Matthew Williams was having a bad day.
"This is the last time I am walking to work ever again," he thought angrily as he tried to step over a big puddle but instead got mud splashed viciously all over his face. Matthew wiped his face roughly and scolded. He wanted to save money by not calling a taxi but it starting raining cats and dogs half way (again).
Matthew was walking to Adrema Stone Hotel, the internationally famous and all-around five-star bearer. Since it was so elegant and famous, Matthew only got the job because he was "family".
Matthew's parents split up a few years ago. Matthew ended up staying with his mother. She got married again and the stepfather had a son named Alfred. The stepfather did not like Matthew one bit, but he got hired to work for the hotel anyway.
Matthew gritted his teeth. The good that did. Now that he got the job, he spent about 5 hours on weekdays and 7 hours on weekends cleaning and working his head off. The pay was good but it had to be well earned. Holding his umbrella, Matthew took a few more steps and stopped in front of the elegant glass door of Adrema Stone Hotel. He shifted his umbrella to heave the door open but before he could set one foot onto the lush, thick carpet, the supervisor, a.k.a his stepfather, Mr. Jones rushed him out again.
"Mr. Williams, you know my rules! I will not allow my employees looking like-"
"-dogs through the front door of the hotel. Yes sir, I know," Matthew finished gloomily.
"Good," Mr. Jones smirked before smartly closing the door in Matthew's face." Hmph, and a good day to you too!"
As Matthew made his way to the back of the hotel, a door swung open, smacking him right in the face.
"OUCH!" he cried loudly. "Has anyone no respect for the unfortunate?!" A surprised yelp filled the air. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" squealed his best friend, Maria, as she grabbed Matt's wrist and helped him up.
Maria and he had met when Matthew took a trip to Ukraine a few years back for studying abroad. They decided to stick with each other and when he got back to America, she had come along and Matthew's mom was able to talk his stepfather into giving her a job with him at the hotel.
"It's okay." Matthew replied, rubbing his throbbing head and saw little colourful stars clouding his vision. "What was your hurry? Sheesh, I could have sworn you were a blur when you jumped out the room."
"Didn't you hear?" Maria asked as they both entered the back of the hotel. "The manager and his son, who is going to take over for his father soon, are coming here to check up on the hotel and make sure everything is running smoothly tomorrow. So now Mr. Pain-the-Ass Jones is making us work even harder than ever."
"Harder than ever?" Matthew fumed. They've been working like animals for as long as he could remember!
"So we better get to work before Mr. Jones catches us talking or heads are going to roll," Maria nodded and handed Matthew his list of jobs. Mathew's eyes widen as he skimmed the list.
"Clean Room 217, 218 and 219, vacuum the halls in section D and E, scrub the toilets in the lower floor washroom."
Matthew read off the list. "What?! I just did all these things yesterday! Surely they can't get dirty that fast, can they?!"
As if knowing what Matthew was thinking, Maria shrugged and said apologetically, "Like I said, he's making us work worker than ever."
Matthew banged his head on the wall four times and it was then that he knew it was going to be a very long day.
oOoOo
By the time Matthew got home, it was already late in the afternoon. He closed the door to his house and leaned against it, drawing out a long breath. After 2 years of working at the hotel, it never ceases to amaze him how he can feel like every bone in his body was broken after each workday.
Ring, ring, ring.
Matthew shook off his shoes and limped slowly to the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey Matt! It's me, Maria."
Matthew sank into the couch. "Oh hi. Long day, huh?"
Maria nodded, then realizing that Matthew couldn't see, replied, "Yeah, it really was. Listen, Mr. Jones told me to tell you a few things after work."
Matthew groaned over the phone, "What? I live with the dang man for goodness sakes! Can't he tell me himself? And please tell me it's not about that laundry incident because the washing machine just over flowed itself! All I added was a pint more detergent-"
"No, it's not about that but I bet he would have had a 'talk' with you if he knew about the incident," Maria interrupted then snickered.
Matthew groaned again, "Ah come on Maria. What did he say?"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. He just wanted to make sure that the staff irons their uniform, polishes their shoes, arrive at the hotel at 7:30a.m. sharp, and line up in order automatically in the lobby. He wants to make a good impression, you see."
"Apparently, he wants to make the impression that he can whip and train us like dogs," Matthew added darkly.
