[center] Clara had not protested when he had left – at least it would give her further time to herself. She'd opened a bottle of wine for a reason and she intended on finishing it – and it was probably best if Jaden had been far away from her during the process. Although it calmed her, she could not help but admit that she tended to grow a bit emotional after a long while, and she'd rather keep herself locked up in her room in the meantime. Jaden didn't need to know half of the things she had kept to herself, the emotions that she tried to lock away. They'd only managed to twist into anger and bitterness as of late, but who could exactly blame her? Despite the years between when it happened and then, nothing had faded; nothing had melted into the past and stayed there. Her anger and distain would not dwindle as the time passed by. She'd grown to lean on the prospect of liquor to dull her thoughts; to help her fall asleep at night. She'd depended on the use of men to try and make her [i]feel[/i] once more. Neither had been terribly satisfying a the end of the day; nothing to appease her and distract her for more than a quick drink and a quick romp in the sheets. 

It frustrated her so terribly so. 

As soon as Jaden had departed, Clara had scooped up her bottle of wine and her glass before she made her way out of the kitchen and eventually up to her room where she shut the door soundly behind her. She had placed both the bottle and glass down on the nightstand next to her bed before she undressed, slipping from her heavy skirts and corset before she hung them carefully back in her closet. She'd grabbed her glass once more as she headed to her bathroom, filling the bath tub before she sunk into the hot water, allowing it to encase her before she breathed a slow sigh. 

Why she'd agreed to go with him the next night was beyond her. Perhaps she knew full well he would end up dragging her there one way or another. He would probably fight tooth and nail until she ended up there. Or perhaps she was intrigued, although she didn't want to admit that. It would be quite a sight to see, Jaden mingling in the gyrating crowds of a night club. Lord, he would either stick out terribly or perhaps land himself some attention. The thought didn't settle well with her, for whatever reason, and her features twisted in a moment of frustration before she took another sip of her wine. Surely she would find herself a toy or two to keep her busy – and the liquor always flowed at places like those. She would at least try to have a good time, if that was worth anything at all. 

She had spent a long time in the bath, her glass of wine already empty as the water began to cool around her. Reluctantly she had washed herself and had gotten out, tossing a towel around her before she slipped into some shorts and a t-shirt. She wouldn't sleep until her bottle had been finished, and even then it took her a while to find solace. 

Inevitably her night would be full of the terrors that continued to plague her, and she hardly had gotten the sleep that she so desperately needed. 

Clara had kept herself in bed for far longer than she should have, and she was surprised that Jaden hadn't come looking for her. She wouldn't complain, however, content to curl within her blankets and drift off every so often. She had gotten caught up with one of her books that had been stacked up on her nightstand, and had simply relaxed for quite a time before she knew the sun would be slipping and she would have to inevitably get ready for the evening. What to wear had certainly been a pressing topic, and she spent quite a while in her closet, rifling through dresses new and old to find the right one. 

She had spent quite a long time in a shower, drying her long hair and carefully styling it – long, messy curls falling down to her waist, just barely pinned up halfway to keep most of the tendrils from falling in her face. Clara had slipped on a black silk robe in the meantime, meticulously applying her makeup until she was satisfied with her look. All she needed was her dress and heels, and perhaps a drink beforehand – and she'd be good to go. But still, she had not heard Jaden stir, although she was certain he had returned the night before. She'd heard him shuffle through the hallway at some point. 

Scrunching her nose at her own reflection, she brushed her long hair from over her shoulder before she slipped out of her room and down the hall towards his. She'd been used to barging in once and a while, but this time she at least knocked before she poked her head in, making sure she wasn't disturbing much of anything. "You alive…?" Clara asked quietly as she pushed the door open a bit more, crossing her arms upon her chest while she leaned against the doorframe. "Because, if you've made me get ready for something that you're not intending on going to, you know full well there will be hell to pay." She added with a tilt of her head as she eyed him on his bed, biting the inside of her cheek as she realized he was shirtless. "You don't have much time to get ready, you know…" [/center]