Housemates with Benefits

Sabrina (2)

That tour with Kuya Engineering sold the house to me. I made the offer right there and then and he took care of everything for me.

Kung gaano katagal ako bago nahanap ng bahay, ganoon din kabilis akong nakapaglipat. Ang saktong araw kung kailan natapos ang kontrata ko sa apartment, iyon din ang araw nang paglilipat ko. Tinulungan pa ako ni Kuya Engineering na maghakot ng mga gamit ko. So helpful.

“Sigurado kang hindi mo ’to bahay, ha. Baka naman pinagloloko mo lang ako.”

Kalalapag lang niya ng isa sa mga suitcase ko sa tabi ng kama nang sabihin ko iyon.

He cannot blame me for being suspicious. Hindi ko pa naki- kita ang housemate ko at siya lang ang kausap ko the whole time. Ang paliwanag na binigay niya sa akin was that the owner of the house went home for the semestral break. Napakiusapan daw siya na asikasuhin ako in behalf of his friend.

“Hindi nga,” paniniguro niya. “Wish ko lang na rito nga ako nakatira.”

“Bakit nga ba hindi na lang ikaw ang kumuha nitong kuwarto?” “My parents would never agree to me living out of the house. Malapit lang ang bahay namin sa university.”

Maituturing na nasa probinsiya ang university namin at galing din ako sa probinsiya. I have been renting since freshman year. Namamahalan ako sa airplane tickets para mag-uwian at hindi kakayanin ng katawan ko ang biyahe sa RoRo.

“Hindi man lang magawang makipagkita sa akin ng kaibigan mo bago umuwi?” pangungulit ko. “Hindi ba siya nag-aalalang baka hindi niya magustuhan ang personality ko at hindi kami magkasundo? Hindi ba siya nababahalang baka akyat-bahay gang member ako at pagbalik niya rito literal na sahig na lang ang matitira sa bahay niya?”

Ang lakas ng tawa ng kaklase ko sa tanong kong iyon even if they were all valid concerns. Napapunas pa ito sa nangingilid niyang mga luha sa sobrang katatawa.

“Kapag nagkita na kayo in two weeks time at hindi ka niya magustuhan, puwede ka naman niyang palayasin.”

“Whaaat?” Napakurap-kurap ako. 

Oh, my God!

I did not sign any rental agreement! Basta na lang akong nag-transfer ng two months advance at one month deposit sa bank account na binigay sa akin. Hindi ako maaaring palayasin lang on a whim!

I realized that Kuya Engineering was just pulling my leg when he guffawed seeing my expression.

“Relax, Sab. Oli trusts me. Alam niya namang hindi ko siya hahanapan ng housemate na masamang-loob.”

I do not know who Oli is but I assumed na siya ang may-ari ng bahay. Nakalipat na ako at lahat pero kahit pangalan ng may-ari hindi ko alam. I just assumed that Oli is a nickname for Olivia and that she is a good person like my previous housemate.

Letting go of the issue about the unseen and unmet housemate was a huge misstep on my part and it bit me in the ass two weeks later.

My housemate arrived in the middle of the night without notice. The only warning I got was the fight or flight response you have when you thought you are being burgled, malalayo ang mga kapitbahay mo, at low batt ka na and you can’t call for help.

I crept down the stairs towards the kitchen and grabbed a frying pan. Bitbit iyon, bumalik ako sa sala at ninenerbyos na naghintay sa gilid ng pinto. If I survived the night, I will buy a baseball bat.

From my position by the door, naririnig ko ang mga kaluskus nang kung sinumang nasa labas. May hinahanap ito sa mga hala-manan. Ang susi siguro. Hindi na ako nasosorpresang alam niyang may susi nga roon. The whole university must know kung saan nilalagay ng housemate ko ang susi ng bahay niya.

If I survive tonight, Olivia and I are definitely going to have a serious discussion about the safety and security of the house keys. Also, I will demand that we change the front door lock.

My body was quivering in equal parts fear and determination as I stared at the turning knob.

“I am going to survive this. Going to survive this.”

That is the mantra I kept on repeating to myself over and over again as I waited for a head to appear so I could bash it in with the frying pan.

Kasabay ng pagbubukas nang pinto ay ang pagsisindi rin ng ilaw sa sala. A head full of dark, longish hair appeared next pero hindi ko iyon agad nasapok. The head was a foot taller than me. And when I saw the face and body that followed, there’s no way I could have brought damage to it.

My burglar looks like a f*****g demigod! A demigod that I know.

You must be kidding me! Oli?! As in Oliver. Oliver San Martin? Oh, my freaking God! My housemate is Oliver San Martin!

Hindi ko malaman kung saan ako dapat unang mag-freak out. Sa fact ba na lalaki ang housemate ko? O dahil siya si Oliver San Martin, the biggest manslut of the University of Saint James.

Hindi niya rin yata inaasahang makita ako sa bahay niya. 

“Who the heck are you?” asik niya, glaring down at me.

He glanced at the frying pan na nalimutan kong hawak ko pa rin pala and raised a regal eyebrow at me. My face burst into flames. Agad ko namang ibinaba ang pan at itinago iyon sa likod ko.

I looked at my feet at taimtim na nagdasal na sana lamunin na ako ng lupa. When I had the courage to sneak a peek at him, agad ko rin naman iyong binawi at his violently irritated look.

“Ako ’yong kumuha ng kabilang kuwarto,” sagot ko sa maliit na tinig.

“Ikaw ang Sab na tinutukoy ni Cedric?”

Si Cedric si Kuya Engineering na ililibing ko nang buhay the next time I see him.

Tumango ako at nagkalakas-loob na muling tumingin sa kanya.

