Housemates With Benefits [COMPLETE|PUBLISHED]

Oliver (52)

Sinusundan ako ng tingin ni Rachel with anticipation which I find weird.  Si Sabrina naman ay nakatingin din sa akin nang may pag-alala.  My bullshit radar woke up with that look on my girlfriend's face.   

My eyes ran over those who were seated at the table and noticed that Rachel is now seated sa dati kong puwesto, sa tabi ni Sabrina.  The rest of her posse seated themselves accordingly.  At naiwan na lang na space for me is at the far end of the long table where I can see my plate.  

So, this is what got Rachel all excited?  So juvenile, this future sister-in-law of mine.  I kept my expression neutral when I wanted to grin at her.  

Walang imik akong lumapit kay Sabrina at inabot ang kubyertos sa kanya.  Tahimik naman niya iyong tinanggap habang tinititigan ako.  Tinatantiya yata kung galit ako.  I just smiled at her, caressed her nape gently at inabot ang mansanas na nasa ibabaw pa rin ng tablenapkin kung saan ko iyon iniwan kanina.  

Without another word, I sauntered towards my assigned seat, naupo roon and calmly leaned back as I stared at Rachel na nasa kabilang dulo ng mesa.  All around us, nobody is looking up from their own food.  Walang nag-uusap.  The lot of them looked so guilty.  Except Rachel na nakaarko ang kilay sa akin.  And Sabrina na nagpapalipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin.

I don't know what Rachel expected me to do in reaction to her petty bullying.  Did she expect me to make a scene?  And make Sabrina feel bad?  Not happening.

Nakakadalawa na agad ang babaeng ito within a span of less than an hour.  Admittedly, she is irritating but I understand.  She is pushing and testing me.  Para naman iyon kay Sabrina, so I don't mind.  Paghiwalayin niya man kami ngayon, at the end of the day, sa akin pa rin uuwi ang kapatid niya.  So,  I can be gracious and let her have her little fun.  

I smirked at her at umirap naman siya.  May halong inis niyang tininidor ang pasta na nasa kanyang pinggan.  Ngingiti-ngiti, nagsimula na rin akong kumain.  

Rachel and I acted like nothing out of the ordinary happened.  That's when the conversations around us started to pick up.  Unti-unti rin akong sinasali ng mga katabi ko sa usapan nila.  I thought these guys were going to exclude me and talk about architecture stuff.  You know, to make the arrogant civil engineer feel unwanted for poaching in another man's territory.  Good thing then that I'm not just any engineering student.  

I'm fucking Oliver San Martin! It is the Architecture Department's honor that I picked one of their own.  Malayo sa katotohanan, siyempre.  Aminado naman akong ako ang mas baliw na baliw para sa blocmate nila but they didn't have to know that.  I still have my public manly pride to protect after all.

"You did good last Saturday, man," papuri ng lalaking nasa kanan ko who said his name is Archie.  "That was some amazing bit of footwork."

"Thanks," simple ko namang sagot.  

The rest of them took that opportunity to grill me about soccer plays and such.  Most of them watched the game and some even attended the after game party.  They were okay guys kaya sinagot ko naman lahat ng mga tanong nila ng maayos.  Habang dumadami ang napag-uusapan mas lalo silang nagiging kumportable sa akin, at ako sa kanila.  Good.  They will be seeing a lot fo me in the coming months.

Panaka-naka naman akong sumusulyap sa side nila Sabrina.  Hindi namin marinig ang pinag-uusapan ng mga babae pero dahil nakikita kong ngumingiti o tumatawa ang nobya ko, napapangiti na rin ako.  As long as she is happy, everything in my world is right, too.  Kahit magkalayo kami.

Nasa kalagitnaan ng pagkukuwento ng isang nakakatawang soccer experience ang isa sa mga lalaking nasa side ko ng mesa nang mapansin ko ang oras.  I have to go and see Coach Sevilla in a few minutes.