The First Rule of Punk

At lunch, Malú offers the details of her meeting with Rivera, calling Joe a “dummy” for leaving the original of the flyer in the copier. Joe is unfazed, and not sure what the big deal is. Malú won’t let it go and keeps digging at Joe, until Joe announces that he’s quitting the band and gets up from the table and leaves. Ellie and Benny are amazed by what’s happened and implore Malú to apologize, refusing to let her leave the lunchroom. Malú finally leaves, unsure of the band’s future.

Days go by and Malú and Joe remain on non-speaking terms. Malú spends her lunch period in the library to avoid her fellow band members. Fall Fiesta is in a few days, but Malú tells her mom that she isn’t going. Malú’s mom voices her concern about this decision, and about Malú’s overall well-being, having noticed that Malú hasn’t gone to Joe’s house in days. She urges Malú to go to Calaca with her, but Malú is worried about running into Joe. Eventually, Malú takes her headphones and a book out to the building’s front porch, where she encounters Oralia.