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- "When you're talking shit, you can bend down and kiss my ass!"
- ―Miranda Patrick[src]
Miranda Patrick is a member of the Girl-Team, and the former lesbian girlfriend of Valiera Nelson. When she was younger, she went to a mental hospital because of her emotional instability, and returned to Utah shaken, but a far better person than she was upon entering it. She did a lot with Valiera, and the two eventually moved in with Will Oswald. By December, she and Valiera were no longer a romantic couple. She began dating someone else, but they had broken up by April. The following month, she graduated from Tower Placement.
Roles[]
In the beginning, Miranda Patrick is a rarely mentioned backstage in Boys vs. Girls: The Rise of the Serpent and appears on Valiera Nelson's phone as a photograph, where she is described as "pale and slightly chubby". She makes an uncredited appearance in the third book, though her page frequency spans less than one page, and Valiera says she's with her, not Blaise Parton, which essentially identifies the character. It is unclear if she is a member of Valiera's posse in the story.
Miranda does not make a physical appearance until 2019, where she serves as the tertiary antagonist in Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude. While she still has very little page frequency in the latter book, Miranda could be considered a major character because of what she represents. She is initially portrayed as being quiet, cocky, and one-dimensional, until her backstory is elaborated on near the end of the book following the climactic Battle of Orem.
A minor character from Boys vs. Girls: The Fate of the Towers originally called "Goth Girl" in media was later retconned as a slightly younger Miranda Patrick. This was foreshadowed by Valiera Nelson claiming she had a girlfriend.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Miranda Patrick was born on June 15, 2005. In 2019, she joined Facebook and began posting several vulgar quotes and photos. During this time, she had a friend named Elle. By this time, she played for an all-drum band in junior high, which she enjoyed. However, she admitted in junior high that her childhood had been wasted. She also enrolled in Tower Placement School, which she did not attend in junior high or elementary school. When she arrived, she joined the Girl-Team under Helen McKeen.[1]
High School[]
Returning into society[]
- "Today makes six months with this girl. We’ve made it through me being sent/going away, through her family trying to break us apart, and through not being able to see each other for who knows how long. She makes me so happy, her random text cuz she’s bored, her random phone calls cuz she was telling a story and it made her laugh so she had to tell me about it, her blowing up my phone randomly cuz she’s bored, she gives the best hugs. Oof, I don’t ever wanna lose this girl, she’s the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I love you."
- ―Miranda praising Valiera[src]
- "Alright all of you shut the frick up. It does not freaking matter what Valiera has been doing and I don’t get why you are so freaking worried about it. Stop fighting, stop talking; because you don't freaking understand because your mom actually approves of your taste in women."
"Who are you?"
"No one of importance. So get in your own lane. Please and thank you." - ―Miranda Patrick's ambiguous intervention and Steven Thompson's response[src]
Miranda Patrick met Valiera Nelson in 2020 on their first day of school, during second period, and she unexpectedly turned and asked Nelson if she was interested in befriending her. Most uncharacteristically, Nelson approved, which was alarming, since she had trust issues that prevented her from befriending more than a few people at a time. At some point during the school year, Patrick followed Nelson into the bathroom. Patrick began dating Nelson on February 28, 2021. The two kissed at least twice, once on the lips. This greatly upset Charles Hugh, as he had expected a more than platonic relationship to develop between them. It is unclear if Miranda was already aware of Charles' feelings for Valiera, though it is very likely that she would not have gotten involved with Valiera if she realized that she was dating her largely to make Charles jealous.[1]
Miranda Patrick and Valiera Nelson joined the reformed Girl-Team under the latter's friend, Emily Watson, who had obtained leadership from Helen McKeen, as the School War began. As Nelson began to grow more distant from Blaise Parton, her relationship with Patrick strengthened.[2] When Steven Thompson argued with Nelson, Patrick stepped in and told Thompson he did not know how Nelson felt because his mother (Tanesha) approved of his relationship with Helen Thornton and demanded he "get in [his] own lane". Thompson did not see who said this, which rendered her interference pointless.[3]
Rekindling a romance[]
- "Started senior year, definitely nerve racking to realize it’s my last year of high school, but now is my time to show everyone that I’ve got this and that I can graduate. I’ve made it this far now I’ve gotta finish like a champ!"
