The Stare

Ever since the fateful night of "The Confession", my sister (MB) and I have recovered something of the closeness we'd lost when I smashed her head against the kitchen door two years ago. Although, I wish she'd stop trying to turn me into some sort of social butterfly =/
But yesterday, I welcomed the idea of hitting the wholesale market with her, Farina and Albaab. Shishi had failed to call back about lunch, and after the third row with Mum, I just had to get out of home.
I've never been much of a shopper. In the delicate dance of bargaining, I've got all the grace of a drunken monkey. And I hate spending money. MB on the other hand, is a prima donna ballerina. Resigned to an eveing of playing spectator, I tagged along.
First stop was the phuchka shop on the shaky bridge, where I ended up getting chewing gum stuck to the sole of my shoe. The phuchka wasn't even worth the trouble, but I didn't say so, considering it was Farina's treat.
A quick stop at a shoe shop, where MB bargained, the lovebirds made moogly eyes at one another, and I surreptitiously rubbed the chewing gum off on the floor mat.
The market was at the final half-hour before closing time, and the shopkeepers weren't in the mood to bargain. We came off with a good haul of chips, shoes, facial scrub and hair conditioner anyway, plus free towels.
On the way out, MB grabbed us a couple of Fantas - horrid stuff, all soda and food coloring. As we came down the steps, our stash in our hands, I spotted this kid standing at the bottom of the staircase. Probably 8-12 years old, she was unimaginably filthy, with matted hair caked with mud, both her thin cotton dress and her face streaked an indeterminate shade of brown, snot dripping from her button nose. A dim corner of my mind sent me a mental picture of giving her the thorough hosing she so badly needed.
She pinned me with a look, and I realised she had the most expressive eyes ever. The staredown lasted only a minute, and then I meekly handed her my cup of orange fizz, without even realising that I had intended to. She took it with a solemn nod, as if she had been expecting the act of...what was it? Charity? Generosity? Whimsy? Or merely the spellbound reaction to the look in her eyes?
  We parted ways and as I walked to my car, I looked back to see her casually drinking her loot. I was already forgotten...