Adam Parrish is a scholarship student at Aglionby Academy. He is friends with his fellow students Richard Gansey, Ronan Lynch and Noah Czerny, and has a complicated relationship but strong bond with Blue Sargent. He highly prioritizes his education as a means of future escape.

 “I’m at work. Two hours from now, I’m going to my next job for another four hours. If you’re trying to convince me that I don’t need Aglionby after I have killed myself over it for a year, you’re wasting your breath. Be a loser if you want to, but don’t make me part of it to make yourself feel better.”

— Adam, to Ronan