"I agree but you know Mr. Jones, he hands out pink slips like a grandmother hands out candy. I'd be on my best behavior, if I were you," Maria advised.
Matthew rubbed his sore head. "Hey, I'm always on my best behavior!"
Maria chuckled. "I know, I know, but Mr. Jones wants that assistant manager position so badly, he'll fire anyone who would make a bad impression for him."
Matthew looked at the clock, 4:30p.m. it read. "Yeah, I'd bet. Sorry but I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Alright, I'll see you."
Matthew hung up the phone but stayed on the sofa. He closed his eyes and relaxed. He planned to take a shower, go to Wal-Mart to see his mom who worked there, come back with her in his car, and prepare for his day at the hotel tomorrow. Matthew's eyes snapped open and he walked to his room. After changing out of his dirty hotel uniform and dumping it into the laundry bin, he headed out the door again.
oOoOo
"Mom, I'll be leaving at about 7a.m. tomorrow, I have to get to the hotel at 7:30," Matthew told his mother as he got out of the passenger seat of the car. His mother took the key out of the ignition.
"Okay then. Just remember to sleep earlier tonight. I know you always stay up and it's not healthy." His mother scolded at Matthew then added, "You know Mattie, you really should get your driver's license soon. You're 18, don't you think it would be easier if you take the car to get to work?"
"No mom, I don't," Matthew lied through his teeth. He actually could really use a car to get to the hotel through the rain but he knew that his mother needed the car more to get to the Wal-Mart, and he didn't exactly feel comfortable in the driver's seat.
When Matthew got into his small room, he collapsed onto his bed. Lying on his back and thought about tomorrow. He had to work more today because it was Saturday and that meant more work tomorrow because it was Sunday and he also had to get to the hotel at 7:30 am. After a few minutes, he got up and started to finish any homework he had gotten from school.
As he did his homework, he thought about his mom. He loved her. She knew that he and Ben, his stepfather, did not get along. It seemed like she loved him more than she did Alfred, and that made Matthew happy. Matthew also lived with them only because his mom couldn't live without her son. If it wasn't for that, Matthew would have already moved out. He yawned and stretched when he completed all his homework about two hours later. The clock read 10:05p.m. Yikes! He set out his uniform, it was black suit with a navy blue-coloured tie, and got ready to go to sleep.
oOoOo
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! Matthew's alarm clock rang loudly.
He bolted straight up from his bed frantically. "Huh?! Who's there? What's happening?" then noticing the vibrating alarm clock, he smacked it and rubbed his eyes. "Aw man, it's 6 O'clock already?" he said to his empty room. Grabbing the end of the blanket and pulling it over him, he rolled sideways on the bed.
"OHMPH!"
Matthew fell off the bed. He sighed deeply. As he strolled to the door of his room, he stuffed some clothes on the floor back into the closet, shoved empty food cartoons into the garbage can, and grabbed his uniform.
oOoOo
When Matthew entered the hotel, everything was in order. Staff was getting into two neat rows, leaving space in between the middle for Mr. Jones to march up and down when he talked, like he always did, and greeters were politely nodding and talking to hotel guests that were early risers. This, Mathew noted, was why Adrema Stone Hotel was always number one.
As soon as Maria saw Matthew, she waved him over. "Hey Matt, very professional," she commented as she looked Matthew up and down. Not that she didn't look professional herself, since Maria always did.
"You're on reception duty after Mr. Jones' little talk," Maria informed her friend. Matthew frowned. "Reception duty? I'm usually the person who scrubs toilets around here and doesn't Faith usually do that?"
Maria shrugged. "Faith called in sick and we need more people out in the lobby to greet the new guests, so you're it."
Matthew then smiled. "No scrubbing toilets? No more cleaning for one day? Just sitting around and greeting people? Can it this get any better?!"
"But, if anything goes wrong, Mr. Jones is blaming the workers out in the lobby and the greeters," Maria added.
Matthew gulped. "Oh shit."
oOoOo
"Now listen here, you inexperienced, sick excuse of hotel workers!" Mr. Jones ranted on as he marched loudly between the two rows. "I don't want trouble or complaints from ANY of you when Mr. Beilschmidt and his son arrives, get it? They can fire any of you scums," he continued. "And can give me a promotion," he added quietly under his breath but everyone heard and gave each other knowing glances.
