Name: Emery "Em" Whitaker

Age: 18
College: Freshman
Major: Psychology (hoping to focus on trauma recovery and mental health counseling)

Appearance:

• Height: 5'6"
• Build: Slender but strong, with a slight athletic tone. She’s always been active but never been too concerned with her appearance.
• Hair: Dark brown, wavy, and cut just below her shoulders. She often wears it messy or in a ponytail.
• Eyes: Hazel, with golden flecks that catch the light. They have a slightly distant or tired look to them, as if she’s often lost in thought.
• Style: She dresses in comfortable, minimalist clothing—mostly oversized sweaters, jeans, and sneakers. She likes muted colors—olive greens, dusty pinks, and grays. Often wears a worn leather bracelet on her wrist, a gift from her older brother.
• Other Features: A small scar above her left eyebrow from an accident when she was younger. Her posture can sometimes be a bit hunched or defensive, like she’s trying to make herself small in a room. Her hands are always moving, fidgeting with something—pens, her sleeves, or a piece of jewelry.

Personality:

• Introverted but Warm: Em is quiet and introspective, preferring to listen and observe than to talk. She’s not shy—she just has a lot going on inside her head. When she’s comfortable, her wit and dry humor come out, and she’s known for her ability to drop the occasional sarcastic remark. She’s the kind of person you can count on to listen without judgment.
• Compassionate: Her empathy for others is one of her most defining traits. Despite her own struggles, Em is always the first to step in when someone else is hurting. She’s the type of friend who’ll text you "How are you really doing?" at 2 AM when she knows something’s off.
• Guarded: She has trouble trusting people, especially after everything she’s been through. She doesn't open up easily about her past or feelings, often keeping them hidden behind a wall of sarcasm or deflection.
• Independent and Stubborn: Once she sets her mind on something, she’s hard to sway. Em doesn’t like relying on others, which has made college life a bit difficult for her. She’s fiercely determined to prove herself, sometimes to her own detriment.
• Anxiety-Prone: She struggles with anxiety, especially social anxiety. Crowded rooms, speaking in public, or meeting new people can make her feel trapped, but she’s learning to manage it, sometimes in unhealthy ways like overthinking or isolating herself.

Backstory:

Emery grew up in a small town with her parents, but the picture-perfect life they tried to portray was far from reality. Her parents were well-intentioned but emotionally distant, focused on their careers, leaving Em with a lot of time to fend for herself. She had an older brother, Nate, who was her protector and her closest confidant, but he struggled with mental health issues, often turning to self-destructive behaviors. When Em was 16, her brother passed away unexpectedly in a car accident. The loss shattered her, and since then, she’s carried a lot of unresolved grief and guilt.

In the years following, Em became more withdrawn. The trauma of losing Nate, coupled with the ongoing tension at home between her parents (who never seemed to know how to handle their grief), left Em with a deep sense of loneliness. She started therapy at 17 after a breakdown at school, and while it helped, the process was slow and painful. She learned a lot about herself through therapy—particularly about how trauma manifests in her life, but there are still a lot of things she’s unwilling to confront.

Her decision to pursue psychology was inspired by Nate’s struggles and her own desire to help people who had been through things like she had. She’s determined to understand the mind and trauma more deeply, but there’s a part of her that still feels very lost in it all.

Parents:

• Mother: Lauren Whitaker, 46. A corporate lawyer, highly intelligent, but emotionally unavailable. Lauren’s drive for success often left Em feeling neglected. Lauren’s reaction to Nate’s death was to bury herself in work, which only worsened their relationship. She’s proud of Em’s academic success but doesn’t always know how to connect with her on an emotional level.
• Father: David Whitaker, 48. A quiet, stoic man who’s good at hiding his feelings. He’s supportive of Em’s career choices but is emotionally distant. After Nate’s death, he withdrew into himself, which left Em feeling even more isolated. David and Em have a strained but respectful relationship—they don’t talk about feelings much, but he’s there for her when she needs him.

Quotes:

• "I’m not the person you think I am. I’m not the person I thought I was."
• "I don’t like crowds. Too many people pretending they don’t see each other."
• "I’m fine. Just tired. It's a recurring theme, right?"
• "People leave, and sometimes you have to learn to let them go. But sometimes I don’t know how to."
• "I’m really good at pretending everything’s fine. Even when it isn’t."

Things That Describe Her:

• Quiet strength: Em’s quiet exterior hides a fierce inner strength. She’s been through a lot and survived, and while she’s not vocal about it, she carries the weight of her past with a determination to keep moving forward.
• Fidgeting hands: Em’s nervous energy is often expressed through fidgeting, whether it’s doodling in a notebook, twisting her bracelet, or tapping her fingers on a surface.
• A deep love for books: Em finds solace in literature, especially books about trauma recovery, psychology, and emotional growth. She’s also a fan of poetry, often reading it in the quiet moments when she’s processing her emotions.
• Night owl: She’s always been a night person, feeling more at ease when the world is asleep and she’s alone with her thoughts.
• Music as a refuge: Em listens to music to manage her anxiety. Her playlists are full of melancholic indie and alternative rock, bands like The National, Phoebe Bridgers, and Bon Iver. There’s something about the music that helps her process her emotions without words.

How She’s Developing in College:

• Academically: Em is excelling in her studies, especially in psychology. She’s deeply passionate about understanding the human mind, though she sometimes struggles with the fact that her own mental health is still a work in progress.
• Socially: College is both a challenge and a blessing. She’s not someone who makes friends easily, but she’s slowly starting to form connections. She has one or two close friends she trusts, but her social anxiety still holds her back. The trauma of losing Nate and the emotional distance from her parents has made her hesitant to fully open up to people.
• Romantically: Em’s love life is a bit of a nonstarter. She’s wary of relationships, unsure if she can let anyone in. But there's potential for growth here—maybe someone will break through her emotional walls, though it's not clear who that would be yet.