Meet the Characters: Ben

The Rifle family consists of one mom and three kids, their father is deceased. There’s Kristen MFF’s narrator, her older brother Ben and her older sister Michelle. Michelle is hardly mentioned and is a very minor character in the story, which is fitting because she plays a very minor role in Kristen’s life. Michelle is mostly the grump in the corner though that could be because Kristen is notoriously hard to handle, especially if you’re on her bad side. Kristen’s mom is barely there as well but when she does make appearances they’re usually pleasant.

Then there’s Ben…

The bright-eyed weirdo that’ll cause laughter even in the darkest moments. Kristen’s older brother. Long, lean, and lovable. In a word he’s fun. When Kristen is home in the suburbs of Chicago Ben is great at breaking up the tension between his sisters. He is more or less Kristen’s confidant. The guy lives in the opposite of conflict so he’s the perfect person to talk to for a reminder on how to calm down. He’s the one that takes the weight of drama off everyone’s shoulders. Ben is used to caring for all the females surrounding his life, his sisters, his mom, even Shayne he shows up for. Ben is full of oddity, it’s difficult to decipher what exactly that guy is up too. The projects he works on are only seen in abstract glimpses. He’s the creative type, a quirky, tattooed skinhead who’s as sweet and entertaining as a puppy. Everybody needs a Ben in their life.

Author’s note: Ben is sort of like a slinky, so very strange and the actual purpose is a mystery, but it sure does provide ample entertainment. Ben is lively and full of exuberance, he’s an absolute goof but he’s also sincere. He loves his family and he cares for them deeply since the passing of his dad. Ben is great. He just is. Especially for Kristen and her short fuse, Ben is like ice water, he reminds everyone to cool down.