Rachel

Rachel
Gender	Female
Age	17
Birthday	February 11, 1991 (Aquarius)
Grade	Senior as of Table for One
Species	Dog
Family	Aaron (Brother)
Debut	Follow Me, page 7 February 18, 2007 (2007-02-18)

Vivacious and flirtatious, Rachel is the perky older friend to Daisy, and the de facto "center" of the seniors friend group. A girl who knows her worth and is ready to stick up for those she cares about, she sometimes sets her own feelings aside if those two concepts collide.

Personality

Before a reader can get to know the other facets of Rachel's personality, they are immediately met with her staunch defense of those close to her. In Rachel's very first appearance, she delivers a swift smack in the face to Tess, citing Roger breaking her brother's arm, and has to be talked down from her anger by Jessica. Though she can still hold a grudge, Rachel is not one to let these things rule her life; once it became evident she'd have to share space with Tess in Pillow Talk, she accepted the situation and confidently walked through the doorway, saying "not like I was gonna leave!"

Rachel is promiscuous, and she isn't particularly shy about it. When Lucy apologizes to Jessica and Rachel for insinuating they were such, Jessica clarifies to Lucy that Rachel "actually is a slut," to which Rachel laughs and describes an intimate moment with Paulo. Rachel is quick to suggest sexual favors as a means to tide over conflict, advising Jasmine to give Paulo a "BJ" after an argument. While she's not embarrassed about her sexuality, she does take ire with Jessica reducing her to a "one-note slut" in the play presented in Method Acting.

Though she's a very strong glue, being the glue that binds her friends together doesn't come without its problems, and Rachel will often keep her feelings to herself if it can de-escalate an issue. The most egregious example would be her birthday party in Happy Hour; when the sophomores get drunk and air their dirty laundry, Rachel is there to reel everyone back in. She consoles a crying Mike, and keeps her mouth shut when Paulo talks about another girl. Even after the party ends, she cuts her lecture to a sick, drunken Paulo short to console him instead. She downplays her sadness upon her "situationship" with Paulo ending in Love Again as to not worry her supportive friends, and doesn't take a chance she's given to really address the birthday fiasco in Moments Apart. It is not until New Year's Resolution that she finally chooses herself, and politely removes herself from the situation when Paulo approaches her with a problem.

Appearance

Rachel is a short, white dog with dark eyes and black ears that resemble pigtails. She is one of the secondary characters that are hardly, if ever, unclothed, and she rarely wears the same thing twice! She often wears hair clips above her ears, shapes varying from flowers, hearts, to Cardcaptor Sakura-esque wings.

When she is first introduced in Follow Me, her ears were long and scruffy; her ears start to get their recognizable bounce in A Different Side. Starting from New Beginnings, her ears would curl at the ends. As of Golden Hour, her ears have lost their curl and instead have a full, bouncy look.

Rachel is one of the shortest members of the cast, surpassing only Amaya in height.

Significant events

NOTE: Please reformat into paragraphs! Combine and remove as you see fit, then remove this note.

