reade to provide for his family, maintaining a practical perspective on wealth and resources. He is fiercely protective of his son and actively tries to offer practical solutions to solve Ben's problems.

Namrata is an associate at the law firm where Arthur interns. She tolerates Arthur's energetic presence and shares a friendly banter with him, occasionally offering him advice on how to track down his mystery boy while managing her own demanding workload.

Juliet is another associate at Mara's law firm. She is biromantic asexual and has a girlfriend. She actively participates in Arthur's quest to find his crush, turning lunch breaks into investigative sessions to help him track down leads.