Kissing Constellations

Chapter 03- Sweet Tribulations

Kissing Constellations

🌆 Chapter Three 🌆

Sweet Tribulations

Toby finally stopped running when he came to an intersection. His breaths fogged up in front of him, reminding the child of the decreasing weather. He'd need a coat soon.

A car honked angrily at the spaced-off boy, waiting for him to cross the street. Toby yelled out a quick apology to the impatient vehicle, only now noticing the crosswalk light flashing green. He didn't even pause to look before zooming across the busy street. His dirty sneakers thumped against the pavement. Every step he took alerted Toby of just go how late he was.

"I hope Kiro's in a good mood." He mumbled to himself, readjusting the backpack strap across his shoulder.

Street lamps that lined the sidewalks began to flicker, signaling the start of the "bad neighborhood". Kiro told him this place was much easier to operate in. People wouldn't snitch on you because everyone had dirt on everyone, and police rarely patrolled this area due to the lack of funding it received.

"Nobody really cares about street rats." Toby sighed to himself, swiftly turning the corner. His bag was beginning to become unbearably heavy. He needed to stop snatching canned goods from the neighbors. But when you go without food for days even beans seems enticing... He couldn't help himself.

Toby paused in front of a house with boarded up windows. He remembered nailing those boards in with Kiro when someone did a drive by on the wrong person for the second time that week. Or, at least, Kiro said it was the wrong person. Toby wasn't stupid, he knew Kiro had enemies. But buying new windows every few days was becoming too expensive. The boards served as much better protection than glass. Bullet holes from previous affairs remained lodged within the thick planks of oak.

Toby gave out a gentle laugh, sliding his bag off his shoulder and tossing it into the nearby bush. If Kiro knew he had a bag of supplies without sharing, he'd probably be in big trouble. Kiro would lock it up if he dared bring it inside and then all that scavenging would be a waste.

Toby shuffled through the multiple hiding spots Kiro had for the house keys. The man was paranoid someone would find them so he changed it every few weeks. Not that they couldn't just bust through their weak doorframe if they really wanted something inside. 

The boy let out a short "Aha!" after finding the key buried in a potted flower. The blooms were beginning to wilt due to the cold. Toby carried on with a quiet whistle, unlocking the door and stepping inside. He made sure to take his shoes off at the door, knowing Kiro liked to keep his house clean for the Givers. 

The voices of two different men echoed from a room or two away. Toby recognized one as Kiro's, the other? Toby groaned, wandering further into the house and towards the kitchen.

He stepped inside the room silently, his eyes sweeping over the rusted linoleum. An average sized man with combed back blonde hair sat at the table next to Kiro, who was slightly shorter, but held himself confidently.

"I'm back." Toby greeted nervously.

Kiro looked up from his conversation with the well dressed man. His expression morphed into one of disgust. "You're late." Kiro spoke in his usual strictly tone.

"Yes, sir." Toby's eyes wandered over to the man he's seen many times before. His giver, Cam. Cam, to put it simply, looked like a sponsor of the Aryann race. Bright blue eyes, blonde locks, pale skin, the whole package. Toby has grown to loath this man's frequent visits. "I'm sorry." The boy continued, refusing to make eye contact with the likely-glaring Kiro. "It won't happen again."