Pheno is a kid who’s in the neeky group in your school. Neeky by the teenage standard, like watching anime, using discord, being really good in school, paying big attention in class, those things mostly aren’t particularly “nerdy” in nature but in terms of secondary school status? You’re not making millions of friends.

Anyway, Pheno. His father was eccentric and a little bit of a nutter who had him kinda young. His mother was kinda off her head and he was 18. Pheno is short for Phenolphthalein. Because his father had just done A-Level chemistry and was kinda high in the delivery room, Pheno had an interesting childhood.

He gets made fun of often. Popular kids say hi to him in that way that they’ll snicker about together later. Annoying. But he’s not unlikeable, he’s nice. So normal people who just want to have friends, go through school and that are chill with him, even if his group does have a rep.

He’s sketching in his sketchbook at his desk in the back of Geography. One of the popular girls looks over with a sight side eye.

Popular girl: “What you drawing?”

Pheno: He glances up and looks at her, his face neutral. “Uhh a character.”

Girl: “so cute.” She says in that “yeah he’s a weirdo” tone.