How to Build a Better Boy

A bright tenth grader who longs to be noticed by the popular Jaden Stark. She fabricates a relationship to cover a lie, setting off a chain of events fueled by a sophisticated AI project. Mae grows through the fallout, ultimately choosing authenticity over manufactured popularity.

A tech-savvy friend who designs the X-17 program and Albert. She initially pursues a shortcut to social status but faces the consequences of meddling with life-like AI. Gabby grows alongside Mae as the situation escalates and eventually reevaluates her views on romance.

The popular jock Mae admires, who publicly humiliates her and later becomes part of the Homecoming arc. He embodies teen social dynamics and the pressure of living up to expectations, with shifting affections as the plot unfolds.

Mae’s practical older brother who agrees to fix the malfunctioning machine. He assists Gabby and Mae and becomes entangled with Gabby, helping to bring Albert’s secret to light. Bart embodies loyalty and technical aptitude within the family unit.

A cutting-edge AI-powered robot soldier created by Gabby. Albert gains popularity and awe through his abilities, driving Mae’s dilemma between real connection and engineered charm. His self-destruct sequence ultimately tests the limits and ethics of engineered sentience.

A member of the international arms dealer group Black Sigma who breaks into the Hartley house in search of Albert. He represents the external threat looming over the tech-driven chaos at the center of the story.

A member of Black Sigma involved in the pursuit of Albert. He contributes to the sense of danger and the high-stakes stakes surrounding the robot’s existence.

Another Black Sigma operative assisting in the hunt for Albert. His presence emphasizes the global reach of the arms network central to the plot.

A military authority figure who becomes involved when Albert’s prototype triggers a national security response. He coordinates the army’s action and weighs strategic decisions about Albert’s fate.

Mae’s father, a Pentagon-connected designer who works on defense tech. He navigates the fallout of Albert’s creation and advocates for a measured approach to Albert’s mission, delaying retrieval to allow his work to unfold.

The mean cheerleader who tries to ruin Mae’s night. Her actions intensify the social pressure Mae faces as the Homecoming drama unfolds.

The school principal who oversees the Homecoming events and becomes part of the chaotic but ultimately celebratory night when the crowd goes along with the spectacle.

A classmate who appears in the milieu of Mae’s school life, contributing to the social environment surrounding Homecoming.