Tʜᴇ Lᴏsᴇʀs Cʟᴜʙ | ✔︎

12. Oғ Tʀᴜᴛʜs & Rᴇᴅ Hᴇʀʀɪɴɢs

"Well, everyone's home life is unsatisfying. If it wasn't people would live with their parents forever."

~Andrew Clarke~

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Midtown's principal walked out from one of the back doors of the building, pulling out a cigarette. As he lit it up, a voice called out from beside him. "Aren't you the one supposed to be promoting good behavior?" Eddie, the janitor, asked in a mocking tone. Startled, Harrington turned around to find the man standing nearby as the back door closed behind him.

"Oh hey Ed, Eddie, Eddi-o," he greeted awkwardly making the janitor raise his brow up even more. Eddie then noticed a few printed papers in the principal's hands with student names and personal information. "Confidential files, huh?" Roger glanced down to his hands, forgetting he had them, and was quick to defend himself.

"Look, Ed. We're friends right?" The other male internally rolled his eyes. He would never in his life admit to being friends with a jackass like Harrington, but the man was the source to his paycheck. So he nodded and played along. "Well I'd really appreciate it if you'd keep this between us. Some students might get embarrassed, ya know."

Eddie thought about it for a second. This was beyond embarrassing; this was low. But maybe he could use this moment to his advantage. "What are you gon' do for me in turn?"

"Thirty bucks?"

At first, it was silent.

"Forty?" Harrington urged on, raising his price.

Although, still Eddie didn't reply.

"FIFTY?!?" The higher ranking male was getting agitated.

"Make it seventy five, and I get to keep that video," the janitor placed his offer with a smirk.

Harringtons eyes widened in shock and he shuddered at the mention of the video. Whereas Eddie smiled deviously, bathing in the man's discomfort. The video in question was way more embarrassing than what was currently transpiring. About a month ago, the janitor accidentally walked into Harrington's office to find the man twirling and dancing to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.

Now, while he had nothing against it—because as they say "you do you," it was somewhat disturbing to watch the principal execute a perfect grand jete  at the climax of the composition. And the sight was just to hilarious not to save and keep in his memorabilia.

Roger squinted his eyes, glaring. "This is extortion." But despite the truthful statement, the lopsided smile remained on Eddie's face as he shrugged nonchalantly. No, this is revenge, Eddie thought.

See, while most saw Eddie as a plain man with nothing but an under minimum wage job, that wasn't actually true. Eddie owned a mechanic business outside of the crusty janitorial position. He only remained as a janitor because he wanted to look out for the kids who went to the school. He had been a student at midtown too, long ago; and even had to endure the wrath of Roger Harrington, but this time as a stereotypical school jock.

When they got older, and he learned Harrington became principal, he knew being the janitor was his calling. He would stay there to watch over the students of Midtown and to the best of his abilities, make sure Harrington wouldn't make their lives a living hell for their four years the way the man did to him. And when he did defy the principal, helping the students, he would make sure he'd never get caught. Like a superhero in disguise.