1. In Follow Me, Rachel slaps Tess and confronts her after Tess tried hiding in the freshman hallway. She reminds Tess that Aaron still can't play soccer because of his broken arm.
2. In A Different Side, Rachel praises Daisy for standing up to Paulo (and by extension, Tess) and invites her shopping over Easter break. She then encourages Daisy to go after Mike saying "he's as good as single" upon learning of his long distance relationship.
3. In A Distance Apart, Jessica and Rachel join the lunch table.
4. In Back and Forth, Paulo asks Rachel out on a date upon Jessica's suggestion. Rachel sleeps with Paulo on that date, which turns out to be an elaborate plan to get back at Tess, who never got the opportunity.
5. In Pillow Talk, a flashback shows Rachel trying to console Aaron after his arm is broken. She cries in Jessica's arms, feeling powerless on how to help her brother. In this flashback, Jessica recounts Rachel never hearing the rumors Tess spread after her botched revenge plans, but in the present day, Rachel tells Jessica she simply ignored them, only wanting to believe what Jessica tells her to her face. Rachel also gladly admits to being promiscuous.
6. Following Lucy's departure from Roseville in Leaving Home, Rachel finds Paulo crying on the sidewalk and consoles him. By the end of the chapter, Paulo wakes up in Rachel's bed, Rachel sleeping next to him. Rachel takes the event in stride, but is annoyed by Paulo's reluctance to be seen with her in Study Buddy.
7. Rachel celebrates her birthday in Happy Hour - or at least tries to celebrate - but it's made difficult by the main cast getting drunk and crying over Lucy. In particular, Rachel stands aside awkwardly as Paulo recounts "touching Lucy's boob" and how he wants to hold Lucy in his arms again. Rachel makes a pointed remark about how, if they were traditionally dating, she would've kicked Paulo out of the party for reminiscing about an ex. She spends the rest of the day taking care of the drunk Paulo, and reminding him that moving on takes time.
8. Rachel is delighted to discover Paulo is jealous of Matt in Take Heart. She reassures him there's nothing to worry about, and confirms that she isn't seeing anyone else alongside Paulo.
9. Rachel helps Paulo practicing driving in Small Fry. She apologizes for using him in the events in Back and Forth, even though she did like him at the time. Rachel also confesses that it's becoming difficult to not fall in love with Paulo.
10. In Total Recall, Rachel asks Paulo to the junior prom.
11. In Boy Toy, Rachel is appalled to see Paulo treat Matt rudely, pulling Paulo by the ear, scolding him, and telling him "[Matt] deals with way more than you know" before storming off. Rachel and Paulo reconcile by the end of the chapter.
12. Before the start of junior year, Rachel accepts Paulo's unexpected invitation for a night of romance in Behind Closed Doors.
13. In Table for One, Rachel and her group sit at the lunch table adjacent to the main group, a constant during the junior year. Rachel also confidently calls Paulo her "boo," to Paulo's confusion. Paulo then goes on to flirt with Courtney and objectify Sandy in Model Girlfriend, leaving Rachel saddened and confused.
14. Upon Lucy's return in Love Again, Rachel is understandably upset that this event marks the of her and Paulo's relationship, and her friends gather together to make her feel wanted. She then breaks things off directly with Paulo in Unspoken Rule.
15. In Moments Apart, when birthday girl Daisy feels sad, Rachel starts a group hug to cheer Daisy up. When Paulo arrives on the scene, things are a little awkward, and Rachel tells Madison to "be nice" because she and Paulo had worked things out.
16. In New Year's Resolution, Rachel greets Paulo, but when she notices he's upset, she decides to tactfully remove herself from the situation.
17. In Method Acting, Rachel confronts Jessica on her play character "Rina," who is a mean-spirited, one-note character based on Rachel. When Jessica refuses to acknowledge the similarities between Rina and Rachel, as well as the other caricatured cast, it turns into a big argument.

Major relationships

Jessica

Jessica (affectionately nicknamed "Jessie") is Rachel's best friend dating back to freshman year as members of Roseville High School's cheer squad. The two are trauma bonded from Tess's bullying and work together to antagonize Tess in retaliation; one of these ways include sleeping with Tess's not-quite boyfriend. As revealed in a flashback in Pillow Talk, Rachel hears the rumors of Jessica's promiscuity spread by Tess and chooses to ignore them, insisting that the only thing she'd believe is what Jessica herself told her. In a similar vein, Rachel is totally accepting Jessica's sexuality, and consoles her friend when she tearfully comes out to her.

Being best friends, playful ribbing comes with the territory, and Rachel and Jessica often mess with each other. While Rachel is supportive, it doesn't come without a few playful jabs about Jess's crush on a particular white cat. In turn, Jessica can matter-of-fact refer to Rachel as a slut, which Rachel will smile and elaborate on, whether anyone wants her to or not. However, there's a point where the joking can go too far; the two best friends are presently in a feud following Jessica's unflattering depiction of Rachel in a school play, and whether or not that character was meant to truly represent Rachel... Of course, BFFs are forever, and they are able to mend their differences with the help of David in Participation Trophy, to Madison's dismay.

