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

4 [Part 2] | Going Splish Splash

"He's with his mother tonight and hindi na siya uuwi, didiretso na ata sa school bukas so dito na rin ako nag-stay," Blake said and smiled. "You know how much of a mama's boy is your kuya, 'di ba? Sige na, you should sleep already, maaga ka pa mamaya."

Noah laid down on his bed as his eyes went after Blake who switched the light down and smiled at his again before closing the door.

The moment Blake left his room, he thought he was gonna be pushed by his own sleepiness but the thought that the nightmare might visit him again made him up for a couple of minutes.

"I really hope that memory will not haunt me again," Noah finally talked before closing his eyes. That was a bad memory that needs to be burried not to be remembered.

---

"WAITED SO long?" tanong ni Chase na kaagad na ini-swipe ang ID nilang dalawa ni Heath. The latter just looked at him with annoyed face.

"Tell me, what game are you trying to play? Kasi if mayro'n man, don't even try to include me on that game because I don't do bullshits."

"Ano bang sinasabi mong laro? Wala nga akong makitang game console na hawak ko e," panunukso pa ni Chase. "Puro naman laro 'yang nasa isip mo. Bakit hindi mo subukang magseryoso?"

"Hindi pa ba ako seryoso sa lagay kong 'to?" Heath replied. He's a bit taller than Chase so the latter has to raise his chin up to talk with him. Heath bend over and moved his face near Chase's. "Or ikaw ang gusto mong seryosohin ko? Because if you think it like that, wala akong motibo."

"Kaya ka pala iniiwasan ng mga tao dahil sa ganitong ugali mo. But in fairness though, mabango ang hininga mo, not bad for a person who rarely opens his mouth," Chase said with a hint of sarcasm. "Sa katunayan nga, you should be thanking me. At least may taong regular na lumalapit sa 'yo. Treat me as your friend also, I don't mind."

"I will never. And kung kaibigan man kita, you still don't have the right to keep my things kasi hindi kita magulang."

"I can be your boyfriend though," walang prenong sabi ni Chase. "But ayaw ko, e. Ang hirap mo sigurong alagaan."

"Which between us needs to be care more? Ikaw 'yon," Heath replied and walked three steps ahead. He stopped as he remembered something. "And correction, you mean you can be a girlfriend, to be exact, my girlfriend?" he said, emphasizing the word 'my'. "You think I can't smell you?"

"Well, in fairness, your gaydar functions well," Chase replied. "But, pakialam ko? I really don't care whether everyone knows the real me."

"Okay, fine. Whatever," Heath replied and smirked. "You can keep my ID, then. I understand you. That's your only ticket to see me so who am I to break that opportunity for you."

Heath smirked once again and faced aback Chase and walked like an authority. "Yabang ng gagong 'yon," ani Chase at napailing. "Babawian kita bukas, 'ta mo."

Noah swiped his ID on the other side before seeing Chase murmuring something and that something is due to him being annoyed to Chase. "Sino kausap mo?" tanong nito nang lapitan si Chase.

"Wala," iritado pa ding ani Chase bago nagsimulang maglakad. "Wala akong kausap. Gagong 'yon."

"Wala kang kausap pero may tinatawag kang gago?" tanong ni Noah. "Nakahithit ka ba?"

"Ubos na nga monthly allowance ko dahil do'n sa mga barumbadong bully, sa tingin mo may pambili pa ako ng mahihithit?" iritado pa ding ani Chase. "Ikaw ata may nahithit e."

"Chill, man," Noah kidded. Hindi pa rin maitago sa mukha ni Chase ang pagkainis kay Heath. "Kung sino man 'yang kaaway mo, kalimutan mo muna. Ang alalahanin mo may summative quiz tayo sa calculus."

"s**t," malutong na mura ni Chase. "Lunes ngayon, tama?"

"Right."

"Oo nga pala." Realizations hit Chase that hard. Napakuripas ng takbo si Chase ngunit natigil nang mapansin na hindi gumalaw sa kinatatayuan si Noah. "Ano na? Tutunganga ka nalang ba diyan?"

Noah left out a laugh. "Iritado ka masyado, baka bumagsak ka niyan sa quiz. Coming already!"

