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

1 [Part 1] | Back When We First Met

ONE WEEK AGO...

"WHERE'S YOUR enrollment form, mister?" the enrollment master asked Chaunce whose just innocently staring at her. He again searched for his enrollment form inside his bag. Hinalungkat niya na 'to mga ilang beses na but he still can't freaking find it.

"Uhm miss, I think I lost my form..." Chaunce said after hesitating. "It's inside my bag kanina but I think I lost it..."

"What?!" the enrollment master exclaimed. Halos mabingi si Chaunce sa inusal nito. And due to her exclaiming in front of him, he got the attention of everyone here in the enrollment area. "How could you lost just that piece of paper?"

"I'm really sorry miss but can I just ask for another vacant form?"

"Ano ba naman 'yan, mister? We only have minimal numbers of enrollment form for those who are applying for the business management course. You should have taken care of that," she scowled at him.

"I'm really sorry miss for the incinvenience that I've brought," he again asked for a mere sorry. "If you can just lend me a vacant enrollment form, I will just make sure that I will photocopy it. Please miss, I really wanted to study here."

"Well mister englisero, it's not my fault that you lost your form. If you want, you can just leave this university and find other one who can handle your clumsiness."

"But miss—"

"No buts, mister. Just leave this university if you yourself can't handle your own form."

"Miss—" he was then cut by someone who talked from the back.

"Here," the man said, lending his extra enrollment form. "Just take this."

Agad niyang kinuha ang enrollment form galing sa kamay noong lalaki. "Thanks..." he said and bowed to the man. He immediately filled up the form and gave it to the enrollment master na grabe pa rin ang titig sa kaniya. She stamped something on his paper, stating the word enrolled.

Tumalikod siya sa enrollment master at agad na naglakad. At first, he thought he was just walking alone but he saw someone walking beside him. It was that man who gave him the enrollment form. "Salamat ulit."

The man turned his gaze to Chaunce like he wasn't expecting any word of gratitude from him. Itinuro niya ang kaniyang sarili at lumingon-lingon pa. "Salamat... that's for me?"

Chaunce shook his head. "Siyempre, sino pa ba naman ang kakausapin ko dito kung hindi ikaw." He smiled while the man scratched his head. "You are the only one walking beside me."

"S-Sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?" he said. "I... just want to walk you to the gate. I maybe should get lost."

"Hindi naman, go on. As if maraming exit points sa university." Chaunce smiled to him which he repayed with a cold poker face. "Chaunce Jethro Yap," he offered his hand which the latter accepted.

"Blake Isaiah Peterson," he said and started to shake another's hand.

"Are you an incoming freshman or are you from other year?"

"I am in the freshmen's enrollment counter so I guess..."

"Ah, oo nga pala," Chaunce said, awkwardly. "So what course are you getting? Mayroon kang enrollment form sa business management so I guess you're applying under the course too."

"Nope," he said, calmly and not putting any force. "Actually I am applying for the architecture course and I just enrolled few minutes ago. I have the form because one of my friend who's applying the same course as yours have an extra."

"Oh, I see."

"Blake!" someone called him from afar. It was a girl with two another guys. "Tara na! Gutom na kami!"

"Right there Sunny!" he exclaimed as he tilted his gaze to the girl who called him, the girl was with two other boys. He then turned his gaze to Chaunce. "I guess we'll just see each other some time."

"I guess too," he replied and smiled. "Nice meeting you again Mr. Peterson."

"Drop the formalities, I am no higher than you. Just call me Blake." He said. "Nice to meet you too Chaunce, but I guess I have to leave. Bye."

Chaunce waved his hand to him whose running toward his friends. He then decided to go out of the university as well and went directly home.

---

"SO THIS is really available, ma'am?" tanong ni Chaunce ulit sa landlady ng apartment na uupahan ko.

"Oo hijo, malaki ang espasyo niyang room na 'yan at kumpleto na rin sa gamit. May kuryente, tubig at internet na rin kaya kunin mo na hijo."

"Oh sige po ma'am."

"Itigil mo na ang pagtawag sa akin ng ma'am, hindi ako sanay hijo. Tawagin mo nalang akong Tita Marlyn."

"Sige po Tita Marlyn," he smiled and then turned his gaze again sa kabuuan ng kwarto. Nahagip ng vision niya ang dalawang kama na halos two feet lang ang pagitan. "Uhm bakit po pala dalawa ang kama sa room na ito Tita Marlyn?"

"Ay hindi ko pa ba nasasabi sa 'yo hijo?" tanong ng matandang babae at napa-angat ng kilay si Chaunce.

"Ang alin po?"

"Na mayroon kang partner sa pag-upa niyan hijo."

"Ha?" he exclaimed. "Akala... ko po nagkasundo tayo na ako lang mag-isa sa kwarto na 'to."

