Thrills, Kills and Sunday Pills

Genuine Smiles and Questionnaires

Auren stacked up on fries before we left, which was weird because she didn't even grab a bag for them, she just walked through Time Square with her arms full of McDonalds fries packets.

"You couldn't grab a bag or anything?" I asked for the fourth time.

"I could have, but I didn't," said Auren, giggling.

I waved off a few weirded-out stares and flipped off a pointer.

Auren had about six packets of fries, meaning math resulted in three for me, three for her.

We went to the closest seat bench and sat there to eat. Nobody was sitting there, so we checked the seat making sure there was no reason for that, example being bird shit or some other sorry human casualty.

"How much were these?" I asked.

Auren shrugged. "Don't know, don't care, they're cheap and I appreciate them."

"Fair enough," I said and went onto my second box.

"Wanna play a game?" asked Auren.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Kind of like a get-to-know-you game," she said, taking particular admiration in one of her fries.

"Ugh," I said dismissively. "I had to do those in school when the teacher realised I had attitude issues. They're so cheesy."

"We'll make it fun," she said.

I raised my eyebrow in the same stupid way I do when I'm about to make an innuendo. Auren rolled her eyes and elbowed me in the stomach with a sharp and hard bash.

"What we're going to do, is like a questionnaire. I ask you what I want to know from you, then you ask me what you want to know from me, and we alternate. Cool?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, you go first."

"You said you had attitude issues. What does that include?" she asked.

"I don't know, I just don't like interacting with people. If I'm forced to, I come as a total sleaze, but when I chose to, I make myself seem unapproachable," I said, surprised at the honesty I just blurted.

She nodded and shuffled around to look at me. "You ask me now."

"Ok, um... What kind of question can I ask?"

"Anything, but not too personal. Nothing about stuff like sex life and family. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, too easy," I said and started to think.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Woah, no need to be a twat," she said.

"No, no, no... Why did you come from UK to New York?" I asked, knowing it was unoriginal, but genuinely wanting to know.

"Ooh, well, I guess I don't really have a real home, but I have a few jobs and I just travel. Coincidently, I came on the same day as you, and now here we are," she said with a huge smile that weakened me. I smiled back and she looked surprised.

"What?" I asked.

"I've never seen you smile before," she said.

"Yes you have," I said, putting my face back to its usual unapproachable douchebag.

"Not genuinely though. That's the first time I've ever seen you give me a real smile," she said.

I shifted uncomfortably and looked away.

"Whatever."