---

THE DAY passed so quick that it was already dismissal time, Noah's most hated time because he was gonna see Tobi again. Everything that makes him remember the past really annoys him.

"Noah," Tobi called all of a sudden. "Hey, I know you can hear me but you're acting like you're not. Para kang bata."

"Just tell me what you want," Noah rebutted. "Nakikinig ako. Do I really need to face you kapag may sasabihin ka?"

"Yeah, it's a requirement."

"Since when did that become a requirement?"

"Since today. Marked by my own words," Tobi said and giggled. He continued looking at Noah who seem unbothered despite of all his chatterings. "So, ayaw mo talagang tignan ako?"

"Kapag ba tumitig ako sa 'yo this time titigilan mo na 'ko?"

"Oo," Tobi resided. "Pero ngayon lang din."

Noah turned his gaze to Tobi with a poker face painted on his face. "Ano na?"

"Tumingin ka nga, annoyed ka naman. But it's okay, as long as you're looking at me."

"Stop messing already. Go with the point. Ano ba kasing gusto mo?"

Tobi kept on playing with the keys on his hand. "I just want to tell you na we're going on a date tonight ni Summer..."

"Tapos?" aroganteng tanong ni Noah. "The hell I care?"

"Sinasabi ko lang," Tobi said and slightly sulked. "Sungit naman nito."

"Kung gusto mo palang may pagsabihan, buksan mo cellphone mo, ibukas mo si siri, 'yun kausapin mo," Noah madly scowled. Pati ba naman pag-date sasabihin sa 'kin. If anybody's there, that person would think Noah's in a great jealousy, really. "O kaya nand'yan hindi ba sa table mo 'yung diary mo? Do'n mo isulat."

"Nabasa mo na 'yung diary ko?" tanong ni Tobi. "Hoy bata, masamang magbasa ng diary na hindi sa 'yo."

"Kailan ko sinabi na binasa ko?" masungit pa rin na wika ni Noah. "I just saw it there. At saka, hindi ko pag-iinteresan ang mga gamit mo, okay? Walang mawawala diyan."

"Kailan ko ba sinabi na may mawawala diyan?" tanong ni Tobi pabalik. "Pero ayos lang as long as you haven't read that diary yet."

Noah turned his back at Tobi and grabbed his mop. "Magpapatuloy na ako sa paglilinis."

"Wait," Tobi said, stopping Noah what he's doing which the latter never did. "Kaya ko 'yon sinabi sa 'yo kasi aalis na ako. I want you to supervise everything dito. I want you to look after these things here. I know may CCTV pero mas mabuti nang sigurado."

"I'm not the security guard here, manong," Noah annoyingly stated. "If you want someone to secure the place, ask the one who does the job. I'm just a student here, baka maalala mo."

"But it's your punishment..."

"Nah, not my punishment," Noah replied. "Makasama ka lang nga dito sa loob ng infirmary, punishment na tapos dadagdagan mo pa. Have mercy on me."

Tobi silently walked towards Noah. The latter stopped as he sensed Tobi reaching onto him. "Why are you mad at me ba kasi? Have I done anything wrong back then?"

"Did I say you did something wrong back then?" Noah said and pushed Tobi who is leaning towards him. "And please, don't go anywhere near me kung ayaw mong masapak."

"If that's what you want then punch me," Tobi stated and positioned his left cheek near Noah. "Bilis na, punch me already. If that's what will make yourself at ease then punch me."

"I don't do f*****g commands," Noah replied. "If I will punch you, that is due to my personal will not because you commanded me. You know what, just clean your area and go to your date. I have to go home as well."

"You're really different," Tobi noticed. "Dati, you really like it when I come close to you but now, you're easily irritated."

"That's because we're close back then..." Noah paused. "But now, we're not."

"That's it, you admitted that we were close in the past," Tobi murmured. "How will I get back our bond na nawala?"

"Identify it yourself," Noah mumbled. "But kung ako ikaw, I wouldn't dare to. Mukhang hindi na rin naman maibabalik."

"I miss you calling me 'kuys doc'," Tobi said with sadness on his voice. "I miss the Noah who enjoys letting me patch his imaginary wounds. I miss the old you."

Noah stiffened and was left silent.