ArtofAlexFields

AlexFieldsArt art only blog. I post inclusive and progressive content so if that's not for you, see yourself tf out or I'm blocking you.    

[artofalexfields]

Sometimes I like to mess around with avatar and anime character creator sites like https://charat.me/boys/create/ when I’m procrastinating on other projects. I made this character, thought he looked cool and decided to draw him. 

This is Sirius Cross. He’s a half demon mercenary who’s often hired by foreign governments to kill other demons and supernatural entities. He has trust issues because he feels like everyone is either afraid of him and wants him dead or wants to use him for his skills. He’s a night owl and prefers to work at night when the demons are more likely to attack. He’s super mysterious. Not even his closest confidents know much about him other than the fact that his father is an evil demon lord and that his mother died giving birth to him. Although he has a serious demeanor, he has a soft spot for animals, particularly puppies. However, most animals that can sense his demon blood are afraid of him or see him as a threat. The only person in his life who isn’t afraid of him is a young girl from his town whose life he saved. She knows he had a good heart despite what other people say about him.  When he’s on missions, he’s accompanied by a team of people including:

His handler, Lt. Major Rodger Slate who’s basically his liaison with the foreign military he’s working for. He’s a gruff aging and jaded old military veteran who briefs him on his assignments. 

Next is his researcher, Asuka Inukane, a teenaged goth nerd who’s obsessed with the occult and supernatural and knows everything there is to know about demons, werewolves, ghosts, witches and other such beings. She almost always knows how to defeat the threats they face. She’s often cynical and sarcastic but whenever they come into contact with their subject, she becomes like a kid in a candy shop and her demeanor flips like a switch. 

His assistant, Rosita Rodriguez a former marine who’s a martial arts expert and master marksman. She steps in whenever Sirius in injured. She has a deadly accurate shot and is skilled with crossbows and firearms. She and Sirius often butt heads while on missions because he always leaves her behind and underestimates her abilities. She can be brash and rowdy but when she enters combat, she’s focused and dependable.

Their translator and 2nd assistant, Pierre Duchamp. He speaks over a dozen languages and often picks up new languages wherever they go. He’s also an excellent cook, has useful survival skills and often acts as a medic. He’s super flirtatious and often flirts with people while they’re traveling. He has a crush on Sirius and doesn’t hide it from anyone. 

~Photoshop

disclaimer: I don’t condone smoking. 

[artofalexfields]

Alternative Girl of Color 6: Ellie Ishida She's African American and Asian (Belizean and Japanese). She's the lead guitarist of her band, The Pyroclastics. Being that one of her band's biggest influences are Rage Against the Machine, many of their songs have political messages against government corruption and bigotry. Ellie is a lesbian and she's single. She finds it difficult to maintain relationships while on tour. She's a huge anime fan and particularly loves mecha and sci-fi animes like Akira, Ghost in The Shell, Evangelion, Gundam and Eureka 7. Before joining a band, Ellie worked as a teaching artist and taught music classes for non-profits.  ~Photoshop The photo in the background was taken by me in Vienna, Austria. 

[artofalexfields]

Daysean St. Lawrence 

• 16 • straight • African American • Brooklyn • Gemini Daysean was born in Brooklyn and lives with his father, an MTA contractor, his mother, a paralegal and his older brother who attends school with him. When he was growing up, he was overweight and was bullied all throughout elementary school because of it. In middle school, he learned to combat the bullying with humor, fighting against his bullies with jokes and clever insults. He also started taking dance classes after school to become popular with the girls. He joined an afterschool sports team and trained with his dad on the weekends. He dropped over 30 lbs in fat and gained back most of that in muscle. In high school, he joined the football team and made quarterback by his junior year. His skills on the field were so impressive that he was scouted by multiple prestigious college football teams. Although destined to become a pro player, his love life makes him question what he really wants to do in life. 

Along with bullying, Daysean was also often the target of racism growing

When Daysean's older brother came out to him and started becoming a bullying target himself, Daysean promised to have his back.

Daysean's favorite football player is Colin Kaepernick.

Daysean: ‘Sup, Tori!

Tori: Hey! What’s up?

Daysean: Not much. Been trainin’ everyday but I need to take a break. Where’s Amaya? She ain’t witchu?

Tori: No, she got a summer job and she’s working. I haven’t seen her since school ended.

Daysean: That sucks.

Tori: Yeah. I think this is the first summer we’ve had where we weren’t with each other 24/7. 

Daysean: You guys sound mad close, like you’re sisters or somethin.’

Tori: Yeah, she’s been looking out for me since I first met her. We do everything together.

Daysean: That’s dope. She’s a really good friend. So you ain’t got nobody else to hang out with?

Tori: Well, I wanted to hang out with Christina and Cassie but ever since the whole cat-fishing thing, we’re not really supposed to talk to each other. 

Daysean: That’s messed up, yo. Tony got y’all fucked up and nothin’ happened to him. 

Tori: Well, we did trick him into sending his dick picks to the whole school.

Daysean: That’s not what I meant. I mean like he gets to slut around and break girls’ hearts and he don’t get no punishment. Y’all did the right thing. I hear he don’t date no more. I mean, he’s still sluttin,’ just not lyin’ to girls about being with them. 

Tori: Amaya freaked out when she heard about what I did and went on about child pornography laws and shit but they said that since he was 16 and it was all of our first offenses, we could take a plea deal and bring it down to a misdemeanor. 

Daysean: Y’all got lucky but yeah, fuck what the laws say, Tony deserved that shit. And you deserve to be with a guy who’ll treat you right. 

Tori looks into Daysean’s eyes and simpers. Daysean takes Tori’s hand. 

Daysean: I’ve been crushin’ on you mad hard for a while, Tori. And I’ve seen you goin’ through mad shit and I know that Amaya’s got your back but I wanna have your back too, for real. I wanna be that that guy for you, if you’ll let me.

Tori: (laughs shyly) Y’know that day at the Halloween dance when you, Mr. Scott and Michael starting that dance circle and you guys were all battling each other?

Daysean: Yeah? 

Tori: I said to myself God, he’s so cute.

Daysean: For real?

Tori: Yeah but I was being stupid and let my hormones choose a guy and not my heart. Wow, did I like, really just say that? That was so cheesy! (laughs nervously)

Daysean: Nah, I know what you mean. I was mad fat when I was a kid and no girl would talk to me. But when me and pops started training and playing ball and me and Maxwell took hip hop after school, I started droppin’ mad weight. I spent a lot of time at the gym and I became addicted to liftin’ weights and shit and watching the fat drop and watching the muscle build. Girls started lookin’ at me and I did some shit I probably shouldn’t have. I let my ego get in the way. But I don’t wanna be like Tony, I wanna be a real man and have somethin’ real with a girl. 

Tori: I want that too. Like, I’m ready to be in a relationship with someone who cares about me and I know that guy’s you.

Daysean and Tori lean in for a kiss. They kissed and held each other close. 

