Blake Hewson

The narrator is Blake Hewson, a 15-year-old sophomore in high school. Shannon is his first official girlfriend. His best friend, Riley, calls him "Flake." Blake's older brother Garrett calls him "Studly." Blake wants to become a comedian when he grows up and keeps track of how many times he is able to crack jokes that make others around him laugh. Blake is compassionate and shows concern for those around him. He is kind to people on the streets and freely gives them any extra money that he has.

Blake's birthday is the day after Christmas and he is looking forward to getting his driver's license. He is teased for not being a risk-taker. However, Blake is willing to make mistakes and he wants to learn from those mistakes so he does not repeat them. Blake's photography teacher calls his photos "gritty," and encourages him to polish his...