What's in a Name?

Rafael Ponciano Nichols

Rafael Ponciano "Rafe" Nichols- Puerto Rican (mother); African American (father); Rafael is Daniela Nichols' kindhearted and considerate, if somewhat impulsive younger brother, who attends the middle school. He is often called "Tuti" by many of his family members out of endearment and seems to be bright and very active compared to his more mild-mannered and responsible older sister. He had several childhood phobias, most noticeably his separation anxiety due to his fear of being alone and his fear of clowns, which he claims "are not normal people". He likewise has an aversion to loud noises, which he makes his male peers well aware of and considers car alarms and forks on a glass to be his pet peeves. Although he is friendly to those around him, Rafe has experienced some feelings of inadequacy during his interactions with his stern, although caring father, who often criticizes him for seeming too sensitive and emotional. He is shown to normally be surrounded by a group of close friends, considering his childhood best friend, an unpopular, but loyal blond-haired boy named AJ to be his "right-hand man". He tries to project himself as mature and "adult-like" to strangers, although he is often determined and generally referred to as cute and lovable by them. He is a good-hearted, well-mannered kid, although he isn't always the smartest and can sometimes have a short-temperament. Rafe's friends often poke fun at him over having Ponciano as a middle name, although many people have claimed his name has a regal quality to it. He tends to give in to peer pressure easily and has been known to always follow the rules given to him by his elders, hence his struggle to come to terms with his sexuality and reluctance to admit to being gay. 

A victim of society's toxic masculinity, he is often considered "delicate" among his family members compared to other males in his household due to being more in touch with himself, a trait that his female best friend Olivia will often call him out on. Additionally, he is notorious for being grounded far more often than any other kid, usually for circumstances beyond his control. While he can have a quick wit when defending himself, Rafe can appear somewhat unconfident and insecure, if a bit obsessive, when things go unexpectedly. He can be highly sensitive and is prone to moodiness and susceptible to stress and overthinking, which are negative traits he inherited from his father. He sometimes drew Yaoi pictures in private just to annoy his friends and older sister and often got high to the feeling of "jamming out" to his favorite music in his room. He also manages a successful advice column online in his free time through which he gives fellow teens and young adults relationship tips. Rafe appears to be one of the nicer boys, or at least has a better sense of morality at times, yet his feelings are often ignored and his problems are used as a means for self-promotion when brought into light. He sought guidance from the school counselor, Mrs. Long regarding his sexuality and choice on whether to eliminate social media after being taunted by cyberbullies. Despite his sympathetic personality, he isn't above joining in on bullying others, such as the time when he taunted his friend AJ Stojanovic for being last on the cutest boys list. He also has a very sarcastic nature and is quick to diffuse all sorts of quips towards others, ranging from fairly harmless to sometimes blunt and rude. While he is approachable, Rafe continues to have a neutral outlook in life and is a devoted friend and frequent confidant to those he encounters. 

He is often too optimistic to notice most negative things around him and does not appear to acknowledge that he is being tricked, resulting in his being picked on in a more dismissive way than some of his classmates. He is classified as the kind of person who is always looking to something that is new and different for him, yet he can also be hardheaded. He does show signs of being more trustworthy once he turns 14 however and can be patient when he wants to be, although some of his ventures are typically influenced by greed. Olivia has video evidence of flowers leaning towards Rafe and blooming even more in his presence, as he is quite knowledgeable about different types and meanings of flowers. A gentle soul, he has a special fondness for flower crowns and will offer them to those he cares about as the ultimate sign of friendship, often making analogies to them while talking. He is a talented artist with a love for drawing and reading comics and is close friends with Connor Tran due to their similar interests, despite being slightly younger. He is also fairly good at sewing and designed his own costume for Halloween, in which he dressed as a half-monster, half-human creature known as "The Coon". Rafe often resorts to cartooning as a means of escapism and aspires to illustrate his own comic books, as well as potentially work in animation. His dream job as a child was to work for a big animation studio, such as DreamWorks or Pixar, and produce films as he got older. He still keeps his beloved "dog tag", which is a necklace with his name written on it with sharpie that matches that of his friend Olivia's. He yawns when he is nervous and sleeps in a room with a trundle bed and two windows, with one facing Olivia's house and the other his backyard.