The diner looked like it had been teleported from the 50s. Today it was garnished with pink and white streamers and colorful clusters of balloons.

Susan was wearing a pink poofy dress, her mother's string of pearls, and her usual white sneakers with the colored beads strung onto the laces. Her hair was flipped out on its ends and she wore a paper headband that read "Birthday Girl" on its glittery pink letters. She too looked like she had teleported in from another time.

The crowd gathered had been dancing, and playing games. Susan had just blown out her candles, and everyone had had cake.

Her father took the floor next to the jukebox. "While you all are enjoying your cake, I promised my baby girl a special dance." He smiled as he hit the button on the jukebox. "Susan..." He beckoned as he held out his hand.

Happy birthday, happy birthday, baby
Oh, I love you so... The jukebox began to sing as Susan made her way to her father and took his hand.

Sixteen candles make a lovely light. But not as bright as your eyes tonight. Blow out the candles, make your wish come true. For I'll be wishing that you love me, too.

Susan danced with her father, her head resting against his chest. She looked very content and very happy. She readjusted, looking up at her dad, and then to her guests, giving a genuine smile to those she locked eyes with.

You're only sixteen. But you're my teenage queen.
You're the prettiest, loveliest girl I've ever seen.
Sixteen candles in my heart will glow. For ever and ever for I love you so.

As the song ended, Susan flashed a smile to her applauding party guests and gave her father a hug. Others took the dance floor now, but Susan sat at her table, sipping from her malt glass and watching the others.

Jason arrived, looking a bit unsure of himself at first, which was quite unusual for such a boy as he. He recognized faces immediately, and felt himself relax, taking in easy breaths and breathing out charming smiles at everyone.

He had Susie's gift tucked under his arm---nothing too forward, just a small chocolate disk in the shape of a record, and a small set of pink bath salts Karissa had said she would like.

"Blimey..." he muttered, taking in the extremely pink atmosphere. But it didn't take him long to find the birthday girl and forget about everything else.

"Sunshine," he greeted her, grinning. "Happy birthday!" he added, handing her the gift.

"The decorations are brilliant---but you look...so beautiful."

"I'm glad you came! You didn't have to bring anything. It's so nice." She smiled. "I wanted to apologize for before. For my brother. And....everything." She blushed.

"You didn't need that." She nodded.

"It's alright. Like I told your brother, I have a sister...I know what it's like." He flashed a bright smile at her, then slid smoothly into the seat across from her.

"What I have missed, then, hm? I would have been here sooner but I hit a bit of a snag with my cousin at home...er...so I do apologize for my tardiness."

"Some dancing, some cake. It's all good. Plenty more fun to be had. Can I get you something to drink? I can cut you some cake if you'd like. Oh, hey Mark."

Mark waved from where he had just walked in, with his arm around his date for the evening...

Destiny walked in with Mark and had a shoe box wrapped in pink wrapping paper in her hands. "Hey Susan, happy birthday!" She smiled at the girl, and handed her the box. It was shoes that were popular in the 50's. She figured every girl liked shoes. "Er, hey Jason." Destiny smiled awkwardly, and bit her lip a little. She had been a bit nervous about going, especially with being a newly turned vampire, but Mark seemed nice and she needed a little wholesome fun. Though she didn't expect to see Jason there.

"Wow Destiny! Thank you!" She smiled. "Jason, this is Mark's date, Destiny, but I guess you two already know each other. I'm so glad we're all friends." She smiled between then.

Jason felt as though his stomach hit the floor. A frenzy of thoughts filled his mind, but he shooed them all away, putting on a bright, charming and typical Jason Jones smile.

"All friends," he repeated with an outward breath, nodding.

"Did you...say something about cake? I love cake...cake...sounds...perfectly...cake-like...."

"Well then we'll get you some." She smiled as she gave him an odd sort of look

"Come on Des, let's dance." Mark replied, pulling Destiny out to the dance floor

"Are you okay?" Susan asked him as she cut a piece of cake from the table it sat on and moved the cake over to a plate for him.

Destiny did the same as Jason. Besides, there was no reason for any of this to feel uncomfortable. They never really officially dated, so they never really broke up either. That's what Destiny told herself anyways as she kept up her enthusiasm for Susan.

"Oh, okay." Destiny nodded somewhat sheepishly, following Mark.

"I'm...super," Jason said, screwing up his face a little.

"I, er...Destiny and I used to...well...we had a thing, sort of. It's just...it doesn't matter, either way, it's all in the past. I simply wasn't expecting to see her here, that's all." He finished with a pleasant smile, then took the cake and had a small bite.

"I'm here for you, so I won't even think about it anymore," he added, his smile growing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize." Susan told him as she cocked her head to the side a bit.

"And don't force her out of your mind on my account. You used to be her beau, she's special to you. I understand." Susan nodded with a sweet smile.

"So, if you need air, I happen to know that my birthday can continue on the patio." She grinned.

Mark spun Destiny around, his lips connecting with her skin just below her ear. "Don't tell me he got to you too...."

Destiny was having fun. She loved dancing. Although Mark had surprised her and she blushed a little in response to his action. But what he said had confused her.

"What do you mean?" Destiny asked him, looking as confused as she was.

"You're sweet, Sunshine," Jason said, giving a crooked, but very small smile.

"I vote change of subject. Your presents. Have you opened any yet, and what's your favorite?" he asked, smirking.

