Symmetry only lasts one minute

8. Saurus

He had a wonderful vocal timbre.Even better than Hialmar's. He smiled at her. He whispered caressing and protective words to her. He held her hand along that fairytale tree-lined avenue, never seen before and never forgotten in the years to come.- Have you dreamed of Prince Charming? - Regina teased.- I don't know ... he could have been in his thirties ... - was the answer.- Seriously? Problems with the father figure, Eleusi? Should I call you Lolita from now on? -- Light of my life, fire of my loins ... - Eleusi claimed, adding: - Since when have you been interested in psychology? -Regina did not answer, but asked her: - What was this masculine marvel like? -- I don't know if he was exactly beautiful. It just seemed like I was exactly in my place, after a long wait.I will certainly forget those traits, but not the direct way he looked me in the eye. There was something indiscreet about this. But not unpleasant -A moment of silence followed.- Of course you're weird ... - Regina considered - You said you woke up reluctantly ... I imagined some kind of Jude Law! And she started playing with her cat, the Siamese Nefertari.Love and physical beauty: an inseparable combination?Certainly, Eleusi thought, not even Regina was immune from this widespread belief, especially among their peers.

As far as the alleged problem concerned her, it was not easy to understand it definitively. Hialmar's leadership, initiative, rather than appearance had struck her. The kindness and comforting capacity that he knew how to show to those who needed it, in an unexpected way. Or so, at least, it had seemed to her, in their in-depth interaction. But wasn't hers, perhaps, an indirect way of letting herself be captivated by beauty in its turn? Those who have leadership, frequently, already show it in their own figure (and in this she thought of her father): good bone structure, correct posture, a natural elegance. And Hialmar was endowed - as she wrote in a poem in her secret diary - with a certain "criminal grace". At this point, something of such reflections unsettled her. Something about what seemed to attract her suggested a certain discomfort. She then decided to abandon such thoughts and proposed to Regina to have a snack.

