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Characters / The Kids of Pine Hill: The Group

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The Group

The seven main characters of the book.

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    The Group 

The Group

The seven main characters who each share a POV throughout the book, having met on the first day when they were caught staying after school together.
  • Colour-Coded Characters: Each of them wear a different colour: Vance is red, Leesa is yellow, Luke is purple, Greg is green, Melanie is blue, Raven is black and Mr Dunn is pink.
  • Dysfunction Junction: Even with all the love the group have for one another, they all have their own personal traumas that all stem back to their parents:
    • Vance and Leesa's father left them when they were children, leading the former to grow narcissistic and form a shield around his heart while the latter forced herself to find love in order to prove to herself that it was real.
    • Luke's parents neglected him from a young age, leading him to be socially awkward and lost in a world of technology, believing it was his only way of communicating with others.
    • Greg's parents don't support his dreams at all and want him to carry on the family business.
    • Melanie's parents expect her to be perfect all the time, leading her to spend all her time working, having no friends and expecting herself to be the best.
    • Raven's parents divorced when she was at a young age and left her with her grandmother, leaving her emotionally closed-off from the world.
    • Mr Dunn pushed away his own family in an attempt as a successful career but led him to be lonely as they shut him out completely.
  • Ensemble Cast: The book consists of seven main characters who each share a focus throughout the book.
  • Fatal Flaw: Everyone in the group has one. They all cover the Seven Deadly Sins:
    • Pride: Vance's ego gets in the way of everything he does as he is constantly pushing to get himself to the next level without thinking about anyone else.
    • Envy: Leesa's insecurities push her to become jealous of everyone around her, forcing her to believe that she is never enough in any situation she enters in her life.
    • Gluttony: Luke's overindulgence in his love for laptops consumes him so much that he believes in the only way that he can interact with people.
    • Sloth: Greg's laziness comes from the fact that he doesn't believe in himself, leading him to ignore what he's good at and follow a different route.
    • Greed: Melanie's strive to be the best feeds into everything that she does to the point where she breaks down when she doesn't complete something to the best of her ability.
    • Wrath: Raven's protectiveness of people and her feelings stems from wanting to feel a sense of control due to not having much of it in her past because of those who have hurt her.
    • Lust: Mr Dunn's desire to have power comes from the fact that he has no one else to care for but himself, leading him to take any opportunity that puts him in a position of power.
  • Five-Token Band: Vance, Leesa and Greg are white, Luke and Mr Dunn are black, Melanie is Latina, Raven is mixed (South Asian and white).
  • Freudian Trio:
    • The Boys:
      • Id: Vance - Impulsive, entirely interested in helping himself.
      • Ego: Greg - Level-headed, balanced between the others' craziness.
      • Superego: Luke - Sensitive and logical, reliant on rules.
    • The Girls:
      • Id: Leesa - Very sweet, driven by love. Can be very tearful at the inconveniences in her life.
      • Ego: Raven - Sensible between the two but fails to look after herself at times.
      • Superego: Melanie - Motivated and neurotic, adamant on keeping things in check.
  • The Friends Who Never Hang:
    • Leesa and Luke talk to one another in group scenes but don't have any plotlines together.
    • Greg and Mr Dunn don't have any plotlines together but have a nice moment at the end of "Therapeutic Building".
    • Greg and Raven share one plotline together and a few lines of dialogue in other episodes but don't hang out much more than that. This is lampshaded in "Contrasts in Ageing" when (tired) Raven tells him they should hang out more.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble:
    • The Sanguine: Leesa.
    • The Phlegmatic: Luke and Greg.
    • The Choleric: Vance.
    • The Melancholic: Melanie, Raven and Mr Dunn.
  • Gender-Equal Ensemble: Excluding Mr Dunn, there are three boys and three girls.
  • Group Hug: The group like to have one of these after some reconciliation, usually initiated by Vance.
  • Heterosexual Life-Partners: Luke and Greg are the closest friendship in the group. Most of their subplots together are them doing fun activities with one another. They're the characters who mainly lead The Tag at the end of each episodes.
  • Iconic Item: The table Mr Dunn buys for them at the Christmas party in "Familial Feast".
  • Intergenerational Friendship: Mr Dunn is much older than the rest of the group. This is lampshaded by Melanie in one episode.
  • Limited Social Circle: The group don't hang out with many people except each other and they don't seem to mind.
  • Switching P.O.V.: Every episode switches POV to view what is happening with that character's storyline and/or plotpoint.
  • Teacher's Pet: It can seem like the group are to Mr Dunn but he truly does try not to show too much favouritism.
  • True Companions: Throughout it all, the group do care for each other, even if it isn't always voiced.

