The Leather Bound Book (not finished)

A girl with brown hair reaching down her back took a tentative step down the stairs of her final bus, clutching her lone suitcase in her left hand. She dropped out of the bus, hearing the doors close behind her, as she took a look towards her new home.

Home, what a weird word to her now.

She looked around as the bus left her, able to put names to the buildings around her from the map she had studied on the long trip there. The bus had dropped her off in front of the library that also held the offices she was to go to.

Nervously she ran her free hand down her black and white plaid dress. She felt her petticoats pushing the skirt outward and glanced down to make sure her black tie was in its bow just under her collar. She looked back up at the building and pushed her glasses up before taking the first step to the building.

Pushing open the glass door, she easily found the front desk and gave a polite smile at the woman sitting here. “Josephina Hunter to see the principal, please.”

“Sit over there, dearie. He’ll be ready to see you in a bit,” the woman said, nodding her head to behind Josephina.

Josephina turned her head and saw four brightly colored chairs sitting along the wall. She went over and sat her suitcase on the floor next to the ending chair before sitting down.

As she waited she found herself fidgeting with one of the eight buttons that ran parallel down her dress. She found herself missing her library of books but knew she would never see them again. She hoped the library that looked to start just pass the offices she was waiting in would have something good.

“Miss Hunter?”

Josephina jumped in her seat, taking out of her mind by the strange male voice. She looked up to see a man in his mid-forties standing in front of her in a gray suit. His hair was black with slightly graying streaks appearing along the temples. She could see he was wearing a school tie, the green and blue plaid fitting in with the rest of the school’s uniform colors. She stood up and grabbed her suitcase so she could follow him into his office. She was motioned to a chair just on the opposite side of the desk and sat down.

On the desk sat the normal pieces of office life, a computer, utensils to write with, and a photo pointed to the man as he sat down in his chair. She noticed a plaque facing her that read Timothy Baker.

“I hope your trip here was enjoyable,” Mr. Baker tried.

Not sure what to say, Josephine just nodded her head.

“Of course your grandmother gave me a rundown of what happened,” Mr. Baker started with. “If there is anything I or any of the staff here can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I don’t mean to sound rude, sir, but I’ll be fine,” Josephina offered a smile to the man to hope he would drop the subject.

“Well then,” Mr. Baker looked down at a paper on his desk and picked it up. He handed it across the table to the girl. “Here’s your schedule. Do you want someone to give you a tour of the campus?”

“No, I studied the map you sent on the way here,” Josephina said, looking down her class list for the third term of school. She looked up, remembering the difference between American schools and Australian ones. “There isn’t any problems with me coming in in the middle of the school year?”

“Of course not, just think about it as continuing your last grade a few months longer,” Mr. Baker offered. He picked up a coin envelope and handed it to her. “Here’s your room key. You’ll be in Baudin Hall inside the Eclipse Boarding house. Breakfast is at seven A.M., Dinner’s at seven P.M., unless your hall wishes to cook their own using the kitchen in the house. School will start back up this coming Monday so not everyone will be back yet. Speaking of, have you gotten your uniforms yet?”

“I plan to go to the school store tomorrow,” Josephina nodded her head.

“And you have gone through the school’s guild book?”

Josephina nodded her head once again.

“Is there anything else I could help you with?”

“No, thank you,” Josephina said, standing up as the man did the same. “Thank you for your time.” She shook the man’s hand before grabbing her suitcase. She made her way back to the receptionist, giving the woman a polite smile again, and left the building.

She looked around as a chill ran through-out her, reminding her it was winter in the land down under. Ignoring the cold weather, she turned towards her right and followed the path passed three other dormitories to the last one. The closest to a real smile appeared on her face as she noticed it was the closest one to the water way that was at the edge of campus.

She opened the door to Eclipse Boarding House and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. A small sitting area greater her with empty seats. She looked at the envelope holding her key and saw her room to be number 211.

