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The difficult thing about being labeled a bully in one’s first year was that it became extra difficult to shake. The person he’d “beat up” had, in truth, been trying to bully him. He was never really sure why. Maybe the kid had a problem with Rainlords; maybe he thought Cisco would be easy prey, because he was so scrawny back then; or maybe he just didn’t like Cisco’s face--he’d heard as much before. It seemed to intuitively annoy certain types of people, like they thought he was silently judging them. Though, in all fairness, sometimes he was.

Moreover, since the real bully had also been a first-year, none of the teachers knew he was a bully, which made it all the easier to lay the blame on Cisco. And after that, Cisco often attracted the kinds of people who thought being a bully was cool. Just as often, rather than making friends, he would tell them to go screw themselves.

That hadn’t done him many favors, either. Alex Belos was one of only three friends he’d ever made at this school.

But it was fine. Cisco didn’t care that much. He had more important things on his mind, anyway. Maybe if Gema had stayed and finished school here, things would have been different for him, but Cisco doubted it. She never gave him the time of day, really. Always too self-absorbed to worry about anyone else. He never understood why Marcos seemed to idolize her--maybe just because the brat didn’t actually know her.

“Return to your class,” said Mrs. Rio. She held out her hand. “And hand over your phone while you’re at it.”

That wasn’t going to happen. “No.”

“Excuse me?” She reached for his phone to take it herself.

Cisco didn’t let her. “If you’re going to give me detention, then just do it and leave me alone. I’m only here today in order to look after my sister. Not to attend classes.”

“Perhaps you would rather I fetch the principal and see what he thinks?”

“Mrs. Rio, you can fetch the Mayor of Aguarey for all I care. I’m not moving.”