"Hate is a strong motive" chapter 1-2

*Premise:*

Lily Reyes is the top scholar, rule-follower, and student council president at Saint Augustine University. Zach Alvarez is the varsity captain, campus bad boy, and heir to a rival company that just bought out Lily’s dad’s business. They’ve hated each other since freshman year. Now they’re forced to work together for a national competition that could save both their future .

#### *Chapter 1: Collision*

Saint Augustine University didn’t have enough chairs for two people who refused to sit in the same room.

Lily Reyes walked into Dean Torres’ office 3 minutes early, color-coded folder in hand, blazer buttoned to the top. She was ready.

Zach Alvarez walked in 3 minutes late, varsity jacket half-zipped, hair still wet from practice.

Their eyes met. And it was not a rom-com moment.

“Miss Reyes. Mr. Alvarez,” Dean Torres said, looking exhausted already. “Sit.”

There were two chairs. Only one table.

Lily took the left chair. Zach took the right. The space between them could’ve fit the Pacific Ocean.

“The University is sending one team to the National Business Case Competition in Manila,” Dean said. “Winner gets 2 million pesos in funding. And…” he hesitated. “Saint Augustine is merging with Alvarez Holdings for research grants. So you two are the team.”

Lily’s folder crinkled in her grip. _Alvarez Holdings._ The company that bought her dad’s logistics firm last year. 40 people lost their jobs. Her dad included.

Zach smirked. “Great. I get stuck with Miss Perfect.”

Lily didn’t look at him. “And I get stuck with Mr. I-Skipped-Class-To-Play-Basketball.”

Dean Torres stood up. “You have 8 weeks. Don’t kill each other. You’re dismissed.”

Zach stood first. “Come on, Princess. We’ve got work to do.”

Lily grabbed her folder. “Don’t call me that.”

He paused at the door, glancing back. “Then earn a different name.”

The door shut. And the war began.

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*Chapter 2: The First Fight*

The next day, 8:00 AM sharp.

Lily was already in the empty debate room with a whiteboard, 3 markers, and a printed timeline. She didn’t believe in “winging it.”

Zach walked in at 8:17 with a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. No folder. No notes.

“You’re late,” Lily said without looking up.

“Traffic,” he lied. It was a 5-minute walk from the gym.

She finally turned. “We don’t have time to waste, Alvarez. The proposal is due in 8 weeks, but the first draft is due Friday.”

Zach dropped into a chair backwards. “Relax, Reyes. We’ll think of something.”

“‘Think of something’ isn’t a strategy.” She wrote on the board: _Sustainable Logistics for Rural Farmers._ “My idea. We partner with co-ops, use AI for route optimization, cut waste by 30%.”

Zach took a sip of coffee. “Boring.”

Lily’s marker stopped. “Excuse me?”

“It’s boring. Judges have seen 50 ‘save the farmers’ decks. We need something with impact. Something loud.” He grabbed a marker and wrote over her title: _Alvarez SpeedChain. Drone delivery for Metro Manila in under 20 minutes._

Lily stared at it like it personally insulted her. “Drone delivery? Do you know how much that costs? And the permits? That’s not realistic for a student competition.”

“It’s realistic for Alvarez Holdings,” he said, too casually. “We can fund it.”

There it was. The name again.

She dropped her marker. It clattered on the floor. “Right. Because this is just another way for your family to flex money over everyone else. Like what you did to my dad.”

The room went quiet.

Zach’s jaw tightened. The smirk vanished. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what? Bring up facts? 40 families, Zach. Including mine. Your company called it ‘restructuring.’ My dad called it losing everything.”

He stood up fast. Chair scraping. “You think I had anything to do with that? I was 17. I didn’t even sit in those board meetings.”

“But you’re benefiting from it now,” she shot back. “You, the heir, the varsity star, the guy who gets whatever he wants.”

“And you’re Miss Saint Augustine,” he said, voice low. “The girl who thinks being perfect makes her better than everyone.”

Lily grabbed her folder. “I’m done. Do your drones without me.”

She was at the door when he said, “You walk out now, we both lose. Dean said one team. One.”

Her hand froze on the doorknob.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look… I don’t like you either, Reyes. But if we’re stuck, then we’re stuck. So pick. Drones or farmers. But we pick _together_.”

Lily didn’t turn around. “I’m not picking drones.”

“Then we’re deadlocked.”

She left. The door slammed.

Zach stared at the whiteboard. _Sustainable Logistics_ crossed out. _SpeedChain_ on top. And between them, nothing but white space.

*End of Chapter 2*

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