- ―Miranda Patrick[src]
It is implied that Patrick continually hung out with Nelson over the summer of said year, immediately after the School War ended. She also liked several of Nelson's posts. Patrick's hair was cut near the end of July. In August, the two were still connected. Nelson developed habits of texting and calling Patrick out of boredom.
At the beginning of the ensuing school year, immediately upon entering the building, Patrick met up with Valiera Nelson (as opposed to the latter meeting up with her posse from the last year), but then Charles encountered them. He recognized Patrick from photos, shocking Patrick, who didn't seem to know him. Nelson ran for it, leaving Patrick understandably confused. She was last seen standing, utterly puzzled, looking after Nelson, implying that she followed her. Patrick was apparently neck-in-neck with Nelson until lunch, as they were later seen by Charles a second time ascending a flight of stairs, to which Charles spoke to himself, not offensively. After first period, Patrick spoke with Nelson in the hallway. No words were exchanged; Charles simply smiled, which Patrick saw but did not react to (though Nelson's back was probably turned). Apparently, Nelson told her the boy they encountered was Charles, or that they were the same person, because she gave him the middle finger on the way to lunch, at which point Nelson was not accompanying her.
It was later revealed that Patrick took General Financial Lit during fifth period, with Hugh, whereas Nelson took it during third. Charles turned and gave her the benefit of the doubt, asking her why she had given her middle finger, but she ignored him. Nevertheless, the two sat together the following class period. During the periods that ensued, however, Patrick and Charles sat apart. Patrick did not show up for class on Tuesdays. During this time, Patrick attended either English or Math with Mr. Jones during third, Classroom 246 during fourth period and General Financial Lit during fifth. Jones considered her to be a nice person. She claimed to be prepared for "hoodie weather". She also realized that she was all right with being overweight.
Shortly after Labor Day, she attended a special class session directed towards Senior students, where she was seen mostly clinging to Nelson, who was preoccupied mingling with three students. She spent most of the meeting with her head on the table she and Nelson shared, or letting Nelson caress her hair. The following day, she and Patrick hung out at a waterfall. However, she opted out of General Financial Lit, opting to take it during first period instead. Patrick and Nelson went to Homecoming together, which Nelson enjoyed immensely. Later that week, Hugh saw Nelson and Patrick and the three formally acknowledged each other. Nine days later, Patrick encountered Charles in the hallway once with Nelson. She also attended a second special session mandatory for Senior students, sitting once again with Nelson, on the right of the grandstands in the auditorium. Charles, having located no one he recognized, asked if he could accompany them. Nelson nodded, so he sat, but then she stood up and demanded he let her through. A moment later, Patrick followed her.[1]
A new beginning[]
- "It’s just pissing me off and I’m ready to end it all by calling my dads friend and getting some restraining order because I have told my mom all the shit that has been pulled and she said that if this doesn’t stop she will help me pull it so stop tagging Valiera stop tracking her down on social media."
- ―Miranda Patrick to Charles Hugh[src]
- "I know a Gemini can confusing. But to understand a Gemini angel devil it’s both him and I."
- ―Miranda[src]
However, her relationship with Val Quintana finally began to grow strained, as the latter swore she would fight to get her back and fix whatever had been broken. This could have been foreshadowed by Quintana calling their relationship "devils' love". She also saw Charles Hugh again in the mix, and ignored his presence once again, looking rather discontented. Their relationship, however, seemed to rekindle shortly afterward. Patrick also joined Quintana in antagonizing Charles online at the beginning of November, threatening to turn him into the police, which wouldn't have worked as he had not broken the law. In the past, Quintana had fed her exaggerated stories of Charles stalking her in the hallway on a consistent basis and tirelessly hunting her down. She (understandably) failed to realize Quintana was exaggerating, and as such claimed she was ready to end it all by calling a friend of her father to have a restraining order placed. She also informed her mother about Quintana's claims. In response, her mother promised to help her accomplish her goal if she did not discover the truth.
