Pain Killer

4 ~ Smile Powder

"Why do you smile so much?" I stare at Uri's ridiculously wide smile with annoyance and a hint of curiosity.

"Try it, it likes to stick," he answers through his teeth, lips staying in the same position.

"No."

"Just try it," he prods.

"No."

"Do it, Delilah." He pokes my shoulder.

I force my face to contort into a false smirk for two seconds and let it drop, never losing eye contact with him.

"Pitiful," Uri tsks, shaking his head. "The raccoon isn't gonna smile for me. What should I do?"

"Don't do anything. It isn't gonna work." I take his bag of powdered donuts and toss one in my mouth. I feel extra down today because I forgot my sweet potatoes. Again. At least I have my Advil. And this distracting beam of happiness. I flip-flopped over to the other side of how I feel about him again today because clearly, he isn't after whatever I've got to offer. People who want that would give up by now. No, he wants something else and I'm all too curious to know what it is that could make him come to the bridge for the third day in a row. What is possibly worth fighting for, that long?

"Oh... those um," Uri drops his gaze down on his donuts and then up to my eyes. "Those actually have drugs on them..."

"What?" My eyes widen. I cough, choking on the powder, or... "What is it? What did you put on them?"

Uri bites his tongue in hesitation, watching me closely and regretfully. "You'll never forgive me. I put smile powder on them, heh heh..."

My mouth, full of donut, begins to twitch. "Smile powder, huh?" I force out, doing my best to keep my voice even. I pinch my lips together as the first laugh breaches the surface. Taking a breath, I square my shoulders and look him straight on. "That almost worked, you get it this time."

He sticks his tongue out at me, running his fingers through his cropped, ginger hair. "I win."

"Yeah, whatever, don't get cocky about it." I take another donut because he hasn't stolen the bag back. They could possibly be the next best thing to sweet potatoes. I'll allow it, I guess.

The sugar sticks to my fingers. I rub them together, as they grow sticky with the friction. Uri's fingers are also powdered as he wipes them on his jeans, spreading the white stuff over his dark pants. There are specks of sugar on his cheeks as he quirks an eyebrow at my staring gaze.

I look down instantly, feeling that probed and vulnerable sensation on the surface of where he looks. "You're doing it, again," I say, tucking my hands underneath my legs. "The psychoanalyzing thing."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to. You were staring at me and your mouth was ready to form the word 'you'."

"Yeah, well, you got powdered sugar on your face. So, your fault."

"So do you," Uri chuckles, using his sleeve to rub his cheeks.

I swipe at my face, embarrassed. But why is that embarrassing? Who am I kidding though? This guy makes everything embarrassing.

My lips pull into a little smirk unknowingly and Uri gasps right in my ear.

I jump, pulling back. "What was that for?" I shudder. Exasperation fills my features.

"You just smiled on your own, the drugged donuts are working." He grins so wide, that I'm surprised his lips haven't ripped off of his face.

"So what?" I try to shrug it off, knowing he's right. Those donuts really are drugged.