The Hater 2: Love to Hate Me (The Hater Trilogy #2)

4 [Part 1] | Going Splish Splash

"HAY NAKU boy, hindi ka makakapasok sa loob ng university kapag wala kang ID," pagmamaktol ng guard habang kausap ang isang lalaki. "Nasa'n ba kasi talaga ang ID mo?"

"I lost it nga!" iritadong sabi ng lalaki. Napakamot ang lalaki sa kaniyang ulo. Ang aga, ang malas agad. "How many times have I already told you that I lost it? Hindi ko alam kung kailan but I lost it, okay? Nakita mo naman siguro ako, I went inside the campus yesterday. You even smiled at me."

"Oo boy, nakita kita. Ni hindi mo nga ako nginitian pabalik," ani ng gwardiya at napakamot din ng ulo. "Pero hindi naman kita pwedeng papasukin kung wala ang ID mo."

"Ang kulit naman e, sabi nang I lost it kasi," ani ng lalaki na tila iritadong-iritado na habang tumitingin-tingin sa kaniyang relo. "Look at the time already, late na ako. Magsisimula na ang first subject ko and here I am, debating with you."

"Pasensya ka na at ginagawa ko lamang ang trabaho ko," ani ng gwardiya bago tinalikuran ang lalaki. The young man sighed out of frustration. "Good morning, Chase."

"Hi kuya," the man swiped his ID on the swiping machine that is used in entering the university. After swiping his ID, agad niyang niluwas ang isang ID at ini-swipe iyon do'n sa makina. "I already swiped his ID, kuya. Let him in already."

The young man pointed his finger to himself. "A-Ako?" the young man asked. He looked at Chase and saw his ID. "Hey, that's my ID."

"Kaya nga," ani Chase at itinapat iyon sa lalaki. "Come in already or gusto mong ma-late."

Chase already walked his way kaya agad naman ditong sumunod 'yung lalaki. "How did you get my ID ha? I remembered I lost it."

"Yeah, you did," sagot ni Chase. "Kaya nga nasa akin. Kung hindi mo nawala, sa tingin mo bakit nasa akin?"

"Where did you find it?" the man asked like he has no idea where did he lost his property. Well, he really had no idea.

"Do'n sa waiting shed, remember? Ako lang naman 'yung taong niluhuran mo kahapon. Madaming taong nakakita. It's like you're asking me to marry you."

"Kahapon?" the man asked once again. He seem to be confused. Looks like the thought of being late bothers him.

"Hindi mo na ata maalala," Chase replied and rolled his eyes. He heaved a deep sigh before talking. "You tied your shoelaces in front of me, it was raining kahapon 'di ba? You accidentally left your ID no'ng dumating ang bus kasi parang may lakad ka then I grabbed it. I even called you but you can't hear me. Siguro rock ang pinapakinggan mo kahapon."

"Then, thank you but I'll get it back already," ani ng lalaki bago sinubukang kunin kay Chase ang ID pero agad 'yong naitago ni Chase sa kaniyang bulsa. Heath looked at him intently. "What the hell are you playing?"

"Ba't ka ba nagmamadali?" tanong ni Chase. "Relax dude. It's just seven thirty in the morning. Thirty minutes more before the first subject."

"How did you know that my first sub today is starting in eight?" tanong ng lalaki at inangatan si Chase ng kilay. "Stalker ka ba?"

"No, Mr. Riego," pormal na sibat ni Chase. "We're both second year and your schedule is pasted on the back side of the ID, hindi naman mahirap tignan 'yon 'di ba?"

"I already told you my gratitude, mister," the young man said. "Now, pwede ko na bang makuha ang ID ko?"

"Just call me Chase," the other young boy replied. "But sorry to burst your bubble, hindi ko ibibigay sa 'yo itong ID mo."

"What?" the young man named Heath replied. "Quit playing games already, Chase, okay? I really need that ID back to me and I need to go to my first subject today."

"Wala namang silbi itong ID kundi ang maging entrance key sa university," Chase replied. "So ano pa bang paggagamitan nito bukod do'n? Display siguro. Hindi naman nakakadagdag ng pogi points, Heath. Pogi ka na rin naman."

The young man displayed a hint of seriousness in his face. "I'm not kidding already."

"This dude got no chill," Chase said and smiled. "Para ka namang pinagsukluban ng langit at lupa sa kaseryosohan mo."

"I hate being kidded and I hate kidding, okay?" sagot ni Heath. "Hindi mo pa ako kilala and you don't have the right to kid at me."

Oh are you sure that I don't know you? Chase kept Heath's ID inside his pocket. "Akala ko ba mal-late ka na, e bakit hindi ka pa umaalis?" wika ni Chase na tila ba nanunukso. "Go na dude. Hindi naman kita pinipigilan."