Despite doing what she perceived as sticking up for her, Patrick was never entirely honest with her. Because of this, and presumably other undisclosed factors, Patrick's estrangement with Quintana would rekindle and reach its peak. In December, Quintana was not seen with Patrick, and was seen solo in all of their posts. It is also worth noting that Rose Johannson said she deserved to be given a bloody nose. Despite this, they still hung out and with Carl Alex and Ray Eliott. After school one day, they drove together and did something Patrick described as a near-death experience. Patrick took a picture of them huddling twenty minutes later.
Miranda and her friends facing death together.
Patrick was known to still be in attendance at Tower Placement School four months after they fell apart, and she eventually began dating a man. She was not in eighth period, however, on April 30. During this time period, Patrick was extremely dismissive of Charles and Steven Thompson, despite not knowing them. Around this time, Mr. Jones stated that she was going through a lot. One of her hardships she endured was breaking up with her boyfriend. She was seen two days after Charles' extrication from his former residence, entering the building after lunch was over, so it can be assumed she was late for class.
On Friday, Miranda Patrick was sitting near Jones' classroom while class was in session. Charles found her there and asked her if she was all right. Patrick calmly replied that she was fine and suggested he hurry to his class. He casually suggested she do likewise, told her to have a good day, and trotted off after Patrick wished him a good day in turn. At the end of the year, Mr. Jones was angry with Miranda Patrick for her obstinance. In spite of this, she ultimately received her high school diploma. Eventually, Valiera Nelson began dating Charles, which would have certainly made Patrick furious.[1]
Physical appearance[]
- "Alright here it goes. With in the past few months, I went from hating the way I looked because I thought I was fat and couldn’t pull off anything. To being semi-okay with the way I look but still being super insecure with the way I thought I looked and the way I thought others thought I looked and then the last picture on here I took today and I can honestly say I feel the most comfortable in my body then I think I have ever felt. I know I’m not the smallest or the cutest, but I have finally hit the point where I don’t care what others think because I am actually confident with my looks."
- ―Miranda in regards to her appearance[src]
Miranda Patrick has brown hair, brown eyes, and a light skin tone, not as pale as Valiera's. She is slightly chubby, though probably not to the extent of obesity, and has a soft, flabby stomach. Patrick usually wears casual attire such as her red sweater and was once seen wearing sunglasses. She has also been seen in a pink bikini before that is plainer than Valiera's, which looks more like a sports bra. She is "pretty" according to Rose Johannson.
Personality and traits[]
- "I am not the same person I was seventeen years ago, or ten years, there is a difference in the person you would have seen a year ago and the person you will see now. Even going back a few months I have still changed. I am always growing, I’m not ashamed of my past, I know the things I went through was what brought me to who I am today. I still make mistakes, I still do stupid things, but its apart of being human, and it’s apart of what is going."
- ―Miranda[src]
Being extremely disrespectful, dependent, hypocritical, shortsighted, unreasonable, undisciplined, spiteful, and judgmental, Miranda Patrick is an extremely eccentric and mentally unstable teenage girl who epitomizes all the negative qualities of her girlfriend, Valiera Nelson, quite ironically making her parallel to Charles Hugh as well, though it is heavily implied she has made Valiera's bad habits worse, particularly her penchant for illegal drugs and distrust of Charles, and possibly even all men in general. Hebe notably did not see this as accurate, however, considering Valiera to be far less kind by comparison. Furthermore, Miranda admitted that she was defenseless on her own, depending on her girlfriend to be happy, depending on her father's friend to hurt her bitter rival, and depending on one of her teachers to feel important. This in turn made her a coward, as she only antagonized Charles from the safety of social media and even let him borrow a sheet of notebook paper to avoid a theoretical fight that was extremely unlikely to happen when they saw each other in person.
Her unstable psyche had its roots at a young age, as Miranda had several issues in junior high, and was put in a mental hospital to deal with them. She was able to discover a part of herself there and has since become consciously aware that she is still evolving and has a long way to go before settling down successfully. She also believes that the past is what made her strong, and unlike Charles, she claims she is not ashamed of it.
