Even after Imogen's manipulation and evil plotting I still love her.
I also still ship Clare/Imogen
and I ain't even mad.(;
This takes place in U Don't Know Part 1.
Since I am Stephen Stohn disguised as a teenager girl, I do in fact own Degrassi and do not have to write a cleverly witty disclaimer to amuse you all.
Clare wasn't sure when she would regret agreeing to help Imogen but she knew she would eventually. That girl was trouble and trouble wasn't something that she needed in her life right now, especially after her messy split with Eli. Imogen would just add even more problems to the drama that was her stupid, pathetic life.
Ring, Ring, Ring!
Clare was snapped out of her thoughts by the repetitive sounds of her cellphone. She flopped onto her bed and snatched up her phone, checking the number to see if she wanted to ignore or answer the call.
Unknown.
Clare raised a questioning eyebrow. Who could that be? The cautious part of her brain nagged at her to just ignore the call while the more adventurous, brave part of her mind – that had been active more and more recently – told her that it was just a phone call and there was nothing to worry about.
Clare hit the green call button, "Hello?"
"Clare Edwards! Your books are so boring!"
Imogen Moreno.
Somewhere in the back of head the cautious voice was cackling maniacally.
"Imogen? How did you get my number?" Clare asked uncomfortably.
"I have my ways." Clare could practically feel Imogen's smirk through the phone.
"Are these ways legal?"
"That depends on who you ask!" Imogen giggled.
In other words, whatever it was, it was against the law.
"Not to be rude or anything but why are you calling me?" Clare questioned bluntly. Talking to crazy, nutty Imogen was not high on her list of things to do.
"Oh! I almost forgot why I called you. You're just so much fun to talk to!" Imogen chirped.
"Gee, thanks."
"Oh! You're very welcome!"
Clare made a mental note to teach Imogen about a little thing called sarcasm.
"... So?"
"So what?" Imogen asked curiously.
Clare was tempted to hang up the phone, "Why did you call me?"
"Oops, sorry! I tend to get distracted sometimes. I called to tell you to look out your window!"
… What?
Clare jumped from her bed and stumbled to the window. Outside was Imogen, waving wildly with a grin on her face.
Imogen made some hand motions that Clare assumed meant to open the window.
Was it too late to draw the curtains and act like she wasn't home?
Imogen was screaming out Clare's name. She could hear it through the thick plexiglass.
Yeah, it was too late.
Clare begrudgingly opened the window, "How did you know where I live?"
"The same way I got your phone number!"
"Illegally?"
Imogen smiled, "You know me so well!"
"Why are you here, Imogen?" Clare asked tiredly, reaching up and rubbing her temples in irritation. She was starting to regret agreeing to help Imogen, just like she knew she would.
"Huh? I can't hear you!"
"Why are you here?" Clare called louder.
"I still can't hear you! Come outside and talk to me!
Clare sighed. "I'm kind of busy..."
"Really? You don't look busy. Please Clare? I need this. I need you." Imogen begged. Clare couldn't help but think about how similar Imogen and Eli were. They were both intense and needy and just... unsettling at times.
"... Fine."
Another thing Eli and Imogen have in common, Clare can't say no to them.
"Awesome! Clare, I owe you!"
"I haven't said yes to you or whatever you want me to do. I'm just agreeing to come out and hear your request." Clare warned before shutting the window with a loud slam and turning her back on Imogen.
That girl was going to be the death of her...
Clare found herself stopping in front of the mirror. Why should she care what she looks like? She's just going to talk to Imogen, it's not like it's Jake or anything!
No matter how stupid she feels, Clare doesn't fight the force that pulls her towards the closet. She strips of her pajamas and throws on an extra flattering pair of jeans and a blouse that accents her attractive figure.
This is a really cute outfit, the kind she would wear on a first date with a boy. It worries Clare for a second before she shakes some sense into herself. There is nothing wrong with a caring about what she looks like! Alli gets all dressed up wherever she goes! She's just acting like any normal teenage girl!
That cautious voice in the back of her head is pestering her again.
Clare goes to the bathroom and brushes her teeth and combs her hair. She's having a bad hair day and the poofy mess of red curls framing her face is bothering her quite a bit. She grabs a cute headband to push a few stubborn ringlets out of her eyes. She smiles at her reflection before rushing out of her room and down the stairs.
When Clare opens the door she finds Imogen standing there with a blinding smile on her face. The first thing she realizes is that she looks really pretty.
It's not wrong to find another girl pretty, is it?
No! She finds a bunch of celebrities and other girls pretty!
Imogen, though, looks really, really pretty.
Her hair is in a complex bun pulled back with a white headband, her pretty face accented with a light amount of makeup. She's wearing a cute sundress with a jean jacket covering her arms with some white flip-flops on her feet. Pretty pink polish paints her fingernails and toes.
"So, do I look like you?" Imogen asked with a twirl.
"You look beautiful." The words were out of Clare's mouth before she cold stop them. She felt her cheeks flood with color, then realized that Imogen's face was taking on the shade of a ripened strawberry.
"Really? You think so?"
"Y-Yeah." Clare stuttered before mentally cursing herself for committing so many blunders in less then a minute.
"You're so sweet!" Imogen squealed.
Imogen flung her arms around Clare's neck, giggling happily.
Oh my...
