Chasing Reality.

10 - The Painting.

"I'd like to say this is impossible but it's not. The evidence is right here, staring at me," Chelsea said with a huge grin on her face. This was why her spirit kept telling her to let Clary be.

The spirit of art knows it's listeners, Chelsea thought.

She knew the silence in a room filled with people is almost always a good thing, especially in the world of art.

"You're telling me that my Clary did this. The same blind Clary?" Mr Allen asked with awe. The painting in front of him literally took his breath away.

"Yes, it is indeed the work of the one and only Clary. This is the canvas that was lying close to her on the ground. You all left the room in a hurry, you never got the chance to notice it," Chelsea said with glee in her voice. You could feel the excitement dripping out of it.

Which artist wouldn't be excited to see a star be born.

The said star wasn't inside the room. She refused to come in, not because she was remorseful for what she did, no, the words of her father still stung her heart.

Forgive him Clarissa. It's not easy being a father, I should know.

Clary scoffed and took a seat on the cabin floor facing the mess hall, it was high enough about the ground for her feet to skim the dirt lightly. She picked at the dirt with the end of her cane, trying her best not to remember what her dad just accused her of. "Me? Gullible?"

Yes Clary, for nobody can survive without putting trust in someone else. Being Gullible my dear, is another word for being trusting, even to a voice within.

"Fine, you made your point." Clary poked at the grass around hoping to find something interesting when someone cleared their throat.

"I think you need to come inside," Sam said, watching Clary poke around in the grass. "No, I'm not going in there." She said casually and returned to her exploration.

"C'mon Clary, don't make this harder than it already is. Uncle Tom is sorry okay," Cassie, who was quietly standing by, voiced her opinion. "You know he was just worried about you. You left our cabin in the middle of the night, what did you expect him to do? He did what any loving dad would do and scolded you. So man up, if it were my dad, I'd be long dead."

Clary smiled at her cousin's words. If anyone would make fun of the situation, it would be the one and only Cassandra. "Your dad would have your head on a plate," Clary said thinking about how protective her uncle can be.

"Yeah, he would. That's why Sam and I haven't eloped yet, he'd track us down like fugitives." Sam gave Cassie a disgusted look. "Cassie, you and I will never be." He said slowly, letting it sink into her skull.

Clary listened as her friends bickered about the unhealthy state of their relationship. Both of them having totally different views on the subject.

"I'm sure you guys were sent here to persuade me, not each other." Clary chuckled. "He started it!" Cassie immediately defended herself.

"Nuh-uh. You did!" Sam countered and pulled at Cassie's brown locks, all the way at the other side of Clary.

Cassie yelped, "Clary, he's pulling at my hair!" Cassie whined, detaching Sam's hand from her hair.

"Stop it, both of you. You're both giving me a headache, I'll go in if you stop." Clary pleaded. She wasn't really having a headache but these two can go on forever about a non-existant relationship.

Knowing that Clary had no idea this was their plan all along, they both high-fived and hugged silently.

"Do you want some aspirin Clary? Let's take you to the sick bay instead. I'm sure they'll all understand," Sam said continuing his act. He helped Clary get up from the ground.