Imogen, Obviously Ending Explained: The Rain Reunion and Self-Discovery Climax

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

What Happens at the End of Imogen, Obviously? A Literal Account

In the final chapters, Imogen Scott returns home after a tumultuous week at Blackwell College. She lies in bed mentally defending her right to question her sexuality, examines her face in selfie mode, packs away a pink teddy bear, and checks a social media post. Seeing Tessa’s pictures triggers a sudden, undeniable realization: she has strong feelings for Tessa. Imogen dashes into a storm, and her sister Edith helps her escape. At the Birkett Mills in Penn Yan, Imogen and Tessa reunite in the rain. Both apologize for not texting. Tessa admits fear of overstepping; Imogen describes the disorienting “afterward” feeling of their earlier kiss. Tessa reassures her that she doesn’t kiss “like a straight girl.” They kiss again, and Imogen feels boundless and earnest, finally accepting her queer identity. Later in Tessa’s car, after thirty minutes of kissing and texting, Kayla texts asking if they are girlfriends. Playful banter about prom dates and girlfriend qualities leads Imogen to declare she wants to be Tessa’s girlfriend, and Tessa enthusiastically agrees. The narrative ends there; the final two chapters are promotional back matter.

The Climax: The Rain Reunion at Birkett Mills

The emotional climax occurs in Chapter 60, when Imogen runs into a storm to find Tessa. This scene resolves the central tension: Imogen’s internal conflict between performing as a straight ally and embracing her own queerness. Her decision to physically pursue Tessa—despite the rain, despite her fear—marks a turning point. The kiss, described as “boundless and earnest,” cements her acceptance. Tessa’s line “I don’t kiss like a straight girl” directly refutes Imogen’s earlier doubts and allows her to claim a queer identity without needing further permission.

Major Character Outcomes

Resolved and Unresolved Threads

Resolved:

• Imogen’s questioning of her sexuality: She concludes she is queer (not straight) and acts on her feelings.
• The romantic tension between Imogen and Tessa: They become girlfriends.
• Imogen’s performance as “bi” for Lili’s lie: She no longer needs to pretend; her identity is real.
• The guilt over the lie: By coming out to Tessa and accepting herself, Imogen stops lying to others.

Unresolved:

• Imogen’s coming out to her parents and the wider family. The story ends before she has that conversation.
• The full reconciliation with Gretchen: While Gretchen texts apologies, the novel does not show a face-to-face repair.
• Lili’s fabricated backstory (saying she and Imogen dated in high school): The lie is never publicly corrected, though Imogen’s true feelings override its importance.
• Whether Imogen adopts a specific label (e.g., bi, pan, queer) or remains unlabeled. She uses “queer” in her own mind but never formally labels herself.

Theme Resolution

Self-discovery and queer identity are the novel’s primary arcs. Imogen moves from a place of feeling like an invader in queer spaces to owning her own place. The rain reunion literalizes her leap into the unknown.

Compulsory heterosexuality is addressed when Imogen realizes her past attractions to girls were real, not roleplay. The book reframes her previous straight identity as a comfortable default she now sheds.

Authenticity vs. performance reaches its climax when Imogen stops “going along” with Lili’s narrative and acts on her true feelings. The girlfriend declaration is a moment of pure authenticity.

Friendship and belonging evolve: Imogen’s friendships with Lili and Gretchen are tested but remain intact; she gains a new sense of belonging within the queer community she once feared would reject her.

Queer community and allyship is redefined. Imogen begins as a “straight ally” and ends as a full participant. Gretchen’s earlier gatekeeping is challenged, and the novel suggests that queer spaces need room for questioning and uncertain identities.

The “Epilogue” (Chapters 63–64)

The book’s final story content ends with Chapter 62. Chapters 63 (Back Ad) and 64 (About the Publisher) are marketing and informational pages with no narrative events. They serve as a paratextual closing, reinforcing the novel’s context as a published YA work.

Reasonable Interpretations of the Ending

• Imogen’s identity is fluid: The novel avoids giving her a firm label, emphasizing that she doesn’t need one to be valid.
• The reunion is symbolic: The rain and the storm represent Imogen’s emotional turmoil; running into the storm shows her willingness to embrace chaos and vulnerability.
• Tessa’s role as a patient guide: Tessa never pressures Imogen, allowing her to arrive at her own conclusion—a stark contrast to the performance Imogen felt compelled to maintain.
• The girlfriend declaration is a reclaiming of agency: Imogen, who spent the book feeling passive and reactive, actively asks for the relationship.

6 Reader Questions About the Ending

1. Does Imogen end up with Tessa?
Yes. Imogen declares she wants to be Tessa’s girlfriend in Chapter 62, and Tessa enthusiastically says yes. They share kisses and text banter, solidifying the relationship.

2. Does Imogen ever come out to her parents?
No. The novel ends before Imogen has a conversation with her family. In Chapter 56 she briefly considers it, but the final scenes focus on her relationship with Tessa, leaving that moment for the reader’s imagination.

3. Does Imogen choose a label for her sexuality?
Not explicitly. She internally identifies as queer and rejects the idea that she needs a specific label. The narrative supports the idea that questioning and uncertainty are valid.

4. What happens with Gretchen?
Gretchen sends apology texts after a heated confrontation (Chapter 58). Imogen is angry but open to reconnection. The book does not show them fully reconciling, leaving their friendship in a fragile, healing state.

5. Is the lie about Lili’s coming-out story ever resolved?
The lie (that Lili and Imogen dated) is no longer relevant once Imogen embraces her own identity. Tessa and the other friends understand the truth without it being formally exposed. The lie dissolves organically.

6. Is there a sequel or cliffhanger?
No. The story concludes with Imogen and Tessa as girlfriends, and Imogen’s internal journey is complete. The back-to-school and coming-out-to-family threads are intentionally left open, but the emotional arc is satisfied.