
Jessica Anderson is the younger sister of Jennifer Anderson and the sister-in-law of Phil Economos. She was born in Sterling, Illinois, in 1981.
After high school graduation, she completed a 16-week certificate program in nursing assistance from Sauk Valley Community College and works at a nursing home giving old people baths and cleaning up after them. She has full benefits at her job.
In 2004, a pregnant Jessica and her fiancé, Jack, live in Jennifer’s old bedroom while they save for a house.

Courtney Anderson is the younger sister of Jennifer Anderson and the sister-in-law of Phil Economos. She was born in Sterling, Illinois, in April 1983.
She went out with nearly every guy in her high school class and found fault with all of them.
Courtney works in the office of a car dealership where she makes $10 an hour and gets an employee discount.

Born in 1979 in Sterling, IL, Derek Albrecht is Jenny Shapiro’s boyfriend. They started dating at the beginning of eighth grade — causing a rivalry between Jenny (and her friends) and Karen King — and had sex for the first time about a year later.
After high school graduation, Derek enlists in the U.S. Army and marries Jenny in a courthouse wedding. A few days after the ceremony, he leaves for Georgia for basic and advanced army training, and is stationed in Germany. Jenny follows.
Derek and Jenny have twin boys in March 2001 and divorce in 2002.

Tina Young is a student at the University of Illinois where she is a prelaw major doing an internship at a law firm.
She lives next door to Cassandra, Kelly, Dawn, Leah, Sarah and April from 1999 to 2001. One of her roommates is Emily Reynolds, a girl who likes to party.
Tina writes for The Daily Illini.
In 2000, she helps Cassandra find a job.

Corey‘s friends are fellow Ph.D. students at the University of Illinois. They often get together to drink or to attend literary themed parties.
Thom Taylor is working toward a doctorate in English Literature with a concentration on Victorian literature. His favorite author is Charles Dickens. Thom’s family harasses him about wasting money on a worthless career.
Dan Reynolds is working toward a doctorate in classic playwrights. His younger sister Emily, a law student, lives with Tina. His family labeled him a homosexual, even though he isn’t, because of his love of literature.
Neil Sadowski has been Corey’s friend since high school and is the black sheep of his family for being artistic. He likes going to cemeteries and making etchings of old grave markers. Neil has a reputation for being a horndog and owns a smiling penis lamp. He dresses as Lord Byron at poetry parties while his girlfriend, Cherry, plays Mary Shelley. Cherry’s into literary topics, and they discuss authors, books and the like together, but otherwise she prefers to drink and let him take jelly shots off her boobs.

Karen King is the high school nemesis of Cassandra, Shawna, Jen, Jenny, Jennifer and Tiffany.
Born in 1979 in Sterling, IL, Karen’s mom was a teen mom. Her mom eventually births six kids to five men, and Karen learns by example.
In eighth grade, she fought Jenny over Derek. This starts a rivalry between Karen and Jenny and all Jenny’s friends. A cheerleader, Karen starts a rivalry with the majorettes to spite Cassandra.
Karen has a reputation for being promiscuous and for stealing boyfriends. Although she failed to steal Derek, she did steal Keith Cook from Cassandra.
Sophomore year, Karen gets gonorrhea from a guy at Newman Central, the local Catholic school.
Karen graduates with a D average and begins going to therapy where she is encouraged to make amends. At the Class of 1997’s 10 year reunion, Karen apologizes to Jenny, among others.

Tonya Nelson is a member of the Sterling High School majorette team.
Born in 1980 in Sterling, IL, she was raised in a ultra religious household.
In 1996, she is gang raped, which results in pregnancy. Her mother refuses to seek mental health treatment for her or to report the assault to police. As a consequence, Tonya cuts herself to deal with the pain. She suffered a miscarriage in the school restroom, and Cassandra is the only one who knows her secret.

Ryan Brunner is Jennifer Anderson’s first boyfriend.
Born in 1979 in Sterling, IL, he is part of the Class of 1997.
He wears glasses and is on the Sterling High School chess and debate teams.

Patrick Roper is Tiffany Petrova’s first boyfriend.
Born in late 1977 in Sterling, IL, he owns a car and runs track.

Daniel Patel is Jen Castillo’s first boyfriend. He was born in 1979.
A member of the Sterling High School basketball team, he moved to Sterling mid-way through junior year.