Terri Maxon, a sophomore as this story opens, is a shy, quiet, studious girl who would normally attract little attention to herself. However, her friends eagerly await Terri's visits home, and the care packages her family sends, because she can always obtain items which no one else seems to be able to find anywhere (except occasionally Sanders). These are mostly ordinary things like food, books, movies and computer software, but the brand names and particular products which she can get are not available in the vicinity of Ikibomot -- or, for that matter, any other place where her fellow students have been. Terri insists that they are common items and can pick them up quite easily at home.
Terri joined Steve and Kessel's social circle during the previous school year, when she and Steve shared a history class. Steve noticed her reading a book he'd never seen before, and Terri offered to get him several books by that author in exchange for help studying history, which she was in danger of failing. Steve confessed to needing help in math, and the two of them began having regular study sessions together. Terri is quite intelligent and always studies hard, and has no trouble in math, science, or languages, but history has been a problem for her since she came to Ikibomot. She has occasional troubles in art and literature classes, but can usually keep up in these with occasional help from Steve's copious library.
Although she would normally avoid the noisy, crowded parties which Steve seems to think are the highest goal of one's social life, Terri has developed a crush on Steve over the past year, and is trying to overcome her shyness and get Steve to notice her as more than just a study partner. This will probably be a difficult task, especially with Steve's well-known tendency to date many girls without getting into a "steady" relationship.
Aside from Steve, Terri's closest male friend is Sanders. She always shares rides home with him, as no one else seems to be able to find her hometown. She also has a couple of girlfriends with whom she shares confidences and good times, but I'm not sure if these are already existing characters or ones who'll be introduced later. Terri is a character who hasn't been fully developed, and more will be revealed about her as the story unfolds.
Terri is a short, petite girl, not much more than five feet in height. She has light brown eyes, almost hazel color, and dark brown hair which she wears cut short. She wears large glasses, and her clothes are such as not to draw much attention to herself: dark slacks or ankle-length skirts, baggy sweaters or sweatshirts. Terri is a character in transition: as the school year goes on and she starts to come out of her shell a little, she will start to wear some makeup and jewelry, grow her hair a little longer, and wear more fashionable clothes. She doesn't have a model's looks, but over time an unassuming prettiness will become evident.