Daysean: Damn, you got the nicest lips. 

Tori: My lips like yours too.

Daysean: Check it, how about we get out of here? I wanna take you out. Anywhere you wanna go. Movies, dinner, bowling, wherever.

Tori: Anywhere?

Daysean: Well, I can’t take you nowhere expensive (laughs) but yeah. 

Tori: It’s so nice having a guy wanna take me out other than fucking Jensen, ugh! And every other guy just wants to take me back to their place and--well, y’know.

Daysean: Nah, nah, I ain’t about that no more. You ain’t gotta worry. Plus, I wanna get to know you more. 

Tori: Yeah, I wanna get to know you more too! Maybe we can get dinner?

Daysean: Maybe we can get some Italian? I know you love pizza. 

Tori: Wow! You noticed?

Daysean: ‘Course I noticed. Gotta know my girl.

[artofalexfields]

Maxwell St. Lawrence 

• 17 • gay • African American • Brooklyn • Aquarius♒ Maxwell was born in Brooklyn and lives with his father, an MTA contractor, his mother, a paralegal and his younger brother who attends school with him. Growing up, he was always popular and well liked by his classmates. He had a close-nit clique of girls that he hung out with and the boys would always ask him how he's able to get so many girls to like him. He took dance classes after school with his brother in middle school and was the best in the class. When 8th grade prom came, his best friend asked him to prom and admitted to having a crush on him. However, he didn't return her feelings, something he was confused about until high school when he realized he didn't like girls at all. He became a target of bullying when he began showing up to school wearing make-up and heels. When his brother, Daysean found out, he sought to put an end to it. 

Maxwell runs the LGBTQ Safe Space at school which he started as a freshman. 

He is an unofficial member of a ballroom house called The House Of Millennia and the outfit he's wearing is a costume he designed and wore when he auditioned to walk a category for "Military realness."

Maxwell dreams of attending Parsons School of Design and becoming a fashion designer.

Maxwell: Oh my god! I love your shirt. Is that Sasuke?

Julio: Yeah, it’s Sasuke.

Amaya: Dude! We found another Naruto fan! Naruto’s our shit.

Maxwell: Yaaasss, babe! Is Sasuke your favorite character?

Julio: Y-Yeah.

Maxwell: You think he’s cute?

Julio: Yeah (laughs nervously).

Maxwell: Girl, you’re in the LGBTQ Safe Space. If you got a crush on an anime boy hottie, say it loud and say it proud. Ain’t no shame here.

Amaya: Exactly. Yo, I’ve had this huge crush on Hinata since I started reading the manga in middle school.

Maxwell: Mm-hm, you like them little shy girls, dontcha, Amaya?

Amaya: I can’t help it. She’s fucking adorable and I love the Hyuga clan’s kekkei genkai! What about you, Julio? If you could have any of the kekkei genkai from any of the clans, what would you have? The sharingan?

Julio: I guess.

Maxwell: If I could have any kekkai genkai, I’d have the Nara clan’s shadow jutsu. 

Julio: Why?

Maxwell: So I could make somebody look like a damn fool (laughs). Especially all these boys out here who keep frontin’ like they don’t think these heels are on point. 

Julio: How do you walk in those?

Maxwell: (laughs) My brother be askin’ me the same thing. It takes practice, hon. I mean your braces hurt when you first got them, right? 

Julio: Yeah.

Maxwell: Beauty always takes a little pain but once you go through it, it is worth it. These boys out here think they can bring me down when they dis me but I’m a queen, honey, struttin’ in these stilettos and you cannot bring down a queen.

Amaya: Well, historically speaking, the queen of Hawaii was brought down and then there was Queen Elizabeth II...

Maxwell: Ok, ok, Ms. Straight-A--

Amaya: (laughs) I’m just sayin.’

Maxwell: Why you gotta go and ruin my moment? I was sittin’ here trying to inspire this gorgeous queen here and you had to come in and rain on the parade with your history.

Julio: I’m not a queen (laughs nervously).

Maxwell: You gay, right?

Julio: Y--Yeah.

Maxwell: Girl, there’s a queen inside of all of us. 

Amaya: Preach.

Maxwell: I know you’re one those shy and modest boys who doesn’t know how great you are yet but once you find that confidence, you’ll see that. You see, here at the LGBTQ Safe Space, we’re all about teaching self-love and finding the beauty in each other. If we don’t lift each other up and see the beauty in each other, who will? We’re all we got. 

The group ended for the day and everyone went home. Julio mustered up the courage to approach Maxwell at his locker. 

Julio: H--Hey.

Maxwell: Yes, hon?

Julio: Um, I just wanted to say “thanks.”

Maxwell: For what?

Julio: For what you said about me being a--a queen. No one has ever made me feel that valuable before. 

Maxwell: Oh course, hon! It’s like I said, we all have to lift each other up. 

Julio: So um...

Maxwell looks at Julio and then turns back to his locker to get a book. 

Maxwell: Don’t be shy. 

A couple of boys who are horsing around in the hallway across from them start snickering under their breaths and pointing at Maxwell’s shoes. Maxwell doesn’t seem phased but Julio is afraid to say what he wants in front of them. 

Julio: Um, never-mind. I’ll see you around.

Maxwell: Ok, hon. See you!

Julio leaves. Maxwell turns around to the boys as they laugh at him. 

Boy 1: Nice shoes, fag.

Maxwell: Thank you! I’d say I got them from your mother but there’s no way a woman with such great taste dressed you.

Boy 2: That supposed to be a joke?

Maxwell closes his locker after putting his book into his purse. 

Maxwell: No, honey because the only joke here is your sorry asses. Now, excuse me, these shoes need to take this fag home. 

[artofalexfields]

Monique Morgan She's African American and she's an English Lit. Major. She loves writing fiction stories about fantasy and the supernatural. She's a huge Harry Potter fan and a proud Ravenclaw. The main characters of her stories are always young and powerful girls of color. Although many of her protagonists do not have love interests, she makes it clear that they are not interested in boys. This is because Monique is asexual and is mostly attracted to women. She also wants to write YA novels for young girls that teach lessons about self-love and realizing one's potential.

[artofalexfields]

~disclaimer: I am atheist and the beliefs held by this character are not my own.  

William Pacheco

 • 15 • straight • Ecuadorian 🇪🇨• Ecuador/Bronx • Taurus ♉ William was born in Ecuador and his family moved to the Bronx when he was 3. His dad is an auto mechanic and his mom works at a clothing store and does other odd jobs around the neighborhood to make ends meet. He was born with a bilateral cleft palate that was left untreated until he was 6. His parents didn’t have the money to get him surgery and prayed that God would fix it until a charitable hospital in the states offered to operate for free. He was overweight as a child because his condition kept him isolated from other kids. He never wanted to go outside and play even after his parents set him up for playdates with a boy from their church named Carlos. When he was 10, his parents spoke to doctors and other parents about what to do with him and they suggested doing things with him to help him boost his confidence. His father started training and playing soccer with him and his mother and older sister upgraded his wardrobe and did his hair. In high school, he was totally transformed and he caught the attention of the athletes and girls at school which made Carlos jealous. 

