The Hater: Three Shades of Hate (The Hater Trilogy #1)

5 [Part 2] | It's Raining Men

Agad na bumukas ang window ng front seat at agad na bumungad ang isang pamilyar na mukha para kay Chaunce. "Chaunce, tara, I'll give you a lift."

"Doc?"

"Yeah," doc replied. "Tara, I'll give you a lift. Mahirap makapag-para ng taxi sa ganitong uri ng panahon."

"Huwag na doc," Chaunce declined. "I can manage, at saka basa na rin ako, ayos na rin 'yon."

"I insist Chaunce," ani doc na pinagtitinginan na ng mga tao.

"Nakakahiya doc," Chaunce replied. "Huwag na."

Doc closed the window of his car. Chaunce thought doc will leave but the door opened at lumabas dito si doc na may dalang payong at pamunas.

Agad niyang nilapitan si Chaunce at ipinasilong ito sa dalang payong. Agad na inilagay ni doc ang tuwalya sa ulo ni Chaunce at agad na inakbayan ang huli para i-guide patungo sa kaniyang kotse.

"Ang sweet naman ng boyfriend mo, hijo," dinig nilang sabi ng isang ginang na hindi naman na inintindi ng dalawa.

Ipinasok ni doc si Chaunce sa kabilang pinto at agad na isinara din. Pumasok na rin si doc sa isang pinto at itinuyo ang payong. Inilagay niya ang payong sa backseat at agad na hinawakan ang manibela at nagsimulang magmaneho.

Nagtutuyo si Chaunce ng buhok nang agad din siyang magsalita. "Thank you doc, but you shouldn't have done it."

"Anong hindi?" doc told him. "I saw you at the corner of the waiting shed na basang-basa na tapos titignan lang kitang magmukhang sisiw do'n?"

"Still, thanks doc."

"Sabi ko nga, I don't just accept a mere thank you."

"So libre ulit kita?"

"Not now, but maybe later."

"Noted doc," ani Chaunce at ngumiti. "So sa'n ka tumutuloy, doc?"

"Diyan lang, somewhere around the university," doc replied. "Ikaw ba, sa'n ka?"

"Sa dormitory ni Tita Marlyn," Chaunce told him. "Ever heard of that?"

"Yeah," doc replied. "Actually I live in the dormitory next to Aling Marlyn's."

"Oh? Totoo?"

"Yeah, pero minsan lang ako do'n, umuuwi ako para may kasama si mom na palaging mag-isa sa bahay," ani doc na tutok ang tingin sa daan. "Mabuti nalang pala at nakita kita at baka ano pang nangyari sa iyo do'n."

"Concerned ka doc ha," tukso ni Chaunce. "Just kidding."

"Kidding aside, I'm really concerned Chaunce," doc seriously said. "I can't afford seeing you in danger."

That statement of doc froze Chaunce. Hindi na lamang sumagot si Chaunce at agad na niyakap ang bag. He seems to be cold

"Nilalamig ka ba?" doc asked Chaunce who just slowly nodded. "Shall I off the aircon?"

Chaunce didn't bother answering so doc just closed the aircon. The whole trip was a silent trip. Chaunce also fell asleep while they're on their way.

The time Chaunce felt doc shaking him made him wake up. "We're here," doc said while smiling. "It's not raining, stay safe while heading home, Chaunce."

Chaunce smiled and immediately went outside the car. "Thanks for giving me a lift doc," he owed doc a gratitude.

"Anytime," doc said and put on a smile on his lips. "Basta kung may kailangan ka, never hesitate to bother me. Para saan pang you're a junior of mine."

"Yes, noted doc," he said and acted like giving doc a salute. "I'll go now doc, ingat sa biyahe."

Doc smiled and immediately drove his car passed Chaunce. It's now eight-thirty in the evening when he decided to go inside his dormitory. There greeted him Blake whose busy with typing on his keyboard.

Chaunce unawarely coughs. Agad siyang tumungo sa kusina at kumuha ng isang baso ng tubig. After drinking, he went inside the bathroom to take a bath.

He's all dressed and ready to sleep when Blake talked. "What's with the continuous coughing?" he asked, as usual in an irritated tone. "Do you know it's very noisy?"

"Do you think I have a choice?" Chaunce said and rolled his eyes. "Kasalanan ko bang naulanan ako dahil walang taxi? At saka, sorry nalang, hindi ikaw may-ari ng room na 'to."

"Just abstain from coughing very hard," he said and looked at Chaunce's eyes. "That'll irritate your throat. Just sleep and rest." Anong problema sa loko? Ba't mukhang concerned?

Hindi na lamang inintindi ni Chaunce ang inusal ng renting partner at agad na nahiga. Akala niya ay agad siyang makakatulog but he ended up being tulala at nakatingin sa ceiling ng dorm.

He then coughed again. He rubbed his throat due to great itchiness. Blake then talked. "Are you really okay?"

"Hmm," Chaunce said after clearing his throat. "Just a mild cough, I'll be okay tomorrow. Just... mind your own business."

"Sabagay," Blake initiated. "Why would I be concerned with someone who don't treat me good?"

Chaunce rolled his eyes. "Kaya nga," he said, seems to be irritated as well. "Don't mind me, kaya ko ang sarili ko."

Blake turned his gaze to his laptop. He then continued typing while Chaunce continued looking at nowhere. He was thinking about his mom. Why does mom not call me these days? May problema kaya?

