[center][h1][color=black]Oleander Okonedo[/color][/h1]
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/VTwbVuU.png[/IMG]

[i]"My dreams are the only place where I feel like I don't have to pretend."[/i]

[color=black][b]O L E A N D E R . O K O N E D O 
"The Dreamwalker"[/b][/color]
[i][color=silver]Insecurities run wild within the endless forest of Oleander's heart. For those who don't really know him, his gentle smiles, warm hugs, and affectionate dotes belie an individual ravaged with a desperate need to feel validated and loved. Perhaps therein lies his core conundrum; a lack of genuine love and appreciation for thyself. Since leaving school, his mentality has not improved. In fact, maybe further degradation has left Oleander drifting through his days dispassionately and seeking the gossamer comfort of a starlight slumber instead.[/color][/i]


[color=yellow]⚜[/color] Acquaintances || ☯ Neutral || [color=00aeef]☮[/color] Friends || [color=green]♫[/color] Best Friends || [color=ec008c]♥[/color] Crush || [color=92278f]⚤[/color] Boyfriend/Girlfriend || [color=ed1c24]☠[/color] Disliked[/center][center][img]https://ccrealtors.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/png-divider-lines-divider-line-png-2665.png[/img][/center]

[color=yellow]⚜[/color] [color=black][b]M E I R . A M O S . M A G G I D[/b][/color] [color=yellow]⚜[/color][@Salsa Verde]
[color=silver]Meir was another victim of bullying, something Oleander just couldn't stand. He stood up for Meir once and got socked in the face for it. After that, they formed a sort of semi-friendship-acquaintance thing. But mostly, it was Meir tutoring Oleander a few times a month as thanks. They never got around to really becoming friends though, unfortunately, since they never hung out beyond those tutoring sessions.[/color]

[color=green]♫[/color] [color=ec008c]♥[/color] [color=black][b]W I L L I A M . B I S H O P[/b][/color] [color=ec008c]♥[/color] [color=green]♫[/color][@Gisk] 
[color=silver]Billy was probably one of Oleander's very few best friends during high school. They were wholesome and affectionate with each other. Billy craved the spotlight and often attracted attention with his bigger-than-life personality. Being an emotional sponge, it wasn't surprising that he fell for Billy's charisma and musical talents. But Oleander couldn't reciprocate Billy's flirting during senior year and simply wrote it off as nothing more than his usual teasing. In truth, Oleander wasn't out and he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship.[/color]

[color=00aeef]☮[/color] [color=black][b]S A R A . Z H O U[/b][/color] [color=00aeef]☮[/color][@banjoanjo]
[color=silver]What Oleander always liked about Sara was that she was reliable. While he was emotional, she could stay level-headed and calm no matter what. This made her seem wise beyond her years and someone Oleander could often confide in for advice and thoughtful opinions. She kind of felt like a big sister or older cousin kind of figure to him (also bonded over the whole immigrant thing too).[/color]

☯ [color=black][b]J A C K . D A N I E L . W I L K E R S O N[/b][/color] ☯[@nodogs]
[color=silver]There is very little that Oleander can remember about Jack. She was so aloof and never around very much. Her apathetic nature made it difficult for him to connect with her. As someone who is heavily influenced by the emotions of others, her general disinterest ultimately would bury any semblance of a potential connection between them.[/color]

[color=yellow]⚜[/color] [color=black][b]M E L A N I E . C A V I L L[/b][/color] [color=yellow]⚜[/color][@Benzaiten]
[color=silver]Oleander thought Melanie was really cool and they got along well. They weren't friends per se, but they were always friendly. He almost envied her in a way. She was athletic and smart, things he was not. They shared a few classes together throughout the years and worked together on a few group projects. Oleander often thought that if he were more like her, then maybe his parents wouldn't be as disappointed in him.[/color]

[color=ec008c]♥[/color] [color=black][b]M A R C O . V A L E N S I[/b][/color] [color=ec008c]♥[/color][@udonoodles]
[color=silver]What is it with Oleander and falling for musicians? In truth, Oleander had a crush on Marco throughout all of high school. Marco was his first crush in fact, but Oleander, being in the closet, only watched and stared from a distance. He even had a whole love diary with things about Marco filling the pages. Oleander has since lost his diary, but even as Marco came to school less and less, his crush never wained.[/color] 

[color=yellow]⚜[/color] [color=black][b]D A N T E . I B A R R A[/b][/color] [color=yellow]⚜[/color][@Laertes]
[color=silver]Oleander was never really familiar with Dante, but he thought he was nice. Also, super smart, which seemed to be a recurring theme at this school. Oleander liked the fact that he always passionate and full of big ideas. He thought perhaps Dante was the rubric for how he should be. In any case, Dante is one of the few people that Oleander follows on social media. He was intrigued by the latter's courage to transition after high school. He hopes to talk to Dante more in-depth about accepting his own truth.[/color]

[color=ed1c24]☠[/color] [color=black][b]N A T A L I E . M I L L E R[/b][/color] [color=ed1c24]☠[/color][@Prisk]
[color=silver]Oleander had a negative impression of Natalie in high school. Even if she wasn't the one who did the bullying most of the time, he could never understand how she stood by and let her friends treat other people so terribly. If they were bad, then she was bad by association and for being an enabler of their behavior.[/color]

☯ [color=black][b]S A M U E L . S A B I S T O N[/b][/color] ☯[@Rockette]
[color=silver]Oleander always felt bad for Samuel since he was bullied for being overweight. But the lad was different; not in a bad way, but in a way that made others feel a bit leery and uncertain about him. Oleander wasn't often one to judge, but when his mother picked him up after school one time, she told him to stay away from troubled kids like Samuel. So, under the 'wisdom' of his mother, he did as such and kept his distance. [/color]

☯ [color=black][b]T R Y S T A N . K I E L . Z A R A G O Z A . S A L A Z A R[/b][/color] ☯[@The Man Emperor]
[color=silver]People used to say that Trystan liked to stir the pot. Oleander wasn't sure how true this rumor was, but it's not like this was the first time a rumor spread about him. He seemed to know about every scandalous affair that went on in Delton, that didn't particularly paint him in a positive light. Oleander stayed out of his way, as not to get dragged into the rumor mill by proxy.[/color]