Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 11

Clara wasn't usually speechless, maybe she would hold her tongue, but she usually knew what she wanted to say. Roma, her mom, stood there silent too. Her hands twitched as she struggled not to lunge for her dagger in her cloak. She hated not having it in her hand right now. "Clara, sweetheart..." Roma started."Don't call me sweetheart!" Clara interrupted, venom laced into tone. Roma sighed, "Clara I have been gone for how long now? Since you were five and you are eighteen now. Forgive me if I want a relationship with my daughter!" "That's just the thing, mom! You've been gone since I was five! I'm not that same girl!" Clara said turning away from her some. Roma took Clara's hands in her own. "Then tell me who you are now! Please, Clara, I want to know you and be your mother!" Roma pleaded with her. Clara got angry and pulled her hands out of her mom's. She turned to her mom and practically screamed. "You want to know who I am?! Fine! I am a villain! I am a liar! I am not so-called good no matter what anyone, especially Shane! I am an alcoholic! Yes, at eighteen I am an alcoholic! I had a boyfriend named Claytin who was actually the son of Clopin, one of father's enemies! But I broke up with him by a letter because I had to run away and not return to Paris! Thanks to you sacrificing yourself, I am a villain and all this messed up stuff happened! Thanks a lot, mom! It feels amazing knowing how much you cared!" Clara started walking away but Roma chased after her. "It is not hard to not be a villain if you want to be good!" Roma said as she caught up with Clara. "You must have misunderstood me, I don't mind being a villain. I enjoy it! I am saying thanks for all the other messed up stuff in my life. The least you could have done is sacrifice someone else other than yourself!" Clara growled. "Clara! I didn't sacrifice myself! Someone sacrificed me!" Roma cried. "Yeah and I bet Shane or someone else put you up to say that or you're just lying to make everything okay. It's not going to work. Father had no reason to lie over it," Clara says rolling her eyes. "Other than making sure you stayed under his control!" Clara ignored her mom as she walked down the street at a faster pace. She was getting tired of Roma. She just wanted to be alone with some alcohol. "Clara! I am your mother! Stop and listen to me!" Roma yelled as she stopped walking. Clara, in a swift movement, grabbed her dagger and turned to her mom extending it towards her. "You are only my mom by blood! Otherwise, you are NOT my mom! I don't think you realize, but I HATE YOU! Just because I mourned you does NOT mean I wanted you back!" Roma was in a state of shock. Clara went closer to her, the tip of the dagger only centimeters away from her throat. "Do you remember your last words to me before you left? Because out of all the memories I have, which isn't many, I remember this like it was yesterday. You said, 'Go to bed'. That's it! And when I woke up the next day I found my father there and he told me you sacrificed yourself. You didn't say that you loved me, you didn't even say goodnight! Just go to bed! That's when I realized that if you didn't want to be hurt... you closed off as much love towards others as you can..." Clara moved her dagger away from her mom's throat. She turned and started to leave. "What about Shane and Claytin? You love them, or at least care for them," Roma called out to her. Clara stopped. "I said, as much as you can. I've cared about Shane since before you died. And Claytin? He gave me something that neither you or father could give me. Not even Shane could give me the love I feel from him," Clara said over her shoulder. Clara left without another word, leaving her mom standing there on the sidewalk, not knowing what to do.

It didn't take long for Clara to find a motel. She didn't want to go back the way she came from to pass her mom to see if she could find Shane and ask if he knew a place she could stay. She'd stay here for at least one night. Tomorrow, she'd have to run over to Charlene's place and grabbed her bag and return the outfit she borrowed. Taking a shower, she got all the makeup off and let the curls fall out of her hair, making it it's natural straight style. Deciding to sleep in the robe, provided, she sat on the not so comfortable bed. The cloak she had taken was laying on a chair with the rest of the outfit she'd wear tomorrow until she got her bag with all her clothes again. Her silver dagger sat on the nightstand next to the picture of her and Shane. She had hidden it in the outfit in case she had to show it to Shane to remind him how close they once were. Flipping it over, she saw the address to Facilier's now ex-grave. She still wanted to go. Maybe Facilier would somehow be summoned. Now that she and Shane were reunited, the reasons to go were valid again. Plus, now she had questions about her safety here. Along with Shane's and Charlene's. She wasn't as close to Charlene yet but Shane obviously cared about that girl and if she was in danger, Shane probably would do anything, maybe even turn evil. But Clara did not want to be the one who hurts Char, at least not yet. Shane was getting more powerful every day and he was right four months ago. He had his Friends on the Other Side while she had a jester... or used to have a jester, she was alone now. The thought of Claytin had Clara crying. She knew she loved him but now the idea of not seeing him ever again, him possible being with somehow else, it made her chest, her heart hurt like it was being ripped into millions of pieces. taking her dagger, she started stabbing the pillow crying.

Clara opened her eyes to a knocking on the door. It was morning, she must have fallen asleep while abusing the pillow. She saw a cut on her hand and dried up blood on the stabbed up pillow. She looked around the room and realized there wasn't any beer bottles meaning Shane didn't come by with the alcohol she asked for, not surprising. She must have just cut herself when she fell asleep. The knock came again followed by a voice saying, "Clara, it's me... can we talk?" Clara got up and looked through the peephole to see her mom standing there awkwardly. Groaning, she put the dagger, with some of her blood on it, on the nightstand, hid the picture of her and Shane, and opened the door. Roma gasped at the mess. "Clara, what happened?" she asked. Clara shrugged and grabbed a towel from the bathroom and wrapped her bleeding hand up. She noticed the robe had some blood on it but ignored it. "It looks like you were attacked!" Roma said. "Welcome to my life," Clara groaned. Roma gave her a concerned look. Clara rolled her eyes. "I wasn't attacked, I got angry and took it out on the pillow and fell asleep while doing so, leading me to cut my hand. It's not abnormal," Clara explained. Roma gave a deep breath of relief. "Do you want any help with anything? Cleaning up or getting your hand..." "I'm fine, I am just going to get dressed and leave. I paid half last night and they can go without the second half. I need to get to Charlene's and get my bag. So, bye." Clara interrupted. "You need to pay Clara!" Roma said crossing her arms. "No, I don't. I am a villain and you can't tell me what to do. Now, leave my room, I've got things to do!" Clara said through gritted teeth. "Clara Frollo! Stop acting like a child!" Roma raised her voice." Clara grabbed her dagger and raised it some. "Don't make me hurt you! I am not against it! Get! out! Now!" Clara threatened. Roma gave a huff of annoyance and hurt but left. Clara gt dressed in the outfit from yesterday, a little uncomfortable. Putting her cloak on, she left with the picture and dagger in hand. It was still early in the day. Glancing in the sky she made a decision. "Tonight is the night. I go to Facilier's grave without Shane knowing. Tonight, hopefully, I get answers." Clara hid the picture again and continued to the big pink house, she really wanted out of these clothes and get back into hers.