Even now that he's not feeling well, he can't think of himself. He's a family-oriented type of person and his family is the one of the least things he concerns.

He shook his head to erase that thought. Mom's maybe busy, what are you thinking Chaunce? He pressed his eyes closed and made himself sleep kasabay ng tunog ng banayad na pagpatak ng ulan sa labas.q

---

NAGISING SI Chaunce sa lamig na naramdaman. He checked his phone only to know that it's only three o'clock in the morning.

He touched his head when he felt a deep pain inside. Argh, ba't masakit? Tumayo si Chaunce at agad na tumungo sa kusina para uminom ng tubig. Nang agad naman siyang makainom ng tubig ay agad ding bumalik sa kama at natulog.

Nagising si Chaunce nang makaramdam ng pagyugyog. Napa-unat siya bago tinakpan ang mukha ng mantle na ginagamit niyang kumot. "Chaunce, wake up. May pasok ka pa."

"Hng," Chaunce grunted. "I'm not feeling well, I think I'll cut for today."

Blake put his palm in Chaunce's head. "You're burning hot," he noted. "Saan ka ba galing kahapon?"

"I was wet by the rain and stucked in a car filled with cold aircon," Chaunce replied and at last he opened his eyes. "Why are you even concerned, my renting partner?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Blake replied. "After all, we're living in the same house and if you die, baka ako pa ang maakusahan."

"Don't overreact okay?" maldito pa ring ani Chaunce and rolled his eyes after. "It's just a mild fever. I won't die just because of this. I might die just because of you rather than dying due to fever."

"If you'll die because of me, why don't you die right now in front of me?"

"Demonyo ka talaga," Chaunce replied while he darted Blake a deadly glare. "Just go okay? I can handle myself. May pasok ka pa and I want to be on my own for now."

"I'll cut."

"Because of me?" Chaunce mocked him. "Woah, you have concerns for me now."

"I'll cut because I want to, not because of you, stupid lad."

Tumayo si Blake at agad na nagbihis ng pambahay. "I'll go buy your food."

"Nah, I can cook my own food," pagmamaktol ni Chaunce at agad na naupo ngunit nabalik sa paghiga ng makaramdam ng sakit.

"Don't try to be heroic when you can't, just follow my command," Blake's statement which made Chaunce silent. "I'll go buy your food now. And don't do anything that can make you bad or I'll make you worse."

"Aye, commander." Chaunce rolled his eyes. "Why bother to buy food when you can just cook?"

"I can't cook, remember?" Mahinhin na natawa si Chaunce. "Stop laughing, Tita Marlyn brings us food. Hindi ka rin naman marunong magluto, 'wag kang epal."

Agad rin namang lumabas si Blake ng kanilang dorm samantalang naiwang nakahiga si Chaunce. Minutes later, Blake went back to their room with a plastic bag hanging on his hands.

Dumiretso siya sa kusina na hindi man lang binabati si Chaunce, natural na rin naman 'yon sa kanila. Nang maihanda ang pagkain ay agad na bumalik si Blake kay Chaunce at pinaupo ito sa kama. "Here, eat some porridge."

"Porridge pa, lugaw lang naman 'yan," wika ni Chaunce. "Anyway, just thank you."

"Thanks accepted," Blake replied. Chaunce was still amazed how Blake thought of 'thanks accepted' as a response to a gratitude rather than having 'you're welcome' as it is.

Sabagay, doc replies 'I don't just accept a mere thank you'. His thoughts about doc can make him smile for an unknown reason. "Why are you smiling?"

Nabalik sa ulirat si Chaunce at agad na umiling. "Never mind, I just... thought of someone."

Blake just rolled his eyes before he left Chaunce at his bed, eating the porridge. Chaunce ate all the porridge because he did not eat last night, he forgot it.

"Get naked," Blake's statement which made Chaunce's eyes widen. "What? Just get naked."

Agad na ipinantapal ni Chaunce ang kaniyang braso sa kaniyang katawan. "What is this all about now, Blake?"

"Maghuhubad ka o ako pa ang maghuhubad sa 'yo?" Umiling lamang si Chaunce. "Okay then, gusto mo ata na ako pa ang maghubad sa 'yo."

"Bakit ba kasi?"

"You need to take a half-bath," Blake told him. "You're damn smelly. Akala mo ba may gagawin ako sa 'yo? Hell no."

Chaunce just smiled when he realized what he just acted. Damn, humiliating. Chaunce tried to unwore his sweater but he failed to do so. He lost his force because of that damn fever.

Lumapit si Blake at agad na hinawakan ang laylayan ng damit ni Chaunce. "Anong ginagawa mo?" gulat na tanong ni Chaunce.

"Helping you unwear your damn cloth," Blake replied. "Why do you prefer using fit clothes kasi?"

"I can do it myself," pagmamaktol ni Chaunce.

"Great, then unwear it," Blake challenged Chaunce who tried his best to unwear his cloth but failed.

Agad na hinawakan ni Blake ang laylayan ng damit ni Chaunce at agad na dahan-dahan itong ipinapataas. "Raise your hand," he commanded Chaunce which followed his command.

Someone then twisted their dorm's door and opened the door. "Hi Kuys Blake—" naputol ang sinasabi ng lalaki at agad na napabukas ang bibig nang makita ang ginagawa nina Blake at Chaunce. "What the hell are you doing?"