MYSTERIES OF THE SCHOOL
Francesca Sardi
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 -------------------------------------------- page 3
CHAPTER 2 -------------------------------------------- page 7
CHAPTER 3 -------------------------------------------- page 10
CHAPTER 4 -------------------------------------------- page 12
CHAPTER 5 -------------------------------------------- page 14
CHAPTER 6 -------------------------------------------- page 17
CHAPTER 7 -------------------------------------------- page 19
DEDICATION PAGE --------------------------------- page 22
CHAPTER I
My stupid and useless clock rings, but I don’t really need it; Rome’s chaos is way more than enough to wake my brother and I up.
“Eleonora!! Your cereal bowl is ready” my brother Michele said.
“I am coming…” as I responded my DVD shelf broke again: it was the 6th time in 3 months. I always had strange thoughts; in fact meanwhile going downstairs I had a method for waking up and taking on five minutes to get prepared.
This is the method.
Once you wake up with the smell of coffee, you sit on a chair which is attached to a rail. The rail is transporting you from station to station. One station might be the ‘eating station’ where your cereal bowl is ready to eat. After that there might also be the ‘clothing station’ where there is your wardrobe and so you choose your clothes. And there might be even more stations if needed.
Once I was in the kitchen, ready to eat, my cat came and started purring; so I gave him to eat. My cat’s name is Felix, he is black with some white on the cheeks, tummy and the paws. Felix is able to eat everything: salmon, carrots, cheese and also jam. For me eating is in the list of the 10 subjects I like to do. When I finished eating I went back upstairs to get dressed and ready for school. Black jeans, white shirt (without round-neck) and jeans over shirt are my favorite apparels to wear.
Walking to school is the most boring thing to do and also the worst part of the day, ’cause the path never changes: it is always forward, left, forward, right, 300 meters forward. The ‘daily activities’ I do while walking to school are: buy pizza or sandwich for lunch, and a 33 cl. water bottle. Once I arrive to the school entrance there is a vast garden then exactly 35 steps (which I decided to count) before getting inside the school building. Though once I arrive to school I am very happy because I now that over there I can see my amazing, wonderful, sweet Giovanni. He’s the guy I love, my crush.
The school program for each day was divided in a three days routine. For example Day 1 we had one block PE, one block Civics, double block Math, double block English Literature, double block Geography. The subjects I like the most are science, civics and PE. Science because most of the times we make experiments, civics because you study rights and duties of citizens and PE because you exercise a lot and have fun playing running games.
In 8th grade I am the only girl with blond, curly hair and military green eyes. That was the same thing with my brother: he was the only student in 11th grade to have the same hair style as me. We are 42 students in all 8th grade. 14 in 8A – 13 in 8B – 15 in 8C. I’m in 8C, our homeroom teacher is Mrs. C or Mrs. Carlotta. She has very curly, red hair and very dark brown eyes, as well as freckles all around her face. Mrs. Carlotta was kind but at the same time she wanted everything handed in at the due date. Inside she was kind but outside strict. She was the 8C homeroom teacher and civics teacher. Mrs. Carlotta always had two sayings: “It’s harder to make it short than long” & “The more you worry, the worst it gets”. My brother and I always received good grades from her; the minimum we could get was 7.5 out of ten. Mrs. Carlotta was in the school from when I was in pre-K, so that means she had been in this school for 10 years, but in total she had been a teacher for 29 years.
The bell rang; I was ready to go to PE. For PE our school ordered a gym room in another building. The PE teacher, Mr. Roberto, was a very tall guy who played basketball when he was younger. For all students Mr. Roberto is 53 years old, but my mum says he is 47. Who knows? Since the school year is divided in trimester, each trimester we choose two different sports to practice. The first trimester we play soccer and basketball. The second trimester we practice fitness and gymnastics. The last one we do yoga and then we practice over the other ones played at the beginning of the year.
Next we had civics, Mrs. Carlotta made us draw two columns; in one there were written rights and in the second one duties. We had to fill them up. Then she also made us write some Italian laws on the next page. It was kind of annoying but the fun thing was that during thinking and working hard she let us draw pictures of the specific argument we were talking about.
The rest of the day was double block and when it is double block we always have more fun than single block. In math first we studied a bit, general things than Mr. Mario let us choose an online game for math. In English Literature we first passed through some grammar rules, and then we all played a different game. Meanwhile in geography Mr. T wanted us to find different places on the globe. For finding them he had to give us longitude and latitude. For math the rating I would give to the game is 7/10, in English Literature 5/10 and in geography 8.5/10.
At 2 o’clock p.m. the final bell rang and all of us were going back home. My brother and I were the fastest one to pack up and going back to our house. In the last 2 months Michele always had a message mania; he sent his friend so many messages… At home our hobbies are first play with PSP then do homework for not more than 3 hours and then see TV until 9:30, next go to sleep.
