Eli's POV

Clare and I had ventured back out onto the dock, watching the last bit of the sun set. We both had our feet soaking in the cool water of the lake, her hand was in mine. She gently rested her head on my shoulder, and I sighed with content. This was where my life was supposed to be. Clare and I were meant for each other.

"Clare," I whispered softly. "I just want you to know that you are the most amazing girl I know. I know the last couple of months I haven't been the best person for you to be around, but right now, I feel so right. I feel like I am in a great spot in my life, and it's because we are together right now. I think we should put the past behind us, and see where the future takes us. I want you to be mine again. I want to be yours. Life isn't right without us being together, and I think you know that."

She said nothing. Maybe she didn't feel the same way. I swallowed hard. "Clare?"

I felt something wet on my shirt. I turned to Clare, who was wiping at her eyes. "Clare, what's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" My heart was pounding; I had made her cry. All I needed was to say something wrong.

She looked up at me, her blue eyes watering more. "No, Eli. You keep saying the right things. You have made me so happy today. I think I'm falling back in love with you, and honestly the reason I'm crying is because it's scaring me. I don't want to lose this feeling."

I sighed with relief, and I put my arm around her, holding her close to me. "Don't be scared. What we have is real, and nothing can change the feeling. We just have to take a risk."

I could feel her nod her head against my chest.

"So does this mean that we are back together, then?" I asked cautiously.

"Hey guys! We are about to light the bonfire!" Drew called out loudly to us.

Clare broke free from my embrace. She put her hand on my face, caressing it softly. "Come on, we'll miss the marshmallows."

I watched her get to her feet and walk slowly towards the others. I remained sitting for a moment, evaluating what just happened. She left me hanging. Slightly frustrated, I leapt to my feet and followed her to the fire.

The fire was hot and crackling. Drew and K.C. both had beers in their hands, laughing at each other's jokes. Jenna, Katie, Marisol, and Bianca were getting sticks ready to roast marshmallows. Adam was softly strumming Jenna's guitar.

"Hey, so where are Jake and Imogen?" Drew asked everyone.

Jenna and Katie looked at each other, and then at Clare.

"What?" Clare asked, looking a bit startled.

"Aren't you concerned about Jake and Imogen and what they could be doing right now?" Marisol inquired.

Clare shrugged. "Not really. If they want to make fools out of themselves, I don't really have any say."

Marisol raised her eyebrows and shot Clare a look that said she was impressed.

"Eli, can you get us another round of beers?" K.C. called out. Clare rolled her eyes and turned to me. "As long as you're not drinking, right Eli?"

I smirked. Clare was always my keeper. "Of course not. I'll be right back." I gave her a quick peck on her forehead, and I rose to my feet to get the gentlemen another round of brews.

I walked in the cabin, and I noticed it was very quiet. I opened up the fridge to see what kind of alcohol was still present. All of sudden I heard a door shut hard and heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned around to see Jake pull his shirt over his head, and he was buttoning his jeans. He froze when he saw me smirking at him. His face turned scarlet.

"Dude, it's not what you think." He muttered, pushing past me.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I said sarcastically.

He turned to face me; his eyes were slit with fury. "You know, if you would have just shown the girl up there just a little respect, she wouldn't be as fucked up as she is."

I backed away looking confused. "Uh, I don't know what you are talking about, Jake."

Jake shook his head in frustration. "Never mind, you just don't get it. Neither you nor Clare understand what Imogen and I are going through right now." He turned away from me, about to go outside.

I felt familiar heat creep up my chest to my face. I was going to blow, but I had to keep calm. "You are so wrong, Jake. I know what it feels like to want and desire someone I didn't think I could have. I pined after Clare for a whole semester because she was with YOU. I had to tell her that you loved her! Do you realize how much it killed me to say that? So excuse me for being happy tonight, but I think I've suffered enough at your expense. And not to point out the obvious, Jake, but you broke up with Clare. You broke her heart, so you can't turn this around on her."

Jake hesitated at the door. "You need to talk to Imogen. She's not right." He said quietly as he pulled open the door and walked out.

I ran my hand through my hair. What a mess. I walked up the stairs to the room Imogen was in. My fingers wrapped around the knob of the door, but I didn't turn it. I yanked my hand away from the doorknob and turned to walk back downstairs.

"Just do this, Eli," I thought out loud.

I walked back to the door and knocked on it. "Imogen, it's Eli. We need to talk." I called out.

No reply.

I grasped the doorknob and slowly opened the door. Imogen was sitting on the bed, her back to me. She was just clad in her bra and underwear. What the hell had Jake done?

I carefully put my hand on her bare shoulder. "Imogen, are you okay?"

She looked at me, her eyes were streaked with a mixture of tears and mascara. She smiled at me, but it was a sad smile.

"Eli Goldsworthy. You are finally here with me." Her eyes looked slightly out of focus. I could tell she wasn't in her right mind. She put out her arms as if she wanted a hug.

I coughed uncomfortably. "Um, Imogen, we need to talk, but I'm not so sure that tonight is the best time."