After walking around a little, and finding the small kitchen in the process, Josephina found the stairs. She walked up the circling steps and made her way onto the second floor.

She found herself in another lobby of chairs and a few tables with a TV mounted on the wall. A game controller of some kind sat on a coffee table in front of the TV but, as downstairs, no one was seen.

After taking a quick look at door numbers, she found the set she was looking for was along the left hall that faced the waterway. She quickly found room 211 and unlocked the door. She pushed open the door and saw what would be her room for the next four years. Inside was a lone, naked bed straight from the door and a simple table with a matching wooden chair underneath a window closed by blinds. She walked into the room, dropping her suitcase on the bed, and pulled open the blinds to see the water way just outside. She leaned her hands on the table and looked out, missing the ocean that she used to see outside her bedroom window.

Her bedroom… this was her bedroom now.

Signing, she turned around, noticing a dresser along the opposite wall and a closet on the wall along the hallway that held a full length mirror on its closed door. She noticed her bangs were starting to come out of her barrette and pushed them back upwards. She went ahead and untied the tie under her collar as she leaned against the table.

“Oh hey, you’re the American, right?” a female voice asked as a girl with blonde curly hair appeared in the doorway. Her hair was pulled back by a hairband that held a metal decoration with an engraving of a leaf. “Name’s Alisha.”

“Josephina.”

“Cool name.” Alisha walked in and noticed the lone suitcase on the bed. “You want some help unpacking?”

“No,” Josephina stated, staying leaned against the desk.

Alisha opened the closet and pulled out a few hangers. “If you need anymore the bus’ll take us out to town. It’s cheaper there then the school store.” Looking at what was in her hand she exclaimed, “Shoot! He only left you eight! That stupid Kirby.”

“Kirby?”

“His nickname. The only game he ever played, “Alisha sat down the hangers on the bed next to the suitcase. “George, our house Dad, should be here tomorrow, until till then it’s just you and me here. If you want I could show you around.”

“No thanks, I just wanna get unpacked,” Josephina shook her head. “When did you say the bus would take us to town? I need to get a few things.”

“Uh, the bus should be passing in about twenty minutes,” Alisha offered. “Have you been given your bus card?”

“Yeah.”

“Then come on. I’ve gotta go to Woolworths too.” The girl turned around to leave the room.

“Woolworths?”

Alisha turned around in the doorway and nodded her head. “You were expecting a Walmart or something, huh?”

Josephina nodded her head.

“Closest one’s in Hawaii,” Alisha gave her a smile. “Just gave me a second to grab my purse and I’ll be ready.”

Josephina watched the strange girl walk out of sight. She never asked for the girl to come along, nor did she feel the need for company. She pushed off the table and walked over to the closet, closing the closet door to see herself. She quickly re-tied the tie under her collar, deciding to just deal with Alisha. She quickly opened her suitcase and pulled out her purple purse strap, bring out the head of a monster attached. Opening the monster’s mouth, she checked to make sure her wallet and dropped her room key into the mouth. She let the magnet click the purse shut and put the strap on her shoulder. She left her room, shutting the door behind her. Not sure as to which room belonged to Alisha, nor really giving too much thought to it, Josephina turned to the stairs and headed down to the lobby.

“You think you need a windbreaker?” Alisha asked, announcing her presence.

Josephina saw her rushing down the stairs as she zipped her jacket.

“On my list of things to get,” Josephina admitted.

“So you don’t have any other bags,” Alisha said, more to herself as she stopped next to Josephina. She looked Josephina in the eye as she grew a smile. “Well, let’s go. The bus should be here any minute now.”

Josephina found herself following the curly blonde haired girl out of the dorm and down the pathway back to the center of campus. The two walked in silence for a bit as Alisha lead them down the campus to the main road.

“So what’s with the fifties dress style?” Alisha asked as the two stood waiting at the end of the drive.

