Housemates With Benefits [COMPLETE|PUBLISHED]

Oliver (49)

Evening has fallen all around me but my heart can't find peace.  

Today should have been easy.  Just another lazy Sunday at my parents' house.  But nothing of this Sunday is typical.  We got several visitors staying the night, much to my mother's excitement.  And Kyrie sobered me up.  Dmitri finally succeeded in dragging her to the airport nang maghapon na. I wished he did it sooner. Sana napauwi niya agad ang babae bago pa nito ginulo ang puso at isipan ko.

Bumuntong-hininga na lang ako and leaned back deeper into my chair.  I exchanged the beer for Riesling and that's what I'm sipping right now as I look at the far horizon.  I wish for something stronger and bitter to match my mood tonight but I can't get the hard drinks out.  My mother does not want me to drink especially in the midst of 'gentle' company we have tonight.  I sneered at the thought.  Gentle.  Ha!  My mother is too innocent for this century.  Some of those gentle ladies could drink me under the table!

Another reason for having this Riesling instead of a Jack Daniels is I just want to get a small buzz tonight without getting fully drunk so I can still drive.  Nagtatalo pa rin ang isipan ko kung mag-overnight ba ako dito sa bahay o uuwi kay Sabrina.  I told her that I'm coming home to her tonight.  But my mom wants me to stay the night.  What am I supposed to do to avoid hurting the two most important women in my life?

But, God, I missed her already.  I grabbed my phone and was scanning through my contacts when someone suddenly appeared around the corner.

"Hi, Oli.  Long time no see," nakangiting bati ng bagong dating.  Maingat kong nilapag ang phone ko sa mesang nasa tabi ko, facedown, bago siya hinarap.

"Hello, Pee-Wee," nakangisi ko ring bati na ikinaikot ng mata niya.

"You can be such a child," asik niya sa akin.   

 Lumapit siya sa kinaroroonan ko at maingat na nilapag ang isang bote ng Jack Daniels sa mesang nasa tabi ko.  Naglapag din siya ng dalawang baso na may ice.  Without any prompting, binuksan niya ang alak at nagsalin sa dalawang basong dala.  Inabot niya ang isa sa akin but I didn't take it.  

I raised my wineglass to her at tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.

"Really, Oli?  Wine?" sarkastiko niyang wika.

"Try it sometime.  Try to sleep sober paminsan-minsan."

She gave me a wicked grin.  "Hindi 'yan ang sinabi mo the last time we saw each other."  

Naupo na rin siya a few inches from me, put her elbow on top of the back of the couch, lean her head on it, and crossed her legs while facing me.  "Cheers to your winning yesterday?" she said raising her glass in the air.

I sighed.  I let go of my wine and reached for the glass of whiskey to clink it with hers.  Sabay pa kaming lumagok mula sa kanya-kanyang baso.

"You're looking good," komento niya.

"So do you," awtomatiko ko ring tugon sabay lapag ng baso sa mesa.  Now that I had the whiskey, I'm more certain that I don't want to drink tonight.

"I look even better underneath all these clothes."  

It's a blatant invitation.  Unfortunately for her, I don't want to play tonight.  Or any other night.  I already lost the taste for that particular game.  Rather, I've already found my perfect playmate.

"I'm sure you do," pabalewala kong tugon which got me a confused stare.

"'Yan lang ang sasabihin mo?"

Kumibit-balikat ako at muling inabot ang wine na binitawan ko and took a sip.  I removed my eyes from her and continued to stare out to the horizon.  "What is there left to say?"