"All I want is for you to talk to me," she countered, a bit of resentment in her voice. "I'm well enough to talk now. So talk."

I looked for her shirt, which was on the ground beside Jake's desk. I picked it up and handed it to her as I took a seat beside her. She slipped it back on with some difficulty.

"I just want you to know that there are no hard feelings between us, okay?" I said softly.

Her wandering eyes snapped back into focus. "No hard feelings? No hard feelings? Are you kidding me?"

She put her hands on my chest, and she pushed me down on the bed. She put all of her weight on me so I wasn't able to get up right away. She smirked at me from above.

"No, Eli, there aren't hard feelings between us. The feelings that I have for you are rock hard. I wish I could make you pay for what you have done to me, but I, unfortunately, love you; with all of my being. Without fail, my heart bleeds for you."

"Imogen, you don't know what you are saying; you're out of your mind right now."

She laughed almost insanely. "You're right, Eli. I am out of my mind. But I've never felt so right."

With that, her lips came crashing down on mine. She tasted of vodka, and it made me gag. I pushed her roughly off of me with almost too much force.

"What are you doing?" I yelled. I leapt to my feet and wiped my face. "Stay away from me tonight, Imogen. I can't talk to you when you are like this!" I headed for the door.

"Don't leave me!" she cried, and she threw herself at the door, blocking my way so I couldn't leave the room.

I looked down at the floor, impatiently. "Imo, get out of my way." I said coldly.

She crumbled to the ground, shaking her head and sobbing. "No. Don't leave. Please, don't leave me like this! I love you, I love you!"

I grabbed the doorknob and pried the door open. Imogen laid against the wall as dead weight as I stepped over her body. She grasped my leg as one last desperate attempt to get me to stay.

I gently pulled my leg out of her hands. My heart shattered as I left her pathetically sobbing on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Imo," I said quietly as I walked down the stairs to rejoin my friends.

Clare's POV

"Where the hell is your boyfriend?" Drew asked me. "He never brought us our beer."

Eli had been gone for quite a while, and I was starting to get worried. When Jake came out to join us, he looked beyond mad. He was dangerously silent; I knew that he had run into Eli. I didn't say anything to him, but now it just felt strange that Eli still wasn't out here.

"What did you say to him, Jake?" I snapped.

Everyone fell silent as I stared at Jake accusingly.

Jake didn't say anything for a while.

"Well?" I asked impatiently.

Every single eye was staring at the two of us now. He noticed this, and it made him uncomfortable.

"I told him he needed to talk to Imogen," he muttered quietly.

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. "What?"

"She's not okay, Clare." he snapped.

"I know she's not okay, Jake. What makes you think that Eli talking to her while she's inebriated will make her any better?"

With a huff, I rose to my feet and ran inside to find Eli.

Eli, to my relief, was sitting at the bottom of the stairs. His head was in his hands; his eyes were red.

I put my arm around him comfortingly.

"She's a mess, Clare. I think I really hurt her, and I never meant for her to feel so strongly about me. She's got problems, and I think it's because of me. I've been horrible to her, and it's coming back to bite me in the ass."

"It's not your fault, Eli. She was unstable when she met you, and she's unstable now. She manipulated you, remember?"

He nodded silently. "I know. I just want to make it right between her and me."

"You'll have a chance once she's sober. You can't talk to her while she's belligerent."

Eli arose to his feet and swept me into a strong embrace. "I love you, Clare Edwards. I always have, and I always will." He took my breath away as he kissed me hard on my lips. I thought my smile would never go away as he slipped out of my grasp. He grabbed the three beers I'm sure that were for the boys and headed out the door.

Completely swept off my feet, I threw myself onto the couch. I sighed deeply and smiled to myself. Eli and I had to be together. I wanted to be his girlfriend again.

I suddenly heard footsteps coming down the stairs. They were loud and sloppy, like someone was shuffling their feet. For some reason, I made myself sink deep into the couch. Imogen came stumbling down the stairs. She didn't notice me as she peered around the corner to check if anyone was watching her. My eyebrows rose. What was she up to?

She crept sloppily into the other room, as I followed her intently. All of our coats and things were in this room. She picked up someone's jacket and fumbled around for something. There was a jingling of keys.

"What do you think you are doing?" I made myself known.

Startled, drunk Imogen spun on her heel to face me. "None of your business, Clare Edwards." She slurred.

"You being in here with other people's belongings is my business, Imogen. What's in your hand?" I interrogated.

She revealed a set of car keys dangling from her hands. My heart beat sped up.

"What are you doing with those?"

Without another word, Imogen ran through me, knocking me to the floor. She opened the front door, still with the car keys in her hand.

"Imogen!" I screamed. I scrambled off the floor and ran after the drunk girl, praying she wasn't in a car yet.

A/N: Hey thanks for a little more reviews. I'm trying to make Imogen a character who one can empathize with. I don't hate Imogen on the show; I just don't like her with Eli. I hope they reveal why she does the things she does on Degrassi later. Please review Makes my hour of writing worthwhile.