“Cause I like it,” Josephina offered bluntly. She kept her eyes straight ahead to avoid the girl.

“Can’t say anything against that,” Alisha nodded her head. “I think it’s cool. It’s something not seen all the time, I like it.”

Josephina turned her head to look at the girl, not sure what to expect now. “Uh, thank you.”

“So are you a no-pants type of girl than?” Alisha asked.

Josephina looked back at the road. “Only when I feel like it.” A lone care drove by, leaving them a chilly breeze as Josephina held her elbows and shivered.

“The bus should be here soon,” Alisha tried. “I know you’re used to this time being summer but why don’t you have a jacket? You were told school’s year around here, right?”

“I knew, I just didn’t have one to pack,” Josephina said.

“You wanna borrow mine?”

Josephina looked at the girl in surprise. “No thanks.”

“What part of the states are you from?” Alisha tried.

“North Carolina.”

“Oh, ok. I made it to the states last year during break. I stayed with a family in Georgia. Maybe a bit farther south but still, same side of the country,” Alisha offered. “Have you ever traveled before this?”

“No, my family… wasn’t one for trips inside the state, much less outside,” Josephina admitted. The sound of air breaks turned the two’s attention to their right as a bus slowed down.

“Finally, this bus is never late,” Alisha said as the bus came to a stop in front of them.

The two girls quickly jumped onto the bus and found themselves in a group of four passengers. They grabbed a seat close to the front as the doors closed and the bus pulled forward.

“Am I the only foreigner at Great South?” Josephina asked.

“This year you are. Most of the time we normally have a Japanese exchange student but really most of the students come from Kalgan or the surrounding towns. Actually a few of them that live around Woolworths actually house at school.” Alisha turned her head to look at Josephina and asked, “Why did your family decide to send you half a world away?”

“My grandma knows the principal, er, you call him the headmaster, huh?” Without waiting for a response she continued. “So with everything that had happened, she thought this would be better.”

“Everything that had happened?” Alisha echoed.

Josephina turned to see country side turn into housing as she avoided looking at the girl. “My parents died in a fire at the end of my last school year,” she stated.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Alisha offered, placing a hand on Josephina’s shoulder.

“Don’t be,” Josephina shrugged off the girl’s hand. “But that’s why I don’t have more than one suitcase.”

“Is there anything I could help with?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Ok,” Alisha threw off.

“How far away is this wooly place?”

“Just on the other side of the lake.”

“Lake?”

“The body of water just outside our housing,” Alisha explained. “It’s part of the Frenchman Bay, but no one calls it that.”

“Oh, ok.”

“So did you live close to water back in North Carolina?”

“The ocean, I lived in the Outer Banks,” Josephina admitted. “My mom had a restaurant that looked over the street to the Atlantic.”

“Oh so this is a big down grade, huh?” Alisha let out a laugh. “Does you grandma live in the same area?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’d like to visit one day.”

“That’d be… cool,” Josephina offered, giving the girl a half smile. Hoping to change the subject away from herself, she said, “So why are you going to a boarding school?”

“Well I’m from New Zealand and my Mum wanted me to be like a cousin, living in a different country, but Dad didn’t want me to go too far,” Alisha admitted. “This was as far as he’d let me go.”

“So why aren’t you home for break?”

“I still had school work to complete,” Alisha glanced out the front window, seeing houses turn into a gas station and a shopping center with a main store taking up most of the space. “Here’s our stop.”

“What’s it called again, woolswith?”

“Woolworths. I think it was some guy’s last name.”

The bus took the round-a-bout and slowed to a stop. The two girls got up and Josephina found herself leading them off. She dropped down and stepped away to wait for the strange girl to follow.

“I’ve gotta get some food, do you want any help with your list?” Alisha asked as they stepped away from the bus stop as a lady took their place.

“I’ll be fine,” Josephina said.

“Ok, I’ll guess I’ll find you when I’m done,” Alisha gave her a smile as they walked through the doors.

