What's in a Name?

Heidi Larsen

Heidi Larsen- Danish/German ancestry; Heidi Larsen is a student who is initially described as being pretty, vain, and conceited, with green eyes that appear faintly cruel, and she maintains an infamously turbulent on-and-off relationship with Devon Tremain. She is confrontational and sharp-tongued at times and often seen as a toxic and rude person, as well as frivolous and superficial, being mainly interested in her looks and public image. She has a slender physique with "curves in all the right places", straight, light golden brown hair, a flawless, peach-like complexion, petite snub nose, and luscious, pillowy lips. According to her girlfriends, she had the "perfect peaked cupid's bow" and was seen as extraordinarily beautiful, serving as a source of envy to much of the female student body. One of the popular girls at the school, Heidi first met Devon during a very difficult time of her life during which she was romantically involved with an emotionally abusive ex-boyfriend. Feeling concern for her and attempting to see the good in her, Devon fell for her vulnerability and they quickly connected. Taking her under his wing and offering to protect her from harm through positive reinforcement and encouragement, she and Devon were happy together for a time and her better qualities surfaced. Since the first grade, she had been her school's scapegoat and outcast, routinely being picked on and mocked for her differences and placed at the bottom of the social pyramid. It was often assumed that Heidi's mean and sour disposition stemmed from the bullying and teasing she received in Duluth, Minnesota as a kid. Upon reaching puberty, she formed a friendship with Vivian Masterson and eventually became one of her lackeys and most frequent companions after being unexpectedly defended by her. She was helpful when she suddenly started her first period in the girls' lockeroom, with Vivian claiming that she "saw potential" in her to be among the popular crowd with her emerging good looks. 

Despite learning this, her relationship with Devon began to fall apart after she proved herself to be excessively prideful and stubborn, refusing to receive advice from others and preferring to do things as she pleased. Heidi is notoriously hardheaded and impulsive, as she is uncompromising and uncooperative and dislikes being told what to do, making relationships with her increasingly difficult to sustain. Her obdurate nature was sometimes too overwhelming for the generally patient Devon, with many of his friends, such as his best friend Nolan Persaud disliking Heidi and referring to her as an "attention whore" and "drama queen". She could be incredibly manipulative and sabotage situations for her own benefit, guilt-tripping Devon into not leaving her when he tries to cut off ties with her and reacting in a dramatic, emotionally effusive way. She also had a fluctuating self-esteem and self-image and tended to experience many highs and lows, appearing erratic and emotionally unstable much of the time. Heidi was heavily self-deprecating and secretly self-harmed by cutting and scratching herself, with Devon being the only person aware of this. She also suffered from a combination of anorexia and bulimia, often obsessing over her weight and purging secretly in the girls' restroom during her lunch period before being found by one of her classmates and escorted to the nurse's office. She once came with an açaí bowl and said that she wasn't allowed to eat pastries or anything with carbs since they would make her "fat", although she likes hot pockets and rolled ice cream. Although Devon was unhappy in his relationship with Heidi, he still struggled to break up with her and move on, feeling compelled to "help her" and believing there is still good inside her. As a younger teen, Heidi's interests included shopping, boys, and her appearance, as well as drinking and partying, and she tended to spend excessive time making postings on social media, namely Twitter. 

She listens to Tame Impala and has also joined her friends in watching different shows, with her being a particularly big fan of The OC. This frivolousness most likely surfaced from the influence of the company she kept around, such as the the popular students who encouraged impulsive, self-destructive behaviors that led her to neglect her education. Devon's mother strongly dislikes her, believing her to be a toxic influence on him due to her awareness of Heidi's previous involvement with drugs, such as heroin and alcohol, in addition to disapproving of her verbal abuse. Heidi was not a very dedicated student and put minimal effort into her studies,  preferring to socialize with her friends and lacking ambition, although she always had a small interest in interior design. It was widely suspected that she suffered from a personality disorder, although she refused outside help despite her family's suspicions and concerns. After being caught with alcohol during school hours by Alicia Ibarra, she was ordered to spend 24 hours in detox and 90 days at a sober living facility, which she initially refused to do. It was not until a near overdose at a party she attended her senior year of high school that she began to realize the toxicity of her behavior and began to self-reflect on her choices in life. After a brief stay as an inpatient at a psychiatric hospital, Heidi continued treatment at a rehabilitation facility during which she confronted her inner demons and the reality of the destructive pathway she was undertaking. Regardless of her previously unpleasant behavior, she revealed herself to be a troubled soul whom despite trying to keep herself on the straight and narrow, often fell victim to her own temptations and lack of self-control. With the help of Mrs. Seymour, a stern, but well-meaning female therapist at the rehab facility, Heidi internalized her emotions and struggles as she achieved a healthier mentality and found coping mechanisms.