    Vance Jones 

Vance Jones

"The quicker I can show how awesome I am, the quicker I can get out of high school, because honestly, I don't need it."
A manipulative Jerk with a Heart of Gold who is focused on having a successful music career as early as possible. He forms the group when he tricks them into staying after school with him for his own personal gain. Over the course of the book, he begins to trust the group, creating special bonds with them as he cares about them and their problems instead of his own.
  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Vance and Leesa may bicker but they are ultimately prepared to defend one another with no hesitation. In "Breaking Badminton", he attempts to get revenge on Emilio for knocking out Leesa with a shuttle.
  • Big Brother Instinct: He is very supportive and protective of Leesa, Luke and Greg.
  • Big Man on Campus: Vance is the most attractive person in freshmen year but doesn't make a move on any of the people who hit on him.
  • Catchphrase:
    • "Salchicha".
    • His and Leesa's shared one: "We get that a lot".
  • Character Development: At the beginning of the book, Vance looks out for himself and belittles others because of his ego. Over the course of the book, he learns to trust others in their own abilities and lift their spirits.
  • Chick Magnet: He attracts a lot of girls in his grade but never reciprocates with them.
  • Childhood Friends: With Luke and Greg since kindergarten.
  • Colour Motif: Red/Maroon.
  • Commitment Issues: Clearly evidenced when he admits to never wanting a relationship a couple of episodes after saying his father left when he was younger.
  • Control Freak: He loves being on top and controlling his friends for his selfish needs.
  • Daddy Issues: This is where most of Vance's trauma stems from and is even lampshaded by Greg in one episode.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Possibly the biggest one in the book.
  • Debut Queue: "Virtual Reproduction and Vicious Humiliation" centers around Vance, his love for music and his backstory.
  • Decoy Protagonist: Despite the first episode having a huge focus on him, the next six sideline him.
  • Defrosting Ice King: He slowly loses his rude tendencies and becomes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
  • The Determinator: Vance is a little too determined to succeed in music that it almost controls his entire life.
  • Disappeared Dad: Vance and Leesa's father left when they were both three years old.
  • Fatal Flaw: Pride. Vance's ego gets in the way of everything he does as he is constantly pushing to get himself to the next level without thinking about anyone else.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Choleric.
  • Freudian Excuse: Vance became a selfish and narcissistic loner when his father left.
  • Girls Like Musicians: One of the reasons Vance attracts many of the girls in his grade.
  • Heroic BSoD: Happens to him in "Examinations of Talented Individuals" when he fails all his finals.
  • Hot-Blooded: Vance can be very sensitive about his music and the equipment he uses to make it.
  • In-Series Nickname: "V.J." by Greg.
  • It's All About Me: Vance is shown to believe everything revolves around him and his music career.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: After his Character Development.
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to him as "Jones".
  • The Leader: The self-employed leader of the group (although, he did form it so it kind of works).
  • Locked Out of the Loop: Vance is last to find out about Luke's crush on Vanessa.
  • Manipulative Bastard: One of the things that makes Vance who he is and how he creates plans.
  • The McCoy: Among the boys, Vance is the most impulsive.
  • Mirror Character: Vance and Mr Dunn are not so different as Mr Dunn mirrors who Vance could become in the future if he doesn't stop pursuing his career selfishly. This becomes a Central Theme in "Adjustable Assignment".
  • Momma's Boy: Vance clearly cares for his mother more than his father.
  • Narcissist: He believes that he is extremely good-looking (and is very correct).
  • The Nicknamer:
    • He calls everyone and everything "salchicha", believing it to be an Affectionate Nickname and/or replacement word.
    • He calls Melanie "Mel", much to her dismay.
    • Later on in the book, he calls Mr Dunn "Big D".
  • Once per Episode: He uses the word "salchicha".
  • The Perfectionist: Not to the extent of Melanie but he is when it comes to his music.
  • Rousing Speech: He often makes one of these to either win the group's hearts or convince someone of their wrongdoings.
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Wisecracker.
  • Team Dad: When Mr Dunn isn't around, he's always imposing rules on the group.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: He eventually begins helping others and caring about their problems.
  • Toxic Friend Influence: His affect of helping Luke with his crush on Vanessa lead to her falling for him instead.
  • Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: The first episode proves Vance being exactly this as he is shown to be a Manipulative Bastard who only cares about himself and his own selfish goals, however, him being a Deadpan Snarker adds to a comedic demeanour to him that makes him tolerable.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Melanie.
  • White Male Lead: Out of two black people, one Latina girl and one mixed (South Asian and white) girl, the main character is a white guy.