“Uh, sure,” Josephina looked down to her purse as the blonde walked away. She pulled out her list and realized she would need a cart.

-.-.-.-

Josephina found herself lost among the isle of shampoos and conditioners. Her basket was already piling up with cloths, school supplies, and two reading books. She plucked a bottle off the shelf and turned it over to read for what type of hair it was for.

“Having any luck?” Alisha asked, finding the girl as she carried a hand basket of food off her elbow.

“No,” Josephina mumbled, placing the bottle back on the shelf.

“First time buying stuff like this?”

“No, my brand’s just not here,” Josephina admitted, looking for the next promising bottle. Picking it up she went ahead and found the matching conditioner and just threw them in her basket.

“Anything else on your list?”

“Teeth stuff, you can go ahead and check out. I won’t be too much longer,” Josephina said, grabbing her cart to pull it around to the next isle.

“Naw, I probably should grab some more tooth paste,” Alisha said, tagging along. “So do you play any games?”

“I’m more of a card person than a board game person.”

“Oh, I meant video games.”

Josephina looked through the tooth brushes and picked out one to toss into the cart. “I’ve never played any.”

“Then I’m gonna teach you,” Alisha smiled, handing the girl a box of tooth paste similar to the one in her basket.

“Thanks but I don’t see myself liking video games,” Josephina admitted, taking the box to look it over. She placed it in her cart as she said, “I’m a book person.”

“Well, do you watch the tele?”

The two girls left the isle and headed to the checkout counter. “Not really,” Josephina admitted. “None of the shows I’ve seen catch my attention.”

“What? You’re nothing like the American stereotype,” Alisha said. Josephina gave her a look of confusion as Alisha quickly added, “I mean in a good way.”

“Thanks… I think.” Josephina glanced back at her cart in front of her as they stopped behind a couple and their basket.

“So what type of books do you like?” Alisha asked, picking up the two books out of Josephina’s cart. “Harley Davis: Teenage Superhero and James Patterson Cross.”

“Harley’s what the title says and Cross’ a mystery series,” Josephina explained. She felt a little miffed about the girl going through her cart but didn’t say anything about it as the couple in front of them started to get checked out.

“Cool, I love a good mystery,” Alisha said as she put the books back in the cart.

Josephina turned her attention back to the couple in front of them, watching them checking out. She didn’t understand the strange girl standing beside her. They had nothing in common, so why was she being so persistent to try to be friends? Josephina just wanted to be left alone. She didn’t go to school to make friends.

“Oh hey, Alex’s coming to school tomorrow,” Alisha stated. “I think you’d like him. He’s got the room next to you.”

“Who else’s in our dorm?” Josephina asked, adding to herself, so I know how to avoid them.

“Well George and Alex should be there tomorrow,” Alisha started as the couple paid and left so Josephina could give her stuff to the cashier. “On your floor, there’s Ulrich, Max, Sophia, and James. Those last two are twins in year eight. Max is in year three, being the youngest in our house, and Ulrich’s in year nine. Don’t play any sport against him, he’s good at everything.”

“And your floor?” Josephina prompted, keeping an eye on the prices of everything being rung up.

“It gets confusing. Next to my room is the girl Sam and across the hall from her is the boy Sam, they’re both in year five. Then there’s Danni, she’s good at Smash so if you try out that game, don’t play against her. And then there’s Andrew in year eleven and Adam in year eight.”

Josephina thought for a second as she handed over her credit card. “A bit diverse in age.”

“Well Max is a bit young, I think she’s the youngest out of everyone housing,” Alisha offered.

Josephina took her bags and put them in the cart to get out of Alisha’s way. Alisha put her basket on the counter and turned to Josephina.

“I heard her brother died last year so she moved in so she wouldn’t be reminded of him, but that’s all rumors, I’m sure.”

“I don’t listen to rumors,” Josephina retorted.

