Living Under the Roses

Chapitre 5

While Giovanni laments. At the same time, ten kilometers from his home, in the city center, stands the presidential palace. It is guarded by several machine-gun-toting guards. In the president's office, she is also lamenting, but for different reasons...

Rosaria, in uniform, lies on her desk. She says to herself, "I wish you were still by my side, Emily." She turns on her phone and opens her gallery, gazing longingly at photos of herself. Emily has beautiful blue eyes and medium-length blond hair. Her smile is adorable - in short, a very pretty young woman. Rosaria zooms in on a photo, admiring her sparkling face. She thinks: " If only you hadn't perished in that terrorist islamic attack, we could still have spent some quality time together... "

She turns to the window and observes the city stretching out before her eyes. A feeling of weariness overcomes her. A sudden noise startled her. She turns and sees the Minister of the Interior rushing into his office. "Madam President, an urgent situation requires your immediate attention!" he exclaims, out of breath.

Rosaria frowns. "What is it?" The Minister of the Interior replies, "Reports indicate that a group of young demonstrators will be gathering in the streets of Rome's city center. They are going to protest against the new law on cameras" Rosaria's anger rises. "Those ungrateful kids! They don't understand that these measures are necessary for their own safety!" she cries, pounding her fist on her desk. "I want you to deploy our most effective political police, we mustn't let their ideas spread through our society !" The Minister bows respectfully and exclaims, "Of course, Madam President!"

Rosaria watches him go, her face hard. A flash of determination crosses her eyes. "They won't let me intimidate them" she thinks. "I'll do everything in my power to maintain order and security in this country, even if it means sacrificing a few freedoms."

The next morning, Giovanni walks quietly to school, and in the middle of his lesson, there's a knock on the door. "Come in !" says the falsely confident teacher. The supervisor enters the classroom and says in a loud voice: "Madame Ghazali is absent this afternoon, those of you who have her please fill in your notebook in order to go out." A few young people fill in their notebooks, including the two girls in front of Giovanni's desk. Lorissa admires her false nails and talks to Amaryllis. Giovanni pretends to look at his computer, but listens attentively...

Amaryllis: It's a good thing, the bitch isn't here!

Lorissa: It's bad enough I'm getting lousy grades because of her, but it's a good thing I'm not going to see her ugly face.

Amaryllis: Yes, you're right, Lorissa. Mom told me she's incompetent because she's a foreigner.

Lorissa: Of course she's incompetent, I work my ass off to get her to give me bad grades!

Amaryllis: I couldn't agree more.

Giovanni interrupts their discussion, saying, "Just because Mrs Ghazali isn't Italian doesn't mean she isn't competent" Lorissa replies: "I don't care, this foreigner doesn't know how to grade us, she doesn't know how to do an art course. "You don't belong with us" Amaryllis, readjusting her glasses with an intelligent air, adds: "We're not saying racist things, we're realists" Giovanni, annoyed by these two liars, exclaims: "SHUT UP LORISSA, AMARYLLIS YOU'RE FUCKING DOING NOTHING IN CLASS AND YOU'RE RACIST TO YOUR TEACHER, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE" Lorissa replies: "I'm working AND I'M NOT RACIST BITCH." Giovanni, annoyed, cries: "IN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY! AND GET YOUR THINGS !"

The two girls sigh and stand up. Giovanni points sternly to the exit. Fifteen minutes later, the two little pests return, smirking at their teacher, Amarillys exclaims: "Mr Lagreca, the principal wants to see you in his office immediately !". Giovanni, annoyed, says: "What kind of bullshit are you talking now !" Amarillys laughs, and holds up a letter to Giovanni, Giovanni, blows and snatches the paper from Amarillys hand. He reads carefully: Please come to my office immediately Mr. Lagreca. At the bottom of the sheet is the director's signature.

Giovanni, pissed off, says to himself, "No one can fucking leave me alone in this shitty school." He heads for the principal's office. Outside the office, a man in a pink uniform with heart badges addresses Giovanni: "You're Mr. Lagreca, right?" Giovanni replies angrily, "Yes."