William is a religious conservative. He’s pro-life and believes that even the cruelest of misfortunes in life are somehow “blessings in disguise.”

Since his school doesn’t have a soccer team, he opted for basketball and plans on playing soccer in college. 

William and Carlos have an ongoing feud with each other because William stopped talking to him after he became popular.

Steph: Hey! I really like your t-shirt. 

William: Thanks. You listen to Disturbed?

Steph: Yeah! They’re one of my favorite bands. Who else do you listen to?

William: Alter Bridge, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold…

Steph: Nice! I love Alter Bridge. Their music got me through some really tough shit in my life. 

William: Oh really?

Steph: Yeah, back in Mexico, my brother would play soccer with these American boys who visited the city every summer and they would trade CDs and he got an Alter Bridge CD. The day my family crossed over the border, I listened to their music on my CD player and it helped calm me down when I got scared. 

William: You must be real spiritual findin’ somethin’ to hold onto during something so scary. 

Steph: Music’s always gotten me through tough times. That’s part of why I started my band.

William: You mad talented. I’ve seen you and your band perform at the Halloween dance. What you have is a gift from God. 

Steph: (laughs shyly) I wouldn’t say that. I’m not that special, I just practiced a lot. My papi doesn’t really want me playing, though. He thinks I’m gonna end up like him. He tried starting a band when he was my age and when I was a kid, him and his band got into trouble with one of the cartels in Guadalajara because my dad found out that the venue he played out was a front for their drug business. 

William: Damn, that must have been hard for all of you. Is that why your family came here?

Steph: Yeah, I was really fucking scared when he told me we had to leave. He didn’t tell me why at the time but I knew why we were leaving. A lot of my friends left to come here too but I never found out what happened to them. But I didn’t wanna think about it so when my papi stopped playing his guitar, I started playing it to keep myself busy. 

William: Can I ask you something?

Steph: What?

William: Do you believe in God?

Steph: I dunno. I mean, me and my family go to church every Sunday but sometimes I think that if there was a god and he was so powerful, he wouldn’t have made me and my family go through what we did and let my papi get deported because some gringos called the cops on him over some bullshit. What kind of god would let shit like that happen? I don’t wanna believe in that god.

William: God never gives us more than we can handle. Yes, your family is going through a tough time but you’re making your way through it. God always tests us because he has a plan for us and if we pass those tests, we’ll reap the benefits of his plan. You ever watch interviews by some of the most famous musicians in the world? They all had their faiths tested. They all had terrible shit happen to them and only the ones who didn’t have true faith in God gave up and struggled the most. You have a God given gift, Estefania. You do. And God’s been testin’ you lately to see if you’re truly worthy of that gift because he knows you’re gonna be famous someday. 

Steph: Are you trying to say that Chester Bennington, Kurt Cobain and every other musician who struggled and committed suicided died because they didn’t have faith?

William: Exactly. Suicide is a sin and only people who have real faith have the strength to keep living on through their struggles.

Steph: What does having real faith even mean? 

William: Praying daily, going to church every Sunday, believing that God has your back at all times and never giving up on you. 

Steph: But why does it seem like he gives up on his followers when they start to question him? I mean, people go through terrible shit every day. Parents watch their children die, children watch their parents die, there are famines, all these forest fires are happening, we have a president locking up people like us and separating children from their parents...if God is so powerful, why does he let all these things happen?

William: (laughs) Because he’s testing us. He wants to see how humanity will react to all these things and we’re still fucking shit up. We’re still polluting, we’re still letting sick people die because they can’t afford to go the doctor, we’re still turning our backs on God...that’s why all these things are happening, Estefania. 

Steph: So which is it? Is God this all-powerful being who controls everything or does he just sit back and watch all of this shit happen?

William: You ask a lot of good questions. I like the way you think. You sound like you actually care about what you believe in and not a lot of people do anymore. We should chill sometime. You wanna grab some chilaquiles on Friday? There’s a really good Mexican spot around my house. 

Steph: If they can make chilaquiles as good as my mom...

William: We’ll share a plate and it’s on me. 

Steph: Sounds like a date.

William: Call it whatever you want. 

Steph: (laughs) Ok, um, we should exchange numbers then. 

William: We should.

Estefania and William both pull out their phones and trade numbers. 

Steph: Ok, I gotta go meet up with Carlos and Serena. I’ll text you later?

William: Alright cool. 

Estefania nodded and smiled at him before turning around. 

William: Hey, I gotta a question. 

Steph: Yeah?

William: You and Carlos...you guys aren’t like, really close or nothin,’ right? You’re just like, bandmates or whatever?

Steph: Um, I mean, I guess I consider him to be a friend but we mostly just chill together for the band. Why?

William: Just askin.’ We grew up together and...well, just be careful around him, alright? Something’s wrong with that dude. 

Steph: Yeah, I know he can be stupid sometimes but I’m not going find another drummer like him. 

William: Just sayin,’ you deserve to have good people around you, people who are going to respect you and treat you right. Don’t be surprised if Carlos turns his back on you one day. That’s what he does. 

[artofalexfields]

Carlos Rodriguez 

• 15 • straight • Dominican🇩🇴• Bronx • Scorpio♏ Carlos was born in the Bronx and lives with his father, a pastor and his mother, who runs a soup kitchen. Growing up, Carlos was always the class clown and wasn't exactly an A-student. His parents forced him to participate in Sunday school, youth ministry activities and forbade him from playing sports to keep him out of trouble. He discovered his drumming talent when he was fooling around with their church's instruments one day and his father suggested that he learn how to play so that he could become a part of the church band. He bought a drumming pad with his allowance to practice at home. He stumbled upon metal drumming covers on YouTube and became interested in playing in a metal band which he secretly joined with Serena and Estefania. His parents, however, are completely against him playing anything other than what he's supposed to be playing for mass. 

Because of his conservative religious upbringing, he can be very ignorant about a lot of things and come off as insulting but he is capable of learning...eventually. 

Carlos was held back in his freshman year for failing English and shirking summer school.

When Carlos was in elementary school, his parents set him up for playdates with a boy from their church who was born with a serious bilateral cleft palate. He got a massive ego boost from all the compliments he got, not only from his drumming but also for hanging out with this kid. He's pretty vain.

Carlos: You really read the Great Gatsby for fun?

Serena: Yeah...why?

Carlos: And you actually understood that shit?

Serena: Well, it’s not shit but yes, I understood it.

Carlos: That’s mad cool. You must be really smart. I like smart girls. 

Serena: Good for you. 

Mr. Scott: And last but not least, Carlos. What is the last book you read?

Carlos: Y’know, you mad pretty. You Dominican?

Serena looked up at Mr. Scott. 

