BIRTH NAME : Penelope Isabel Ruíz ALIAS : Nel, Penny AGE : 35 DATE OF BIRTH : April 25th, 1990 RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Engaged to Wyatt Wheeler HOMETOWN : Kismet Harbor, OR, USA TIME IN KISMET HARBOR : All her life RESIDENCE : Cresthill Meadows FACECLAIM : Adria Arjona
trigger warning:
EDUCATION : High School and Hairdressing/beautician certificate OCCUPATION : Hair Stylist at Glamour Avenue GENDER : Cis-Female PRONOUNS : She/Her SEXUALITY : Bisexual
HAIR COLOR : Brown EYE COLOR : Brown HEIGHT : 5'7" BUILD : Slim ACCENT : American LANGUAGES : English, Spanish TATTOOS : Floral tattoo on her left side, ribcage.
ZODIAC : Taurus LOVE LANGUAGE : Acts of service, words of affirmation CLOTHING: form fitting clothing, short dresses CURRENT HAIR STYLE: ( x ) CONDITIONS : radiculopathy, PTSD ALLERGIES : Nuts EATING HABITS : Anything she can bring with her in small portions to snack on, cooks traditional dishes every other weekend. EXERCISE HABITS : Hiking SLEEPING HABITS : Front sleeper, sleeps like a burrito
ADDICTIONS : None DRUG USE : None ALCOHOL USE : Occasionally
POSITIVE TRAITS : self-confident, loyal, snarky NEGATIVE TRAITS: bossy, sassy, over reactive PHOBIAS : Nyctophobia FEARS : Watching her family fall apart, being insignificant, hospitals, heights. HOBBIES : Self-care, girl nights, playtime with her son. HABITS : Twirls her hair around her fingers, rubbing the edges of her gel nails. USUAL TEMPERAMENT : Timid
FATHER : Jésus Ruíz MOTHER : Lucía Lopez † SIBLINGS : Katerina Lopez & Dana Lopez PARTNERS : Wyatt Wheeler CHILDREN : Mateo “Jr” Rafael Torres-Ruiz, Sera Daniella Wheeler PETS : none.
BIOGRAPHY
trigger warning: kidnapping, trauma
Growing up with a drug-addicted mother, Nel had to learn how to survive on her own from a young age, looking after her siblings and toughening up in the face of adversity. She’s never been one to back down from a challenge, whether it was the emotional scars of her childhood or the physical one from a near-fatal fall off a third-story building—she walked out of the hospital two weeks later, proving her resilience.
In her teenage years, Nel wasn’t concerned with popularity or what others thought of her. She was always deeply passionate about fashion, hair, and makeup, even modeling in her teens and early twenties before deciding to stay in Kismet Harbor and pursue her craft closer to home. While she could be sweet if you were kind to her, cross her or her loved ones, and you’d see the wrath of a woman who would stop at nothing to get back at you—whether it meant spray-painting lockers, spreading rumors, or making your life a living nightmare. Her fiery spirit often landed her in detention, but that never stopped her.
Unlike her sisters, who excelled academically, Nel wasn’t interested in being the brainiac. She was a natural in gymnastics but didn’t care much for other sports. As an adult, she’s matured and learned to think before acting, though she still holds grudges for a long time. Now a mother to Mateo Jr. and co-parenting with his father, Mateo Torres, Nel has found stability in her relationship with Wyatt Wheeler, a police officer whose job intimidates her but also makes her value their time together all the more.
Despite the challenges, Nel remains unapologetically herself—a loyal friend, a dedicated mother, and a woman who’s been shaped by the hardships of her past. And while her tough exterior might make you think twice, once you earn her trust, you have a friend for life.
After being kidnapped and held against her will for two whole weeks, Nel was a shell of who she used to be. The happy and feisty girl was taken down a notch, now afraid of the dark, not wanting to leave her son out of her sight and scared that her kidnapper might come for her at any moment, knowing that there's someone out there who wanted her gone. The tyranny lasted for months, sending Penelope in a constant frightened state of mind, especially since she learned she had been pregnant while kidnapped. She focused on her health to put a healthy baby to the world and soon her diverted attention was rewarded.
Wyatt's ex-wife had been the person behind her kidnapping and was sentenced to prison. This allowed Penelope to breathe and enjoy life again. With the help of her loved ones and by going to therapy, she's slowly learning to love the world again and can't wait to give birth to her son or daughter, welcoming a sibling for Mateo Jr, while also focusing on her engagement to Wyatt.
