As much as he wanted for Imogen’s friends to approve of him and of their relationship, he knew he wouldn’t lose any sleep if they never came around. Imogen was the only one whose opinion actually mattered. And the fact that she was standing in front of him right now, and not Luke was enough for him to know what her thoughts on him were. It would be easier if everyone else approved, but he wouldn’t let the people who didn’t see him as more than the rebound guy affect what he had fought so hard for. He told himself that he was going to make this work, no matter what he had to do. The doe eyed girl in front of him was worth it.
She had been his best friend, and now she was more than that. It almost seemed too cliched to be true. But it was. They had fought so many times, but -for him- it had always been about him wanting what was best for her, and her not seeing that that wasn’t Luke. He didn’t know for sure that it was him, either. But he was determined to make it so that he was. He honestly still couldn’t figure out what everyone else had seen in Luke and why they were so damn determined for Imogen to stay with him. All everyone could talk about was how great Luke was and how terrible Jake was, and he didn’t see it. Sure, he could see why they’d be hesitant after his reputation, but none of that explained their affinity for Luke. He didn’t know if Imogen just kept all of hers and Luke’s problems from her other friends, or if they chose to ignore his flaws because he looked like a washed up Backstreet Boy. But he knew that, deep down, Imogen wasn’t truly happy with Luke, and he hoped beyond hope that she could be happy with him. That was all that really mattered to him.
The kiss was different from their previous one. It was more electric and driven. Plus, as far as he knew, she didn’t have someone else to run off to be with. It felt good and there was an essence of comfort that laced her lips that drew him in, wanting more of her. But she pulled back and he looked at her, terrified that she was going to take off again, but she just whispered her confession and he chuckled before putting the joint back in his pocket, “Yeah?” he asked, “This is much better than smoking it would have been,” he told her before leaning in and pressing their lips together, again.
Imogen had never been open with her issues with Luke. Sure, she was close with Bianca and Fiona, but she could never open up with some of the things Luke did. And for a time, Imogen herself didn't really care about the issues, nor did she see them. For Imogen, Luke was always stable. No matter how much of a jackass he could be, he was reliable. Not that Jake wasn't, but still, he already proved to her that in a state of unrest he'd flee and with her life, the way things were with her dad and with Natalie, Imogen needed someone who would be there always. It was selfish, and she was ashamed of it, but she needed someone who was there for her. But standing there with Jake, it was stupid to think she'd doubted him because of this other fear: that if she opened herself up to him that'd he'd leave her like everyone else had in the past.
She felt herself be swept away in his kiss, wanting desperately to melt into him. In the haze of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder how she'd kept herself away all this time. She'd kissed him once, and that feeling of her senses awakening had happened, and somehow she'd fled him, it was crazy. How had she even left him after a kiss like that? When she gasped for air, her eyes sparkled when she saw him put the joint back in his pocket. Imogen's heart skipped a beat at his words, and her cheeks burned. Leaning back into his kiss, ready to be swept away once again, her mind played the cruelest trick of them all. Just before his lips connected with her's, all she could see was Luke's face - hurt, defeated, betrayed... the face he'd worn at the dance, when he'd broken up with her. Jake's lips hit her's and for a second she stood there like a dead fish, unable to shake the image. Pulling back, she looked down at their shoes, the guilt flooding her to the brim. She had to talk to Luke. She had to apologize.
Unable to look Jake in the eye for a moment, she looked over at his tomato plants, trying to regain her composure. "Sorry." Her voice was quiet, and she realized she was about to cry and shut her eyes for a minute, regrouping. "I'm really sorry, I just... I have to go, I'm sorry." She finally looked at him, guilt etching her features and then she looked back down at the ground.