Your sense of justice pushes you to act. You run toward the youth leader and push him away from the effeminate boy. You are soon surrounded by the four gorillas, and before you know it, you end up face-first in the grass, swallowing dust with every gasp, earning baton blows, insults, and kicks. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Isaac walking right past.
You missed the inauguration ceremony. Now you take a seat, your clothes dirty and your body bruised, in front of the desk in the vice-chancellor's office. A large painting of Bolívar gives you an indomitable stare from the background. The iron woman appears, with her black-framed glasses and her tight hairstyle with every hair in place. She reminds you of Isaac, but shorter, older, and with a few extra pounds.
"First day, first offense. How do you explain this, Matamoros?"
It's a loaded question; she doesn't give you a chance to defend yourself, nor does she need your version of events. The vice-chancellor knows in luxurious detail what happened.
"Gustavo didn't hit that boy for fun. He wanted to correct him, to help him. Our society has values, and those values must be respected and defended. It is not right to walk around in tight clothing as if this were a house of ill repute."
She sighs and turns her chair toward the painting, as if to ask the liberator's portrait for advice.
"From your record, I know you are a good boy, with potential, ready to become an upright man. Do not waste the opportunity we are giving you."
She returns her gaze, her expression softened.
"Gustavo spoke to me after bringing you in. He said he is ashamed of his roughness, and understands that you only acted out of a sense of justice. Justice is a very important factor among the Perejimenizta youth. I invite you to speak with him... Gustavo would be a wonderful influence on you."
Nod and follow her advice to meet with Gustavo to smooth things over (Scene 14)
Nod, but only to get off the hook (Scene 15)