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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, started as a day of celebration

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, started as a day of celebration.

Ana Thompson woke up late that morning, one year older than the day before. After finally rolling out of bed, she'd spoken to her parents back in Texas, who both wished her a happy birthday. Then, she spent the rest of the day lounging around the house and doing whatever she pleased. Mostly reading, watching the occasional rerun on television, all while donning the same oversized sweatshirt she'd woken up in.

Continuing through her usual Sunday evening routine, Ana had moseyed into the local burger joint at 6:00 PM sharp and was greeted with a chorus of happy birthday from the patrons and owner. Benny had even baked her a special chocolate cake, delivering it to the table before announcing, "thirty-one. Guess it's time for you to settle down."

She snorted at the assumption that conforming to expectations was ever a part of the plan. "Not if I can help it," she dismissed while sending him a wink.

She'd received a similar greeting from the bar crowd upon arrival, before quickly seating herself next to Hopper at the countertop. "This for me?" She'd questioned, gesturing towards the second beer resting next to the one he was currently sipping on. "You shouldn't have," she said and took it without waiting for a reply.

"Figured it was the least I could do for the birthday girl. How does it feel to be getting old?" His smirk was contagious even if his words were jeering and she bit her lip to temporarily hide the amusement she felt.

"You'd know all about getting old, wouldn't you?" She shot back even if the offense at being called 'old' was feigned.

"I'm hurt, Thompson," he said, placing his right hand over his heart in mock injury. Obviously, the age difference had been noted, even if it was never explicitly commented on, but it didn't seem to matter much.

"Wounded, I'm sure," was her sarcastic response as she sipped casually on the beer he'd graciously bought for her.

"We properly celebrating tonight? None of this two beer maximum for once?" He asked, leaning closer to her in challenge, wondering if she'd refuse. It was a fair question, admittedly, and it was her birthday after all. However, a voice in the back of Ana's head warned that she had set that limit for a reason. That she knew exactly how bad things could get, exactly how bad she could make them get, if she wasn't careful.

"Come on. Live a little, teach," he whispered, still pressing into her space and nudging her thigh with his knee. Hopper left his offending appendage there and that, the lingering contact, was all it took for her resolve to crumble like a paper doll.

"Fine, but remember, this is what you asked for." She chugged the first beer with a speed that impressed the chief enough to offer her a 'whoop' as praise. She set the now empty glass down on the bar top, a look of distaste gracing her features, while Hopper ordered a round of shots.

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