"SO!" he snapped everyone back to attention, "be on your best behavior. Now, you will do anything you can to please them, won't you? You will compliment, respect them, do whatever they tell you and, I repeat, do ANYTHING you can do to please them, understand?" Everyone nodded. Mr. Jones smiled a sick, sinister smile, "Good, now GET BACK TO WORK! They arrive in about 10 minutes and I don't want them to think the hotel workers get paid for standing around!" Everyone scrambled back to their jobs.
oOoOo
Once behind the reception desk, Matthew immediately got to work. He checked schedules for workers, greeted guests and satisfied them with free toiletry items like expensive hotel lotions, creams, shampoos, etc. 7 minutes later, Maria came back to the desk.
"Hey Matt, how's it going?" she asked.
"Maria! You know we're not supposed to talk during work! If Mr. Jones catches us-"
Maria put up two hands. "Whoa, whoa. I just came to give you a message."
"Oh, sorry."
Maria shrugged, "No problem. I hope you had a good time working here because Faith's back and she's taking over reception duty again." Matthew groaned then scolded. "So I'm back to scrubbing toilets?"
Maria laughed, "You were always bright."
Matthew scolded at his friend one last time then walked to the lowest floor toilets. It was early, so there wouldn't be many people at the washrooms, and then he wouldn't have to knock and everything. Matthew picked up some scrubs and a bucket from the closet then lunged them downstairs. That's when he saw a boy just standing around doing nothing.
"Hey you!" he exclaimed at him while pulling the heavy cleaning supplies behind him. His voice was quiet, so it took him a few tries to get his attention. He was wearing the standard hotel uniform, so he assumed he was a worker. He turned around and his heart almost stopped beating. He was very handsome. He had white hair and red eyes, which Matthew thought was a little odd, but pushed that thought aside. Matthew mused, but he wasn't the type to go ga- ga over a cute guy so he easily pushed all that aside. He had told his family he was gay about a month ago, of course his mother was the most shocked, but she respected his decision.
"Yes?" the boy asked innocently.
Matthew glared up at him since he was a little taller. He might not be the hardest worker at the hotel, but he knew the rules. "I've never seen you before; you must be a new worker. But it is no excuse to not understand the rules." he ranted on as he paced. "You, a worker of the hotel like me, are not allowed to go into the offices and rooms of our superiors, understand?" he finished.
He blinked back at him. He obviously didn't know that he was the manager's son, he mused. He didn't like people treating him differently just because he was rich or anything. It was quite funny he thought, that this boy was telling him what to do when it was obvious that he was probably assigned to toilet scrubbing duty everyday if the cleaning utensils beside him told him anything. "At least he's an obedient hotel worker." He smiled and decided to play along." It could be fun," he thought since he assumed that the hotel and his father's business would be boring.
"Oh really? Sorry, I'm new, I didn't know. Maybe you can tell me the other rules of this hotel while you give me a tour," he suggested smoothly.
He looked hesitant. "Well, I don't know. I'm actually not allowed to be talking while I'm working and I have to go scrub some toilets," he said, motioning to the washrooms across from them. Then he felt bad because he remembered how it was when he was new to the hotel himself.
The boy saw that he was feeling bad so he continued, "It's my first day and I don't know anyone. I'm lost too, can you help?"
Matthew bit his lip. If he continued stalling, he wouldn't have time to scrub the upper floor toilets, do all his other duties, and greet the manager and his son, although he didn't know that he was talking to him right now.
"What's your name?" he asked Matthew.
He looked up, "What?" he was busy thinking what he should do, help this new worker like he would want to be helped when he was new or go do his work so he won't be late. The manager's son looked amused since Matthew had to think before he could answer with his name.
"It's Matthew. Matthew Williams." He smiled and stuck out his hand.
"I'm Gilbert," he said, leaving out his last name on purpose so he wouldn't know who he really was.
Matthew sighed. "I guess I could show you around. Come with me."
"I'll come up later, I have something I need to do first." Then he walked off leaving Matthew very confused.
"Hey, I thought you were lost!" he called back, but no reply came.
oOoOo
The staff got back into two neat rows in the lobby and waited for Mr. Beilschmidt and his son while Mr. Jones walked by every worker and whispered menacing things and warnings into each person's ear.
