D e a n

n i n e

S A T U R D A Y

When Effy woke up, Dean was already gone. Which didn't surprise her much considering Jonah always needed his help with jobs at random hours of the day. But still, she found herself slightly saddened by the empty spot next to her. With a heavy sigh, she got out of bed and went downstairs to get some breakfast. When she went to get milk from the fridge, she found a neon yellow post-it note. 'Please watch Holly today' it read in perfect cursive.

Effy sighed. She was slightly bummed at first by the exhausting task, but then she began to look at it as a blessing in disguise. (At least now she actually had a reason for not going to Froyo with Bridget.) She grabbed the milk and proceeded to pour herself a bowl of cereal.

She went upstairs as she scarfed down her breakfast. Going into her bedroom and placing the nearly empty bowl on her desktop before going to her restroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

As she flicked the light switch on, she caught something in her reflection. Just a little over her jawline was a dark dry maroon smudge. With frowned brows, she brushed at it a few times with her fingertips. Dried flakes peeled off one by one. She grabbed a towel and ran it under lukewarm water. This time, when she wiped she made sure to add more pressure. Pressing down on her skin and dragging the rough towel across.

Suddenly there was a knock at the front door. Effy dried her face off and quickly rushed over. Praying the knock didn't wake Holly up. The last thing she wanted this early was another one of Holly classic fits.

Effy was slightly surprised to find Astrid standing at her doorstep.

"Oh, thank god! It's you." Astrid sighed heavily in relief as she pushed her sunglasses up on top her head. Without waiting for permission, she welcomed herself in.

Leaving a slightly confused Effy at the door.

"You'd think it'd be harder to find a house at night in pouring rain. But retracing your steps in the day? Sober?"

Astrid snorted. She turned and smiled at Effy. Her expression falling momentarily at the odd look in her eye. She followed her gaze to the drink carrier tray in her hands holding two coffee cups.

"Oh!" she suddenly remembered and kindly handed Effy one. "I didn't know if you were a chocolate or caramel kind of girl. So I just flipped a coin and got you a mocha."

Effy hesitantly took the drink.

"What? You don't like mocha?" Astrid asked. She tried to offer her own drink suddenly. "I've got a frap if you want to trade."

Effy shook her head at Astrid's generosity.

"I don't drink coffee." She explained.

Astrid gave Effy a funny look. "What? Why not?" she asked with a confused look in her eye. Unable to understand how someone doesn't drink coffee. Especially not with how much she relied on it.