Paulo

For Rachel, it seems opportunity only ever knocks whenever Paulo loses his chance at true love. While Rachel was attracted to Paulo early on, she first took initiative as a means of getting back at Tess by sleeping with him--- something she'd later go on to regret. A deeper connection would bloom between the two of them in Breaking Up; upon Lucy's departure, Rachel becomes a shoulder to cry on... and a bit more.

Rachel comforts Paulo, something she'd often end up doing for him.

The dynamic of their "situationship" was simple enough: two people who are attracted to each other, don't want anything serious, and are aware the relationship could end at any moment. On Rachel's end, she wants to have kids - an impossibility with Paulo in a biological sense - and Paulo is determined to profess his love to Lucy should she return to Roseville. The not-quite couple carried on for the rest of Paulo's sophomore year as Rachel taught him how to drive, invited him to junior prom, and did the occasional reality check whenever Paulo harassed Matt. Things are never quite as simple as they are on paper, though, and Rachel says as much in Small Fry when she confesses her struggle to not fall in love with Paulo.

After seeking Rachel out before the end of summer break, Paulo would seem confused by Rachel calling him "[her] boo" at the start of his junior year. During his plan to become what he believed Daisy thought of him, he flirted with other girls such as Courtney, and left Rachel forgotten. Though Lucy's return signaled the "official" end of Paulo and Rachel's arrangement, his lack of concern and attention for Rachel marked a much earlier demise, and Rachel calls things off in Unspoken Rule to cement the change. Though initially uncomfortable, Rachel would go on to become more assured in her decision. She would later be able to set a firm boundary with Paulo, opting not to console him in New Year's Resolution, breaking the cycle of Paulo turning to Rachel when upset (much to his dismay).

Tess

Rachel bids farewell to her former foe.

Given Tess and her ex-boyfriend were the direct cause of Aaron's broken arm, Rachel had a bone to pick; in Rachel's comic debut, she slaps Tess across the face. The junior year version of Tess accepted Rachel's disdain, believing it to be the only way to pay for her behavior from freshman year, but for Rachel, it was far from enough. Rachel, along with Jessica, would tag team in sleeping with Paulo in order to get back at Tess, who certainly did not take it sitting down. As Jessica's hatred for Tess only further soured, Rachel seemed content after getting this revenge. Annoyed by Tess's presence at the sleepover in Pillow Talk, she doesn't let it stop her from enjoying the party, and she gives Tess the affectionate(?) nickname of "hoebag."

Rachel would go on to coexist with Tess for a while, no longer needing to torment her besides referring to her as a "bitch." Tess, in turn, was used enough to this arrangement where she could give the occasional playful jab. In the end, Rachel would be able to wish Tess luck upon her graduation.

Daisy

A fellow member of the cheer squad, Rachel respects Daisy's position as cheer team leader and the decisions she makes as in that position. Rachel would first take note of Daisy when Daisy snapped back at Paulo in A Different Side; this would impress Rachel so much that she and Jessica would then invite her to go shopping, and Rachel would initially encourage Daisy to pursue her crush. While Daisy worried that, like Katie, Rachel and Jessica would turn her away, the two were flabbergasted to be compared to her, and reassure Daisy that they both consider her a friend. Rachel mistakenly assumes Abbey to be Daisy's crush, and when corrected, ends up pushing the start of Abbey and Daisy's relationship.

Rachel rarely has any qualms with Daisy in their friendship; the main point of contention would be Daisy's own friendship with Tess, which didn't stop Rachel from sitting at Daisy's lunch table or attending Lucy's birthday sleepover. The next would be Daisy's part in souring Rachel's birthday party in Happy Hour, which Rachel instead takes the opportunity given to her in Moments Apart to cheer Daisy up after her breakup with Abbey. Finally, one would think Rachel would have a problem with Daisy getting together with her previous flame, Paulo, which she is actually very content with, especially compared to her reaction to Lucy's return. Even when she and Paulo were together, Rachel picked up on his change in behavior with Daisy, teasing him while handing him the phone to talk to Daisy in Golden Hour. Rachel's relationship with Daisy would not crumble from this, as she tells Daisy she figured "[Daisy and Paulo] would naturally gravitate towards each other" when things blew up between Paulo and Lucy, and reassures Daisy in Third Wheel that there's no ill will on her end. What a gal!