Carlos: Or are you Puerto Rican?

Mr. Scott: Carlos. 

Carlos: What’s up?

Mr. Scott: Did you hear my question?

Carlos:--

Mr. Scott: Of course you didn’t because you weren’t paying attention. I asked, what is the last book you read?

Carlos: I don’t remember. It was some book about this kid and his dad and the world ended or something and--

Mr. Scott: You mean “The Road”? Which was the last book we read the last time you were in my class.

Carlos: Yeah, that’s it!

Mr. Scott: So you didn’t read anything over the summer?

Carlos: Nah, I didn’t.

Mr. Scott: That explains a lot. Also, you were supposed to return that book and you did not. Please bring it in, that is, if you haven’t lost it. Alright, so we’re going to be moving right along to our first in-class assignment. We’re going to be working on writing narratives this semester and that means you guys will have to create characters because a story cannot exist without characters, right? And in order to create a character, you need to explore the identities of different types of people, learn about what they like, what they identify as, where they’re from, etcetera. So I’m going to ask you guys to pair up and interview each other and I’m going to ask that you record your partner’s answers in your notebooks and then report the answers back to the class. I’m going to be handing out a list of questions for you guys to ask. You have fifteen minutes to complete the questions. Ok, first group, Serena and Carlos. Next group...

Serena: (sighs)

Carlos: So why’d you read that book?

Serena: Because I was curious. It’s a really famous book. Anyway, I think we should stick to the questions.

Carlos: Do you have a boyfriend?

Serena: No. 

Carlos: Oh, so you ain’t with nobody.

Serena: No, I’m not. Can we please stick to the questions?

Carlos: Ok, fine. Here’s one: what’s your sexual orientation?

Serena: I’m a lesbian. 

Carlos: (laughs incredulously) Nah, chill. No you not. 

Serena: I am. I’m gay. 

Carlos: No! Wait, for real?

Serena: Yes!

Carlos: You too pretty to be a dyke. Lesbians are all fat and they have short hair and look like dudes. You mad pretty, though. 

Serena: Are you saying that lesbians are ugly?

Carlos: A lot of them are, yeah.

Serena: And you don’t think that’s offensive?

Carlos: It’s true, though. 

Serena: But I’m a lesbian and according to you, I’m not ugly. 

Carlos: Cause you not. 

Serena: There are other lesbians who look like me. You do realize that, right?

Carlos: There are?

Serena: Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The second question is where is your family from?

Carlos: DR. 

Serena: What does that mean?

Carlos: You’ve never heard of DR? It’s the Dominican Republic. What about you?

Serena: My dad’s African American and my mother’s family is German. 

Carlos: Oh, you mulatto. Mulatto girls are fucking hot. No wonder you so pretty. 

Serena: I’m biracial, not “mulatto.” That word was created to describe half white, half black slaves who were created for slave owners who wanted light skinned slaves and now it’s considered an insult. It basically means “mutt.” 

Carlos: Oh, I didn’t know that. Damn, you mad pretty and smart. 

Serena: Carlos, we’re running out of time. Can we just finish the assignment?

Carlos: Why you can’t take a compliment for?

Serena raises her hand and Mr. Scott approaches her.

Mr. Scott: Yes, Serena?

Serena: Can I switch partners with someone.

Carlos eyes her with confusion.

Mr. Scott: What’s the problem?

Serena: Carlos isn’t taking this assignment seriously and he keeps making me uncomfortable. 

Mr. Scott eyes Carlos.

Mr. Scott: Carlos, please stick to the assignment. Whatever it is that’s going on between you two, please work it out. It’s too late to change partners. 

Mr. Scott walks away. 

Carlos: Damn, why you trying to get me in trouble for?

Serena: Because you won’t stop hitting on me and it’s getting annoying. I’m not interested so just stop trying to flirt with me and stick with to the assignment.

Carlos: C’mon, I haven’t said one bad thing to you!

Serena raises her hand again and Mr. Scott, again, approaches her. 

Mr. Scott: Is everything ok?

Serena: Can I use the bathroom, please?

Mr. Scott: Yes, grab the bathroom pass on your way out. 

Serena leaves the classroom. 

Mr. Scott folds him arms and looks down at Carlos, noticing that his notebook was empty. 

Mr. Scott: Carlos, this is your second time repeating this class and you’re already off to a bad start, my guy. If you don’t have this assignment completed in the next ten minutes, I’m going to have to give you an F for the day. 

Carlos: That’s not fair, Mr. Scott. The whole point of this assignment is to learn about our partner, right? That’s what I’m doing. 

Mr. Scott: The point of this assignment is to build a profile on a real person as practice to build one for a fictional character. And if I find out that what Serena meant by you making her uncomfortable is flirting, please know that unsolicited flirting constitutes sexual harassment and that you can be penalized for it. And by that, I mean a trip to the principal’s office and detention. Get the assignment done and stop messing around, please. 

[artofalexfields]

~disclaimer: I don't condone smoking or vaping.

Ehtisham "Eric/Clutch" Ryan

 • 18 • pansexual • Indian 🇮🇳 & British 🇬🇧• Manhattan • Capricorn ♑

Eric was born in Manhattan and lives with his parents who both own a pharmacy. His parents are both devout Muslims from the UK. They left for America after an uptick in terrorist attacks in Europe created anti-immigrant sentiment. They dreamed of opening a pharmacy and living out the rest of their lives in peace until they had Eric, who was unplanned. His parents made it clear that they never wanted to be parents and treated Eric like a nuisance, especially when he neglected to take his religious studies seriously. Though Eric's aunts and uncles considered him a blessing, his parents called him a mistake--in front of him. Eric became rebellious because of this, stealing from the pharmacy and selling the stolen goods at school. He became the school drug dealer, selling Adderall to overachievers and vapes and cigarettes to the loners.

•Along with being your friendly neighborhood teenage drug dealer, Eric is also the resident problem solver and solves problems for people in the worst ways.

•Eric sometimes accepts sexual favors as payment for his strongest drugs from girls AND guys. 

•Eric had to repeat his senior year after he was caught cheating on his finals.

Clutch: So what can I do you for? I got E, Vics, Oxys, Prozac--

Cassie: What do you have to smoke?

Clutch: I got that Juul, kush--the real deal, not that K-2 shit, I also got some shit to snort but that’s for the rich kids. I don’t think you can afford that.

Cassie: You have coke?

Clutch: Course I got coke. I’m Clutch. I got everything. But like I said, that shit’s for the trust fund kids. I sell if for $70 a gram. If you can’t afford it, though, you can hook me up as a trade. 

Cassie: Oh, really? (laughs incredulously) Is this how you get laid, Ehtisham?

Clutch: Yo, first of all, don’t be usin’ my government name. It’s Clutch. Second of all, I don’t discriminate. If a fucking dude wants to suck my dick for some coke, I’ll do it. I don’t give a fuck. Third of all, what does little miss straight-A chess club girl want with my shit anyway? Ain’t your mommy or daddy gone’ disown you if they catch you messin’ with this?

