Page 15 of Frat House Fling
I vacuumed and dusted, but there wasn’t much else to do besides empty the trashcan into the bag in the hall. Before I left, I couldn’t help returning to the drafting table. There was a pile of oversized papers on it. The top one had a sketch of some kind of large building.
Carefully lifting the corner, I looked at the next sketch. It appeared to show the inside of the building, with rows of seats. It was some kind of concert hall. Had Theo designed that?
Other sketches showed the outside of the building. It was located along a small river, the walls of the structure seeming to curve to match the banks. It was hard to imagine that someone his age could have that kind of talent and vision.
Reluctantly, I gathered up my supplies and left the beautiful little room. Matt’s was next. He was the guy I’d seen with Ian last night. His room was kind of about what I was expecting. Not too clean, not too dirty. It didn’t take all that long.
Who did that leave on this level? Ian and one guy I hadn’t met yet. As I walked down the hallway, I heard noises—it sounded like more video games—coming from a room on my left. The name on the door was Nelson. I decided I’d clean Ian’s room next and then circle back to him. Maybe by that time he’d be headed to class.
After knocking, I tentatively opened the door to Ian’s room. And then stopped and rechecked the name on the door. Was it really his?
Because it didn’t actually look like anyone lived there. The quilt on the bed was plain and white. There was nothing on top of the tall wooden dresser or the desk by the window. The bookcase had some books in it, all neatly lined up in a row, but otherwise, there was nothing to indicate the personality of the man who lived here.
No picture frames of family. No clutter on the nightstand. No shoes kicked off in the corner of the room. It didn’t take long to clean—there wasn’t even any trash in the trashcan.
I left the room knowing that I should be grateful that it didn’t take very long, but it also left me feeling uneasy. It had looked more like a hotel room than someone’s personal space.
After getting a new garbage bag, I approached the last room on the floor, Nelson’s. The noises from the room got louder as I got closer, and there was also a strange smell coming from thatdirection. Kind of a musky smell, but it was difficult to describe. Maybe a little like something burning?
I knocked on the door, but there was no answer, and no lessening of the video game noises behind the door. The smell was even stronger, however. I knocked again louder, and then put my ear to the door, trying to hear what was happening in there.
“I’d skip that one.”
I jumped and whirled around, spotting Ian. He was standing in front of his door. With all the noise from Nelson’s room, I hadn’t heard him walking down the hallway. “I knocked and there was no answer.”
He nodded. “I’m not surprised. While we were just playing a game to blow off a little steam, Nelson seems to be majoring in them.”
I laughed a little. A guy like that seemed different from someone studying architecture, like Theo, or wanting to be a doctor, like Ian. “Bennett told me to clean all the rooms of the guys staying here this summer. I already did yours.”
“Thank you.” If he was curious about my reaction to his surprisingly sterile room, he didn’t show it. “But I’m pretty sure Nelson doesn’t want you in there unless you’re good at first-person shooter games or selling weed.”
My jaw dropped. “That’s what that smell is?”
“Yep. And if you don’t want your clothes smelling like that, I’d stay out of there.”
“Okay. Thanks. Can you tell me where Grant and Bennett’s rooms are?”
“Upstairs,” he said, jerking his chin to the left. “Use that stairwell and you’ll come to Grant’s first. Bennett’s suite is in the middle.”
That sounded like Bennett… and it sounded big. I hoped it wouldn’t take too long because I really needed to get tothe grocery store. Somehow, I didn’t think that the fraternity president would be understanding of me getting dinner on the table late, even though he was the one who’d assigned me all these tasks.
I thanked Ian and headed up the stairs, lifting the vacuum cleaner one step at a time. After a whole summer of carting beer and appliances up the stairs, I was going to have more muscles.
I did the math as I reached the third-floor landing. If Nelson truly didn’t want me to clean his room, then it would save me time. Hopefully the rooms up here wouldn’t take too long.
Grant’s room was first, and I knocked three times, just to be sure he wasn’t there, before entering.
It was a nice suite with a bedroom, a small sitting area, and a private bathroom. Though the furniture and art on the wall looked expensive, it didn’t feel like an oasis as Theo’s room had. But on the other hand, it didn’t feel empty and impersonal like Ian’s room.
I dusted, straightening up as I went. Grant had shed his tie and his shirt on the chair by the bed, no doubt after his outing last night. Was he one of the drunken guys I’d heard tromping up the stairs? Most likely.
Then I swept, which took a little longer. The floors were hardwood, and there weren’t many area rugs to move, but it still took some time to go over them. I dreaded the day when I’d have to mop in here.
I shut off the vacuum and breathed a sigh of relief at the silence that filled the room.
And then it was broken.
“Hey.” For the second time today, I jumped.