Miranda's insanity decreased enough for her to function in a formal society, albeit barely. As far as redeeming qualities go, she is decent, as she only speaks in class when asked direct questions and, despite knowing who Charles was, allowed him to borrow a sheet of paper from her notebook. Curiously, Mr. Jones has said that disliking people for no reason is uncharacteristic for Miranda, making Charles a special case and further alluding to her status as a Gemini. However, she was probably smarter than Valiera since she, unlike her ex-girlfriend, completed her formal education.
If her tastes and perceptions reflect her personality, she never makes more than a few friends, though not as friendly or socially adept as most people. This is shown as her disliking Charles for no reason but still being nice to him, if out of fear of his insight and vastly superior physical strength, though her opinion of him is universally negative because of her spite. As a teenager who frequently texted people, Miranda used Instagram, but not consistently. It is heavily implied that she despised "drama queens". She also joked that "nobody cares unless one is on the brink of death... or pretty".
- "I already have a girlfriend. I'm bi."
"Really? So am I."
"No you're not. Look. I even have her here on my phone's screensaver. Happy?" - ―Valiera Nelson and Charles[src]
Miranda Patrick is bisexual, as she loves both Valiera Nelson and an undisclosed man.
Abilities[]
- Gifted artist: Miranda's fighting skills are an absolute mystery, her work for the Girl-Team is a mystery as well. But she has shown to be a competent artist and is very skilled at shading, occasionally doing this out of boredom.
- Gifted musician: Her skills with drums, while unexplored, were enough to get her into a formal school club.
Possessions[]
- Cell phone: Miranda Patrick possesses a cell phone, which she often used to contact family members in order to remain sheltered and passive. Valiera Nelson would sometimes "blow up" her phone because she had read or told a story she considered hilarious and needed someone to share it with.
Relationships[]
Friends[]
Her gay friend Valiera Nelson
- "This girl right here is the reason why I still wake up in the morning and get out of bed. She’s the reason I haven’t stopped fighting to get better. I love you."
- ―Valiera Nelson[src]
Miranda Patrick has a select group of friends, mostly from integrating into the posse of Carl Alex. She was notably friends with Ray Eliott, as they all had an intense experience together with Carl Alex and were seen in the hallways together in both September and December of 2022. Hebe was more charitable in her regard for her than most of Carl's other friends, strangely considering her to be a nice person despite her extremely unreasonable and disrespectful personality. Miranda lives with Will Oswald of her own volition, so they presumably have a good relationship. They both cyber-bullied Charles together with Miranda illogically demanding he leave Will alone (ironically, Will had been the one to begin talking to Charles).
Miranda and Valiera Nelson met at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, and immediately became friends, as Patrick just simply asked Nelson whether or not she was interested. They were both bisexual, and began dating at the end of the school year, Valiera may have used the relationship as an attempt to "move on" from Blaise Parton. The two did pretty much everything together over the summer of that year. They also made out at least twice (ironically, they probably did it all the time), much to the disgust of Charles, who was jealous and hurt, and all four of their parents, who disapproved of the relationship. The only known trait for which they contrast each other is that Valiera shares everything on Instagram, whereas Miranda does not use the website consistently. While Valiera could be vulnerable and hypocritical, Miranda was extremely hypocritical and almost outright spineless.
However, her relationship with Valiera Nelson finally began to grow strained, as the latter swore she would fight to get her back and fix whatever had been broken. This could have been foreshadowed by Nelson calling their relationship "devils' love". She also saw Charles again in the mix, and ignored his presence once again, looking rather discontented. Their relationship, however, seemed to rekindle shortly afterward. Patrick also joined Quintana in antagonizing Charles online at the beginning of November. Despite doing what she perceived as sticking up for her, Patrick was never entirely honest with her. In December, Quintana was not seen with Patrick, and was seen solo in all of their posts. It is also worth noting that Rose Johannson said she deserved to be given a bloody nose.
Miranda Patrick's estrangement with Val Quintana would eventually rekindle and reach its peak by December. However, they remained friends. Because they were in a relationship for as long as eight to ten months, Charles tried to spare her feelings by not being openly affectionate with Val, although this was also for Phillip's sake.
