Clara Mellow

Clara Mellow is a character role-played by The_beautiful_void. Information here has been updated for 4.0! Some changes have been made, but everything that happened in 3.0 for Clara is canon - some names changed in some instances. 
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==Background==
Clara Mellow, born 30th March 1996 in Wee Waa, Australia, had a very difficult youth before moving to Los Santos. As a child they struggled in school, having difficulties with focus and attention for most subjects. They would hyperfocus on reading books, and fell in love with fantasy and sci-fi novels. They loved music, and sung in a school choir during primary school. It was the classroom setting and "boring" subjects that really threw Clara off, and their grades suffered. Their parents were vocally disappointed and upset about this, and as Clara got older, the outward resentment and abuse turned to neglect instead. 
During highschool, Clara grew interested in biology, and developed an interest in cars and motorcycles. They still struggled with classes - they were often described as being fidgety, disruptive, inattentive. The more they struggled, the less they cared, and they eventually started skipping classes to spend time with new friends they had made. Through these friends was a connection, however slight, to a local MC, and Clara was very interested in that life. They picked up a smoking habit at around 15-16 years old, and they were planning on dropping out of school. The neglect of their parents and siblings, combined with the way teachers treated them had them angry and aggressive - they were charged with assault at 16 after stabbing a man who tried to grab them in a parking lot, and were sent to Juvy. 
Post Juvy, their parents put up a front for social services, and then kicked Clara out of the home at first opportunity. Clara stole some money, basic supplies, and walked several days to the next town over to seek out their old friends and figure out a plan. They managed to talk their way into using that connection to the MC - The Death Adders - for shelter and food in exchange for doing some odd jobs. Through their first job they met their close friend Jordan, and the two of them would become inseparable over time. Through a combination of injuries, scrapes, and developing addictions, Clara never really left the MC and never returned home. They picked up their mechanic skills, and developed a love of arson and property damage. They were blooded in after they turned 18, and picked up more worrying skills, securing their place as a torturer with the club. 
While "gathering information" from a victim, Clara was ordered to execute them, and followed that order without hesitation. This action sent their club into an all out war after being on the brink for a long time. Clara helped fight for the club in a number of situations, but during one such fight, they were beaten near to death with a baseball bat. Jordan managed to rescue them, drag them to hospital where they were admitted to ICU. The damage to their ears and brain took their hearing - something that never fully recovered - as well as some fine motor control and memories. Jordan helped Clara reconnect with a family member - their nonna "Brownie" - and the three of them laid low hiding from the club while Clara recovered. 
Nonna taught Clara how to bake as a way to cope with anger, and to strengthen their hands and sharpen their mind after their injury. Clara took to it well, and decided they wanted to open a bakery somewhere and live a quieter life. Jordan was in full support, and agreed to help Clara build a new life, declaring he would keep them both safe and get them out of trouble. They lived with Nonna until she passed, and they were left enough funds to start their new life in Nonna's will. As they were travelling to the airport, members from their old MC found them and began to make threats. Jordan volunteered himself as a distraction so Clara could get out, and Clara did manage to escape. After 7 years, Clara still has had no word from Jordan, and has assumed that they died. 
Clara escaped to Los Santos, and the events of 3.0 began. 
==Relationships==
===Close Friends/Family===
* Drew Nilliam: 
**Clara's close "Mountain Time" friend. They met each other working booths at Dean World, and the friendship grew from there into a very close, trusting and caring connection. They like to sit with each other quietly on mountains, or places with a nice view, and talk through all of life's troubles and joys to decompress and process. The two tend to keep each other grounded, and they often remind each other that they are cared about. Clara considers Drew to be a life long, platonic partner, something they find difficult to describe but is nevertheless important. 
*Lucky Calder 
**Lucky and Clara first met when Clara was in a group called the BCMR, as Clara offered Lucky assistance with access to the bank. They became closer friends, however, when Clara and Josh reconnected. They both like to laugh and find the positives, but also bond over the way their lives were changed beyond their control, and how it changed them as people. Lucky and Clara have a lot in common, and can spend many hours in each others' company without things being awkward or strange. Since Lucky got her color correction glasses, they have also bonded over photography and lovely mountain views. Clara considers Lucky to be a sister, and will proudly tell people of this connection.
===Current Romantic Relationship===
Josh Grimm
Clara and Josh met 7 years ago working in the same mechanic shop. They didn't fully connect at first, although Clara did feel a spark of attraction at the time. It wasn't until the following year that they realised they had a mutual love of nature and photography. A hang out session taking photos around the island was the start of Clara feeling something stronger. Eventually, they began dating, their first date being on Clara's birthday, and they've been together since. It's not been all smooth sailing but they've managed to find a good flow of communication and balance in their relationship. 5 years ago, Josh proposed to Clara at the top of Mt Josiah, and the two decided to take their time with their engagement, waiting for when they were ready before deciding to get married. Clara could talk for hours about how much they love Josh - they do in their diary certainly - but they usually keep things private. 
==Other Info==
=== Random Facts/Traits ===
* They own a bakery outside of LS, but now run it from the sidelines instead of being hands on. They are considering opening a branch in LS, but after their last attempt failed, they are hesitant. 
* They had a service dog named Mort, who hasn't been brought into LS yet, but Clara intends of flying them in soon. They are in the care of the bakery's co-owner Michael currently. 
* They love to dance and sing in the kitchen when they cook, and they spend a lot of time cooking
* Photography is one of their passions, but so is just being in nature in general. They love to hike, jog, and are very active usually. 
* Clara struggles to sleep alone, and if they are alone, they tend to sleep sitting upright - old habits
* They used to work as a DR, and still hold their doctorate, although they aren't currently certified to work in the state of LS.
===Disabilities/Conditions===
Clara is hard of hearing/deaf, relying on hearing aids to be able to hear anything. They still manage to make music, talk comfortably, but they often need "hearing breaks" where they take off their hearing aids. They know 3 forms of sign: AUSLAN/ASL/BSL, and can change between them with relative ease. 
Clara also has ADHD, diagnosed later in life, and a heart condition and other issues that are direct effects from long term drug addiction. It's been made clear to them that indulging in substances too much could result in serious harm, if not death, so they avoid it. 
=== Gender ===
Clara is Non-Binary, often referring to themselves and Genderfluid - they primarily use they/them pronouns, though sometimes use she/her, or at least don't mind it. They swap between masc and femme presentations on the regular. 
==Gallery (coming soon)==