The Return Of Daniel Hovsep

Chapter 1: Mockery

Chapter 1

"You lazy ass, be fast with the cleaning! Hurry, go start cleaning the cafeteria, the students will be out soon for breakfast." A man shouted angrily with contempt noticeable on his face.

"I'll soon be done, sir. Just give me some minutes." A voice answered. This was Daniel Hovsep, a twenty-three-year-old University student, who had been working different part-time jobs just to save up for a special birthday gift for his girlfriend, Karol Kathie, the school's most popular beautiful girl.

Apart from being a delivery and laundry man, Daniel was also a part-time cleaner at Leeds University, where he and his girlfriend were both students.

That morning, he woke up around 5 Am to clean the cafeteria. A rivulet of sweat was plastered on his face, showing how long he had been cleaning the whole place.

It was already 8 a.m. and he wasn't done cleaning. He was currently cleaning the University cafeteria when students started entering to eat.

Placing his face on the ground in shame, Daniel continued to clean the floor. He was ashamed because he also wanted to live like other students but life was so unfair to him.

He suddenly paused and stood straight, trying to ease the fatigue, but then he saw a group of popular jocks eating in a corner inside the university cafeteria. That group of boys was led by Camron Collins. And they had always been bullying him.

Anxious not to get seen by them, Daniel immediately lowered his head to begin the cleaning, but his hand accidentally knocked over his broom, drawing the attention of the jocks.

"Oh, what have I done?" Daniel mumbled, his voice trembling in the fear of being exposed.

Camron, on seeing Daniel, smirked as he stared at him. He got up, and the group that he led followed him at his back as they approached Daniel, who began to shiver for fear.

“Hey, it's you,” Camron called out to Daniel with a disdainful look on his face. “Oh, I never knew you were one of our cleaners here. Haha. Poor boy.” He shook his head with a feigned pity yet maintaining his smirk.

“Look at him. Haha. He's sweating. Poor thing.” Peter, one of the jock members, chipped in, sarcastically.

“He really needs the money for food, look at how he's tiredly working.” All of them began to laugh at Daniel and they continued to throw mocking words at him. However, Daniel ignored them with a sigh and continued with his cleaning not minding their offensive words.

He knew that he had to finish the cleaning to enable him to go out for another job since there were no lectures for that day. He wanted to make some extra money for his girlfriend's birthday and also to have some leftovers for himself.

Being ignored, Camron's face tightened and he clutched his fist, dragging the mop from Daniel's hand vigorously, “Hey, you fool! Aren't you the one we are talking to?” He asked, his frustration palpable.

Daniel raised his head, looking at him, he let out an annoying sigh. He wasn't surprised at Camron's action because he had always been after his life right from time.

At that moment, Daniel knew he needed to speak so they would continue with their annoying actions. He opened his mouth and replied, showing how annoyed he was. “So, what do you want me to say?” He asked, clenching his face. "As you can see, I'm busy and I don't have your time."

“How dare you talk to boss Camron that way!” Liam, another of the jocks members, stepped forward to hit Daniel, but Camron intervened, shaking his head with a malicious smile that exploded on his face.

"Don't worry about him. You have learned to talk back, right?” Camron asked, facing Daniel, feeling surprised. The Daniel he had always bullied has never dared to talk back to him like he just did.

"Watch out what I'll do." With a hardened expression, Camron walked to the table where he and his group members had been eating; he grabbed his tray of food, which contained white rice and stew, in a separate place.

Daniel watched him as he approached. What's he up to now? Daniel muttered to himself, a pang of fear edged on his face.

As Camron approached, a wicked laugh escaped from his mouth, “When I'm done with this, I believe you will learn how to not talk back to me.”

With that, he walked around, spreading the food to where Daniel had just finished sweeping and mopping.

“Please, don't do this to me. Don't ruin where I've finished cleaning, please.” Daniel began to beg Camron with his two knees on the ground. Tears began to stream down from his eyes.

His plans that morning were to finish cleaning the cafeteria and then head to one of the hotels where he also worked as a cleaner.

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears as Camron didn't stop until he finished ruining the floor with his food.

Camron then glanced down at Daniel whose face was covered with tears, “I have done a great job for you. Look at how beautiful the floor looks now.” He ironically said, glancing at what he had done with a satisfied expression.

He then added coldly with an emotionless face, “Get it cleaned up if you want to get paid. Haha.” He laughed loudly and threw the plate and tray to the ground causing a loud noise.

Daniel, who was on his knees, began to stare at the place he had cleaned, being messed up; he clenched his fist and face. It took everything in him to attack Camron, but he held back, admitting that he was powerless at that moment because of the group of boys with Camron.

“You love that? Haha.” One of them, who was holding a can of soda, asked sarcastically. “I think I'll have to do mine too.” He opened the cover of the soda can and instantly poured it on Daniel before he could know it.

Overwhelmed with anger, Daniel pulled himself up and with his clenched fist, he rushed forward, “You! How dare you!” He was about to attack the guy who poured the soda on him, but then, all of the group members surrounded him with clenched fists, ready to beat him up.

They were ten in number, and Daniel knew he wouldn't stand them and felt frustrated immediately.

The guy seeing Daniel's weakness, pressed on, daring Daniel, “Hey, loser. Why did you stop? Come, hit me. Go ahead.” He challenged, feeling high.

He had backup so he knew Daniel wouldn't dare try it. He began to laugh, “Haha. He's such a loser. So weak that he can't fight back.”

There was a moment of mockery before Camron announced, his voice filled with authority, “Let's not waste our precious time on a loser like him. Let's go.”

Soon, they left, and Daniel fell to the ground with his clothes drenched with soda. He looked at the floor, tears streamed down uncontrollably from his eyes.

He sobbed, muttering bitterly to himself, “What am I going to wear today to work at the hotel? Mr. Brown will shout at me, seeing me like this.”

At that moment, that was the only cloth he had. He wears it to both lectures and also for his work.

Just as he was deep in thought, a deep angry voice snapped at him, bringing him to reality, “Daniel, what have you been doing? Why is it everywhere like this? Didn't you tell me you were almost done?” The voice yelled.