One Step to You (The Rome Novels #1)(28)

If you were having difficulties, then Signora Giacci would pounce on you, finish you off, terminate you. If you were doing well, on the other hand, Signora Giacci would sing your praises and, if she could, at the final exams see to it that your grade was pumped up by a point or two.

Which meant, in practical terms, that she never did a lick of work. If a student was doing well, she didn’t need anyone’s help. But if a student was doing poorly, then she needed everyone’s help, including all the saints on the calendar. In fact, especially the help of the saints. What Silvia Festa needed, more than anything else, was the score from her third test, and what’s more, she had the right to it.

Stealthily, she called out to Babi. Babi replied by shrugging helplessly. Babi, too, had noticed that something wasn’t right. But she couldn’t figure out what had happened. She gestured to Silvia to wait a second.

Silvia sighed impatiently. Babi rechecked her notebook. No doubt about it. Her little dots and checkmarks were all where they were supposed to be. To finish the round of testing, Signora Giacci was supposed to summon Salvetti, Ricci, and Festa. Servanti had already been tested three times, and most recently on March 18, to be exact.

Signora Giacci must have made a mistake. But it wasn’t a very good idea to bring that point up to her. Babi knew the golden rule of Falconieri High School as well as everyone else. She decided it was better not to get involved. There are rules you’d best not break.

She called out to Silvia. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what to tell you. According to my notes, you were supposed to be tested too.”

“So what are you saying? That Signora Giacci made a mistake?”

“Maybe. But you know the way she is. Better not say anything.”

“Yes, but unless I say something, they’re not going to let me take the final exams.”

Babi threw both arms wide. “I don’t know what to do…” She really was sorry. But it just wasn’t a good idea at this point to set out to collect more disciplinary notes. Her school notebook and, most of all, her mother wouldn’t be able to withstand the impact of another one.

She started the test. Silvia fidgeted nervously at her desk. She didn’t know what to do. In the end, she decided to speak up. She raised her hand.

Signora Giacci saw her. “Yes, Festa, what is it?”

Silvia started to speak, and then she remembered. She stood up with alacrity. She did her best to infuse her tone of voice with as much respect as possible.

“Excuse me, teacher. I don’t want to bother you. But I’m afraid I’ve never had my third test.” Festa smiled, trying desperately to conceal the fact that she was accusing her of having made a mistake.

Signora Giacci heaved a sigh of annoyance. “Let’s just take a look.” She pulled out two notebooks to aid her in her research. She laid them out on the Ancient Greek class ledger and cross-referenced them until she found the last name Festa and the corresponding third test. “Festa…Festa…Here you are, tested on March eighteenth, and naturally it’s a C. Satisfied? Actually…” She checked the other grades. “I’m not sure you’ll be admitted to final exams.”

A weak “Thank you” emerged from Silvia’s mouth as she turned to go back to her desk.

With an aloof air of competence, Signora Giacci went back to her testing.

Babi rechecked her notebook. March 18. In fact, that was the date that Servanti had been tested. There could be no doubt about it. Signora Giacci must have made a mistake. But how could she prove it? It would be her word against the teacher’s. Which amounted to guaranteeing another disciplinary note.

Poor Festa, she really had bad luck. This seriously meant that she’d flunk the year.

Babi opened to the pages with the other subjects. March 18. That was a Thursday. She checked for all the other classes. How strange though—on that day Festa hadn’t been tested on any other subjects. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe not.

She leaned over the front of her desk. “Silvia.”

“What is it?” Silvia looked devastated. She wasn’t wrong, poor thing.

“Would you give me your notebook?”

“What for?”

“I just want to see something,” Babi said.

“See what?”

“I’ll tell you after I check it…Come on, hand it over.”

For a moment, a tiny spark of hope glittered in Silvia’s eyes. She handed Babi her notebook. Babi opened it. She went to the back pages. Silvia gazed at her hopefully.

Babi smiled. She turned to her and handed back the notebook. “You’re a lucky girl!”

Silvia shot her a sketchy smile. She wasn’t all that sure it was true.

Suddenly, Babi raised her hand. “Excuse me, teacher…”

Signora Giacci turned around to look at her. “What is it, Gervasi? Haven’t you been tested either? Oh, you’re really pains in the neck today, all you girls. Speak up, what is it?”

Babi stood up. She remained silent for a second or two. The eyes of the class were all pointed right at her. Especially Silvia’s.

Babi looked at Pallina. She, too, like all the other girls, was waiting curiously. Babi smiled at her. After all, it was only right what she was doing. Signora Giacci had intentionally put Pallina’s paper in the stack with the ones that had been marked A minus.