    Leesa Jones 

Leesa Jones

"Three years? I'm sorry but if I was engaged for more than one, I'd have questions."
A perky and cheerful cutie who longs to find the love of her life. She tends to have her eyes on specific goals (often boys) that end up causing her unwanted stress. Throughout the book, she sees the truth in her obsession with wanting to fall in love and the harsh realities of forcing it upon herself.
  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Leesa and Vance may bicker but they are ultimately prepared to defend one another with no hesitation. In "Physical Desires of Homo Sapiens", she attacks Reynolds for mentioning her brother even after trying to torment her three times prior.
  • Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Sarah's Veronica for Harry's Archie.
  • Butt-Monkey: Her emotional breakdown in the hallway leads to a nickname being made about her that spreads to the entire school.
  • Catchphrase:
    • Her and Vance's shared one: "We get that a lot".
    • Her and Melanie's shared one: "Aww!"
  • Character Development: After being screwed over by two boys, she decides to focus on Drama, something people have said she's good at.
  • Character Tics:
    • She likes to hum to herself when she's lost in her own world.
    • She fiddles with the sleeves on her cardigan when she's nervous.
  • Childhood Friends: With Luke and Greg since kindergarten.
  • Colour Motif: Yellow.
  • Control Freak: In "Virtual Reproduction & Vicious Humiliation", she goes to the extreme lengths of trying to get revenge on Harry.
  • Crocodile Tears: Leesa uses this on Ms Axworthy in order the teacher favour chain to work so they can get Mr Dunn a new printer to print off their homework.
  • The Cutie: She's the cutest in the group.
  • Daddy Issues: This is where most of Leesa's trauma stems from and is even lampshaded by Greg in one episode.
  • Deadpan Snarker: She becomes one in her subplot in "Discriminatory Date".
  • Debut Queue: "Virtual Reproduction & Vicious Humiliation" centers around Leesa, her love for love and her backstory.
  • Disappeared Dad: Leesa and Vance's father left when they were both three years old.
  • Drama Club: She eventually joins this as part of her Character Development.
  • Dude Magnet:
    • Attracted Harry while he was dating another girl.
    • Unknowingly attracted Emilio.
    • She was voted the prettiest girl in eighth grade in the boys' dorms on a middle school school trip.
    • Unknowingly attracted Rivera, who is implied to have a strong crush.
  • Embarrassing Nickname:
    • "Weepy Leesy" by the entire school, due to having an emotional breakdown in the hallway.
    • "Blondie Big Brain" by Ingrid, though she only discovers this after she has passed away.
  • Fangirl: She's a huge fan on the band, Fraction Fifth, to the point where she used to imagine which member she would marry when she was younger.
  • Fatal Flaw: Envy. Leesa's insecurities, push her to become jealous of everyone around her, forcing her to believe that she is never enough in any situation she enters in her life.
  • Foreshadowing:
    • Leesa mentions her favourite play being Underground Lovers twice, which is implied to be a love story between two people in a gang war. It foreshadows her desire to be in love which is a huge part of her arc and passion for Drama later in the book.
    • Leesa is mentioned to fake cry to get what she wants and uses it in a later episode.
    • Leesa is complimented twice by Vance for doing convincing impressions of him and Mr Falk on two separate occasions.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Sanguine.
  • Freudian Excuse: The reason why she looks for love in people is because of her father.
  • Has a Type: Leesa is attracted to athletic boys:
    • Harry is a football player.
    • Emilio is a badminton player.
    • Levi is a swimmer.
      • This is lampshaded in her dream in "Psychological Education" in which they all appear with enlarged versions of their sports' equipment.
  • Hidden Depths:
    • She is interested in plays, specifically her favourite, Underground Lovers.
    • She can cry on command and make a very convincing impression of people.
  • In Love with Love:
    • In "Virtual Reproduction & Vicious Humiliation", Vance explains to Melanie that this is why she is constantly going after boys.
    • This is the Central Theme of her dream in "Psychological Education".
  • In-Series Nickname:
    • "Lees'" by the group.
    • "Weepy Leesy" by the school.
    • "Bumblebee" by Suzie.
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to her as "Jones".
  • Like Brother and Sister: With Luke and Greg.
  • Locked Out of the Loop: She was unaware of her own nickname around school, "Weepy Leesy".
  • Mirror Character: She and Sarah Lang are this as it is stated that they both dress similarly, however, it is show why Harry chose to be around both of them.
  • Nice Girl: She is the sweetest in the group.
  • The Nicknamer: She calls Luke "bestie".
  • Polyamory: It is shown in Leesa's Bad Future dream that she has married Harry, Emilio and Levi (with a fourth on the way).
  • Prone to Tears: She cries a lot throughout the book (though sometimes she is faking it).
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Goofball.
  • Shipper on Deck: For Luke and Raven, especially when Raven accidentally reveals that she likes him.
  • Ship Tease: Has this with Martin throughout his episode.
  • Stalker with a Crush: Her crushes on Harry, Emilio and Levi can be viewed this way.