The most homework we get is from math, geography and science. Math homework is easy but a lot of papers need to be completed. Geography is usually two papers, though where you have to explain and write a lot. While for science you have many days to finish one big project.
Our parents are very strict about homework, plus they don’t like us to be so much modern (meaning using computer all time, typing not handwriting) so the only technological objects we have are one PSP and two PCs. One for my brother and I and the other one for my parents.
CHAPTER II
Don’t you want to know an ultimate discovery? Well, homework are boring … … … What I always think of is that we don’t need homework because we already work and think a lot during the day.
“Mum can you help me a bit, ‘cause tomorrow I’ve got a test about civics… You know how to help me make a sheet of paper with question which I after have to answer. OK?” as I screamed well enough to make my mum hear me downstairs.
“What did you say honey?” my mum said meanwhile jotting down things to buy at the market.
“If you can please help me with my civics test… With using our method. OK?” I screamed as loud as possible, hoping she hear me.
“Donatella, please hand me the list, because in a few minutes I am going to the market for two things a set for scholastic objects (e.g. pencils erasers) and food.” my father said already seated in his new car.
“Don’t worry Marco; I am finished! Here, I’m coming” my mum answered
Michele and I are very different, though we like each other. You might find this strange but it is true. My brother has the obsession to have everything there when wanted and have everything in a way that he can see. In poor words his room is tidy, but not that clean. Mean while I like everything how I left it the day before for example: if my history book in on the floor near the studying table I wanted still there 1 hour after and even one whole day after. That’s the difference. Though at the same time we have one big goal we want to achieve: clean dishes for 3 weeks without stopping, so if you do, you’ll be able to have the PSP only for yourself. This deal started 1 year ago and until now no one tried or had been able to do it.
It is now 7:00 p.m. and at this time there is the #1 show… It is about 3 people who have to guess which person is showing, but the person has been changed meaning that it might be stretched or maybe put in a form of a glass and fun things like that. My mum is always the one who can understand who is it, I’m the second one. That also means that girls do rock.
Before the show my mum gave me back the practice test about civics, and the score was not that good; it was 7/13. Though I was a bit sad about the final score, I wouldn’t give up. I was a determined, strong, risk-taker girl. No one could stop me; I was invincible.
At 9 o’clock the show was finished. What me and my brother do when the show is finished we have a race on who can first rush to the PSP to play games. To be honest I always cheat. First the PSP is always more near to my desk; second since we go upstairs, I am in the inner part of the stairs. So I kind of cheat, but Michele never notice it. We have got 5 about games for the PSP one is football (the one which Michele likes the most); another one related to the game show on TV at 7 o’clock; one is Mario Kart: one of them is about dresses and the point is the win competition about who has the most beautiful dress; and the last one is again with sports.
“Right, left… God… I mean go faster, work. This dumb game is not letting my kart going forward… Goodness” I said angrily at my (our) PSP.
“Of course is not going forward your pressing the wrong keys” Michele responded like if he was number one in technology.
“Sorry, though you’re not number one in technology!!” I said meanwhile I was concentrated in following the path for the car.
“OK” Michele responded without thinking two times.
“You have to say sorry ‘cause you screamed at me before” I said determined.
“I am not going to say sorry to you, Eleonora, who is never listening to my opinions” my brother stated.
“Guys… STOPPPPP NOW” as our father screamed loudly at us that; we were as quiet as when people are visiting the grave.
“Sorry Dad” both me and my brother answered as we were angels looking for peace meanwhile flying in the sky. During fights, our dad is the one which can make us stop and let us be peacefully peaceful.
During days which our parents don’t let us use the PSP to play; we usually make teams: my mum and I against Michele and my dad. We win by making physical competitions. My mum and I always are able to win in case of running, jumping and mostly in being balanced.
“Guys is time to go to bed!! Tomorrow I’ll wake you up at 7 o’clock a.m. … OK?” my mum gently said to us.
“Sure we will… Right Eleonora?” my brother questioned himself with a mysterious face.
“Daaa of course I will” I responded
CHAPTER III
“As the wind followed the path it was looking for the mighty king decided to stop it; in a way or another…” . This is the end of my story that all our class is working on different ones. Students in our class always have funny looking stories: for example about wimpy guys or people which always laugh or make fun of each other; meanwhile my story is the most serious and ‘important’ and as well one with very good choices of words.
BIP – BIP – BIP – Buzz a Gmail discovery, I actually founded useless because all you could see was people’s status and it doesn’t do anything else other than beeping all day all time. Ringgg Ringgg the telephone rung. It was my AWF… AWESOME friend, which calls me every day for me to tell her the homework. I pretended to be the lady which says there’s no connection: “ The number 534/777/3448 is not available if you want to leave a voice message press 3 if you want an automatic recall from you press 5” I said in voice looking like a very formal man. I think I sound actually horribly awful with that voice. Though likely she closed the telephone and she was gone for one day of my life.