- Shall we go to the bakery? Was the reply.At the idea, Eleusi was reluctant: she already could imagine Lavinia there, with some hateful crowd in tow.But more than the anxiety, the hunger could.The self-prophecy came true.About ten meters! Another cursed ten meters away, and the group laughs already began.Eleusi lost - again - naturalness and tranquility.As she approached the cornetteria, she nearly tripped over her feet.Regina invited her to relax and take a seat at a small table outside.But Lavinia screamed: "Look! She has put a lawn on her! "Eleusi, in fact, wore a light green cardigan which belonged to her mother.Suddenly, while invectives and laughter grew and Regina tried in vain to get her attention, the girl's mind went blank, and she seemed to hear nothing more.It was a matter of seconds, which seemed very long.- Eleusi! - Regina kept calling her.Finally her friend heard it and resumed eye contact.- What does Saurus mean? What did you say? -Eleusi, incredulous, did not know what to answer.Lavinia went on with her noise pollution, but it was not immediate to understand who or what, this time, she was angry about.- Close to Milena! What is that crap? - she screamed.Someone jerked away from the table, someone else began to laugh, or reassured her: - It's just a snake skin! -But that girl, in the throes of an unbridled agitation, began to breathe faster and superficially, and to hiss, between a violent cough and the next.With difficulty, she grabbed a bronchodilator drug from her bag.He inhaled vigorously, several times, but was slow to recover.- Well, what do you two have to stare at? - finally addressed, in a bad and half hoarse way, to Regina and Eleusi, still astonished.- Let's go away! - ordered the queue - This place is haunted today! -And it was evident she wasn't just referring to the moult of that mysterious reptile.As the square emptied, Eleusi and Regina looked at each other and began to laugh convulsively for almost a minute.They concluded, in chorus:- What the hell happened? -"I don't know who I am.I don't know what I want from life.I'm 16, is it too early to even ask? "They were slow dancing. Eleusis was lost in that direct and penetrating gaze.The singer's voice rang, bewitching, like a mix between Nina Simone and Macy Gray."I don't know how to answer you. I am a reptilian "and he smiled sweetly at her."I can only tell you that forcing one's nature is a defeat.""Your name is Saurus?" she asked, smiling at him in turn."You can call me whatever you like."And she hugged him tighter."You know..." he continued "My lineage is naturally brought to command, to control. For us too, the pressures are many and of various kinds.But we know how to take pleasure in ambition.This is what escapes you."- Eleusi! - Clara almost barked - It's already half past seven! You'll be late for school! -It seemed to the girl that she hadn't slept at all.Between a quick breakfast, a shower and a dental wash, she reflected on the dream and told herself that having an imaginary, dreamlike boyfriend wasn't exactly the best in life.Lavinia would have torn her to shreds if she had known.By the way: that day, she was dumbfounded to see Eleusi get out of a car in the company of a boy, near the school.She investigated among those present in the square, who were able to tell her that his name was Giorgio Caroli and he was attending the third high school.- I arrived by hitchhiking! - Later he heard Eleusis say in class, laughing, to Regina - Giorgio and I missed the bus today! -That "Giorgio and I" made Lavinia furious, who suddenly approached.- Who knows how many diopters that guy is missing, simply to get close to a Picasso painting like you! - Threw in the face of Eleusis, with a bellicose attitude.Eleusi, easily hurt once again, looked at Regina.The friend sighed taking her place, both dejected and bored.Eleusi would have liked to explain, to get out of the way.Merck arrived, teacher in Greek and Latin, and Lavinia had the decency to park herself at her usual counter.But Eleusi still felt her gazes on all morning, perhaps even figuring them unrealistically."Giorgio and I" she heard Lavinia make the verse in the corridors at recess, with her perennially sneering queue.Eleusi, who always hated people laughing at her, ran away from the crazy crowd (causing those malicious laughter to increase), left the building and ran to the usual deli.Double snack: pizza margherita and sandwich with cutlet.- Maybe you just needed an excuse! - commented benevolent Regina.But digestion was problematic.Upon returning to class, it was clear what had happened in the meantime.Lavinia must have investigated Giorgio further, until someone was able to reveal a simple, innocent truth, which she obviously filled with malice and poison.- Incestuous! - she shouted, on several occasions, upon the arrival of the unfortunate woman.And the whole class laughed.- And so you do it with a cousin of yours, and you also boast about it! -Feeling all those eyes on her, oppressed by all those malicious laughter, Eleusis flushed, while Lavinia barred the passage with her body, persistently seeking her eye contact.- Have you seen? She blushed! So it's all true! -It wasn't shyness, but anger.Lavinia risked none other than a broken nose with a sharp blow from what she believed to be her mild submissive victim.Not knowing this, she intended to rage further.But something stopped her, stunned her.Someone, indeed.A tall, elegant man, standing at the door, attentively watching the scene.It was not the chemistry professor, obviously late.- Hello everyone - he decided to introduce himself to the class - Forgive the intrusion, this is beyond my duty in this school.I intervene on request, privately in my studio, by appointment and in agreement with the teachers. -The whole class, divided into small groups, wondered, consulting softly, who it could be.- It is evident, however - the man continued - that what was reported to me corresponds to the truth. -That man said, by staring silently at Lavinia, who also blushed.The man advanced towards Eleusi, placed a hand on her shoulder.- Eleusi, right? -The girl, her eyes swollen and red from the series of emotions in rapid succession she had to face, nodded.- We'll just have a quick interview if you feel like it. Professor Miceli, who is about to arrive, agrees -Eleusi followed him to his study.She later learned the rest of the scene.Lavinia, once again seeing herself free to dominate, began to laugh nervously.- That must have been the school psychologist! - she said, addressing her best friend, Selma - We finally managed to drive her crazy! - she added triumphantly.But the class, stunned, opened a lot of eyes and giggled softly, looking behind her.Suddenly envious that, this time, they were laughing at her, she assumed her typical grim expression towards her companions.But then she turned around.None other than the headmaster, in her imposing figure, was directing the same terrible look at her.- You cannot draw life lessons, currently expendable, from I Promessi Sposi! - Doctor Paoletti laughed, this is his name, at the revelation of Eleusi.- Whatever the problem of that Lavinia with you - he went on - you certainly cannot keep repeating to yourself "to show your nails, the weak do not gain".In fact, you should learn to put her back in her place.Nobody has the right to treat you like that!You see, in our relationship with others, a certain educational approach is necessary.The more rude you endure, the more freedom people will take towards you.You have to be the one to set the limits on them -Eleusi did not answer. She looked down.Doctor Paoletti asked her: - How do the other schoolmates see you? -- They don't consider me at all. They say I have no personality - the girl informed him in a faint voice.- I'm sure they have a completely wrong impression of you - said the psychologist - Ah, I forgot to tell you something very important.You see, the report I received comes from your section, the only information requirement of the anonymous request form. -Eleusi opened a lot of eyes.At that time, to meet the psychologist, it was necessary to fill out a paper request, which was then placed in a special mailbox at the entrance to the school.- You told me you didn't contact me personally. Do you have any idea who it might have been? -Only a few moments of reflection and the girl finally broke into a liberating cry.She would never have imagined it.Yes, now she knew she had at least one true friend.