Chapter 2
TWO
Clarissa
Clarissa twirled her keys around her finger, humming as she made her way through the campervans and caravans. She quite liked the atmosphere of the caravan park and smiled at the people she'd come to know over the years. They weren't quite neighbours since she didn't live here but she knew them just as well as her actual neighbours at this point.
Bork chased after her, barking happily as he enjoyed the chance to stretch his legs. The black and white border collie always had buckets of energy.
They reached the campervan and Clarissa unlocked the side door. The smell of wet paint and turpentine wafted out which was to be expected from her little art studio on wheels. Everything was where she left it, which was always a small relief. There wasn't a lot of theft or break-ins in the caravan park but she always worried. This van held a lot of art supplies, some of her favourite paintings, and those of her students. She wouldn't want anything to happen to them.
Someone called her name and she turned in the direction, smiling when she saw her lot neighbour coming her way. Unlike her, Alix did live here full time.
"Hey!" Clarissa waved, amused when Bork chased towards her friend, his tail going a mile a minute. It made people feel special but in truth, Bork greeted everyone like that.
"Who is my favourite dog?" Alix said, fussing Bork with both hands. "You are. Yes, you are."
"What about your own dog?" Clarissa asked.
"Princess is a hellhound, a spawn of satan," Alix said.
Loud shrill barking came from the static home next to them, as if Princess had heard them. Moments later, the little pomeranian had pressed her snout against the window and was growling at everything, including her own reflection. She was certainly spirited and very loud. It made Clarissa glad she didn't actually live here.
Bork remained entirely unaffected and just sat between Alix's legs, wagging his tail while he looked at her with pure adoration and love.
Alix gestured to the campervan. "You painting today?"
"Yeah, I was thinking of taking the van out to Wolf Creek. The fields look nice this time of year."
"Do they? They're all empty and brown and muddy." Alix shrugged. "Then again, what do I know? I'm not an artist."
Clarissa chuckled. "You're right, the fields are muddy but I think it gives them character. The trees give it a good atmosphere too. And it's nice and quiet. I like quiet."
Princess growled and scratted at the window, clearly desperate to come out.
"Yeah, quiet this place is not," Alix agreed with a smile. She sat down on the porch of their static home so she could give Bork more affection. "Guess who I ran into earlier today though?"
"Who?" Clarissa asked.
"Dee Lewis." Amusement glittered in Alix's eyes. "Your crussssh. Why didn't you tell me she was back?"
"She's not my crush. And I didn't tell you because I didn't know," Clarissa said with pursed lips, like she needed to be reminded of those old unrequited feelings. Secret unrequited feelings, although if Alix was going to keep shouting like this, they wouldn't be hidden for much longer. Crescent Valley was small and everyone knew everyone.
She pretended to fasten some of the straps inside her van, just to make sure nothing would move when she was driving later.
Alix was never good at letting things go. "Aren't you friends with Asim and Sissy?"
"I am but I haven't seen them in a while. They just had a baby so they're living in a cocoon." Clarissa tapped her chin. "Maybe that's why Dee is back. She was always close with Sissy."
"Maybe." Alix yawned and stretched her arms. "So now you know she's back, are you going to meet up with her? Maybe you should finally ask her on a date."
Clarissa chuckled, mostly at how ridiculous that suggestion was. "I don't think so. Like I said, we haven't seen each other in years. She might be a completely different person from how I remember her. I mean, I knew Dee when we were teenagers. Almost a decade has passed since we last saw each other."
And yet, despite the passage of time, she still remembered how in awe she'd been of Dee Lewis and her gorgeous paintings. Her style had always been unique and bold compared to Clarissa's own, which was a lot more subdued and subtle. She'd often tried to incorporate vibrant colours and textures but it never looked right on her own works.
But Clarissa's fascination with Dee had always been about more than art. It had been about having someone who understood her, who loved painting as much as she did,
Alix tossed a stick for Bork to chase. "But you still follow her online, don't you?"
Suddenly, Clarissa regretted telling her friend about her old crush. She blamed late nights with rum or tequila.
"I follow a lot of artists. It's nothing but professional curiosity," she defended herself. It was a lie she even told herself. "Besides, you're one to talk. You're still friends with all your exes online. That's way worse."
Alix laughed. "It's not my fault all my break-ups are amicable. Speaking of, the woman I'm currently seeing has a very nice single friend. Want me to set you up?"
"I appreciate the sentiment but I'm going to pass. Life is just too hectic right now with my dad and the store and my painting classes. I barely have time for myself," Clarissa replied, trying not to think about the weight of the world currently resting on her shoulders. She was lucky her head was screwed on tight because otherwise, she might've already lost it.
So while a part of her knew she didn't have the headspace to see her past crush again, she kind of hoped they would run into each other so they could catch up just for the sake of old time.