Cassie: Wow, Clutch, I didn’t know you got down like that (laughs). And my parents will disown me if I don’t keep my grades above an A average. 

Clutch: So why don’t you buy some Addys then? I got those.

Cassie: I’m not worried about not passing my exams and shit. I’m stressed as hell and I need something to take the edge off. 

Clutch: Alright, how about that Juul? Your parents’ll probably smell that weed on you if you smoke it and you don’t wanna be leaving no grass around or worrying about where you’re going to roll up your reefers. You take a Juul, all you gotta worry about is refills, it’s easy to hide and your parents probably won’t even know what the hell it is if you get caught with it. You could tell them it’s a flash drive or some shit. 

Cassie: Ok. How much?

Clutch: For you, I’ll give to you for half price: $25. 

Cassie: Really? Why? 

Clutch: I know what it’s like to have your parents dog you for dumb shit like your grades. Also, I be seein’ you around with that Tony dude. You’re gonna need it.

Cassie: What does my boyfriend have to do with this?

Clutch: Is he apart of why you’re stressed out?

Cassie: I don’t think that’s your business. 

She takes the $25 from out of her purse and hands it to him. 

Cassie: Can I have my vape now? 

Clutch goes into his backpack and looks around for it.

Clutch: I know Tony’s hot and shit but a dude like that’s a player. I see that ring on your finger. You think a dude who’s got mad girls after him is ready to be engaged? (laughs incredulously)

Cassie: I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about but Tony loves me. He loves me so much that he bought me this pre-engagement ring because he respects me and--

Clutch: He gave you a pre-engagement ring? (laughs incredulously) That’s some bullshit. He’s not gone’ turn down no pussy. 

Cassie: That’s not all I am to him. 

Clutch: No, you’re not, you’re hot pussy with a brain and someday when you’re a doctor or a lawyer, he’s gonna be gold digger too. 

Cassie: Why are so hung up on this? Are you jealous or something because I never see you dating anyone.

Clutch: I’m 18 so me dating half the people in this school would be illegal and I’m not about relationships, babe. If I want some dick or pussy, I’ll get it no problem. Y’know, you ain’t a dumb girl, Cassie, but you make some dumb decisions. I’m just tryna look out. I’ve done some dumb shit because of the pressure my parents put on me and I don’t wanna see you doin’ the same thing. 

Cassie: Whatever, Mr. White Knight. You don’t have to worry about me, I can take care of myself. Now where’s my vape pen? I need to get to class.

Clutch hands her the Juul pen and a pack of pods.

Clutch: Threw in some pods for you too. Good luck with your shit. You need anything else, you know where to find me. 

[artofalexfields]

Estefania "Steph" Xochitl 

• 14 •straight • Mexican🇲🇽 • Guadalajara/Bronx • Aries♈ Steph was born in Guadalajara, Mexico to her father, a carpenter/construction worker and mother who worked in a medical clinic. Her father wanted to pursue a career in music but when he found out the lounge he and his band played at was a money laundering scheme for a drug cartel, he and his entire family were blackmailed and threatened with murder. They fled to the US with help from some relatives in the states. After Steph's father gave up on his dreams, she picked up where he left off. She's hoping her and her band (which includes Serena) make it big someday and she hopes even more that she can become a citizen. 

Steph was the first person in her family to master English and she did so by listening to American rock music since she learned to speak. Because of her quick learning abilities, she was skipped a grade.

Steph is heavily inspired by The Warning, an all-girl rock band. 

Steph has 3 other siblings, including her older brother who is a DACA student and her younger sister, the only person in her family who was born in the states.

Serena: You asked Carlos to join the band?

Steph: Yeah! Have you seen his drumming videos? He’s so good!

Serena: No, I haven’t. I didn’t even know he played the drums because I don’t talk to him. 

Steph: Really? Don’t you guys sit like, right next to each other in English?

Serena: We do but that’s because of Mr. Scott’s stupid assigned seating chart. I didn’t choose to sit next to him. 

Steph: That’s awesome, though because now it’ll be easier for us to talk to each other about meeting up to talk about band stuff. 

Serena: (sighs) Couldn’t you find someone else?

Steph: Not really. Did he do something to you? Why are you not happy about this?

Serena: Because Carlos is an asshole! On the first day of school, he kept hitting on me and tried to ask me out even though I told him that I’m gay. And then he told me oh, you’re too pretty to be a “dyke” which is really fucking homophobic because he’s basically saying that lesbians are ugly and I got so pissed off and he just wouldn’t leave me alone even after I told Mr. Scott and I left to go to the bathroom to calm down and this sophomore found me in the bathroom freaking out and she took me to see Ms. Kartopolis and she called Carlos in and explained to him why what he did was wrong and he says he won’t bother me anymore but I don’t believe him because people like Carlos don’t learn that quickly. (she exhales)  Steph:..Wow, he really said that? I’m sorry, I didn’t know. (She looks over her shoulder and sees Carlos approaching them) Oh, by the way, I asked him to sit with us today. 

Serena: (groans)

Carlos: Yo, what’s good, girls?

Steph: Hey, Carlos. Um, before we start talking about the band, we have to talk about something else first.

Carlos: Ok, what’s up?

Steph: Serena told me that you were harassing her on the first day of school. Is that true?

Serena: Steph, you don’t have to--

Carlos: Yeah, I was being a dick but we moved passed that, right?

Serena: I don’t know. Did we? You didn’t agree to join the band because I’m in it, right? 

Carlos: What? I ain’t into you no more. The fuck would I look like tryin’ to get with a dyke anyway?

Serena shoots up out of her seat and is about to storm away from the table but Steph grabs her by the arm.

Steph: Wait! 

Serena: This isn’t going to work, Steph, he hasn’t learned anything!

Carlos: Yo, yo, yo, chill, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that! 

Serena glowers at him.

Carlos: I’m sorry. I am trying it’s just that I was taught to think that being gay and shit ain’t normal and it’s going to take a while for me to accept you and use the right words and shit. I really want to be in this band. I love playing the drums and I been dyin’ to play with another band besides the one at my church. I felt like God sent Estefania to me to give me this chance and now he’s telling me that I need to accept you because this means we’re gone’ be chillin’ together a lot. Look, I didn’t mean no disrespect, I just say and do some really dumb shit sometimes because I don’t know how to act sometimes. I really liked you when I first met you and I was mad nervous. If you can forgive me, I’ll never bother you again, I swear to God. 

Serena: (sighs) Ok, fine. But if you screw up, either I’m out or you are. 

Carlos: Copy! Thank you! 

Steph: Ok, great! Now let’s get down to business. Have you guys ever played metal music?

Carlos: Yeah.

Serena: No. 

Steph: Okay...well, I kinda want this to be a metal band so...

