Tao Xu

Tao is Charlie Spring's loyal, sharp-tongued best friend, the self-appointed protector of his small friend group at school. He's skeptical of romance, quick with a cutting joke, and fiercely loyal underneath the bluster. When Charlie starts drifting toward Nick Nelson, Tao notices immediately, and worries.

William Gao plays Tao's prickliness as armor rather than personality, letting flashes of vulnerability slip through his sarcasm and jealousy. The writing resists making him merely 'the funny friend,' giving him real stakes in his friendships and an arc about learning to trust people he loves to grow past him. He's funny because he's scared, not despite it.'