Clare could feel the warmth radiating from Imogen's body, her hot breath ghosting across her neck. Honestly, it wasn't the most unpleasant thing in the world. It was actually quite comforting. She found herself hesitantly wrapping her arms around the method actresses slim waist.
This wasn't a friend hug, at least it didn't seem that way to Clare, more intimate...
Clare started to mentally slap herself. No! Bad thoughts!
"Uh, Clare? You're kinda cutting off my circulation." Imogen wheezed, squirming against Clare's tight grasp.
If Clare hadn't been obviously blushing before, she was now. She let go and pushed Imogen away so quickly you'd think she was on fire. The brunette fell backwards and landed on her butt with a surprised squeak.
"Oh my gosh! Imogen, I'm so sorry!" Clare immiedatly apologized as she rushed to the fallen girl's side. She felt so bad even though it was completely obvious that Imogen was okay. She had almost hurt her because of a stupid hug...
"It's fine. It's not your fault, but I have to ask you, did I do something wrong? You pushed me away like I had some contagious disease." Imogen joked awkwardly, brushing the dirt off her sundress.
"No, it has nothing to do with you. I just have some stuff on my mind." Clare lied.
"What kind of stuff? I've been told that I'm a great listener."
"Stuff that's none of your business!" Clare snapped.
She regretted it at the utterly heartbroken look on Imogen's face, "Oh..."
"Look, I'm sorry. I just don't want to talk about."
"I understand." Imogen's frown vanished almost as quickly as it came, "So, let's go to The Dot!"
"What? Why?" Clare wanted to get away from Imogen as soon as possibly. She wasn't very comfortable with these sudden feelings...
"Well, if I'm going to be Clara in the play then I need to get to know you better! I really want to impress Eli and you're just what I need!"
So, Clare was being used to help Imogen could hook up with Eli.
Ouch.
"I am nothing like Clara..." Clare grumbled as the two started their walk towards The Dot. She certainly wasn't looking forward to the whole school thinking she was some kind of prostitute after Eli's stupid play.
"Clara's just misunderstood."
"No, she's a floozy."
"You think too low of youself."
"I have perfectly reasonably self-esteem, Clara doesn't. We're two different people!" Clare was getting flustered, her cheeks flushing with rage. "I don't even see why you're studying me."
"How else could I get to know you?"
Clare stopped walking, her eyes widening in surprise, "Excuse me?"
Imogen didn't seem to understand, "I need to know how I can win over Eli! What advice could be better then advice from his ex-girlfriend?"
Oh.
Why did Clare feel her heart sinking?
"That's... That's what I thought you meant..."
D e g r a s s i
Imogen and Clare had been sitting at a booth in The Dot for the past three hours as they snacked on an order of cheese fries. They had been growing increasingly comfortable with each other til they reached the point where it almost seemed like they'd been best friends for years. Imogen had picked up a few tips for her Clara audition and gained a new friend in the process making her even more bubbly and excited then usual.
"I'm having so much fun," Clare giggled as she popped a cold french fry in her mouth. "the most I've had in weeks!"
"You know, I think you might be the first real friend I've made at Degrassi."
"That's hard to believe."
"Not many people like me. They think I'm weird..." Imogen frowned as she toyed with a fallen lock of chocolate hair.
"Yeah, because you're not weird at all." Clare laughed.
"Clare Edwards! Is that sarcasm I detect?" Imogen questioned in fake offense.
"Yes! Finally! You haven't got any of my sarcasm this whole night!"
"I'm a little slow, okay? No need to be so mean!" Imogen said, using sarcasm for the first time that night.
"I'm honest, not mean."
"Yeah, whatever Clara..."
"I am not Clara! Haven't you heard? I'm Saint Clare! Emphasis on the saint part!"
"You're not that much of a saint." Imogen shrugged.
"Oh really? And why do you think that?"
"If I kissed you, you'd kiss me back. I don't think the kids at school would find that very safe and saintly..."
Silence.
Clare felt her breath hitch in her throat.
"It's okay," Imogen smiled, "I'd kiss you back."
More silence.
Clare's palms started sweating, her heart thrashed wildly against her ribcage.
When did the conversation turn to a discussion about their sexuality?
Clare opened her mouth to speak - either something defending her like of boys or maybe an unintelligable chain of sounds – when Imogen leaned over the table and did the unthinkable.
Imogen kissed Clare.
On the mouth.
In front of everyone in The Dot.
Imogen's lips were soft and tasted faintly and pepsi and salty cheese, a surprisingly delicious and comforting taste. Clare found herself in a state of shock as Imogen's tiny fingers reached up and played with one of her auburn curls, smiling against the sudden kiss.
Clare was having a mental battle inside her head as she fought between pushing Imogen away or responding.
Imogen ran her tongue across Clare's bottom lip.
Clare mentally shrugged. The damage was already done, she might as well play along with it. She reached up and cupped Imogen's rosy cheeks in her hands before responding timidly to the kiss.
The two continued to kiss for a few more moments, hovering above the table as the people around them slowly began to realize that there were two girls kissing in the middle of The Dot. Soon Imogen and Clare broke apart to fill their lungs with much needed oxygen.
"I think I might need to brush up a bit on my kissing abilities if I'm going to do Clara any justice," Imogen murmured before leaning back in and kissing the ex-girlfriend of her current crush again.
Strangely, neither of them seemed to care.