    Luke Chimenya 

Luke Chimenya

"Okay, I don’t scream, I whisper loudly."
A dorky nerd who has a love for computers. He is often analysing the situations the group get into and opposing them for being dangerous. His lack of social skills slowly wash away throughout the book as he allows himself to grow as a person with the people around him.
  • Affectionate Nickname: Leesa calls him "bestie".
  • The Baby of the Bunch: Luke is the youngest in the group with his birthday being on 21st May.
  • Black and Nerdy: He's black, loves computers and superheroes, specifically the superheroine, Galactica Girl.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: In the latter half of the book, Luke has multiple attempts to tell Raven how he feels about her and backs out every time, simply stuttering through conversations with her.
  • Catchphrase: "It's okays".
  • Character Development: After being rejected by Vanessa and lied to by Vance, Luke finally stands up for himself and starts being more open with others.
  • Character Tics: He puts his hands in his pockets when he's nervous which Raven seems to pick up on.
  • Chick Magnet: Attracts Raven, Vanessa and Sarah.
  • Childhood Friends: With Vance, Leesa and Greg.
  • Clueless Chick-Magnet: He had no idea that Vanessa and Raven liked him.
  • Colour Motif: Purple.
  • Cowardly Lion: Luke is afraid of the consequences of just about anything the group wants to try but this can also be justified as what they want to do can get them into trouble.
  • Deadpan Snarker: The least of the group but he has his moments, mainly when he's with Raven.
  • Debut Queue: "Creative Control" centers around Luke, his love for computers and his backstory.
  • Fan Boy: He's a huge fan of the superheroine, Galactica Girl, to the point where he even has a calendar of her.
  • Fatal Flaw: Gluttony. Luke's overindulgence in his love for laptops consumes him so much that he believes it's the only way that he can interact with people.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Phlegmatic.
  • Freudian Excuse: He's not very good at talking to people because his parents neglected him from a young age.
  • Heterosexual Life-Partners: Luke and Greg are the closest friendship in the group and they have no shame about it, most of their subplots being fun things between one another. They're the characters who mainly lead The Tag at the end of each episodes.
  • In-Series Nickname: "Glasses" by Ingrid.
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to him as "Chimenya".
  • Like Brother and Sister: With Leesa.
  • Nice Guy: Luke is very sweet and rarely snaps like the rest of the group.
  • No Social Skills: A key part of his characterisation that comes from the Parental Neglect he received as a child.
  • Oblivious to Love: He is oblivious to Raven's feelings towards for the majority of the book.
  • Official Couple: With Raven, as of "Examinations of Talented Individuals".
  • Parental Neglect: His parents neglected him from a young age, leading him to have No Social Skills.
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Dork.
  • The Spock: Among the boys, Luke is the most logical.
  • Will They or Won't They?: With Raven - They Do.