Serena: I’ve played some blues and hard rock. I’m not really into metal music but if I had the right sheet music and if you had me listen to some of the bands that you’re trying to emulate, I could pick it up. 

Steph: Sounds great! I have some HIM music for you to listen to. Are you self-taught?

Serena: Yeah. When my grandpa died, he gave me his bass and I taught myself how to play it. How about you? Are you self taught or did you take lessons or...?

Steph: Same. When I was back in Mexico, my older brother found a Foo Fighters CD and I learned how to sing all the songs in English and I started doing guitar covers. 

Serena: Wait, so English wasn’t your first language? 

Steph: No. When I was little, I taught myself English by listening to the Foo Fighters, Nirvana and a bunch of other American bands. Like, I would sing along to their music, look up the lyrics in English and pick up how to say certain things. When my family came here, I was the only one of my brothers and sisters who could speak it really well and my parents were always asking me to translate everything for them. 

Serena: Wow...

Carlos: That’s fire! You taught yourself English by listening to music?

Steph: Yeah. So you guys learning how to get along shouldn’t be too hard, right? 

[artofalexfields]

Shaheena Bashir She's from Bangladesh and lives in the north Bronx with her roommates and 2 cats. She's pansexual and vegetarian. She listens to metal, indie hardcore, Kpop and late 20th century music (60s-80s). She works as a barista at a bakery and is majoring in sound engineering. She's a passionate singer and songwriter and plays the guitar. Most of her songs are political and have to do with corporate greed, war, climate change and sexuality. She dreams of moving to California someday, starting a punk band and living on a farm.

[artofalexfields]

Lance Donahue 

• 16 •straight • Irish🇮🇪 Polish🇵🇱& Chinese🇨🇳• Manhattan • Libra♎

Lance lives in the East Village with his father, a defense attorney and mother, an executive for a cosmetics company. Growing up, Lance didn't have many friends. His parents would set him up for playdates with their colleagues' kids but the only friend who stuck around was Jensen, who became his best friend. They bonded over their mutual grievances about being virgins and never having girlfriends while most of their classmates were already having sex and dating. Lance found solace in art from an early age and spends most of his time drawing and painting. He wishes to study art in college but his parents, his father in particular, is against it, citing he's going to wind up broke and an addict. His parents' pushing him into STEM, where he absolutely doesn't want to study causes him a lot of stress and he self-medicates...with drugs.

Lance is one of the best artists at his school and is often asked by all the school clubs to create fliers and other art for them. 

Whenever his parents and their colleagues throw parties, he gets high to cope with his social anxiety. The college kids at these parties started calling him "LSD" because of his junkie tendencies and that just happens to spell out his initials. 

Both Lance and his crush buy Adderall from the same drug dealer at their school.

Lance: Hey, Clutch. You got any Prozac today?

Clutch: Course, bro. Whatchu got for me?

Lance flashes him a twenty dollar bill. 

Clutch: That’s what I’m talkin’ about. (Clutch slaps hands with Lance and passes him the pill as he takes the bill.)

Lance: Thanks.

Clutch: You know I gotchu, rich boy. Pleasure doin’ business.

-Later that night-

Lance: I can’t believe our mothers are dragging us to another one of these stupid parties.

Jensen: Lance, there are going to be a ton of hot models at this party. How could you not be excited about this?

Lance: Yeah, and none of them are going to want to talk to us. And every time our mothers have these parties, my dad starts lying to his colleagues about how I’m either going to go off to med school and become a doctor or I’m going join his law firm and become his legal partner. I’m so sick of it. 

Jensen: Then blow your parents off and follow me.

Lance: It’s not that simple. 

Jensen: Why not?

Lance: Your parents let you do whatever you want as long as you don’t waste their money. With my parents, it’s different. They have my entire life planned out for me and they don’t give a shit about what I want. If I don’t keep up this image that they want for me, I’m pretty much dead to them. I mean, I pretty much don’t exist to anyone else and if I don’t exist to my own parents I might as well not exist at all. 

Jensen: That’s because my parents know that if they don’t give me what I want, I’ll give them hell unlike you who sits around bitching about this shit instead of doing anything about it. This is why you’ll never get laid. 

Lance: It’s easier for you, your parents are divorced. They’ll do anything to make you happy.

Jensen: You think my parents care about making me happy? (laughs incredulously) They’re just trying to one-up each other. Oh, I brought him a Rolex for his birthday! Oh, really? I took him to Paris last summer. Paris? I took him to Singapore! They’re always trying to show off how much they give me because they hate each other so much and they want to have a competition for the best parent (laughs). And if I tell one of them about the gifts or trips the other one gave me, they try to up the ante. And if they don’t up the ante I tell them I want to go stay with the other and make them feel guilty about it.

Lance: What the hell, Jensen? 

Jensen: And I’m going to work my magic on these girls tonight.

Lance: How? By promising to take them on one of your parents’ expensive trips? These models probably already travel all over the world and get free shit. You have nothing to offer them, Jensen.  

Jensen: They also date these unsophisticated assholes who treat them like garbage. They beat them, cheat on them, they don’t listen to them...I’m going to be the gentlemen they deserve. 

Lance: You sound like Elliot Rodger. 

Jensen: Please! Elliot Rodger wishes he were me. Anyway, are you seriously going to wear that to the party? And what the hell is up with your hair? And dude, put your contacts in and take off those glasses. Can’t have you following me around looking like some loser.

As Jensen leaves the room to go to the bathroom, Lance looks at himself in the mirror and runs his hand through his greasy sandy hair. He takes his glasses off and places them on his dresser, squinting at his hazy reflection in the mirror. Feeling his stomach tie itself into knots, he reaches into his jeans pocket for the Prozac pill and takes it. 

[artofalexfields]

Jensen Klein

• 16 • straight • German🇩🇪 & Korean🇰🇷 • Manhattan • Taurus ♉ Jensen comes from an upperclass family in Manhattan. He lives with his mother who is the editor of fashion magazine and stays with his father, a high-powered defense attorney on the weekends. His parents' divorce when he was a child was one of the worst times of his life. He was remanded to primary custody with his mother whom he resented because at the time, she wasn't making as much money as his father and couldn't afford to put him in private school. He was bullied all throughout elementary and middle school because of his size and timid demeanor. Because his school was primarily black and hispanic, he grew to resent them. Although the high school he attends is prestigious by public high school standards, he hates the fact that so many non-whites were able to get in. He's also frequently bullied for trying to get with every pretty white girl at the school and failing. When he saw Tori Vasilevska for the first time, he automatically became obsessed with her and tried to win her affections though his friends tell him she's so far out of his league that he's crazy for even thinking about it. 

Jensen is part of a bunch of incel groups online, being angered by having (white) girls reject him and for being a virgin.

•Although Jensen is half Asian, he posts many racist messages about Asians online.

