Housemates With Benefits [COMPLETE|PUBLISHED]

Sabrina (65)

"You look beautiful tonight," ani ng isang pamilyar na boses ng babae mula sa likuran ko.

Nang lumingon ako, my suspicion was confirmed. The girl is Aya, isa sa mga Trinidad cousins. Ang natatanging Trinidad maliban kay Rachel who treats me like a human being. This is despite being the younger sister of Irene and the youngest daughter of Suzanne Trinidad, the Trinidad aunt who detests my mother and proud of it.

"Just in case wala pang nagsasabi sa iyo niyan ngayon," dagdag niya saka tumabi sa akin. She raised her glass of punch in salute of me and drank it bottoms up. "Ugh. That tastes absolutely horrible."

I smiled at her, amused. Nagreklamo pero pumulot din naman agad ng isa pang baso mula sa dumaang waiter.

"Baka nasobrahan ng vodka," komento ko na sinang-ayunan naman niya. Muli siyang tumungga and grimaced once again.

"Vodkang nagpapanggap na fruit punch. Mangangamoy suka na naman ang Halcyon nito bukas," she glanced at me and winked conspiratorially. "You're lucky you get to go home before smelling that."

Natigilan akong napatingin sa kanya bago matipid na ngumiti. "Yeah. Lucky me."

Mukhang na-realized niya how awkward that statement was between the two of us. I'm not offended because I know that she doesn't mean anything by it. Still, a pregnant silence reigned between the two of us before she cleared her through and changed the subject into something safe.

"Are you wearing another Pacheco gown?" tanong niya. Tumango naman ako.

"It looks absolutely stunning," papuri niya na ikinangiti ko.

I glanced at the glass wall to look at my reflection. I got to agree with her. This Bettina Pacheco gown is another masterpiece. A Holly Golightly-inspired design, the dress is in deep red. Chili pepper. Iyon daw ang tawag sa kulay na ito. It is the color of the year which will attract good luck and good fortune in the coming year daw.

Well, I'm going to need a lot of those so I wore this dress without any complaint. At sadyang maganda nga naman ito. The gown I wore to the Christmas Ball with Oliver will always be my favorite but this one comes close. At kagaya ng gown na iyon, this was arranged by Rachel too. Alam niyang iwas na iwas akong gumamit ng pera ng ama namin kaya siya ang nagwawaldas for the both of us.

"Do you think Bettina will ever forgive us from snubbing her years ago?"

Napabalik ang atensyon ko kay Aya.

"She really dresses you sisters in to-die-for clothes that Irene is always foaming at the mouth every New Year's ball since debut ni Ate Beatrice."

Nasa tono niya ang labis na pagkatuwa sa isiping inggit na inggit ang kapatid niya sa amin. Totoo nga siguro ang sinasabi ni Rachel na si Hyacinth Trinidad ay adopted child. Hindi niya kasi nakuha ang pagiging mahadera ng ina at mga kapatid. Siyempre hindi iyon totoo. Mas bata sa amin ang babae at nakita naming ipinagbuntis siya ni Senora Suzanne.

"I think Bettina will accommodate you. Isa ka sa mga nagswo-swoon sa mga designs niya dati. Na-overrule ka lang ng mga ate mo that time."

Bago siya makatugon ay may dumaan na staff at inilagay niya ang walang lamang baso sa tray nito. Nanatili siyang tahimik hanggang sa makalayo na ang lalaki.

Aya is not supposed to fraternize with the likes of me so she should be careful lalo na at nandito kami sa loob ng Halcyon. The walls here have eyes and ears. Pero napapansin kong habang lumilipas ang mga taon, Hyacinth is finding her backbone to stand up against her family especially if hindi niya nagugustuhan ang mga ginagawa ng mga ito. Nai-impluwensyahan na siya ni Rachel.