Brian

BRIAN:

Age at the time of the novel: 15, turns 16 right before Danny's party

Place in the family: oldest

Before the novel starts: Brian makes the varsity basketball team, something which is rarely done by a sophomore. He is also one of a handful non-white players in the school's (Sebastian HS) history. At the start of the novel, he is struggling with growing feelings for Maria Cierra, his childhood friend and member of his group of friends Pat has christened The Fab Four.

1. Maria Cierra: She and Brian have been friends since they were nine years old, and at the beginning of the novel he's beginning to wonder if he has developed feelings for her. She often serves as the voice of reason/conscience of The Fab Four and their friends, but is very sensitive because she is not on the same level in math as the rest of the Sophomores. She and Pat have never really gotten along, and Pat believes that Maria is trying to "steal" her best friend Diana when Maria and Diana strike up a friendship in a mutual class. (see: The History of The Fab Four)

2. Anne Crindle: Bubbly Fab Four member. Brian feels that she is the one person on his side during the fall out from Danny's party. (see: The History of The Fab Four)

3. Susan(Suz)Coughlin: serves her purpose in befriending Brian and pissing off Maria. Suz, who is on the JV cheerleading squad with Anne, serves a respite for Anne and Brian from Fab Four politics.

4. Richard Cudaghy: Brian's best friend and varsity teammember. Brian and Richard weather their own problems with the sudden attention paid to them and often feel forced to take sides in one fight or another. A Fab Four member, his favorite hobby seems to be helping Brian torture Troy. (see: The History of The Fab Four)

5. Varsity Basketball Team: Danny and the other starters are really the only flies in the ointment for Brian. Richard and the rest of the team aren't a bad bunch. A few also think Danny is a prick.

6. Danny Willis: Brian's arch nemesis on the basketball team. He was all primed to be the big Senior star when "C" mania steals some of his thunder. He takes his aggression out by making racial jokes in Brian's hearing and hitting on Pat, which really strikes a nerve. Other varsity starters and Danny hangers-on include: Ben Kranich, Mike Beaudroux, and Clint Vick.