Alex Fuentes
On the surface, Alex is your typical bad boy. He’s constantly getting into fights—he’s a member of the Latino Blood gang and definitely lives life on the edge. But what the world doesn’t know is that Alex is in the gang to protect his family, so none of his younger brothers have to join. No one knows how smart he is, how well he does in classes like chemistry, and how much he wishes he could have a normal life.
That is, until he meets Brittany.
Alex’s . . .
Family: Because his father died in a drug deal when he was six, Alex was raised by his mother. As the oldest of three boys, he is very protective of his younger brothers, Carlos and Luis.
Best Friend: Paco, a family friend he’s known since they were both young.
Interests: cars, soccer, chemistry (but his friends don’t know that)
Brittany Ellis
On the surface, Brittany is perfect. She’s captain of the pom squad, gets good grades, always looks terrific, and dates the most popular boys.
But below the surface, her family life is complicated, her parents are threatening to send her sister away to a home for people with disabilities, and her boyfriend is trying to convince her to do things that she’s not sure she’s ready for.
What she doesn’t realize is that her problems bring out the best in her—the caring side that appears when she helps her sister or tries to protect Alex. It’s this hidden side of Brittany that wins Alex’s heart.
Brittany’s…
Family: Brittany’s beautiful mother is very concerned with appearances, controlling Brittany so that she also presents a perfect facade. Brittany’s father is always on the sidelines—he’d rather be on the computer after a day of his high-profile job than deal with his children. Brittany’s older sister, Shelly, is mentally and physically challenged. Brittany is usually the one who ends up taking care of her.
Best Friend: Sierra.
Interests: dance/poms, going to parties, watching old Audrey Hepburn movies, hanging out with her sister
Carlos Fuentes
As the Fuentes family’s middle child, Carlos doesn’t listen to anyone. Even withhis mother trying to keep him safe and his brother Alex playing the role of father, Carlos lives to break rules. He has a fierce pride in his Mexican heritage and isn’t afraid to let everyone around him know it.
When Carlos lived in the outskirts of Chicago, he was dating Destiny, the only girl he ever loved. But after they broke up and he moved with his mother and brother to Mexico, he went wild—partying, dating a different girl every night, and joining a gang.
His family attempts to calm him down by moving him to Colorado where Alex now lives. But Carlos has no plans to calm down . . . until he meets Kiara Westford.
Carlos’s . . .
Family: Carlos definitely has trouble listening to his older brother, Alex, who is constantly doling out advice. He thinks his younger brother, Luis, has his head in the clouds. But deep down, he is loyal to his family. He’d die for them.
Best Friend: None. He flies solo.
Interests: soccer, cars, cooking, partying
Kiara Westford
Kiara used to be very quiet because of her stuttering problem. She did not speak up much because she didn’t want to be teased.
Now that it’s her senior year, she’s determined to be more outgoing and show off the more adventurous, brazen side of her personality.
The real Kiara doesn’t back down from a challenge. That trait definitely sparks some interesting interactions with Carlos, who also never backs down.
Kiara’s . . .
Family: Kiara comes from a very loving family. Her quirky mother owns a tea shop and buys and eats organic foods only. Her father is a professor at the nearby university. She adores her younger brother, Brandon, who idolizes Carlos.
Best Friend: Tuck, who is gay (but Carlos doesn’t know that!).
Interests: hiking, fixing cars, tea, volunteering at a home for the elderly