    Greg Young 

Gregory Ryan "Greg" Young

"Oh, and my hair looks fine. I just don't use a mirror in the morning when I comb it."
A charismatic Nice Guy who is looking for a new career while ignoring the one that is meant for him. He finds himself doing anything to avoid looking at the future ahead of him, mostly goofing off with members of the group any chance he gets.
  • Ambiguously Bi: Greg shows interest in both men and women but nothing is ever confirmed of his sexuality.
  • Afraid of Needles: As seen in "Unregistered Rules" when Luke, Raven and Ingrid have to chase him down just to give him his vaccination.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Supportive and protective of Vance, Leesa and Luke.
  • Character Development: Most notable when Ingrid passes away and he realises that he needs to make his own decisions.
  • Character Tics: He fiddles with the rings on his fingers when he's nervous.
  • Childhood Friends: With Vance, Leesa and Luke.
  • Colour Motif: Green.
  • Deadpan Snarker: He can be one at times, usually to prove a point.
  • Debut Queue: "Puddin' Pride" centers Greg, his love for cooking and baking and his backstory.
  • Drunk with Power: In "Breaking Badminton", it happens to him with the powerful racket.
  • Fan Boy: He's a huge fan of the superheroine, Galactica Girl, to the point where he even got her video game for Christmas.
  • Fatal Flaw: Sloth. Greg's laziness comes from the fact that he doesn't believe in himself, leading him to ignore what he's good at end follow a different route in life.
  • First-Name Basis: His grandmother, Ingrid, refers to him as "Gregory".
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Phlegmatic.
  • Full-Name Ultimatum: The letter Ingrid leaves for Greg is addressed to him as "Gregory Ryan Young".
  • Hidden Depths: He can easily pick a door lock with a hair grip.
  • Heterosexual Life-Partners: Luke and Greg are the closest friendship in the group and they have no shame about it, most of their subplots being fun things between one another. They're the characters who mainly lead The Tag at the end of each episodes.
  • The Kirk: Among the boys, Greg is the most rational and laidback.
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to him as "Young".
  • Like Brother and Sister: With Leesa.
  • The Nicknamer: He calls Vance "V.J.".
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: Goes by "Greg" instead of his full name.
  • Shipper on Deck:
    • For Luke and Vanessa as he helps him out in "Extreme Dieting".
    • Later on, he strongly prefers Luke and Raven.
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Goofball.
  • Stopped Caring: After Ingrid's passing, he decides that he doesn't care what his parents think about his dreams and he's going to try and reach them anyway.
  • Youthful Freckles: Mentioned in his first appearance.

    Melanie Jiménez 

Melanie Jiménez

"What are your hobbies? Do you like apples? I know I do. They're my favourite fruit. And the only one I haven't choked on yet."
A neurotic and insecure overachiever who is working on writing her book. She strives to achieve being the best in her academics that crosses over with how she views herself as a working machine rather than a person. She tends to find that looking after the group is more of an illusion for her obsession of living in a perfect world.
  • Abusive Parents: Her parents put too much pressure on her, forcing her to overwork and overthink everything.
  • Annoying Younger Sibling: Melanie mentions having a little brother in "Bonding".
  • Berserk Button: In "Experimental Parenting", it is shown that not enough sleep can set her off.
  • Brainy Brunette: She has brown hair and is the smartest in the group.
  • Book Smart: She's very knowledgeable due to her reading a lot.
  • Book Worm: She is frequently seen reading in the background of scenes.
  • Butt-Monkey:
    • Gets a lot of slander for not being able to cook.
    • She has embarrassing moments from her past that she isn't afraid to tell people about.
      • As a result of this, she was voted "Most Embarrassing" in the school yearbook.
  • Catchphrase: In response to Vance's nickname for her: "Stop calling me that".
  • Character Development: She learns to accept that somethings are just the way they are and cannot be perfected.
  • Character Tics:
    • She mutters to herself when she's working.
    • She calls Luke and Greg "hon" when she's comforting them.
  • Colour Motif: Blue.
  • Control Freak: Melanie is probably one of the biggest in the book towards her work and friends.
  • Deadpan Snarker: She has her moments, in times during an argument with others.
  • Debut Queue: "Realistic Fiction" centers around Melanie, her love for storytelling and her backstory.
  • The Determinator: She is always willing to go the extra mile to finish her work.
  • Fatal Flaw: Greed. Melanie's strive to be the best feeds into everything that she does to the point where she breaks down when she doesn't complete something to the best of her ability.
  • Foreshadowing:
    • In "Creative Control", she mentions that she was kicked out of multiple friendship groups and bands for being mean and controlling. In "Virtual Reproduction & Vicious Humiliation", it is revealed that she can play piano.
    • In "Puddin' Pride", she is seen burning her pudding in Home Ec., and in "Familial Feast", she is confirmed to be a terrible cook.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Melancholic.
  • Freudian Excuse: She's constantly working hard to be the best because of the pressure from her parents.
  • Friendless Background: She reveals in "Bonding" that she's never had a group of friends before and doesn't know how to act around them.
  • Go-Getter Girl: Always striving to be the best in everything she does.
  • Hidden Depths:
    • She is revealed to have played the piano in the past in "Virtual Reproduction & Vicious Humiliation".
    • In "Pricey Camaraderie", she mentions being unable to speak English when she first moved to America, and considering her Puerto Rican background, it can be assumed that she knew Spanish.
  • In-Series Nickname: "Mel" by Vance, much to her dislike in which she always replies with "Stop calling me that".
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to her as "Jiménez".
  • Lethal Chef: Melanie's cooking is hated by everyone in the group because of how bad it is.
  • Locked Out of the Loop: She is the last to find out that her cooking isn't all that great.
  • Mama Bear: She is this towards Luke and Greg, though she doesn't appear to know it.
  • Neat Freak: Her subplot with Greg in "Creative Control" is all about this as she tries to convert him to living a clean lifestyle like she does.
  • The Nicknamer: She calls Raven "Rae", though it isn't received well.
  • The Perfectionist: One of the strongest parts of her characterisation is to have everything in her life be perfect as a way to keep up with the life she's adopted from her parents.
  • Teacher's Pet: Leesa outright calls her this in the first episode.
  • Shipper on Deck: For Luke and Raven, especially when Raven accidentally reveals that she likes him.
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Stick.
  • The Smart Girl: Vance mockingly calls her this in the first episode.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Vance.

