The Janitor's Closet

Chapter One :

Don't look at me funny. There's a reason I'm here, you can trust. I shoot the overly curious teacher an irritated look, she returns it with a sheepish smile. I already miss Andy's Mart, maybe if I harass them they'll rehire me. I contemplate that and conclude that I had not a chance.

My stiffening legs continue the march to the main office. I ignore most of the gazes, but, seriously, if one more person look at me funny, we were going to have problems. I narrow my eyes at the staring man who calls himself a teacher, he smirks and gives me a quick wave. Friggin' idiot. He's one of the reasons why kids hate high school. If I had to see that face every morning I know I would.

The main office appears and I quicken my pace. I need this job. There's no way Jessamine's going to stay with me if I'm not adding to the pot. It's a wonder she hasn't called me yet, it's about my old break time. I walk into the office towards the secretary's desk and plaster a smile on my face.

"The principal's expecting me." My low voice just barely reaches her ears as a bell rings. She looks up at me, dark bags under her eyes and thin, messy hair falling out of its bun, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said the principal's expecting me." I repeat, slightly louder.

"What now?" she asks, rubbing her ears. The other occupants in the room throw her dirty faces. Bad hearing looked like something she suffered from as well as sleep deprivation.

"I'm here to see the principal!" My voice catapults throughout the room like a two ton bomb. The secretary jerks back in her seat and looks at me with wide eyes, "You didn't have to yell." I stare down at her, gritting my teeth. I didn't have to yell, but she definitely needed to get some hearing aids. I look at her expectantly, she looks confused.

"Do you need something?" her eyebrows are scrunched up at me. Friggin' idiot, of course I needed something. Why else would I be here? I open my mouth to not so kindly tell her this when my name is spoken.

"Daniel," he repeats, a habit he must have now due to his crappy secretary. I grin with relief, sliding a hand through my wavy brown hair, "Eddie." He gestures for me to come on into his office, I oblige, but not before giving the secretary a face. I would've told her off if Eddie hadn't interrupted, you can trust.

"Eddie, thanks for seeing me, man," I say once I'm comfortably seated in his office. Eddie laughs, shaking his head, "Thanks for seeing me." It's been a while. Eddie and I used to live in the same neighborhood growing up, and then we went to the same high school after several moves on my part. We're good friends.

"So you said you have a job opening?" I look at him hopefully. I really need this job.

"Uh, well Danny, it's janitorial work." He confesses looking at the titles of the books on his bookshelves, the rusty velvet carpeting of the floor, everything he saw on a daily basis. I grin, janitorial work was nothing new. I've been a janitor multiple times now. What did he think I was at Andy's Mart, the manager?

"I'm fine with that," I say with a grin. I'd be janitor, I could live with that.

"Really! You're sure?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I stare at him, a lot less curious than he was surprised.

"Well," he clears his throat, "This school isn't exactly famous for keeping its janitors." I wave him off, "It's fine man. You're good." He starts to smile at me and I wonder if working at the school was really as bad as other janitors made it seem. They all thought it was some kind of scandalous place of too much hormones and horniness which it kind of is. I mean, teenagers, puberty, but whatever.