<blockquote class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch" data-attributes="member: 11559" data-quote="Captain Cardboard" data-source="post: 440756">
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<div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 26px">Annie, The Hero</span></span>​</div><br/>
As much as she tried, Annie couldn't stop herself from crossing her arms and glaring back at Imogen. Still, she stayed quiet as she watched Imogen get right in Val's face and disparage him, practically shouting him down. And when Imogen struck Val in the head with a wooden spoon, Annie wanted nothing more than to jump across the room and boot the terrible woman out the door into the nearest snowdrift. But instead, Annie settled for clenching her jaw and whitening her knuckles.<br/>
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Val's voice brought Annie out of her seething. The farmgirl exhaled, letting all her anger out in her breath. She turned back to face Val and his father once again, forcing a smile.<br/>
"Um... Right." Annie said, pushing some hair out of her face. "Well, Val told me ya'd be back in town, and ah'd figure ah'd give ya a visit. 'Specially because, well..."<br/>
Annie glanced back to the kitchen, making sure Imogen wasn't hovering in the doorframe. She lowered her voice.<br/>
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"Um... Ah got selected ta go ta White Castle too..." Annie said quietly to Val and Thomas. "So, I'm probably not gonna be in town fer long."<br/>
Annie looked to Val.<br/>
"And yer comin' too, Val." Annie said quietly.<br/>
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<i>I don't care what your mom says...</i><br/>
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"Ahem. Anyway! My folks are doin' just swell. Ma and Pa are still doin' well, and my brothers are still in good health." Annie said cheerfully.
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</blockquote>Val smiled widely as his father beamed.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)"> "That's wonderful Annie! You two care for each other, and I'm so glad your family is well. I've been fighting a cold recently, but I'm fine other than that."</span><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"Dad you should've told me you've been sick! Gawd, you're so stubborn sometimes! You have to take care of everyone around you and not even take care of yourself,"</span>Val scolded his father, glaring at him. Thomas chuckled.<br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">"If I had told him, he wouldn't want to go,"</span>the elder man told Annie,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)"> "and then we'd both be stuck here while you go off on some wonderful adventure." </span><br/>The door opened to reveal Callum, the older boy regarding Annie with disinterest.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(235, 107, 86)"> "Oh, she's here. Mom's gonna be pissed."</span><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"Mom's always pissed, fly off Callum," </span>Val spat. Callum shrugged.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(235, 107, 86)">"Fly off yerself ya mangy brat,"</span>he shoved Valentine on the shoulder.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(235, 107, 86)">"You better be good at that school or where ever you're going off to, otherwise Mom might just scalp you this time. Don't be an embarrassment."</span><br/>Callum gave Annie a nod before going into the kitchen. Imogen's voice raised louder and louder, Callum's joining in to cause a horrible screeching match.<br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">"Ignore it, it's what we do. We're all convinced the only one in this house that Mom likes is herself."</span>