•When Jensen's grandfather immigrated to the US, he changed the spelling of their last name from Klein to Kline in fear of facing anti-German bigotry following WW2 but his father changed it back citing that being ashamed of one's ancestry is anti-American

Lance: Hey Jensen! Your mom let me in. I’ve been texting you. What’s going on?

Jensen: Do you know who Tori Vasilevska is?

Lance: Uh, yeah, I think so. She’s in my art class. Why?

Jensen: That dyke who runs the gay club came up to me to ask me if I wanted to sign up...fucking bitch thinks I’m gay...and she was with her. And she smiled at me. 

Lance: So?

Jensen: You ever have a really hot blonde smile at you? 

Lance: Yeah, like the girl who makes my lattes at Starbucks, my mother’s secretary, my nanny from when I was a kid, Mrs. Wyn...but they were just being polite.

Jensen: I’m going to ask her out.

Lance: You barely even know her.

Jensen: That’s what the point of a date is, genius--to get to know girls. 

Lance: Dude, Tori Vasilevska is not going to willingly agree to go out on a date with you. 

Jensen: She will. I won’t take “no” for an answer. I’m going to borrow my dad’s Amex, call up a limo and take her to the nicest restaurant in the city, y’know the one that our mothers have their meetings at? She’ll have to fall in love with me. 

Lance: So what your saying is, you’re going to throw your dad’s money at her until she falls in love with you. 

Jensen: Precisely. Dude, I’m a fucking catch. I’m rich--

Lance: Your dad’s rich.

Jensen: I have a trust fund.

Lance: Which is only for college.

Jensen: When I turn 18, that money is mine to do whatever I want with it. I’m rich.

Lance: Your dad’ll disown you if you don’t use it for school.

Jensen: And I’m a fucking god with Aryan blood. (Laughs haughtily) It’s no wonder a gorgeous blonde like Tori smiled at me. She knows she wants me. I’m going to make her mine, Lance. Hell, she’s already mine. 

Lance: Y’know, sometimes, I can’t believe you and your dad are related. He’s civil rights lawyer and you’re bragging about your German heritage like a white supremacist. 

Jensen: I know. I can’t believe my father chose to represent a bunch of thugs when he could have been something cooler like a corporate lawyer. 

Lance: “Thugs?” Your dad’s last client was a 12-year old private school girl. 

Jensen: I wrote down some poetry and put them in velvet envelopes and I’m going to start leaving them in her locker and desk. I know she’ll love the attention. 

Lance: You wrote poetry?

Jensen: Found some online. I can’t wait for her to read the first one. I’m going to do some epic secret admirer shit and have her eating out of the palm of my hand (laughs).

Lance: Or she’ll think you’re stalking her and find it creepy.

Jensen: Y’know, when you have a chance of being with the girl of your dreams which will probably never happen, you’ll want to do the same shit. 

[artofalexfields]

This character is inspired by one of my friends. This is Rochelle Rojas. She's in her early 20's. She's Puerto Rican and she's from the Bronx. She's a fine-arts major and she makes posters for underground shows. She's into southern rap, anime and swimming. She's queer but leans toward being a lesbian. As most gen-Zers, she’s disillusioned with our current political system and believes that the entire government needs to be reformed. She loves Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and politicians like her. 

[artofalexfields]

Antonio "Tony" Hong-Yamada • 16 • straight • Japanese🇯🇵 & Korean🇰🇷 • Honolulu/Brooklyn • Gemini Tony was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to his father, a filmmaker and mother, a flight attendant. Tony's dad was a legendary underground skateboarding documentarian until the culture of skateboarding changed. When he had Tony's little brother, they moved to NYC so that he could take a filmmaking job at a media company since his film work wasn't paying the bills. Tony's laid back personality and skating prowess immediately charmed and impressed all the skaters at school and he became popular amongst the guys quickly. He also became extremely popular with the girls. However, with all the girls lining up to sleep with him, he gained a reputation as a huge player. •Tony, obviously, is named after Tony Hawk, one of his dad's idols. •Not only does Tony often break his commitments to girls but he also breaks them with his friends as well. But since he's able to charm his way out of trouble, this is rarely ever held against him. 

•Tony's favorite skateboarder is Christian Hosoi. When he met his friend Christian, he told him that he was jealous of his name and wished it were his.

Christian: Man, you been datin’ Cassie for how long and you guys still ain’t fuck yet?

Tony: Nah, she’s mad religious. She says she don’t wanna fuck until she gets married.

Christian: Oh, that’s why you gave her that ring! Are you for real engaged or some shit now?

Tony: (laughs incredulously) Fuck outta here. Hell nah! But as long as she thinks we are, she’ll put out...eventually. 

Michael: Are you for real, Tony? You made her think you guys are engaged just to get her in bed?

Tony: It’s the only way, bro. 

Michael: That’s fucked up, man. You went way too far this time.

Christian: Mike’s right, bro. You can’t be doin’ shit like that, especially not with a fucking freshman. And she’s Filipino. They mad conservative. They don’t play around with that marriage shit.

Michael: Please tell me she didn’t fall for your stupid plan yet.

Tony: Nah. I was going to take her to the Halloween dance so I could get some ass but her parents told her she couldn’t go. I was gone bring her back to my place but her parents had to go and fuck that up. It’s ok, though. When I was at the party, Tori started grindin’ on me like she wanted me bad, bro!

Michael: Tori? Tori V? She danced with you? 

Tony: Yeah, bro, we got busy on the dance floor and at her place.  Michael: Are you serious, man? What about Cassie?

Tony: (laughs incredulously) C’mon, I wasn’t actually planning on marrying her. She’ll be ight. You can have her if you want. 

Michael: So just like that? You just throw girls away like trash?

Christian: I know. You mad cold, Tony. I don’t know how the fuck you treat girls like that and they still keep linin’ up to get with you. 

Tony: What can I say, boys? I’m the fucking big kahuna of pussy! 

[artofalexfields]

Viktorya "Tori" Vasilevska 

• 16 • straight • Ukrainian🇺🇦 • Kiev/Bronx • Virgo ♍ Tori lives in the Norwood section of the Bronx with her single mother who works for a bakery in Brooklyn. Tori and her mother fled Kiev after months of tense rioting destroyed their city. When she arrived in NYC, she had trouble making friends because of her thick accent that eventually dissipated after becoming entrenched in the NYC culture. Because of her beauty, she attracts the attention of a lot of males, including those online. She lost her virginity at 13 in a very traumatic way. When she met Amaya, they became instant best friends. She spends most of her time dating and trying to fit in but after watching Amaya and her other African American friends dealing with racism and police brutality, she becomes an activist. 

•Tori doesn't date white males citing that she loves men of color and wants to immerse herself into minority culture as much as possible. •She's interested in abstract painting but isn't interested in studying it in school. •She and Cassie sometimes smoke together whenever they're having a bad day.

Tori: Hey! Is anyone sitting here?

Amaya: Oh, no! You can sit here. 

Tori: I’m so glad I got into this class. I hear that Mr. Scott is the like, the best English teacher at this school. 