Eleonora
R U THR
What r the hw 4 2morrow :she typed in
Hey nice to see u: I answered her
2day we do not have many hw…
We have 5 exercises for engl. Liter
And that’s it :I typed in
OK thx bb :She typed to me back
After that I thought : “WHY ME”. Chatting, for my friend was her whole life she was on Gmail from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“Dinner is ready guys, come down” my dad gently yelled at us. “Comin’ …” I responded.
CHAPTERIV
“Wake up, it’s Wednesday, school time” my mum yelled happily, unlike my brother and I were.
At school I didn’t feel like everything was ok, there was something wrong… It was Day 2 we had Math double at the very beginning. At math through the window I saw some people they had a strange look, I thought something strange and said it to the teacher:
“Mr. Jackson, there are some people out there and I was wondering who they are” I questioned.
“No, do not worry about them, they are the inspectors… OK now Eleonora what is the square root of 16 49 and 144” Mr. Jackson said to me. His face looked worried and a bit angry.
Once it was break I sneaked a bit in Mr. Smith’s room (the MS Principle), and there they were, the strangers, – or if you follow my imagination for me they were thieves. What I did for saving me, my brother and Giovanni was entertain them so that we would be staying all together as the thieves would have ruined the school. And then… a big boom was heard around the school… I ran through the all school hallways screaming my brother’s name and also Giovanni. I was scared more than I had ever been. Finally I see Giovanni; he follows me because he knows I am searching for my brother. We both started shouting. There, he is my brother. We decided as fast as possible on a plan. We ran to Mr. Smith’s room, though it wasn’t him; it was a poor lady sitting and trying to reach her wallet. By then we ran into the following room where the counselor was in, Mrs. Janette, I knew she was there to help us though it wasn’t her, it was a black-skinned color man looking kind. Though afraid of whom he was and in hurry all of us three ran away. The only helpful person in the school who would be there to help us was Mrs. Charlotte, we ran back upstairs, hoping to find her there; but it wasn’t her it was a kind of judo guy, doing strange moves. It was funny because he was saying strange words, but scary because he broke a pencil with two fingers.
“When I say go let’s run and jump off the stairs… OK?” Michele said looking sure of him. “3 – 2 - 1 – GOOO” I was brave and did what was planned.
“Ahhh” everybody screamed.
I closed my eyes, I, for the first time I was scared. By then we run as fast as flash. Once we arrived to my house, there was my cat, with red big eyes and hisses, so scary we run off the window, somehow we managed to get to Giovanni’s house. Over there were his brother and his sister looking very afraid, upstairs there were two vampires looking like Giovanni’s parents. We ran into the neighbor’s house, luckily everything (for now) was OK. With no reason we need to go to the bathroom. First Michele enters and he doesn’t come back, then Giovanni enters for checking and as well he disappears, so I decided to go in. I as well found myself in….
CHAPTER V
Wake up, it’s Wednesday, school time” my mum yelled happily. Unlike my brother and I were. It was Day 2 we had Math double at the very beginning.
“OK Eleonora, so what is the square root of 16 49 and 144” Mr. Jackson questioned me.
Once it was break I knocked on Mr. Smith’s room and there were kind, nice people who asked me if I wanted to take a survey for knowing the student’s point of view of the school. I answered by saying yes.
“So what do you think about this school about homework?” the dark Give haired girl asked me.
“Well each teacher has different type of giving homework. One gives many sheets of paper but with simple questions, another teacher gives 1 page though once filled there is no more white space. So it depends”. I responded in a formal voice
“Nice, so do you think the school should have in the curriculum more technology?” the pretty lady asked me.
“Yes, from my opinion the school needs to have computer. Or at least a computer lab where there are 40 computers so each person in the class can have one”.
When I moved toward the desk for grabbing a tissue I noticed a some paper sheets under the drawer. Though since my fantasy and curiosity are have a great power over me, I bend pretending my earring clasp fall. Once the starting talking again I quickly bend and read it –
Give me money or the school …
I knew it there was something wrong, again.
I instantaneously send a message to Michele and to Giovanni and telling them that for lunch we could go together and eat pizza. Once sent I called my mum (even though I wasn’t allowed) and told her about the idea we had. 3 second after my call I received a message - SURE I LIKE THE IDEA! – It was from Giovanni, he agree on eat pizza together. I waited for my brother’s response and I didn’t receive it.
The bell rang and the school ended, Giovanni and I agreed on eating pizza together. Even though I was apprehensive for the school anonymous letter, eating pizza with Giovanni, and only Giovanni, was making me feel excited. I and Giovanni were good friends, so he didn’t feel as enthusiastic as me. He liked another girl, thoug I couldn’t do anything about it. I liked talking to him, he would tell me things not even my best friend would, I was always there to help him in both friendly and more-than-friendly way.