Hindi na siya mukhang galit. Puzzled na lang. “I thought lalaki ka.”

“Ako rin,” mabilis kong sagot. “I mean, akala ko rin babae ka.” 

“Gago talaga ’yon,” sabi niya na napapailing.

I did not respond because I wholeheartedly agree. Gago talaga ang Cedric na iyon.

“May I?” Itinuro niya ang malaking backpack na nakasukbit sa balikat. It’s the type of backpack people on a shoestring budget take on a tour around Europe. “I had a long drive.”

Agad naman akong tumango at lumapit sa puno ng hagdan at nangunyapit sa balustre roon.

I watched him take his seat and put his backpack beside him. Humilig siya sa kinauupuan, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at me.

I stared at him, too, from the safety of the stairs.

Nakahihiya mang aminin, I’m eating him up with my eyes. I stand a measly three inches over five feet. Petite but I gravitate towards large men and my new housemate fits the bill.

Hindi maitatago ng suot nitong maong denim pants at T-shirt ang matipunong katawan na produkto ng pagiging atleta nito. Those muscles cannot be earned from the gym alone. Masyadong defined and proportionate to his build. Mas kaaya-ayang tingnan.

Nakatulong din sa attraction na nararamdaman ko ang mukha niyang pang-artista. He has high cheekbones, thin lips, deep set eyes, and strong jaw. Must be all that interracial blood in his veins. Sabi ko nga, mukha siyang demigod.

I must have been a saint in my past life kaya biniyayaan ako ng ganito ka-yummy na housemate ngayon.

“What’s your name again?” tanong niyang nakapagpabalik sa tingin ko sa kanyang mukha.

“Uhm, Sabrina,” alanganin kong tugon. 

“Apelyido?”

“Uhm, Rodriguez.”

He smirked at me sa pautal-utal kong pagkasabi ng pangalan ko. 

Ang sarap batukan ng sarili ko for getting so tongue-tied. Nahahalata tuloy na starstucked ako. Hindi man artista si Oliver, wala namang tao sa Uni ang hindi nakakikilala sa kanya. Wet dream material siya ng mga schoolmates ko, mapababae man o bakla. 

Tumayo siya at lumapit sa akin na ikinahinto ng paghinga ko. 

“Well, Uhm-Sabrina-Uhm-Rodriguez,” kantiyaw niya pa na ikinasimangot ko. “Delighted to meet you. I’m Oliver San Martin, your housemate and landlord. Can we sit down please? Sumasakit na ang leeg ko sa katitingala sa ’yo.”

Walang paalam niyang kinuha ang kamay ko at hinila ako paupo sa sofa na kaharap ng inuupuan niya kanina. Binitiwan niya rin ang kamay ko at bumalik sa dating puwesto. I just ogled him the whole time as I tried not to get affected by the warmth of his palm against mine.

“Do you want to withdraw your rent?”

Umiling ako. Awkward man ang sitwasyon namin ngayon, napamahal na sa akin ang bahay. I was reluctant to leave. Idagdag pa ang stress sa paghahanap ulit ng malilipatan when there is only a week at pasukan na ulit. I am so not looking forward to that.

“Alright. No offense meant to you but I preferred a male housemate. It would make the living conditions a lot easier and less awkward. But you’re here. Let’s make the most out of this situation. Though, you have to know one thing about me.”

I said nothing and just waited for him to continue. 

“I sleep around.”

Okay. That is not exactly news to me. He is the biggest manslut in school after all.

He must have seen by the expression on my face that I do not see the big deal sa sinabi niya kaya he stressed some more. “I bring them home.”

“Them?” I squeaked. “Like marami? Marami kang inuuwi?”

He grinned. “Sometimes. On special occasions. Dalawa o tatlo. Pero usually isa lang naman.” 

“May tatlo kang girlfriend?”

He chuckled. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Naguluhan na ako. “Pero sabi mo, may inuuwi ka na mga babae?” 

“I don’t have to have a relationship with any of them to bring them home to f**k, right?”

Aba malay ko. Pero, in my book I will never go home with a man na hindi ko kilala at kaano-ano to sleep with.

“Gaano ba ’to kadalas?”

“Kadalas na nag-uuwi ako ng more than one or in general?” My God, how can there be a need for clarifications?

“In general,” sagot ko. “How often do you bring a woman home to sleep with?”

Lumapad ang pagkakangisi niya and that should have warned me that he is going to say something outrageous. “I don’t sleep with them. I f**k them. Long into the night until we’re both satiated.”

Okay. TMI po.

Nang kumurap-kurap lang ako in response, tumawa lang siya. 

“To answer your question. I bring home a woman every night until mag-impose ng s*x ban si coach in preparation for our games.” 

Every night? Is that even possible biologically speaking? Or wishful thinking lang ito ni Oliver? I have no clue what to say to all this revelation.

At hindi pa siya tapos. “In the spirit of complete disclosure, I have to warn you that we can be loud. I promise to keep the acts in my room and leave the sala and the kitchen unmolested.”

Now, that shocked me enough na napanganga ako and stared at the table sa gitna namin. He had s*x on this table where I have been propping up my feet while reading on my iPad? On the kitchen table where I have been eating my breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the last two weeks? So gross!

Kita siguro ang pagkasindak at pandidiri sa mukha ko sa mga sinabi niya at lumakas ang tawa niya.

“Just kidding on the last part,” ngisi niya. “So far, my partners were not so risque to agree to those.”

“I hope they don’t change,” I commented, a bit sarcastically. 

Tumawa lang siya ulit bago nagtanong, “So, still staying?” 

“You bet.”

Sabi ko nga, bayad na ako sa renta. I also thought he was just telling lies that time.

A mistake. Humongous mistake.