    Raven Chandra 

Raven Chandra

"Does this school have anything good going for them? Even the cookies here taste of suffering and ignorance."
A selfless badminton player who wants to get on the team. She tends to see the logical side of life while trying to keep others in check before going off the rails, although, she is no different than them as her determination with her own goals harms herself too. As someone who isn't emotionally vulnerable, it can be hard for her to view things in an optimistic light, even things she wants for herself.
  • Action Girl: She slaps Daniel Kent in the face with a slice of pizza which causes a food fight.
  • All Love Is Unrequited: She is this towards Luke for the majority of the book.
  • Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Vanessa's Veronica for Luke's Archie.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: The closest she got to revealing her feelings to Luke was by saying "I don't hate you".
  • Colour Motif: Black.
  • Character Development: She later realises that not everyone needs saving and she needs to look out for herself.
  • Character Tics:
    • She uses "man" and "dude" when talking to Vance and Greg.
    • She scratches the paint off of her nails when she's upset.
    • She brings her sleeves over her fists when she's angry.
  • Chronic Hero Syndrome: She has a huge compulsive desire to help others.
  • Deadpan Snarker: The biggest in the group, coming in close second to Vance.
  • Debut Queue: "Extreme Dieting" centers around Raven, her love for badminton and her backstory.
  • The Determinator: Even after failing the badminton try-outs, she still tries to find a way to get onto the team.
  • Disappeared Dad: While she knows that her mother is in Indonesia, her father's whereabouts are currently unknown.
  • Fatal Flaw: Wrath. Raven's protectiveness of people and her feeling stems from wanting to feel a sense of control due to not having much of it in her past because of those who have hurt her.
  • Four-Temperament Ensemble: The Melancholic.
  • Freudian Excuse: She's emotionally closed off because of her parents divorcing and going off with their lives when she was six.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In "Bonding", she gets Mr Dunn's attention, allowing the others to return to the classroom.
  • Hidden Depths:
    • "Bonding" reveals that Raven can knit.
    • "The Youthful Race of Romance" reveals that Raven can dance in a throwaway line but later comes into play in "Intricate Pedibus Exercise".
  • In-Series Nickname: "Rae" by Melanie, and eventually everyone, much to her disgust.
  • Last-Name Basis: Mr Dunn only ever refers to her as "Chandra".
  • Official Couple: With Luke, as of "Examinations of Talented Individuals".
  • Passionate Sports Girl: Raven is very passionate about badminton and is consistently determined to get on the team throughout the book.
  • Parental Abandonment: At six years old, her parents got divorced. Her father disappeared and her mother returned to Indonesia.
  • Raised by Grandparents: Raven has been living with her nana since she was six years old.
  • Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Wisecracker.
  • Will They or Won't They?: With Luke - They Do.

    Mr Dunn 

Bruce Dunn

"Look, we can't risk the group getting poisoned. I can't have that on my conscience. Maybe as a teacher but not as a person."
A lonely teacher who wants to get rid of the group in order to get a raise. He appears as a ruthless teacher who sets out to destroy to the group but is quickly accepted when who he is under the surface is revealed to them. Whilst he may be a broken man atoning for is own problems in the past, he doesn't shy away from trying to be the group's friends and teaching lessons for education and in life.

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