Name: Annie St. James (Annabel, Jesse calls her Ding)
Age: 30. (May 31st, 1984)
Relation to Jesse: His older sister by seven years and two months.
Face Claim: Kate Winslet.
Occupation: 6th grade homeroom teacher, and Women's Health Teacher for the high school students at Akron Alternative Academy. AAA's Gymnastics Coach as well.
Traits:
Courageous. Creative. Motherly. Endearing. Caring. Scatter-brained. Unsure at times. Bold. Strong. Grounded. Firm. Wholesome. Thoughtful. Mature. Direct in her choices. Not hesitant. Does things with conviction, even if they're bad things. Extreme. Warm. Kind. Sweet. Argumentative. Stubborn. Sarcastic. Sassy. Energetic. Perceptive. Determined. The reason she had bulimia was not because she was insecure about her body-- It was because she did what she had to do to achieve what she wanted in the gymnastics world. Unforgiving at times. Hard. Passionate. Quiet. Brilliant. Chaotic. Controlled. Goal-oriented. Deliberate.
Annie was also was born in Downtown Akron, but grew up in the neighborhood of Merriman Valley (upper Akron, the more affluent area). Montessori was her preschool as well, from the age of three until five years old. Annie was the one that took care of the house. She cleaned, cooked, made lunches, and took the boys to school when her parents were at work (which was often), seeing as Jesseâs father is a lawyer, and Jesseâs mother is an interior design consultant/real estate agent. When she moved away to go to college, though, her parents decided to hire a nanny named Beatrice Arreguin that lived with the St. James on the condition that she take night classes to get some sort of Associateâs Degree.
Annie attended Akron Alternative Academy up until 8th grade where she transferred to AECHS. She was a gymnast from the age of 10 and competitive in everything she did. A complete perfectionist and stringent on herself (which later induced an eating disorder, unfortunately). Sheâs eight years older than Jesse. Jesse would have just been starting AAA the same year she would be graduating 8th grade.
Her college experience was not a positive one. She was far too strict and hard on herself and while she was not failing her classes or her gynmastisism, her health was failing miserably. A minor occasional habit she had formed in high school expanded to the point where she would either starve herself or purge when she would eat. Annie eventually was pulled out of college and sent to a weight management facility to help her with her disorder.
She lived there from the age of 21 (her junior year) until she turned 24. She's been through six years of interesting phases, traveling, dying her hair, and finding herself. Allowing herself to be wild and unhinged, something she never would let herself do. She now resides in Akron in her own apartment.
Relationship with Jesse:
Growing up, Annie was a sister, but also like a second mom to Jesse. She grew to be extremely protective of him and the choices he made. But she always wanted him to succeed. It was strained for a while, because Jesse and Annie's roles were switched for a long while after she came back from her facility. She relapsed often. Jesse's junior and senior year of high school were tainted with memories of having to clean her sister up after she had forced herself to purge. Although he does not shame her for it, there is a moderate amount of bitterness towards his sister. Annie doesn't shame herself, she stands astute.
But there's often slight tension, not wanting to admit to her brother that she was in the wrong for so long. She does feel awful for putting him in that situation, of him having to be her caretaker. It's just that St. James pride won't let her show it. They are amicable and loving at best.
The last time Jesse saw her was last summer before he left for AMDA and occasionally throughout the entire summer. She had first called him for help with Richie, who was cracking out in her apartment. He snapped on her and told her to deal with it herself. So she did, and called the police on her own brother. Something she hated having to do. She went to see Jesse off for going to college and congratulate him for actually making something of his life and getting ahead.
Richard was sent to prison rehab center a week after he left due to Annie reporting on him. He was sentenced for two years. Annie knows it's for her brother's best, but still fears Richie will hate her for what she did. Her parents know about the ordeal, but Jesse knows little to nothing and doesn't mind keeping it that way.