Matt

The beginning of Rachel and Matt's friendship would start in the free Bittersweet Club International comic Blind Date. After gaining the ire of bully-era Tess by bumping into her, Rachel sweeps in to rescue Matt by asking "Martin" to deliver the homework he owed her. When Matt remembers Rachel's name and her prowess in science, Rachel immediately falls in love; Jessica figures out the moment Jordan and Matt meet that it would never come to fruition, but keeps her mouth shut; meanwhile, the ever-oblivious Jordan would push Matt to accept Rachel's proposal to go on a date.

Obviously, at some point, Rachel learns the truth about Matt and his sexuality, and is nothing but supportive. Knowing Matt's feelings for Jordan, she would discourage Jessica from bringing up Jordan as a romantic rebound for her around Matt. She also chastises Paulo for being rude around Matt, telling Paulo in Boy Toy "[Matt] deals with way more than you know" before storming off. Perhaps the strongest display of Rachel's loyalty and support of Matt is her assurance to him that he'd never have to worry about a place to stay once the two of them graduate. Of course, not every interaction between the two is Rachel showing her allyship; sometimes their interactions are as simple and fun as gathering chestnuts together in New Year's Resolution.

Minor relationships

Jordan

As Rachel once said to Paulo, she likes her boys "cute and pathetic," and perhaps no one could fit that bill better than the self-conscious, desperate basketball player that is Lucy's older brother, Jordan. As far back as Volume Four, when asked if she knew Jordan, her eyes were on that Khao Manee - and she was not looking respectfully. Jordan is apparently one of two boys Rachel would want for a threesome, the other being Paulo - though recent events might change that answer...

While mentioned more in passing in the actual comic proper, Rachel seemed to cool down on her attraction to Jordan once she started pursuing Paulo, and especially so once she learns Matt is attracted to Jordan; when Jessica reminds her that Jordan is still available in Love Again, Rachel tries to shush her as they're both in front of Matt. Throughout the comic's run, it seems Jordan has never taken Rachel's bait, but fortunately, Rachel is perfectly fine keeping things platonic. She enjoys teasing him often, and Jordan says as much in Fair Game.

Madison

Rachel was delighted to learn Jessica had made a new friend in Madison, and welcomed her to her friend group with open arms. In Love Letters, Rachel catches on quickly that Madison is crushing hard on Jessica, and encourages Madison to ask her to the junior prom. Rachel's pushing must've worked, as Madison is with Jessica in Total Recall, and the two are dating as of Golden Hour.

Rachel likes to poke fun at her friends, and Madison certainly isn't exempt. write more later

Augustus

Out of the way, Jordan --- Rachel's got a new white cat to drool over!

Mike

Text

Gallery

For a complete gallery, see Gallery:Rachel.

Appearances by volume

• 
  Rachel slaps Tess silly in Follow Me.
• 
  Jessica and Rachel pose in New Beginnings.
• 
  Jessica and Rachel announce their master plan in Back and Forth.
• 
  Rachel stands up for herself in Study Buddy.
• 
  Rachel congratulates Tess in Class of 2008.
• 
  Rachel sitting inside at the beach for some reason in Golden Hour.
• 
  Rachel mourning another poor marginalized child lost in the cracks in Double Down.
• 
  Rachel reaches out to Jessica in Method Acting.

Outfits

• 
  Rachel in pajamas in Pillow Talk.
• 
  Rachel's first outfit in Happy Hour.
• 
  Rachel's birthday dress in Happy Hour.
• 
  Rachel's prom dress in Total Recall.
• 
  Rachel's dress in Love Again.
• 
  Rachel's dress in Moments Apart.
• 
  Jessica and Rachel in their cheerleading uniforms in Burnt Bridges.
• 
  Rachel and Matt's winter gear in New Year's Resolution.

Trivia

• In the Bittersweet Candy Bowl popularity poll, Rachel ranked 4th in 2021, 5th in 2022, and 4th again in 2023.

See also

• Jessica
• Tess
• Aaron
• Rachel's house