Home.
Home was safe.
After days of immature pranks, cruel words and ridicule by a group of her classmates, Ainsley had begun to lose the desire to get up in the morning until finally she didn't bother to go to school that day. Ainsley thought about everything as she watched the clock as it ticked right past the homeroom bell, feeling sick just thinking about it. Rocking gently on her bed, she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around to hold them there.
A break would be good. With a break she could recuperate and then start fresh tomorrow! Without her classmates around Ainsley was finally able to relax a bit. She managed to make breakfast, do a little reading and light math before half of the morning was over. It was approximately recess time when Ainsley got a text on her phone. Given most of the people with that number were in school, Ainsley assumed it was Bell so she reached over to get it promptly.
It wasn't Bell, and it was from someone she didn't expect at all. It wasn't even from someone who she'd given her phone number to! It was one of the male classmates who had been harassing her and it certainly wasn't an apology. Her face turned into a outright frown and she calmly sat the phone down on the table beside her. The back of her hands shaking, Ainsley rubbed at the tears forming in her eyes. Why? Why wouldn't they stop? Why would they say such cruel things like that?
Consumed by all of her feelings, Ainsley climbed back up onto her bed and curled up until lunch rolled around. She ignored the phone entirely, worried that there might be a new message or worse awaiting her there, and eventually she braved the world outside of her bedroom again. She went downstairs to get an apple, a very light lunch to appease her hunger without enraging her upset stomach.
"Good morning Bell," she greeted politely as she watched her sister move between the rooms as she did something. In reply, her sister muttered something about there being a package for her on the table in the entryway and nothing else.
Ainsley looked at where her sister disappeared to before taking a bite of the apple and going down the hall into the entryway. It was a fairly big box, and when Ainsley examined the exterior of the box she discovered that the return to sender name was Madeleine Lippencott, the name of her mother. The return address wasn't the address Ainsley was used to, nor was it one she was familiar with. It wasn't in the United States of America, nor was it in Italy. It was from Japan.
"Mother?" The words slipped right out of her mouth.
She was hesitant about opening the box but also excited. It wasn't unusual for her mother to send her things, usually clothes that she had either been asked to model or designed herself, but this box was bigger than usual. Ainsley didn't know what to expect when she opened it but her eyes widened at the sight! Inside was a beautiful kimono, a few dresses and some tights with animal faces on them. There were plenty of trinkets inside and such a random display of accessories that Ainsley considered the idea that her mother simply dumped a bunch of random things in a box and sent it to her.
"They're beautiful," she said softly, running her hand over the fabric with care. For the first moment in several weeks Ainsley's thoughts didn't betray her with her insecurities or fears and she could truly enjoy what was in front of her.