Yes, God, Yes

A sexually inexperienced junior at a strict Midwestern Catholic high school who grapples with burgeoning desires and the fear of damnation. Her curiosity clashes with Father Murphy’s punitive morality, driving a decisive journey toward self-discovery. She is introspective, resilient, and determined to pursue honesty in her feelings, even when it risks social and spiritual consequences. Throughout the retreat and school life, she questions authority and seeks authentic connection.

A stern Morality instructor who wields religious authority to police sexuality, often pressuring students to confess and perform penance. He enforces rules with a controlling hand, yet his private behavior undermines the very teachings he imposes. The discovery of his masturbation to a pornographic video in his office reveals a stark hypocrisy central to the conflict. His actions catalyze Alice’s crisis and erode trust in spiritual guidance.

A friendly, enthusiastic senior who leads a group at the Kirkos retreat and becomes a focal point for Alice’s curiosity. He offers warmth and a sense of normalcy, yet his boundaries and reactions reveal adolescent fragility in the face of desire. His dynamic with Alice highlights the tension between attraction and restraint within a high-pressure setting.

Alice’s best friend, whose loyalty and perceptions shift under the strain of rumors and social judgment. She oscillates between support and skepticism, ultimately navigating the fallout of gossip and miscommunication. Laura's choices illustrate how friendship can both anchor and fracture under pressure.

A classmate implicated in the explicit chat rumor; his refusal to deny or apologize fuels the spread of gossip and complicates accountability. His actions—or lack thereof—expose the fragility of truth when rumor becomes weaponized. Wade’s role probes the cost of silence in a rumor-driven culture.

A popular senior who appears as a retreat leader, shaping group dynamics and influencing who is seen as acceptable or desirable. Her presence underscores the social hierarchies that students navigate and the pressure to conform to image. Nina embodies the campus’s social power and its potential to both include and exclude.

Owner of a lesbian bar who offers Alice a space away from the school’s moral scrutiny and provides a compassionate perspective on sexual identity and self-acceptance. Gina’s guidance contrasts with campus condemnation, illustrating alternate routes to growth outside religious settings. She acts as a mentor-like figure for Alice’s exploration of who she is.

A fellow student who represents the peers who observe, participate, or are affected by the campus’s evolving conversations about sex and faith. Her presence adds texture to the school’s social fabric and the way young people process rumor, guilt, and belonging.

A nun who embodies the religious authority surrounding the students, contributing to the atmosphere of discipline and spiritual guidance within the retreat and school setting.