TROY BILLINGS (16)

After losing his mom to cancer, Troy packed on an extra hundred and fifty pounds. His friends from junior high school have abandoned him and he’s a target of ridicule. He eats lunch alone (sometimes in a stall in the men’s room). He’s laughed at in gym. Crestview High School is so hellish he’s considering suicide. To cope, he gets lost in fantasies he sketches in his journal. He’s wildly creative, but he’s so beaten down he doesn’t dare to dream. All he wants is to survive high school long enough to escape it.

In the first season…

Troy’s friendship with Jo will pull him out of his shell and force him to reengage with a world he retreated from after the death of his mom. Empowered by Jo, he’ll draw on a well of emotion and begin to write song lyrics that explore adolescent struggle. The songs he writes will garner fans and build his confidence. He’ll begin a first romance with Elise. The romance will compromise his friendship with Jo and when it sours, all the confidence he’s built will be threatened, just as his talent is starting to shine.