“So…” Giovanni sweetly said to me with those beautiful eyes
“”Hmmm, what plans do you have for the weekend?” He said continuing the speech.
“Well I don’t have any plans; I’ll stay at home watching TV… As every weekend. Why?” I acknowledge him.
“No, nothing… I was thinking if you would like to come with me for a picnic. Would you like to?” he appealed me.
“Hmmm, it would me a great idea, I just need to ask my mum. I think she would let me come!” I responded
Was that a step forward or not? I questioned myself. Did he actually like or was it only something friendly? All these type of question were jumping out in my head. I didn’t know what to say or do.
“So, other than talking about that, let’s talk about the school. Today during recess, I found a anonymous letter with written this on. By the way I made a photocopy - Give me money or the school … - That is something which scares me a lot. What should we, as a little group do? How can we help?” I question him founding for an answer.
He didn’t look much focused, what was he thinking about? He grabbed my hand and looked in each other’s eyes then we kissed, I didn’t have any reactions, I was immobilized. Now I knew he actually loved me and I loved him, we were a perfect couple. But now what separated us was the school mystery. I was so happy I thought it was a dream, but it wasn’t, it was true reality.
I was more focused on the school problem.
“So, what plans do you have to kind of save the school?” I questioned him.
“I’m not sure… We can have a day off, is it a good idea?”
I wasn’t focusing anymore; I was lost in my fantasy.
“Huh?!? What did you say? I was thinking about other stuff? I said.
“So, I was thinking of having a day off, so that we can think about what to do about it and also we can secretly see of any other anonymous letters so we know more about it. Is it a good idea?”
“Yes!! Perfect” I said
“But how are we going to convince the principle in letting a day off?” I said continuing the speech.
“Well… hmmm. I can convince by girlfriend …” he said.
I interrupted him –
“ (cough) (cough)” I coughed in a mad way.
“Sorry, I meant my ex-girlfriend” he said.
“Ok so, since my ex-girlfriend is the School Students’ President she can convince the principle to have a day off!!! Is it a good idea?”
“Sure” I responded.
I looked at my clock and saw it was 5:30. I was late for my tennis practices. I quickly said to Giovanni that I had to run over to my house, he agreed and said bye to each with a hug.
CHAPTER VI
I was at home and I just finished my tennis lesson so I didn’t know what to do. I come up with an idea start writing my diary that is how I started –
After rechecking it I noticed some of my errors. I’m the best speller or writer.
For the rest of the afternoon I watched TV. Until I received a call; it was Giovanni, he asked me if I asked my mum about the picnic. I told him to wait a second because I totally forgot. Since my mum was near my brother’s and mine computer I saw my AWF… AWESOME BFF chatting to me:
Hey
R u on?
Where were u 2day…
Hellooo r u on or not?
:P :P :P OMG 16:45
Gosh r u on??? K sry g2g bb
Since I was in a hurry, I didn’t actually mind. I quickly asked my mum for the permission and she allowed me; first step done. I went to the kitchen and grabbed my phone back to say bye to Giovanni. I had in mind what to do:
1) Chat with Laura (Giovanni’s ex girlfriend)
2) Once convinced, come up with a plan of how to do enter the school on the day off
3) Tell both Michele and Giovanni what planned
4) (Optional) use Enrica (BFF) to entertain the school guards with an excuse.
5) Once in, search for anything special or strange
CHAPTER VII
At school today Michele, Giovanni and I were going to work on step 4 – I talked to Enrica about it and she agreed. I was about to tell her the real reason but I didn’t, I use a simpler excuse.
I walked over the second floor, where Giovanni was and I talked to him about what to do on the day off. Meanwhile I was talking to him we heard an announcement. It was Mr. Smith which was saying that on the following Tuesday no school. Our trio was happy, because we were certain that it was time to get prepared for the event.
“So” I started talking
“Ok, I’ve got a plan, I would first make Enrica go and distract the guards, we enter from the side entrance. After that, we go and search for any strange things around the school, maybe there might be more anonymous letters” I talked to them fluently.
Michele responded: “Since we aren’t going to stay here for only 10 minutes, we should bring some other things, and we also need to have appropriate apparels and we need to wear the same color clothes.”
“Ok, so an idea for the backpack would be to have a flashlight, water and we should also wear black on the bottom and white on the top. All of us three like this, OK?” Giovanni questioned us.
“Great. Great idea! Let’s do it” I eagerly said.
I couldn’t wait until school was over so that I could quickly packed up.
It was the final day, everything was ready for the new adventure.
TO BE CONTINUED
Dedication ---
I dedicate this book to people whose adventure is their whole life.
