Kindled Hearts

7 // Clean up

Mounds of rubbish, overflown bins and pits teemed with sludge. The site well too familiar to Kiki. This was how she spent the better part of her days, dropped on her haunches, her gloved hands pitched with sediment from a sludge. The air fouled with a repugnant smell always cloyed the muscles within her chest. Yet somehow, she ached, longed to be in places that wreaked of desertion, left at the mercy of litterers. That's why she joined the  Umoja Community Clean Up project that aimed to restore decency to areas that danced with pools of dirt. The warmth that stirred in her heart with every cleanup never ceased to amaze her. It always felt like a drug seeking to be replenished. "There is more it than you think, you probably should give your emotions some attention,"  Nicole would at times say, her face dressed in concern.

Maybe she was right, maybe not. But damn, Nicole had away with words, and a set of brown eyes that could see right through anyone's soul. Perhaps Kiki needed to have a reflect of herself, pore into mending her crumbled walls. But for now, her emotions could do some waiting, the community needed her more.

Kiki plucked refuse from a pit of sludge, clamping the waste on one place, then skirting round the chipped abandoned stalls, towards the grand bins.

"This is a whole big mess, my muscles are starting to complain." Trizah sank the waste from her hands into a large bin, nudging Kiki on her shoulder. "Am starting to wonder why I even signed up in the first place."

Kiki smiled at a distressed Trizah, skirting her way towards another pile of rubbish. "Does the name Ethan ring a bell?"

Trizah huffed, walking beside Kiki. "Right, like the guy even cares. I don't know which is worse, him being so stupid or the fact that he has a squint."

Kiki laughed, stealing a glance at Ethan who was busy clambering on a heap of ripped  gunny. " The poor guy has no squint eyes," she argued.

"Well if he can't acknowledge this, then he pretty much has a squint," Trizah hummed, pointing at her torso.

Kiki peered at Trizah and instantly suppressed the itch on her lips. Except, It didn't quite happen, so instead, she broke into an episode of mirth, burying her face to the ground. "I think those jade heels are to be blamed."

Nude back turquoise top, white fitted jeans. Trizah drew contrast to the embroidered teal slop draped on everyone. She didn't quite belong, her pursed lips said more than she willingly let on. Ethan Mwangi, a stubble chinned Umoja Cleanup supervisor had Trizah's toes on edge, probably the only reason why she still stuck around.

She droned her gaze to her heels and cursed at the mud smear. "These shoes did cost me a lot. Second hand. Yeah I know, but still it did cost a lot. Such a pity Ethan can't even look my way," she pretended a sniffle, casting her eyes at Ethan.  "Make sure he attends my funeral, it's the least I deserve. God bless my soul."

Kiki rolled her eyes. " Stop being melodramatic."

"I need a favour."

"Please don't say you want me to be your little messenger girl," Kiki grumbled, her meager hands at the cant of an overflown garbage can while Trizah on the other side, struggling to maintain a strong grip, which of course she didn't quite get. So instead, Kiki resolved to careening the garbage can by herself.

"Come on, it will be fun. Who knows, I might even be awarded with a tryst."

Kiki teemed the contents of the garbage can onto the large bin. "We are no longer in highschool. I am not writing stupid love notes."

Trizah huffed, "You are seriously no fun, now I'll have to think of a plan B." She scoped out the surrounding, a sigh brewing at the part of her lips. "I am really worn out. I deserve some rest."  Trizah sashayed her hips to a tent mounted on a clean space, auburn braids tiering behind her frame.

"While you are at it, could you please not include my name in your plan," Kiki shouted after Trizah.

Trizah offered only a shrug of her shoulders, her back still reared to Kiki. "Yeah thanks a lot for your shitty response," Kiki murmured under her breath, haunched, burrowing through another pile  of dirt.

"Excuse me?"

Hoarse voice, crisp like that of a pseudonym drawn out from a cliche romantic novel. Kiki's neck turned so fast, she heard the whiz of air against her soft features. Her gaze immediately settled onto a pair of jet black eyes that studied her, daunting at her ability of performing a simple task such as breathing . "Sorry, I was talking to my friend," Kiki managed, the throb in her cheeks distinct. She rose from the ground, falling short to his overwhelming height.

Hewn jawline ran smoothly down his long dark face, stringing interest to the gentleness of his eyes. "For a minute there, I thought you were talking to me. My bad," he hummed and Kiki took the time to regard him. Stout muscles crimped out of his pristine slop. His lower body dressed in a plain black jeans that failed to dwindle the artful display of his legs.

"Never seen you before," she declared, inching away until a good distance existed between the two of them. The start in her pulse didn't quite feel right. Probably just a belie. But why him? Why not some random guy at railways station poring over a newspaper?

"Am new. Started today and well Ethan just assigned me to you. He thought it best that I learn the basics from you." He scratched the back of his head and Kiki caught sight of his neatly trimmed hair. "James." He stretched forth his hand, aiming for a shake. "James Obiri."

Kiki offered her elbow instead, her skin burning at his contact. "There is not much to be taught here. You can call me Kiki."

"I figured so. I guess he wants me making some friends."

Kiki quirked a brow, peering around until she found Ethan gazing back at her, a smile gracing his lips. She played a subtle wince on her face, making Ethan throw his head back in laughter.  She diverted her eyes back to James. "Well it's nice meeting you James," she said and turned away, walking towards discarded nylons that laid strewn.

If this were another person, she probably would have asked some questions, got to know him or her better. She craved the social part. Lost in a beautiful conversation to offset the chaos created by mankind. But no, this was James. Pristine with a soulful aura that enchanted her. Everything about him stirred her. She didn't like it. Didn't like the way he stared at her. It disarmed her, pinching at her nerves.
"Are you always this dismissive?"
His voice rang beside her. She turned to him, perplexed that he covered the distance between them, now walking beside her. "What?" she immediately asked.

"I didn't peg you as the contemptuous type," James responded, picking nylons from the ground.

Kiki huffed at his nonchalant attitude, "Didn't take you long enough to figure me out. Easy, right? Do lend me your secret, wouldn't want jerks like you tailing me."

James stopped, stretching his frame to look at her. Kiki caught the drain in his eyes, free of its levity. "I didn't mean to_"

"What's going on here?" Trizah asked, gliding next to Kiki.

Kiki breathed out a sigh when she heard the familiar chirpy voice. "Mr. James is new, just taking him through the introductory part," she answered, tearing her eyes away James.

Trizah lit up at the sight of James, her arm instantly draping onto his shoulder. " Hello there James. Finally a new face around here. The same old faces are kinda boring. Sorry Kiki." She threw a side glance at Kiki before diverting back to James.

Kiki didn't pay much attention to Trizah. Her orbs were fixed on James. She watched his countenance, taking note of every little tiny action, like the way his forehead creased with amusement and the way his lips would tug into a smile at whatever Trizah said. Their conversation oozed ease and that was enough to upset her. "Excuse me," she spoke, ambling away from the two, her pecs crumbling with each step.