"Kinausap ang lahat ng landlady na nakapalibot sa university ng mayor mismo ng lugar natin. Sabi niya masiyado daw malaki ang bilang ng bagong papasok sa unibersidad kaya kailangan magkaroon ng bagong programa para magkaroon ng matutuluyan ang iba, and 'yun nga ang ipagsama ang mga kapwa lalaki sa iisang kwarto. Mabuti ka pa nga at dalawa lang kayo, sa ibang apartment ipinagkakasiya ang tatlo o apat." Kinuha niya ang isang susi sa loob ng kaniyang pocket. "This is the key, kung magmo-move ka na, just go directly here."

Napatango na lamang siya. "Matanong ko lang po Tita Marlyn, sino po ang magiging partner ko sa pag-upa nito?"

"Sakto, paparating na rin 'yon." Napalingon-lingon siya at nakita ang isang lalaking nakasuot ng helmet at nakasakay sa motorsiklo. "At 'yan na pala siya."

Chaunce's phone inside his left pocket buzzed. He immediately got it out from his pocket and looked at who texted him. It was his dad.

"Gosh, I'm sorry Tita Marlyn but dad called because of emergency. Just tell my renting partner that we'll see once we moved na."

Agad siyang tumalikod kay Tita Marlyn at tumakbo papalayo. She was mumbling anything but he can't be able to hear that. Dad was calling and I must prioritize him first.

---

"INGAT KA anak ha, if the classes starts soon, h'wag uuwi ng masiyadong gabi. Study hard okay?" his mom told Chaunce while rubbing his cheeks. It is the day that he will move to his apartment and this is the first time he will live far from his mom so he did not really expect her na hindi mag-drama.

It is saturday. Sa monday na ang simula ng classes so he really need to move in. His mom told him to move sa linggo nalang pero he excused himself na mag-aayos pa siya ng gamit niya sa loob ng kwarto and that will take him plenty of hours, lalo na't perfectionist siya.

"Mom, bine-baby mo na naman ako. Look, I am an incoming freshman student sa isang sikat na university. I am not that coward little elementary boy na pwede mong halik-halikan nalang. Mom, it is humiliating."

"Baby boy naman kita 'di ba? So what's wrong with doing that to my baby boy." She tickled Chaunce on his stomach. She really know all about him, even the most little detail. That's what moms really are and Chaunce is deep inside thankful having this wonderful lady as the woman who brought him in world.

"Mom, stop. I am your baby boy because I am your only son, dalawa lang naman kami ni Chelsea 'di ba? Pero mom, I am the elder so hindi na ako baby."

"Kahit na." She pouted. "You're still my baby, no matter what you say."

"Okay fine."

"How about you bringing your luggages? You need help? I can ask Mang Berto to help you carry your things."

"No mom, I'm fine. Just go home kasi baka hinihintay ka na ni dad and ni Chelsea doon."

"You sure you're fine, son?"

"I sure am mom," he assured. He flashed his smile to easen his mom's worriness.

"Will miss you son."

"Mom, hindi naman ako pupuntang ibang bansa, at saka ilang oras lang ang layo ng bahay natin sa apartment ko 'di ba? You can visit me anytime." Oh, I have a renting partner nga pala. I almost forgot. "Ayt, bad idea. I can just visit you anytime I miss you mom."

"Can't I visit you here?"

"I can visit our house mom."

"But why can't I visit your apartment? Siguro may tinatago kang babae diyan ha?"

"Mom, I'm not a manwhore."

"Kapag ikaw nakabuntis ng wala sa oras, puputulin ko 'yang ano mo."

"Mom, you're overthinking. I can just use—" he was cut when she slapped him hard in his arm. "Joke lang nga. Ito naman, sineseryoso agad."

"Ikaw ha, tigil-tigilan mo ako ng mga kalokohan mo Chaunce Jethro Yap."

"Kailangang full name talaga mom?" Chaunce asked her while laughing. He approached her and then hugged her tight. "Kahit na sino mang babae 'yang dumating sa buhay ko mom, ikaw pa rin ang nag-iisa sa puso ko. Unless, lalaki ang dumating."

"Ewan ko sa 'yo." Her phone suddenly rang and he saw from the caller's ID, it was his dad. She immediately answered it and when she finished talking with dad, she then looked at Chaunce again. "Sabi ko nga, I need to go na. Stay safe son, tandaan lahat ng paalala ko."

"Okay na nga, okay na. Shoo," mapanuksong ani Chaunce sa kaniya. She darted him a death glare. "Joke lang nga mom, sige na, ingat."

Mang Berto started the engine and then drove it fastly. Mukhang nagmamadali na nga si dad, ano na naman kayang mayro'n?

Kinuha niya ang tatlo niyang maleta at hinawakan ito gamit ang dalawa niyang kamay. Samantalang ang isang bakpack ay nakasabit sa likod niya.

It was a struggle going up through stairs but he fin'lly made it. He was panting as he reached their room and took a rest before knocking on the door.

There was an unknown noise inside the room. There were screeching sound of bed, a person who is panting very hard and cussing. What the hell is my renting partner doing?