Amaya: Yeah, he is. He used to run the school newspaper until the principal cancelled it. He claimed that it was because we ran out of money but I think it was because Mr. Scott let people write articles criticizing the school board and shit got real. 

Tori: Word? That’s crazy. 

Amaya: I know. Schneider’s such a fascist. What’s your name by the way?

Tori: Tori. And you’re Amaya, right?

Amaya: Yeah...wait, how do you know my name?

Tori: It’s on your binder. (laughs)

Amaya: Oh, yeah. (nervous laughter) You have a cool accent. Are you Russian or something?

Tori: I’m from Kiev. It’s in Ukraine.

Amaya: Oh, shit. Must have been crazy living there a few years ago. How do like America?

Tori: Yeah, it was. That’s why me and my mom left. It was getting pretty bad. I really like my new neighborhood, though. I’ve met so many cool people. Some guy asked me out the other day but I told him I don’t want to date right now.

Amaya: How come?

Tori: I met this guy online over the summer and we met up in person. He turned out to be a complete asshole. After we had sex, he ghosted me. 

Amaya: Wait, you had sex with some guy you met online? That’s really dangerous, Tori.

Tori: We met in public before he came back to my place and I’m on the pill so it was fine. But yeah, I’m not doing that again. (laughs)

Amaya: Good. (nervous laughter) 

Tori: Do you wanna sit together at lunch? 

Amaya: Sure! Pro tip, though, do not eat the chicken nuggets. They taste like rubber covered in fried batter. 

Tori: Ok. (laughs) Good looking out, I’ll remember that. Do you warn everyone about the food?

Amaya: No, I just don’t want you getting sick. You sound like you’ve been dealing with enough shit. 

Tori: Well, thank you for looking out for me, Amaya. You should come over to my place this weekend. I need a friend like you. 

[artofalexfields]

Christina Lee 

• 15 • bisexual • Jamaican🇯🇲 & Chinese🇨🇳 • Bronx • Capricorn ♑ She lives near Pelham Bay Park with her mother who manages a Carribean restaurant and her dad who has what she thinks is the coolest job in the world: selling anime merchandise. She runs the Anime Club and is taking every AP class that a sophomore can take at her school. Her parents are on the brink of divorce and she feels like her mother takes out her frustration on her. She also treats her younger brother better than her. Her dad is also too obsessed with his work to pay attention to her. With all this going on at home, she always manages to remain positive and outgoing at school. 

•Christina is interested in cosplaying revealing costumes but her father forbids it, citing her age. •One of her dreams is to teach English in Japan. 

•She is/was very close with her father but does not get along with her mother or brother.

Athena Kartopolis-Mercado

 • 15 • lesbian • Puerto Rican🇵🇷 & Greek🇬🇷 • Bronx • Scorpio♏ She lives in Throgg's Neck with her dad who is a construction contractor and her mother runs a successful Greek restaurant with her aunt and uncle. She's into anime and skateboarding. She also finds herself taking on Christina's problems and being her rock. 

•Her younger brother, who is questioning his sexuality and is secretly experimenting with his gender expression is her best friend. •She suffers from a mental illness despite her upbeat personality. •Her aunt works at her school as a social worker.

Christina: Athena!

Athena: Christina! (laughs nervously) Hey! What are you doing here?

Christina: I see you hanging out at the park with Christian and Tony a lot. You’re not dating any of them are you?

Athena: (laughs incredulously) No, we just chill and skate after school sometimes. I am not into them. 

Christina: Really? Christian’s so cute and Tony’s mad chill. I’ve been wanting to ask Tony out for the longest but he’s always with someone. 

Athena: Sucks. Well, I don’t think Christian’s seeing anyone right now so if you wanna talk to him, you should. 

Christina: I might. How about you? Are you seeing anyone?

Athena: No. I’m not. I’m not out to my family yet so if I dated anyone I’d have to keep it a secret. 

Christina: I’m great at keeping secrets. 

Athena: (laughs incredulously) Are you like, flirting with me? 

Christina: Maybe. (laughs)

Athena: You were just asking me about Christian and Tony and now you’re flirting with me?

Christina: Yeah, it’d be awesome to have a boyfriend but I could also use a new friend...with benefits. You can still date whoever you want, we would just be hanging out like we’re besties at school and hooking up.

Athena: Uh...why me, though?

Christina: We had mad fun when we went upstate that night to the haunted maze and I think you’re really cute. I think we’d have even more fun together and I’m totally fine with keeping our sexual shit on the low. My mom doesn’t really want me dating either. 

Athena: Wow (nervous laughter) This is really happening. Um, I’ve like had a crush on you for a while. Yeah, we can totally hook up. I’m so down. 

Christina: Sweet! Ok, I gotta go home and prep the sign-up sheets for Anime Club tomorrow. I should totally get Christian to join now! Thanks!

Athena: Any time... (sighs)

[artofalexfields]

Helena Chao 

• 15 • Chinese and Taiwanese • pansexual • Taipei/Manhattan • Leo ♌ They live with their father who is a musical composer and mother who is a police detective. They are non-binary and pansexual. After facing their traumatic past, they decided that being in the closet about their gender identity and expression wasn't an option anymore. They play 5 instruments including the violin, cello, piano, guitar and flute. Though destined to be a professional musician, they still don't completely know what they want to do with their life. •Helena is a huge @awkwafina fan. •Helena loves being as chilvalrous toward guys as they are toward them because it enforces the fact that they are equals and that gender roles are obsolete. •They spend a lot of their free time on YouTube looking for other non-binary people to draw strength and knowledge from in difficult times.

Helena: I don’t understand why me paying for you was such a big deal. 

Christian: Because I’m the guy. I’m supposed to pay. 

Helena: But you forgot your money. It just made sense for me to pay.

Christian: I know but you’re my girlfriend. I’m supposed to take care of you. I’m such a fucking idiot!

Helena: I thought we agreed that you were going to stop calling me that. 

Christian: I’m sorry! Fuck, this shit is so confusing! What do you want me to call you again?

Helena: Your partner? Because we’re equals? It doesn’t matter what’s between my legs, Christian, I’m a human being that loves you and wants to be treated like I’m on your level.

Christian: I know. I just like being the one to take care of people. 

Helena: Is it because of your mom?

Christian: Maybe. I dunno. I just feel like if I’m not taking care of the people around me then I’m not really a man, y’know?

Helena: Being a man doesn’t mean that you have to take care of everyone. It means being strong enough to admit when you can’t. I mean you can’t take care of a person without knowing what they need, right?

Christian: Yeah.

Helena: And what I need is for you to admit that I’m your equal and that you need me. 

Christian: Can’t I just kiss you instead?

Helena: Christian! (laughs) I’m serious. 

Christian: So am I. Look, I love you and I’ll do whatever you want, alright? 

Helena: Thank you. (they and Christian kiss) Oh, by the way, you’re paying me back for your half of the bill.