Return Of The Campus King

At the far end of the corridor of Elysium Hotel & Suites, Justin Wellington pushed a mop slowly across the floor.

Justin was only a student, but life had not been kind to him. 

During the day he attended lectures at school. At night, he worked the janitor shift at the luxurious hotel. 

His uniform shirt was slightly too big for him, and his shoes were worn out from constant walking.

Right now, he stood inside Room 35B, finishing one of the most unpleasant parts of his job.

Scrubbing toilets…

Justin bent over the toilet bowl with a brush in his hand. 

His sleeves were rolled up, and sweat had gathered around his forehead.

He muttered quietly to himself.

“Just a few more rooms… then I can rest.”

He scrubbed the inside carefully until it shined. When he was satisfied, he rinsed the brush and stood up with a tired sigh.

“Done,” he whispered.

Justin grabbed his bucket and mop and walked toward the door. 

As he opened it, he almost bumped into a tall man who was just returning to the room.

The man looked well-dressed, wearing a clean suit and holding a phone in one hand.

“Oh,” the man said casually. “You’re the cleaner?”

Justin quickly nodded.

“Yes, sir. I just finished cleaning the bathroom.”

The man stepped inside briefly, glanced around, and then turned back to Justin.

“Good work,” he said.

Justin lowered his head slightly.

“Thank you, sir.”

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded bill. He handed it to Justin.

“Here. For the effort.”

Justin blinked in surprise as he accepted it.

When he unfolded the bill, his eyes widened.

Twenty dollars.

Justin’s tired face immediately lit up with happiness.

“Thank you so much, sir!” he said quickly. “I really appreciate it!”

The man waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s nothing.”

Justin bowed slightly again before stepping out and gently closing the door behind him.

Now standing in the hallway with his mop and bucket, Justin stared at the money in his hand.

A wide smile slowly spread across his face.

“Twenty dollars…” he whispered.

He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The screen was cracked at the corner, and the battery cover was slightly loose, but it still worked.

Justin scrolled through his contacts and called his girlfriend.

After a few seconds, the call connected.

A soft female voice came from the other side.

“Hello?”

Justin’s smile widened.

“Britney! Guess what?” 

On the other end of the line was Britney White, his girlfriend.

Her voice sounded a little distracted.

“What is it, Justin?”

Justin leaned against the wall happily.

“I just got an extra twenty dollars tonight!”

There was a brief pause.

“Twenty dollars?” Britney repeated.

“Yes!” Justin said excitedly. “A guest just tipped me!”

Britney sounded curious.

“What work are you even doing exactly? I have asked you several but you have never told me.”

Justin froze for a moment.

His eyes slowly moved down to the mop and bucket beside him.

The excitement in his chest suddenly faded a little.

He felt embarrassed.

He didn’t want Britney to know that he spent his nights washing toilets.

Justin cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Well… it’s just some work,” he said vaguely. “It doesn’t matter.”

Britney didn’t push further.

“So why are you so happy about twenty dollars?”

Justin quickly brightened again.

“Because now I have thirty-five dollars in total!” he said.

“Okay…” Britney replied.

Justin continued eagerly.

“Remember how you kept talking about Delico Restaurant at school? You always said you wanted to taste their food.”

There was another pause.

“Yes… I remember,” Britney said slowly.

Justin smiled.

“So I was thinking… maybe tonight we could go there together.”

“What about that?” she asked.

Justin laughed softly.

“I mean we could finally try it. Just the two of us.”

But Britney suddenly interrupted him.

“Justin,” she said politely, though her tone carried a hint of irritation. 

“Do you really expect us to get dressed up and go to Delico Restaurant just to buy one plate of food and share it?”

Justin blinked in confusion.

“What?”

She continued calmly.

“I heard the cheapest plate there costs thirty-five dollars. And you just said you have thirty-five.”

Justin hesitated.

“Well… yes, but…”

“So you want us to sit in a public restaurant and share one plate of food?” she asked.

Justin scratched the back of his head nervously.

“But we’re lovers,” he said softly. “There’s nothing wrong with sharing.”

Britney sighed lightly.

“Justin, please. Just wait until you can afford two plates.”

Justin opened his mouth to respond, but she spoke again quickly.

“Actually, check your W******p.”

Justin frowned.

“What for?”

“I just sent you my math assignments,” she said. “Maybe if you really want to make me happy, you could help me solve them.”

Justin looked at his phone screen.

“Oh…”

Britney’s voice softened suddenly.

“You’re the best, Justin. I love you.”

Hearing those words immediately eased the uncomfortable feeling in his chest.

Justin smiled again.

“I love you too.”

Then he asked gently, “So… can we meet tonight at least?”

Britney hesitated.

“I’m actually quite busy tonight.”

“Oh…” Justin said quietly.

Before he could say anything else, she added quickly.

“Talk later, okay?”

Then the call ended.

Justin lowered the phone slowly.

For a moment he stood silently in the hallway.

Then he forced a small smile.

“At least… she loves me,” he muttered to himself.

The smile looked slightly crooked on his face.

Suddenly his phone vibrated.

Justin looked down.

A message had appeared.

Room 43B

THE TEXT READ: I accidentally spilled water. Get a mop here. Room 43B

Justin straightened up immediately.

“Work again,” he sighed.

He picked up his mop and bucket.

Then he walked quickly down the hallway toward Room 43B.

When he reached the door, he knocked.

Knock. Knock.

A moment later, a breathy male voice came from inside.

“Come in. The door’s open.”

Justin pushed the door slowly.

“Good evening, sir. I’m here to clean the…”

He stopped speaking.

From the living room floor, he could see water spilled across the tiles.

But something else caught his attention.

From the bedroom deeper inside the suite, strange sounds echoed.

A woman’s soft moan filled the air.

The creaking sound of the wooden frame of a bed.

Justin immediately looked away awkwardly.

“Just clean and go,” he whispered to himself.

He quickly dipped his mop into the bucket and began wiping the water from the floor.

But as he worked, something on the carpet caught his eye.

He saw a dress and a pair of shoes.

Justin’s hand froze on the mop.

His eyes slowly moved across the floor.

There were more items. A handbag and a bra.

Justin’s heart began pounding heavily.

His breathing became shallow.

“No… it can’t be…” he whispered as his eyes narrowed on the clothes.

They looked very familiar. Too familiar.

Justin shook his head immediately.

“Coincidence,” he muttered.

But curiosity and fear slowly took over his mind. The sounds from the bedroom continued. The bed creaked again, and the woman’s voice continued moaning softly.

Justin felt his heart pounding louder in his ears.

Slowly… almost unwillingly… he walked toward the bedroom door wanting to clear his doubts.

His hand trembled as he pushed it open slightly.

The moment his eyes looked inside, his body froze completely.

The world blurred around him completely and he suddenly felt dizzy at the sight before him.

On the bed…

Britney White, his girlfriend, was there.

Completely naked, on top of another man.

Justin’s vision became shaky, and his chest tightened painfully.

His lips moved slowly.

“…Britney?” he muttered.