I awoke to someone nudging me awake gently. I stirred under the covers, wondering why my room mate was waking me. Then I remembered I didn't have a room mate and sat up in alarm.

"Who's that! How did you get in my flat!"

I heard a light giggle as I looked up to see a dark skinned girl, with short black hair in a way too big orange jumper. She had dark brown eyes and little yellow hair clips pulling back her short black locks. I instantly recognised this short girl as Maria, and felt very embarrassed.

"It's me Maria, Nat! We told you we were coming over! Mum wanted to say hello too, but you were asleep, so she dropped me and Dean off here and we spent the night. Hope you don't mind!!!"

I was at a loss for words.
"You spent the entire night here!?"

Maria pouted and Dean gave a wave from where he was sorting through my fridge for food.

"Well what else were we supposed to do Nat? It's not like we were going to wake you up."
Maria said sitting down next to me and curling up on my bed.
"You looked so comfy sleeping."

"You could have gone home...where did you even sleep?"
I asked still bewildered by my friends kindness.
Maria pointed to the couch and Dean pointed at a pile of cushions on the floor. I felt very bad looking at the 'bed' Dean had made. But Dean insisted it was very comfy and I'm lucky to have such nice cushions. That's Dean for you. He is a weird one but I love him so much it's killing me.

"Here !"
Dean said smiling at me bringing over a bowl of what looked like orange soup. Deans smile was contagious, I loved it so much. It brightened up the freckles on his sun tanned skin, I loved the way his dark brown hair fell into his eyes, and how his many ear piercings were butterflies stolen from his Twin sister, Annie, who was very sweet just like Dean.

"Thanks."
I mumbled staring at the orange soup.
"What is it?"
I asked curious to know what flavour soup this bright orange mess was. Dean tilted his head coming to sit with me and Maria on my bed.
"It's breakfast soup."

"He meant flavour!"
Maria mumbled from my pillow.
"It's carrot and ginger!"
She added after Dean spent a minute trying to remember. I must admit I love Maria's soups. She learnt from the best after all. Margo, Maria's mother, was the best cook alive, she taught me quite a few things as well. My favourite type is spaghetti was Margos famous pesto and pancetta mix. The carrot and ginger soup was no exception to the rule of Margos cooking, and of course was fabulous.

Maria watched me intently from where she lay on my pillows. After about five minutes of awkward silence and both my friends staring at me whilst I ate my soup, I put it down and asked the question we all knew would be coming up.

"Your here about Lily right."
I stated.

Maria gave a hum, and looked away, her short black hair falling over her eyes. Dean bit his lip and nodded. I felt even more awkward than before.

"Guys no need to be so formal okay. She's my sister, she's dead, I found out two days ago, it's in the past." I said trying to move on from the tension in the atmosphere.

"Nat, you were very upset yesterday. Don't play it off Natty. We know you were really looking forwards to that."
Maria shuffled across my bed, scruffing the sheets as she squirmed and snuggled up next to me. She's so immature sometimes but that's what I love about her.

"I suppose."
I sighed giving in.

"Nat, don't worry about it okay. You still have us and we will never ever leave you."
Dean copied Maria, and cuddled next to me. I tried not to internally fanboy that Dean was hugging me. I mean he hugged me all the time, but this was different, it was less playful and more sincere.

"Thanks guys."

"When are you going to see her again?"
Dean asked, remembering how I mentioned that I visited her grave.

"I was going to today, but I think I should spend some time with you guys."
I said thinking it through.

"It's okay, you don't have to stay for us."
Maria said rolling off my bed into the floor.
I stifled a laugh as she landed on her back, seemingly confused as to why she was on the floor.

"Well, I think I should. I'll visit her tomorrow. Hopefully he won't be there."

Dean snapped his head to the side suddenly alert.
"He? Who's he?"

I realised I hadn't yet explained the creepy boy who was also by the graves.

"Oh.. well you see when I went to visit Lilys grave, there was a young boy there. He was really distracting, and quite creepy, he kept rubbing his hands all over her grave."
I told them, cringing whilst thinking about him.

"Weirdo."
Maria said bluntly.

Dean giggled a little, then checked his phone as it buzzed in his pocket. He began to smile widely whilst reading the message.

"Cool. Hey on Thursday do you guys want to come over for dinner next week."
Dean asked slipping his phone back in his pocket. Maria smirked.

"Depends who's cooking? If it's you Dean, count me out."

Dean huffed, pretending to be offended, then grinned and replied.
" It's Annie. She's making some strange Thai dish, I don't know where she learnt it, probably off one of the kids in her sign language classes."

Annie, Deans twin, is deaf, and has been all her life. She's really good at sign language though, and is not just fluent in British sign language but also learning American. She taught us how to communicate with her through BSL. She's a real sweetie and loves to try new things. Her cooking is pretty good too. It's like Dean is the only one who can't cook.

"Ah well I'm in then."
Maria said getting up off the floor and scrambling back on to my bed.
"Me too!"
I said raising my hand to prove a point. Dean quickly texted that back to Annie, then returned to Maria and I.

"So... who wants to play a video game?"
Dean asked smiling.

"I don't have any Dean you know that."
I grumbled back. Maria snorted then looked under my bed and pulled out monopoly.

"You got this. Wanna play Dean."
Maria wriggled her eyebrows at Dean as he groaned in annoyance. Dean hates monopoly.

"But I always lose!"
He whined.

"You never know this might be your lucky shot Dean!"
I said elbowing him playfully.

It wasn't his lucky shot at all. He went bankrupt within fifteen minutes, then demanded we went to his to play mario kart. Well what do you know, it wasn't such a bad day after all.