He got to Matthew last at the end of the row. "You better behave yourself, I know about the laundry incident, Williams," he said before he turned around and marched back up the row. Matthew gulped. Someone snitched on him and he planned on finding out whom.
A few moments later, a man in his fifties or so walked through the front entrance and Mr. Jones rushed to greet him. The staff clapped, doing what they were instructed to do. "Mr. Beilschmidt, sir, so nice to see you again!" Mr. Jones gushed. Almost everyone filched at their supervisor's 360-degree change in attitude. They shook hands and exchanged greetings.
"I believe my son will be here soon, he said he had some things to tend to," Mr. Beilschmidt said as he rubbed his cold hands together. He looked kind and warm, not like Mr. Jones at all, who looked like a scary old walking stick that made little kids cry.
In the middle of Mr. Jones' speech to Mr. Beilschmidt, a figure walked up beside the manager. It was the boy Matthew met earlier. Matthew blinked disbelievingly.
"Ah, and there's my son, Gilbert," Mr. Beilschmidt said as Mr. Jones gushed again and he introduced him to the staff. The staff clapped again like robots but Matthew was too shocked to clap. "New worker, my butt!" Matthew thought, he tricked him and he really believed everything he said! Matthew grew angry. "How could I be so gullible?!"
Gilbert caught his eye and smirked at him. He glared back which only made him chuckle. Mr. Jones then introduced everyone in the staff, but Matthew, who was last in the second row.
Gilbert noticed and asked, "What about him?" and pointed at Matthew at the back. Matthew flushed pink as everyone's attention turned to him.
Mr. Jones looked at Matthew like he was a piece of trash, "Him? Well, he's not important. As I was saying-"
Gilbert looked mad now, "Well, of course he's important, Mr. Jones. Everyone in the staff's important." Mr. Jones looked embarrassed and ashamed, "Well, of course. I'm sorry Mr. Beilschmidt. He's Matthew Williams." He gave Matthew a quick glare while he said his name.
"Hey, what was that?" Maria leaned over and asked Mathew.
"What was what?"
"You know, the manager's son asking about you."
"I have no idea," Matthew lied.
oOoOo
After Mr. Beilschmidt made a speech and announced that his son would be working with the staff to gain some experience and understand how the hotel works, the staff went back to work. As the staff scattered, Gilbert walked up to Matthew. People were everywhere and Mr. Jones was glaring at Matthew so he stood a few feet beside him and whispered while trying not to move his mouth. "You tricked me."
Gilbert pretended to look surprised. He turned around and looked at him. "I don't believe I did. You see, I am a new worker here and I was pretty clueless and lost."
"What a liar," thought Matthew angrily. His face showed how he was feeling and the corner of Gilbert's mouth turned slightly upwards. "Isn't that true, Matt?"
Matthew didn't even bother to point out that Gilbert wasn't a worker yet when he was talking to him downstairs. Matthew got in front of him and said, "Only my friends can call me that." he blushed.
Gilbert laughed. "I wonder if he knows how cute he looks." he mused.
Mr. Jones marched over and pulled Matthew aside, whispering into his ear, "That's it, Williams. You've earned yourself an early retirement." Then he smirked, "I've been waiting to fire you for a long time now."
Matthew couldn't believe it! It wasn't his fault! He had been working at the hotel for 2 years and he was going to get fired?
"Mr. Jones, I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding here," Gilbert said smoothly and smiled at Mr. Jones. "Mr. Williams was just telling me about the rules of the hotel here." Matthew scolded; he was bringing back up their last conversation!
"But Mr. Beilschmidt, h-he was being very disrespectful to you-" Mr. Jones stuttered.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Gilbert answered and looked at Matthew amusingly. "Right, Matt?"
"It's either this or losing your job." He told himself. He chose this. "Right," he said through gritted teeth.
Gilbert pretended he didn't hear his tone and continued negotiating, "Great, everything's fine then." He pulled Matthew aside and added politely, "Excuse me, Matt here hasn't finished telling me about the hotel rules yet."
Matthew jerked away and headed downstairs, leaving Mr. Jones speechless and looking very red.
Thanks for reading! This is my first fanfic ever, so i'm sorry if it's bad ^^;
Please review?
