Return Of The Campus King

CHAPTER 2

Justin’s lips trembled slightly as he stood frozen at the doorway, his eyes fixed on the scene before him. 

For a moment, it felt as though his voice had been stolen from him, but he forced it out anyway, even though it came out weak and unsteady.

“…Britney?” he called again, his tone low and uncertain.

However, the two people on the bed were so completely absorbed in what they were doing that they did not notice his presence at all.

Justin remained standing there for several seconds, unable to take a single step forward or backward. It was as if his body had turned to stone. 

Suddenly, gathering what little strength he had left, he shouted again, louder this time.

“Britney!”

His voice echoed sharply across the room, cutting through the moans.

Britney’s body immediately froze at the sound. Her movements stopped abruptly, and her expression stiffened. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she turned her head toward the door.

The moment her eyes met Justin’s, her eyes widened.

“Justin…?” she said, her voice filled with shock.

In a rush, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it tightly around herself, trying to cover her exposed body. 

At the same time, the man lying beside her turned his head lazily, clearly unbothered by the sudden interruption.

His face came fully into view.

Justin’s eyes widened instantly, and his pupils shrank in shock as recognition struck him.

“Y-you…” Justin muttered under his breath.

He knew that face.

The man was Steven Ward.

Steven was a student at their university, but unlike Justin, he came from a wealthy and influential family. His father owned several companies in the city, and his name carried weight wherever he went. 

Everyone at school knew who he was. He was popular, confident, and rich, the kind of person others admired, envied, and tried to associate with.

Justin’s hands slowly tightened into fists at his sides.

Seeing Britney with him felt like a knife twisting deep inside his chest.

Britney, still clutching the blanket around herself, looked at Justin with a mixture of nervousness and irritation.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Justin stared at her in disbelief, as though he could not understand the question.

“What… am I doing here?” he repeated slowly, his voice heavy with emotion.

Before Britney could respond, Steven suddenly let out a soft chuckle from the bed.

“Ohhh…” he said casually, stretching his arms as though nothing serious had just happened. “So you’re Justin Wellington.”

Justin’s gaze shifted toward him, his expression hardening.

Steven smirked as he leaned back comfortably against the pillows.

“You’re the janitor working here tonight, right?” he asked with a hint of mockery.

Justin did not respond.

Steven laughed lightly, clearly amused.

“Wow… I had no idea someone from our university was actually working here cleaning floors,” he continued. “And probably cleaning toilets too.”

Justin’s face stiffened, but he remained silent.

Britney, still adjusting the blanket around her, looked flustered for a moment. However, Justin finally found his voice.

“Britney…” he said slowly, his voice trembling. “How could you do this to me?”

For a brief moment, Britney’s expression showed a trace of discomfort, but it quickly disappeared. Instead, her face hardened, and a look of irritation replaced it.

“Please don’t try to put all the blame on me,” she said defensively.

Justin blinked, confused by her response.

“What?” he asked.

Britney pointed toward the mop and bucket beside him.

“What are you doing here with that?” she asked sharply.

Justin remained silent.

“You told me you were working,” she continued, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. “So this is the job you were talking about?”

Justin lowered his head slightly, unable to answer.

A small laugh escaped Britney’s lips, but there was nothing kind about it.

“You’re a janitor?” she said, her tone filled with disbelief and mockery. “You clean toilets in a hotel for a living?”

Her voice grew sharper with each word.

“And you dare call that a proper job? How dare you act like I was the only person hiding something?”

Justin felt his throat tighten painfully, but he still said nothing.

Britney shook her head in disgust.

“So the money you planned to use to take me out came from cleaning people’s filth?” she said, making a face. “That’s disgusting.”

Justin’s breathing became heavier as her words sank in.

“Look at yourself, Justin,” she continued coldly.

Then she pointed toward Steven.

“The same person who studies in the same school as you is the one who has actually been taking care of me.”

Steven smiled smugly, clearly enjoying the moment.

Britney went on, her voice filled with pride.

“He took me to one of the most expensive restaurants in town just last week,” she said.

Justin slowly lifted his eyes.

“And tonight?” she added, gesturing around the luxurious room. “He booked this entire suite.”

She looked back at Justin with a challenging expression.

“Do you even know how much this room costs?”

Justin remained silent.

“Ten thousand dollars,” she said firmly.

The number echoed in Justin’s mind.

Britney crossed her arms and looked at him mockingly.

“And you?” she continued. “You were asking me to go to that cheap restaurant inside the school.”

Justin swallowed hard.

“Not even to buy me my own meal,” she added, her tone filled with mockery. “But to share a single plate.”

She let out a bitter laugh.

“Tell me, Justin… are you not ashamed of yourself?”

The room fell silent.

Justin did not respond. Instead, he slowly bent down, and the mop slipped from his hand, falling into the bucket with a soft splash.

He closed his eyes.

Inside his chest, the pain spread like wildfire, sharp and consuming. His hand moved instinctively to his chest, as though he was trying to hold himself together.

After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again.

They looked dull and exhausted.

“Britney…” he said quietly, his voice drained of strength. “Why did you tell me you loved me if you were doing all this behind my back?”

Britney stared at him for a moment.

Then, suddenly, she laughed.

“You’re still foolish enough to believe that?” she said.

Justin froze.

“What?” he asked weakly.

Britney rolled her eyes.

“Oh please, Justin,” she said bluntly. “I never loved you.”

The words hit him like a heavy blow.

Justin felt the air leave his lungs.

Britney continued calmly, as if she was stating something obvious.

“You’re intelligent. Everyone knows that.”

Justin frowned slightly, confused.

“So I saw an opportunity,” she added casually.

“…Opportunity?” Justin repeated, his voice trembling.

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “You were good at mathematics, and I was terrible at it.”

Justin’s body stiffened.

“So I used your feelings for me,” she said plainly.

Justin stared at her in disbelief.

Britney nodded.

“Yes. So you could help me solve my assignments and pass my courses.”

Justin felt his mind go blank.

“So…” he said slowly, struggling to speak. “You’ve been using me all this time?”

“Of course,” Britney replied without remorse.

Justin felt as though the ground beneath him had disappeared completely.

“So while I was doing your assignments…” he continued slowly, “you were going out with people like him?”

Britney folded her arms.

“What’s wrong with that?” she asked, her tone unapologetic.

She glanced proudly at Steven.

“He’s rich. He has class.”

Then she turned back to Justin, her eyes filled with irritation.

“And you?” she said. “You’re just… pathetic.”

Justin stood there silently, unable to respond.

“You want the truth?” Britney continued.

Justin said nothing.

“I didn’t know how to reject you at first,” she admitted. “Because you were useful to me.”

Justin’s fists tightened again.

“You helped me with my assignments every week like a dog,” she went on. “So I agreed to date you.”

Justin’s heart pounded painfully.

“That was all,” she concluded.

Justin’s voice dropped to almost a whisper.

“And that’s also why I never allowed you to touch me,” she added.

At that moment, memories flooded Justin’s mind.

Every time he had tried to hold her hand.

Every time she had pulled away.

Every excuse she had given.

Justin’s lips trembled.

“So that’s why…” he muttered.

Justin slowly lifted his head, his eyes slightly red.

“So that’s why you always hid me from your friends,” he said, his voice hollow.

Britney did not respond.

“You always said you didn’t want people to know about our relationship yet,” he continued. “You said your friends might get jealous and ruin what we had.”

A faint, painful smile appeared on his lips.

“So… that was all a lie too?”