"Give me the ID now," Heath replied while throwing Chase a death glare. "Now."

"Sorry ka, ayaw ko e," Chase kidded. Kaagad siyang tumakbo patungo sa lobby na malapit kinaroroonan nilang dalawa. Lobby ng Faculty of Engineering. "Heath!" he called. "Kung gusto mong makapasok bukas, wait for me then. Pero kung ayaw mo, ikaw bahala."

Heath showed of an annoyed face before glaring at Chase. "Bullshit!" he scowled. He looked at his wristwatch and ran quickly as he noticed that he's running late. Kahit na inis na inis na siya kay Chase, hindi niya magawang patulan pa ito dahil mal-late na siya.

Chase laughed his ass out. "Akala niya siguro, hindi ko siya naalala," he talked to himself. He never changed though. "Still the man I bumped two years ago. Loner. Walang imik pero asshole ang ugali. Look at how our fates changed, Heath. You swore na hindi na tayo magkikita ulit pero ito, ako naman ang nang-iinis ngayon." But, naaalala niya ba ako? He seem to not know. He really sucks at remembering. "But at least, I can give you back what you gave me back then." Chase left out a big grin once again. He was like planning for a demonic game.

"Tuwang-tuwa?" Isla, who just came after Chase, asked. "Anong nangyari? Ba't ang happy ng bestfriend ko? Pasagap naman ng tsismis."

"Tsismosa ka ngang talaga," ani Chase at ginulo ang buhok ni Isla. The latter just gave him a death glare for doing so. "Wala. I just woke up in the right side of bed."

"So all these days na sinusungitan mo ako, nagising ka sa kaliwang side ng kama?"

"Ha?" Chase seem to not get the punchline.

"Hakdog ka naman, Chase. Hindi mo ba gets?" sabi ni Isla bago natawa. "Matalino ka lang, slow ka din. Sabi mo kasi sa right side e 'di sa kanan 'yon. Kaya sabi ko kung nagsusungit ka na para kang may regla, malamang sa kaliwang side ka ng bed nagising."

"Tanga, right kasi na tama sa tagalog, hindi kanan. May saltik ka ba?"

"Tanga ka din, sarcasm kasi 'yon. May saltik ka ba?" Isla looked at her wristwatch and panicked. "Tanga tayo pareho, mag-uumpisa na first subject natin, girl."

"Tanga lang ang mahuhuli," ani Chase at kumaripas ng takbo na tila nag-aaya ng karera.

---

NOAH WOKE up immediately after a bad dream. It was not just a bad dream but a nightmare. A nightmare that always haunts him every night and day everytime he sleeps.

Heavily panting and sweating, Noah wiped his sweats as he runs after his breath. Why can't I just forget it? The past. The past always haunts Noah.

It was thirty minutes past one o'clock when the door of his room opened as Blake, his older brother, entered the room. "What happened, Noah?" Blake asked. "Narinig ko from my room, you are breathing heavily and look at you, you're fully sweating."

Blake grabbed a towel inside Noah's cabinet and started wiping his brother's sweats. "Just a dream," Noah lied. "I woke up all of a sudden kasi I felt hot... kaya you see, I'm sweating."

"Just a dream?" Blake said as he continue on wiping his brother's sweat. "Just a normal dream pero araw-araw nangyayari sa 'yo?

"Ako na kuya," Noah said and grabbed the towel from Blake's hand. "I'm sure, kuya. Thank you for the concern."

"You don't have to tell me your gratitude. I just show concern towards my younger brother." Blake smiled and tapped Noah's head. "Pero seriously, care to tell me what is happening? I'm worrying already, li'l bro."

"I'm okay, kuya..."

"You're not. I'm not even asking already but I can see it in your eyes." Blake looked at Noah directly. "You know I'll listen. Tell me everything, makikinig ako."

"Kuya..."

"Is it about Tobi?" Blake asked. He then shook his head after. "Oh, I doubt it. Thoughts of him won't make you like this."

"I'm really fine, kuya..." Noah replied and smiled. "You don't have to worry about me. I can... mind my own self. I'm a college student already, right?"

"Here you are again diverting the topic again. But yeah, if you're not yet ready to tell me, okay lang naman," Blake said and smiled. I'm just glad to have him as my older brother. "Gain the confidence and tell me what happened kapag okay ka na, alright?"

"I will."

"You want me to sleep with you here? Sakto matagal-tagal na tayong hindi natutulog ng magkatabi. The last time I think we slept beside each other is I think when you're fifteen," Blake said and smiled. "Memories though. Memories pleasures us but sometimes haunts us."

"Huwag na kuya," Noah retorted and smiled bitterly. "By the way, bakit nandito ka? Bakit hindi mo kasama si Kuya Chaunce ngayon?"