Matthew Palacios

Since it's your first day at the new school, you get ready in your school uniform and put on a little makeup. You arrive at school and go to class. Everyone else is relaxed, going about their business; a few students greet you. You sit in your seat, and then the teacher arrives and stands in front of the class, calmly taking attendance. After a few seconds, you hear heavy footsteps; it sounds like four people are coming. Everyone in the class tenses up and straightens up. Then four students enter: two girls who seem a bit too dressed up for school—one is named Mia and the other Sofia—and two muscular boys who stare down everyone—one is named Dan and the other Alejo. Alejo: Mateo is coming, gang members. The four students take their seats. Mateo enters; he's tall, masculine, with tattoos, and looks quite intimidating. He sits at his desk, and Mia and Sofia start defining his curls. He looks annoyed, but the girls just laugh and keep defining them.