Ari

Name: Ari Greenfield Gender: Nonbinary (they/them) Age: Junior (11th grade) – 17 years Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish Skin: Fair, with a constellation of freckles across the nose and cheeks Hair: Dyed teal, grown out at the roots to reveal natural dark brown; shaggy, often messy Eyes: Green with flecks of gray Size: Slim and wiry Height: 5'6" Weight: 130 pounds Personality: Eccentric, anxious, intelligent, and deeply curious. Ari is a hyper-verbal conspiracy buff with a wild imagination and a warm, empathic heart buried under layers of paranoia and deadpan humor. Their social awkwardness comes from a mix of overthinking and genuine enthusiasm. They're the kind of person who writes manifestos and builds shrines to niche interests but forgets to eat lunch. Appearance: They always look like they’ve just returned from investigating something—clothes slightly askew, a notebook in hand, expression somewhere between intense curiosity and total distraction.

Wears:

• Denim jacket covered in patches, pins, and marker scrawls
• Striped or printed long-sleeves under vintage T-shirts
• Cargo pants or flared jeans with lots of pockets
• Rainbow-striped socks with combat boots or Crocs
• Messenger bag packed with notebooks, snacks, and glitter pens
• Wears enamel pins referencing cryptids, the moon, or obscure internet subcultures

Likes:

• Urban legends, cryptids, and local folklore
• Conspiracy theories (the fun kind)
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Zines, collage art, and newspaper clippings
• Old libraries and forgotten corners of the internet
• Spicy snacks and instant noodles

Dislikes:

• Being dismissed or talked over
• Being wrong (though they’ll obsessively fact-check themselves)
• Loud judgmental people
• Standardized testing
• Forced small talk
• Closed-mindedness

Disabilities:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (diagnosed, in therapy and on medication)
• Possibly neurodivergent (undiagnosed ADHD or autism spectrum traits—hyperspecific interests, difficulty with routine change, sensory sensitivity)

Home Life: Ari lives with their two moms, both college professors (sociology and comparative literature). Their house is filled with bookshelves, half-finished research projects, and political posters. Ari has their own attic-like room, stuffed with notebooks, fairy lights, and a dozen tiny dioramas of imagined societies. Their family is progressive, intellectually engaged, and emotionally supportive, though Ari often feels like the least “stable” one.

Aspirations:

• Short-term: Uncover and document the “secret network” of student conspiracies they’re convinced exists
• Long-term: Become a folklore archivist, indie journalist, or documentarian
• Secret wish: Start a museum dedicated to forgotten things and misremembered events

Hobbies/Interests:

• Investigating urban myths and school rumors
• Writing and printing their own zines
• Playing/DMing story-driven tabletop RPGs
• Designing ARGs (alternate reality games) for their friends
• Collecting old maps, VHS tapes, and "haunted" objects from thrift stores
• Deep-diving internet rabbit holes

Fears/Phobias:

• Fear of losing their sense of identity
• Fear of being institutionalized or not believed
• Being completely ordinary
• Getting stuck in a life that feels meaningless

Favorite Color: Neon green (the color of “weird energy”) Favorite Food: Pickle-flavored chips and grape soda (don’t judge them)

Classes:

• AP English
• Algebra II
• Psychology
• Environmental Science
• Journalism
• Theater/Drama

Life (Outside of School): Ari spends their afternoons researching paranormal lore, hosting “secret society” meetings in the library basement, and updating their blog “Archive of Shadows” where they publish satirical (but oddly convincing) exposés about school events. On weekends, they host tabletop campaigns or attend thrift sales for “spooky decor.” They once created an entire ARG that convinced the freshman class a ghost haunted the third-floor art room.

Backstory: Ari has always felt a little offbeat. In middle school, they were bullied for being "weird"—talking too much, dressing different, asking too many questions. But instead of dimming their light, they leaned into it and built a world of their own. Though they have a few close friends, they sometimes feel like a walking paradox: they crave connection but fear rejection; they want to be noticed, but not scrutinized. They use humor and mystery as both armor and invitation.

Suggestion: Ari could have a powerful arc where one of their conspiracy theories turns out to be partly true—forcing them to separate delusion from intuition. Alternatively, they could befriend someone like Jasper or Noelle, forming a deep emotional bond that challenges their fears of vulnerability. A subplot where Ari runs for student council president “as a joke” but actually wins could offer both comedy and growth.