What's in a Name?

Christopher Benavidez

Christopher "Chris" Benavidez- Polish (mother); Mexican (father); Chris Benavidez is a shy, but caring student at the high school who currently dates Phyllis Hatzilakos and is a member of a GHD Rock band alongside Adam Summers. He is geeky, quite introverted and slightly self-conscious, particularly when it comes to his art, and according to his peers, prefers to observe the world around him over actively participating in it. He likes to write stories on occasion, joining with his friends to write a movie script about a man with gun for hands based upon a song he heard from Twenty One Pilots. He becomes more confident and decisive over time, although he refers to himself as being clumsy after breaking and spilling a number of items and having to recap his actions. Santiago sympathizes with those who are mistreated, such as with what happened between him and Adam, as he saw how his girlfriend McKenzie Tanner treated Zelda Meyer-Favela like a slave. He is also a loving guy who is highly imaginative and artistic, as he seems to be quite easily lost in his fantasies, such as when he is daydreaming about his crush, Phyllis. He can be rather perceptive in regards to the details around him, quickly picking up on subtleties in his environment and having an intuitive understanding of the people he encounters. He sometimes joins his father in playing golf in the weekends as well, despite admitting that he finds the sport too slow-paced for him and boring. Chris first met Phyllis when he started working at a job selling hot dogs at a historic restaurant that was renovated in town, impressing her with a compliment. When she hands a slip containing her phone number back to him later on, he immediately turns red, but agrees to take her on a date to the local skating rink. The two often study together in their spare time, with Chris occasionally offering her singing lessons in between sessions as he sits her on his lap and hones his skills. 

Their families appear to get along well, as Phyllis' mother shares a close friendship with his, leading them to often get together and joke about them being "in-laws". Chris is a stereotypical science nerd who loves old and obscure movies and anime and is often considered to be a good friend, as he is always loyal and protective over others. He tries to hide his feelings underneath humor and bad jokes and shows a side to himself that is more goofy and lighthearted around the people that he trusts. He can often be seen wearing hoodies and jeans in his spare time, being seen throughout campus with his signature red one. It is also mentioned that he once has a febrile seizure when he was three years old, although he rarely gets sick unless it's with a cold. Chris is often told that he is very much like his father, and his response is always along the lines of "Please don't say that" or "I wish you didn't say that". He seems to have a strong sense of morality and can be quite helpful, as he feels responsible for everyone and anything which goes wrong. His goal is to earn his driver's license, although he dislikes having to drive his siblings around in his mother's mini van, causing the other students at school to refer to him as "Mini Van kid". He likes her kielbasa and pork goulash however, although he sometimes feels overwhelmed by her rules and strict parenting. According to his student file, Chris is in an IEP, a program usually reserved for students with some form of disorder that requires additional assistance, although no diagnosis has been confirmed. This appears to be the root cause for his individualism, as he prefers to work alone and dislikes team sports, despite his involvement in his school's swim team. His family and friends acknowledge him for having a formidable memory, being able to recall facts and experiences from as young as he was 5 years old. 

He has an older sister named Irene whom he shares a sibling rivalry with, although recent years have made them somewhat closer from each other despite their 10 year age difference. Chris was also a keen cyclist who normally cycled to school and entered most cycling tournaments in Valley Stream. He considered Alberto Contador to be one of his many idols and a source of inspiration in his fitness routine, as he tends to work out 3-4 times a week. He is generally very kindhearted and considerate, as he has a relatively long fuse and rarely angers or feels off put by the odd behavior or negative actions of those around him. He is often seen spending time with a different members of his small friend-group and is generally regarded as warm and personable by his peers. Chris can come across as aloof to other people however and apparently fluctuates between being too quiet or too chatty when he is around them. He can also be very irrational and irresponsible, which often takes the form of blaming others for situations out of their control and avoiding any responsibility of damage caused by himself. In his drawings, he creates "Super Chris", a courageous superhero version of himself, as a way to imagine himself as being more brash and outgoing. He is furious when humiliated or tricked however and he can become more short-tempered and reckless, in addition to his habit of jumping to conclusions. Chris is currently the keyboardist for a rock band, using an old one that his father had purchased for him in elementary school while on a business trip to Korea that had never been touched. He initially was a mediocre pianist and admitted he felt he didn't have much experience in playing instruments, although his musical abilities have improved slightly with practice. He is generally a mellow guy who seems to get along with everyone in his grade and has also been shown to have a strong fraternal instinct. 

He is close with his two elementary school-aged younger brothers, Hugo and Josiah, whom he mentors and tries to create quality time for as they strengthen their bond as siblings. Chris is likewise a devout boy who attends church every Sunday and tries to treat those around him in a kind, civil manner, as taught to him by his Pentecostal faith. Deeply devoted to his religious beliefs, he claims to be very involved with helping in his church and community. Although his religious beliefs have cost him some popularity among his peers, he nonetheless refuses to compromise them and claims not to care what people think about him. He prays every night and likes to volunteer at the local homeless shelter as well, having a tradition of working there every holiday season. When his Aunt Rudmila was alive, she lived with Chris and his family for a few years until his birthday, when she got into a car accident. His Aunt used to give him books to read, even though they were "too old for him", but he enjoyed them enough that his dad shrugged it off. He was a very curious child and often asked what the "bad thing" was that happened to his Aunt Rudmila, causing his mother to start crying. His great grandparents were Mexican and came to America through the southern border, causing his extended family to have settled down in the Chicago area. Although he is generally strong-willed and self-reliant with an enormous amount of self-control, the stress of concealing his feelings can sometimes overwhelm Chris and cause him to react in a passive-aggressive way as a release to his stress. He has also been known to pace with his music and often carries his phone with him when he is going for walks or taking breaks during work or classes. His parents worry about him spending too much time surfing the web and encourage him to do something more productive with his time when he is at home. His father likes to make smoothies for him and the family that are usually comprised of strange mixtures, such as celery and apples, which he often refuses to drink. 

Chris generally gets As and Bs in his classes and tends to excel in both his English and science courses, being one of the few students who actually enjoys the assigned summer readings. He enjoys the works of various poets and classical music composers, such as Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, and is also a fan of Stephen King novels. It is revealed that he has never actually had to fight anyone during all the years he has been considered at school, as his bullies are typically too scared to do so and usually end up running away. He likes to read in his bedroom and sometimes stays up late due to becoming engrossed in a new chapter, and Phyllis is intrigued by his knowledge. Chris is a teenage boy who has a messy mop of black hair, light brown eyes, and a lightly tanned complexion, and he stands at 5 ft 9 in. tall. He is average height and has a medium build, although his decision to begin exercising more has led him to get in better shape. He wears braces in his teeth after opting out of getting Invisalign, although he gets them taken off the summer before his junior year of high school. He is considered to be cute in a boyish way by Phyllis and a few of his female peers, although he is not necessarily referred to as handsome. Chris debates between attending art school to study animation or going to a university to pursue a more traditional career path such as psychology, but ultimately attends college to major in nursing. He begins to work at a local hospital as a pediatric nurse and finds happiness in being able to help other people and brighten their days. He and Phyllis break up shortly before graduating high school, and he remains single for some time before he finally enters a romantic relationship with a girl named Jodie who works as a billing and posting clerk. The two eventually get married and have a daughter together named Reanne, settling down in Dallas, Texas to raise their small family. ISFP 9w1