It's tough to be a little sister. It's even tougher when your older sister is Theresa Wolfe, a school legend everyone treats like royalty. But if there's anything younger siblings excel at, it's cutting their bigger versions down to size — so, while Theresa reigns as Maruac's mostly-benevolent dictator, Tessa has taken it on herself to be the persistent (if ineffective) resistance.

Of course, Tessa's not really trying to bring down the system — siblings have to sit together at dinner, after all, and despite her huffiness, she's actually very protective of her sis. Plus, being the big dictator's little sister has its perks: their shared surname grants protection, invitations to parties an edgy freshman wouldn't otherwise be invited to, and attention from cute senior boys who'd otherwise aim higher. Tessa is perfectly happy to leech off Theresa's reputation and "pull rank" when it benefits her.

What she really wants is to break out from Theresa's shadow: to be someone other than just "T's little sister." She wants to be the capital T! To that end, Tessa's play-rebellion is merely one of many ways in which she's tried her hardest to distinguish herself from her sibling. Theresa is poised and elegant, so Tessa tries to be crude; Theresa is subtle and seductive, so Tessa tries to channel "sexy" instead of "cute"; Theresa's uniform is picture-perfect, so Tessa flaunts the dress code. She even goes by "Tess," insisting the A makes their names too similar. Just don't tell her it's a phase.

Like any teenage rebellion, it's endearing from a distance — and for members of her little clique who play along, "Tess" can be lots of fun. No matter how hard she tries to be an edgy rebel, she's still a sweet little girl at heart. But there's real angst behind her childish tactics, and those who cross the little Wolfe often learn the hard way that she and her carnivorous sister still have plenty in common...

Reference images used with permission from their original owner! <3