Fundamentals of Marriage | Suarez I

Chapter 10

Living with him is both heaven and hell.

Heaven. Because we can free ourselves from our family and the game our parents are playing. It doesn't matter what we do or how we behave. We don't worry much about whether our actions will ruin our names because it's only us. Behind the cameras, away from the tabloids.

Nothing sees my true colors, bright and dark but the people I trust the most, not my parents. People can say they are strangers. Admit it, strangers are better oftentimes than those we know, our family for example.

My fingers can count how many people I trust enough to be myself when I'm with them. Never have I thought that he will become one of them.

I don't feel the need to pretend when I'm with him. I don't feel the need to hide, to put my mask on.

Hell. Because we're too different from each other.

I love what he hates.

"I'm not a goat," reklamo niya nang hainan ko ng steamed cabbage sa harap. I volunteered to cook.

"Don't worry. It is also safe for horses. You can eat greens." I took a piece of cabbage and chew it loudly.

He watched me with disbelief on his face. Sa kubyertos niya ibinuhos ang kapikunan. I saw how his hand tightly held the silverware. It only made me laugh.

He loves what I hate.

"Who ordered this ton of junk foods?" I asked the obvious.

Nakapamewang ako sa tapat ng kitchen island. There, a variety of junk foods that I cannot eat are scattered around.

"Me," Franco answered from the sofa, eating french fries while watching basketball again. Ang gaan ata ng schedule niya para mang-asar?

"I told you I can't eat these types of foods." I talked with my eyebrows twitching.

"Hindi naman kita inaalok." His legs are crossed. Without looking at me, he laughed. "I bought you your favorite lettuce and tomato."

Nanatiling nakaupo sa sofa ay lumingon siya sa akin. His smirk is teasing me. "Enjoy your salad."

My teeth gritted inside. I extended my arm to get the burger and throw it at him. It hit the back of his head.

"That hurt." He hissed.

I'm a night owl, he's an early bird.
We shared the same bedroom so that will always be hard.

"You're not done yet?"

I am done with my lectures. I am just playing plant vs. zombies on my laptop so I can annoy him. I said I can't work with dark and it's bad for the eyes so I have to open my lampshade. A lampshade that can lighten the whole room.

"I'm halfway through," sagot ko.

"Halfway? You started at seven and it's eleven. Kalahati ka pa lang?"

"Anong magagawa 'ko? It's hard." I rolled my eyes. I almost lost that round.

"What is it? I'll help you."

He get out of the bed and searched for his slippers. Before he could near me, I tried to exit the game but my laptop lagged. I panicked. Itinalikod ko na lang sa kaniya ang screen.

"I don't show my work to anyone," dahilan ko.

"Siguro pangit."

"Excuse me? I even create my template so I can organize my notes while you men go for plain, unflavored, boring notes."

He just stood up there, staring at me like he is watching a cat complain.

"At least I work faster than you."