Enemies[]
Miranda's obsessive and snobbish nature inevitably meant she had enemies. It is never stated how Miranda feels about Blaise Parton, whom Valiera dumped right before she dated her. Given how she feels about Charles and Luke, it is probable that she despises Blaise for his physical and emotional abuse he has wrought on the girl she loves, much like Charles himself. She may have experienced jealousy of his relationship with Valiera before she dated her.
Miranda had little contact with Luke Norris, Charles' gay boyfriend, but he still thought she and Valiera were perfect for each other. When he followed her on Instagram, she initially ignored him (though in all fairness, she rarely went online at all), but when she learned who he was, she immediately followed him and allowed him to see her posts. Nevertheless, by November she clearly disliked him for no reason, and it is unclear if they ever made their peace. Given she partially did this with Charles and Luke and Valiera started getting along, this is certainly a possibility.
Charles Hugh[]
- "Wait a minute! YOU'RE MIRANDA PATRICK???"
- ―Charles Hugh after Miranda Patrick "met" him in person[src]
Charles Hugh, an enemy and Valiera's future lover.
It is never made clear exactly how Miranda learned about Charles Hugh, but it can be assumed that because Charles kept reaching out to her girlfriend Valiera, she probably found out about him and received Valiera's negative opinion of him. When they met at the beginning of the school year, Miranda was evidently confused that Charles recognized her so quickly. When she encountered him again, she gave him the middle finger, heavily implying that Valiera had told her more bad (and likely skewed) things about Charles. Still, they shared one class, General Financial Lit, for a brief period of time.
Though Charles was jealous of Valiera and Miranda's relationship, he directed his anger mostly at Valiera, perhaps indicating that Miranda was initially unaware of Charles' feelings for her. They would cross paths again when Charles invited Valiera to spend time with him and she insulted and threatened him. In the past, Quintana had fed her exaggerated stories of Charles stalking her in the hallway on a consistent basis and tirelessly hunting her down. She (understandably) failed to realize Valiera was exaggerating, and as such claimed she was ready to have a restraining order placed if she decided she considered it necessary. She also informed her mother about Valiera's claims. Charles despised Miranda for not treating either Valiera or himself correctly and believing Val was bringing everything on herself by associating with toxic people and pushing away the opposite. However, she eventually developed a less passionate opinion about him in Valiera's absence, and the two departed from Tower Placement School on neutral terms, neither friend nor enemy. He also ended up dating her ex-girlfriend.
Ironically, they are very similar people adept at concealing their personalities, and have more in common with their backgrounds than either of them do with Valiera. Both of them struggled in junior high, and emerging from this conflict immediately fell in love with Valiera leading to an initially one-sided competition for her infatuation. It was Valiera's actions that made both of them realize they weren't gay. Miranda would bully anyone she perceives as bullying Valiera, and Charles would do likewise, his response would not be nearly as irrational.
Behind the scenes[]
D. Isaac Thomas commented that Miranda Patrick was the driving force throughout the novel and that she had to be believable, despite her lack of page frequency, to be considered a serious threat to the three-dimensional Charles Hugh. He has also cited that it is up to the reader on whether they hate Miranda or not, as he enjoyed writing her character and perceives her as being genuinely likeable in spite of her flaws.
Trivia[]
- It is unclear if Miranda Patrick went to Vurian Academy like Valiera Nelson did.
- Whether Charles Hugh unintentionally influenced Patrick's decision to opt out of General Financial Lit is unknown, albeit likely.
- Miranda's spiteful perception of Charles Hugh is hypocritical. She cited that doing stupid things is part of being human, and a part of what goes, but then in an act of pure cowardice, she cyber-bullied Charles for asking Valiera Nelson an awkward question. Although Hugh had confessed that he was still growing, and she had done likewise, she still threatened him when he correctly pointed out that Valiera ironically didn't care about his progress and she spitefully cited that Valiera was right to act like it didn't matter. On a similar note, Miranda once stated that she considers her youth wasted, but also mentioned that she was not ashamed of her past.