He still has it memorized, almost to the hour. She's mentioned it enough times since they met, always finding it funny that she was born exactly on midday. Jackson used to tease her, saying she was just that particular about everything, even as an infant. She would simply give him one of her looks; the 'I'm not amused- well, actually I am, but you don't get to know that'. He lived for those looks, even if no one else knew it.
She absently wonders if Allison will return the favor and decorate her locker. She's mentioned it in passing, but things have been so crazy lately that she doesn't expect anyone to remember, especially not her. Everyone and their mother is too preoccupied with… well, take your pick; her two day hike in the woods, Jackson's freak out and the fact that they still were not back together, the mysterious broken mirror in the pool, and the fact that Erica seems to have replaced her as the Queen Bee. She pretends not to care though. Nothing phases the great Lydia Martin.
Much to her surprise, she finds not only balloons, but a hand written "Happy Birthday, Lydia!" sign across her locker. It makes her smile. The sign is signed Allison in the corner, and just that would have been enough to get her through first period. When she opens her locker, she finds a few cards- one from Stiles, with a Reese's attached to it (he even went so far as to buy her the King size, with three instead of just two), one from Scott (though it looks like Allison picked it out and he just signed it) and a few others here and there. Nothing special. She doesn't expect him to give her a card, or anything really, so her disappointment isn't even well placed. They broke up, and he had made it perfectly clear they were not getting back together.
It wasn't until her last period of the day- the class she hated most of all- that she found it, wedged between the first page of the book and the cover. She opens it while the teacher has his back turned, reading it over. Its not a funny card like Stiles' was, in an attempt to make her smile. Its not a best friend card like Allison's was. Its thoughtful and almost poetic, if it weren't for the fact that it was a birthday card. She instantly knows who its from, though he's doing his absolute best to keep his eyes away from her. She closes it with a very soft smile and puts it into her purse. She'll wedge it between her mirror and its frame when she gets home, where all of her important pictures and cards are, though the theme of it seems to be the two of them. She sighs, almost happily as she glances over at him one more time. This time he's looking at her. He simply nods.
Once the bell rings, she wastes almost no time going to her locker, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. She would have to fit in a birthday dinner with her father and a birthday dessert with her mother all while managing to finish her homework as well, and try and get to see Allison before the night ended. Her mind is wrapped up in far too much to notice anything until she closes her locker. At first she starts, shaking her head.
"You know I hate surprises." She says, dropping her eyes to her purse so she can fish for her keys. They start to walk in silence, Jackson's hands stuffed in his pockets as she searches her bag. "I thought I wasn't your responsibility anymore." Her voice is cold, and he knows he deserves it.
"You aren't." Damn it. That wasn't supposed to come out. She scoffs and starts walking faster. "Lydia, wait." He stops her and she turns to face him. "Lydia, I… I'm sorry for how I acted the other day. I was just…" He trails off, but she knows what he's trying to say. She always knows. "But its your birthday. And I know you're probably going to have to have some really awkward dinner with both your parents or something, and… I just figured you could use a little help." She doesn't say anything for a second or two. "And… even if you didn't, I know how much you hate that class. So…" She bites her lip, looking to the side, then her shoes, then the floor, and then back up at him.
"My dad is picking me up in two hours. Meet me at my house," is all she says before turning back around and heading toward her car.
She doesn't get to see Allison after dessert is over. Jackson doesn't go home. For the first time in what seems like forever, things are back to normal. That was the only thing she had wished for that morning.