“That’s for the best,” Alisha smiled. “Who knows who starts them.”

-.-.-.-

“Thanks for helping me,” Josephina said as she opened the door to her room.

“’Course,” Alisha said, following the girl in to the still barren room. She sat the bags that didn’t belong to her on the mattress and asked, “You sure you don’t want some help?”

“I’ll be fine,” Josephina said, sitting her bags on the desk. She started pulling stuff out of her bags as she said, “Thanks for your help.”

“Then I guess I’ll see you at dinner. You know where the dining hall is, right?”

“Yeah,” Josephina pulled out a stack of hangers and went to work at taking them apart.

“Ok, see ya.”

Josephina looked up and watched the blond hair disappear out of the doorway. Letting out a sigh, Josephina let the trash fall to the ground and put the hangers in the closet to await the rest of her unpacking. Taking a moment, she sat down in the chair and unbuckled her shoes. Kicking them off, she looked around at the empty room, not sure if this would ever feel like home. Her home had been destroyed by her mother. Her father had been killed in the same destructive fire.

Quickly she wiped her eyes, determined not to cry even in solitude. She took a deep breath and stood up. She walked over to her suitcase and, with both thumbs, unclipped it. She pushed it up and pulled out what was left of her possessions. A lamb was the first out, the stuffed animal in patchwork pajamas and lamb slippers. She carefully sat it on the naked mattress and pulled out an extra petticoat, four more dresses, and a night gown. She pulled out a couple of tights and a pair of tennis shoes, empting out the suitcase. Closing the suitcase, she slid it under the bed and went to putting her cloths in the closet.

“Hey Jo!” Alisha called out as she appeared in Josephina’s doorway.

“Who?”

“A parcel came in for you just now,” Alisha continued, ignoring the question. “Haven’t even been here a day and you’re already getting mail.”

Josephina took the package, curious as to who’d send her something. She looked where the return address was only to see an Australian address she didn’t recognize. She ripped into the box and found a leather bound book with a purple rock on the cover. Unclasping the small metal latch, she opened the book to find it full of empty home-made papers. Looking back in the box she found a small piece of paper. She pulled it out, her brows furling in confusion.

“What does it say?” Alisha asked, walking over to stand next to her.

“Just ‘use this well’,” Josephina said, turning the page so the girl could see the computer printed words. “I don’t even know who’d send this. The address isn’t one I know.”

“This is so cool, a real life mystery,” Alisha smiled, looking the girl in the face.

“Not a hard one. I could Google the address and probably found out the who,” Josephina said, flipping through the empty pages. “Oh wow.”

“What?”

“It’s all handmade,” Josephina flipped the pages before getting to the end to see the inside of the back cover.

“Cool, you don’t see that every day,” Alisha smiled. “Do you need my laptop to look up the address?”

“No, mine should be here tomorrow or Wednesday,” Josephina admitted. She closed the book and used the small metal clasp to shut it tight. “Thanks though.”

“I’ll leave you to unpack then,” Alisha said. “I’ll be cooking some dinner in a couple of hours. You can join me in the kitchen if you want.”

Josephina looked up at Alisha, surprise on her face before a smile took over her features. “Uh, thanks. I’ll be there. Around seven, right?”

“Yeah,” Alisha gave her a smile before turning to leave the room.

“Oh, hey, one moment,” Josephina called out, stopping the girl. She put down the notebook and went over to the pile of bags to pull out a boxed alarm clock. “What time is it?”

“5:47.”

Josephina quickly unboxed the small blue box and plugged it in under the desk. The sounds of clicking filled the air as she quickly punched in the numbers. She sat it on the desk to show it to be a minute ahead. “Thanks.”

In no time Josephina was closing the top dresser drawer and turned around to take in her new room. Lamb sat against the lone pillow on the black comforter with matching pillow cases. On the desk sat the clock, now reading 6:39, and her new school supplies sitting at the ready with a small tear-off calendar reading the date.