“Yep.” Jenny nodded her head as she looked around the table and eyed the hushed conversations going on between the two pairs. She stood up and walked towards a smiling Shane and an impatient Alice. “Let’s go.” She smiled. They were able to make it a few steps away from their table when a loud voice made the two members of F4 stop dead in their tracks. “Ow!” Jenny exclaimed as she bumped into Shane. “What?” She asked as she slowly followed the brunette’s line of vision.

“What do we have here?” Melvin Porter smirked as he stood behind Bette and Tina’s chairs. He had been in a meeting all day and had just arrived at his daughter’s party at this very minute. He eyed the blonde sitting in front of him and sneered. “You must be Miss Kennard.” He smiled tightly at Tina. Bette immediately tensed and stood up from her chair. “Daddy.” She warned as she met her father’s eyes. Helena and Sam followed Bette’s lead and stood up as well. Time stood on a standstill as both Porters eyed each other down, neither one willing to back off.

Tina finally recovered after a few moments. She cleared her throat and stood up from her seat. “Pleased to meet you Mr. Porter. I’m Tina Kennard.” She smiled nervously as she extended her hand.

Melvin barely hid his contempt as he looked down on the offered hand. “So you’re my daughter’s new.. friend.” He scoffed as he made a show of stuffing his hands inside his pockets. Tina turned a little red in embarrassment as she slowly withdrew her rebuked hand. Melvin eyed Tina up and down disgust. If this girl isn’t a conniving gold digger, I don’t know what is, he thought as he observed Tina’s revealing wardrobe.

Bette stood in front of Tina and blocked the blonde from her father’s judging eyes. She knew just what he was thinking. “Don’t do this daddy.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Why Elizabeth?” Melvin mocked. “What is this girl to you?” He dared his daughter. Tina, as well as the members of F4 and their friends, held their breaths as they awaited for Bette’s next words. C’mon Porter, Alice cheered inside her head, stand up to the devil.

“She’s..” Bette started as she grabbed for Tina’s hand behind her back. “..the most important person in my life.” She finished with a smirk as her dad lifted a surprised eyebrow in her direction. He didn’t expect her to blatantly display and say out loud her feelings in front of other people. Like him, she was always so careful in showing her emotions, other than anger, in public. Well, not anymore. She smiled at her father as she began to pull Tina away. “Now if you’ll excuse us daddy, we would like to dance.” She said nonchalantly over her shoulder. “Oh.” She stopped a few feet away and looked back at her speechless father. “You haven’t greeted me yet.” She lifted an eyebrow.

Melvin let out an amused breath as he recovered his bearings. You win this round, he scoffed inwardly. “Happy birthday Elizabeth.” He smiled stiffly at his smug looking daughter. He turned around and walked rigidly away as Bette’s friends clapped and jeered silently behind his back.

“Bravo Bette.” Sam smiled from ear to ear as she winked at her best friend. In your face Uncle Luc, she laughed inwardly as she eyed Bette and Tina walking together towards the stage.

“The most important?” Tina fished as she raised an eyebrow at Bette, her cheeks matched the color of her dress now.

“The most important.” Bette nodded her head. “Or do you prefer, ‘the person that I love more than my selfish self’, instead?” She smiled from ear to ear as she stood on the dance floor and pulled Tina’s body near.

tbc..