"Favorite presents..." She bit her lip in thought as she breathed out a sigh, the antique pearls strung around her neck giving a quiver as she did so.

"Besides your arrival?" She blushed as she looked up at him.

"You're a charmer too," Jason remarked with a soft laugh.

"That's a comment I often get," he explained.

"I much prefer that title over player," he added, making a bit of a face.

"But the latter is a title I no longer live up to. And with that in mind...Susie, might I have the extreme privilege and honor of having a dance?" he asked, standing up and holding out his hand.

"Wait, wait, no, hold on," he said. "I'll be right back."

He quickly scanned the crowd until he found Susie's father, then approached the man, wearing a small smile.

"Excuse me, Mister Foster? My name is Jason. Might I have your permission to ask your daughter for a dance?"

"It's a new quality, I assure you. I've never been so forward." She nodded.

"I'd be d-what?" She asked, her eyebrows shoot up as she watched him.

Henry looked taken aback at first and then took in a deep breath, looking Jason up and down as if sizing him up. "Certainly." He said after a moment or two.

Susan smiled inwardly and made her way across the floor.

"This is all so ...perfect, but, not how you usually like things." She smiled as she draped her arms over his shoulders, letting them connect behind his neck. There was an amount of fear to be had with Jason. This could all be a ruse. And even if it wasn't, this new place she had found herself in was like uncharted water, and as mentioned before, Susan never learned how to swim.

"I like you," Jason said with a shrug, beaming at her. He ever-so gingerly placed his hands around her middle, taking care to not let them slip too far South, or too far North, either.

"You seem to bring out the gentleman in me more than anyone could ever dream to," he said with a laugh.

"And if I dare be so bold, I'd like to think that this new daring quality of yours...charming...standing up to your brother...comes from some influence on my part," he added, smirking with admiration.

"I believe they call that...bringing out the best in each other, hm?"

She blushed and looked down. And what if it was a decision he grew to regret? If he missed the old him and got sick of playing the perfect gentleman. After all, he had grown used to a different lifestyle, it only made sense that he should crave it back after a while.

Did she like him too? Was it possible after so little time? Or had she fallen into the crazy puddle that day? It was possible, she had slung the water on him too.

"Jeepers.." She grinned and bit her lip once more.

"Jeepers," Jason repeated with a nod, laughing softly.

"So, I uh, I see other boys here," he remarked, smirking. "Are you going to allow each of them a dance as well? Or am I lucky enough to keep you in my arms for the rest of the night?"

"The rest of the night?" Susan blushed. "No. But for the duration of the party...if I danced with someone else, it would break my heart."

"....Does this mean...I'll see you at school? More often?" She asked slowly.

"Er, yes, I uh...i didn't mean it, like that," Jason responded, wrinkling his brow.

"Rest of the night...as in...as you said, the duration of your party. I wouldn't dream...well...I wouldn't...I just, I didn't mean the whole night," he said, breathing out an awkward smile.

"But, yes, yes you'll see me at school, more often, for sure," he concluded, nodding, bobbing his head up and down for longer than what was needed. He felt a rush of excitement inside, a monster of sorts waking up, but he ignored it, and told himself to relax. His brain returned, and he was able to simply enjoy the company once more. It was difficult and new for Jason to look at a girl he liked and not see her simply as flesh. It was that way, however, with Susie. He felt very much inclined to think of her as an actual human being. But his true nature was fighting him all the while.

"If I forget to tell you later, tonight was wonderful." She told him as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Mark didn't look so pleased. He turned an answer the question. "You know, did you fall for him? The way Suz has?"

"Fall for him?" Destiny said, glancing off towards Jason and Susan dancing for a second before she looked back at Mark. "I mean, we went on a few dates but that's it. It wasn't that serious or anything." Destiny answered somewhat quietly as if she didn't want Jason to hear her.

"What? Do you not approve of him for your sister? They look adorable together."

"Happy birthday, Sunshine," Jason responded, smiling as he held her a bit more tightly. He took in her smell and it made something within him stir again, but he warded it off by thinking of something completely random.

David eating spaghetti...Transfiguration class...dinner with my grandparents....

"Are you kidding? The guy is a creep. Susan's never had a boyfriend of any sort. She'll buy into anything he tells her and then he'll have hurt her before he gets the chance to exhale. I'm telling my father after the party. He'll put a stop to that nonsense."

Susan radiated happiness at this new closeness, though her heart sounded like she was running a marathon rather than slow dancing.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Jason." She whispered.

"Mark, chill." Destiny said, surprised. "Are you making your judgment based on the rumors that go around school?" She asked. "Sure, they come from somewhere. But you're acting like the girls had no idea what they were doing." She gave an airy laugh. "Jason may have some lady killer record at school, but you have to look at the girls he's been with. He was perfectly polite to me on our dates. He doesn't just have this one way about things, he goes off what the girl is comfortable with. And from the way he looks at Susan, I don't think he's going to do her and dump her." Destiny said rather bluntly, motioning towards the two slightly without thinking.

"I understand you're a protective brother, and it's fine that you're wary about Susan dating anyone at all but she's growing up and she can make her own decisions. Now if he ends up hurting her, that's when you kill him." She gave a little laugh at herself.

Jason so badly wanted to kiss the beautiful girl in his arms, but he resisted, getting the gut instinct that now was not the time. Kissing Susie would take place when no one else was around, he decided, and only after asking her permission to do so.

He smirked. "Happy Valentines' Day."