My parents had mixed reactions when they heard about the house agreement. Dad is more lenient than my mom. He believes that it's time for me to become independent. He also pointed out that it would be a great experience for me to know the value of money. My mom, however, doesn't want me to lease the house. She is my number one antagonist. She often disagrees with my decisions in life.
It didn't help when she learned from my brother that I am going to cohabitate with my former male classmate. And how I just hate it when my older brother told mom about it without even asking me first.
To say that she was vexed was the understatement of the year. However, since she's far away and could only chastise me on the phone, she just settled with a lengthy conversation and a barrage of questions about Arnold. Although it can't be helped, I still couldn't believe that I'm being grilled about trivial matters. Matters such as Arnold's religion, educational background, socioeconomic status, and even his parents' nature of business--are glaring indicators that my mom is screening Arnold not as my housemate but as a partner.
It's not as if I am getting married. It's just sharing the house and everything that it covers. It's not like I'm playing house with someone I just met. 'Though it seems like that because of this unconventional set-up. Argh... It's really difficult when you were raised by an old-fashioned family. Everything is a big deal. And I hate it.
It kinda baffles me that my family is getting sidetracked with the person I'm going to live with than the fact that I hastily decided to lease a house. The last time they got involved with my love life was when I was still with Brenth.
I knew that my relationship with Brenth was not only mine. I've known him since high school and he has been a permanent fixture in my life since then. For some reason, my family welcomed him as part of our family in spite of how old-fashioned my parents were.
My mom was as heartbroken as I was when Brenth and I broke up. She treated him as her second son. In fact, she seemed to favor him more than my brother, Hero. I've never told them why we broke up. Perhaps, they needed the closure more than I do. However, Brenth and I are really over. It was a very painful break-up. It has only been a couple of years and it is relatively fresh. I'm not really looking for a rebound or any kind of romantic relationship at all. No matter how attractive and irresistible Arnold could be.
***
Not all single girls are desperate to be in a relationship. Sure, I have been single for quite a while but I'm not THAT desperate to be with someone right now. I guess, my brother thinks otherwise. Like a curious cat, my brother kept on bugging me for days about Arnold because he believes that he knows him and he probably thinks that he could dissuade either of us to lease the house.
Like most brothers, Hero always thinks that he knows every kid in the block. He won't give up easily no matter how hard I try to conceal my former classmate's identity. And since I'm also quite curious about what he has to say, I had no other choice but to spill the beans.
"Okay. His name is ..." I hesitated.
"What's the matter? Why can't you just tell me his name?" Hero was pissed about the suspense but I'd rather he get pissed than to hear that he knows Arnold.
I dread to hear the things he might say about him. What's worse is that I'm actually afraid that he might overshare some things about me.
"He is a nice person."
"Tell me his name and I'll check if he's really nice."
"OK. Fine! His name is Arnold. Arnold Ponteverde. Do you know him?"
"Hmmm... The name sounds familiar, but he's not in my circle." Hero said.
I sighed in relief.
"Besides, how sure are you that this guy is nice? C'mon, man! I'm sure he's not the same person 16 years ago. You don't know his intentions. So why didn't you think things over?"
I know that Hero's just being protective of me and that he is concerned about my sudden decision.
In spite of my stubbornness, I actually agree with him. No matter how I've known Arnold, it's still not a guarantee that the person I knew when we were young is still the same person after 16 years.
"Well, that's true. He was my classmate but he could've changed over the years. Perhaps, it's the sales talk that got me signing the contract." Teasing my brother a little. I know it adds fuel to the fire.
"And what about that sales talk? C'mon sis, you better tell me the details, or I'll be the first to get him."
"Oh, shut the crap, Hero! He just offered to pay ¾ of the dues and house cost! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Stop overthinking and trust me. I know what I'm doing." Even though it doesn't sound like I do at all.
"That much? Who in their right minds would offer to pay that much? How could you say yes to that agreement without thinking things through? Sorry, dude. I'm just worried. It's your first time to be away from the family and I'm just getting worried."
"You mean, paranoid?" I teased. "I didn't agree with the 70/30. I know that it's too much and I'll just feel like a burden to him. I also don't want to leave a bad impression on Mr. Tanael."
"Mr. Tanael?"
"Cafe Brewsko's owner and one of the biggest clients of Seasons'."
"Whoa! How did you end up meeting Mr. Tanael and Arnold at the same time?"
"Apparently, Mr. Tanael had the Two-Storey built for his daughter but she decided to settle down in the states. Arnold could definitely outbid me in leasing that house but for some reason, Mr. Tanael was able to keep in touch with my boss. Then my boss helped me in paying for the lease."
"You made your first housing loan?"
"I loaned the down payment. And since I've been working with Mr. Tanael for quite some time, he said that he would give me a fair discount for all the good publicity that I've given his business."
"A sponsorship? And you think that's not sketchy or cringe-y? You know that you still have to write fairly and avoid yellow journalism, right?"
"I'm a feature writer, Hero. And I still have to pay him and all. It's not a sponsorship because it wasn't given for free. Plus, dad also helped me pay Mr. Tanael. I just didn't want to tell you and mom because I know how things are at home and it's not..."
"That's fine. I'm now relieved that dad helped you out on this. Don't worry about us. We support you. We are just concerned about you and just want to protect you. But we also trust you. We know that you won't let us down."
"And I met Arnold again because Mr. Tanael is his uncle."
"What?!"
"Small world."
"You could've leased a condo instead. It would be much cheaper."
"Well, I could. But considering how things are in Metro Manila and also considering how unsafe it is to live by yourself in a place far from your family, I think I got a good deal with this one already."
"I should meet Arnold one of these days. I have to make sure that you are safe..."
"I agree. You should meet Arnold to assure yourself that I'm safe."
***
Once the cat was out of the bag, I told Hero about the house set-up with Arnold. Under the contract, we discussed rent, dues, utilities, bill payments, and maintenance. We've also covered which areas are for sharing and which ones are off-limits.
I also shared with Hero our agreement about the house rules. About family members visiting, having friends over, hosting a party or a gathering, etc. Basically, we've set our boundaries before signing the contract.
"So now that that's settled. What do you think about him?"
"To be honest? I still don't know anything about him yet. I just moved in here four months ago so it's relatively new and too early to tell."
"Some studies show that living with someone for quite a long time can build relationships. Do you think..."
I cut him off. "We're not going there."
Don't get me wrong. Arnold is a very nice guy. Mature, responsible, respectful, and definitely a gentleman. He is tall, lean, and good-looking. He is also family-oriented. But I also don't want things to be awkward between us.
It's already awkward as it is. Seeing him again and meeting him for the first time after 16 years were strange and funny at the same time. It's like getting to know someone familiar and also discovering new things about that person over time.
Do you want to know how awkward it is to be living in the same house and explaining our setup to everyone we love?
Do you want to know how I figured out that I'm safe with Arnold?
It all happened when his family visited him a couple of weeks ago unannounced. We were watching a movie while having some snacks and we weren't expecting any visitors. We weren't even sitting beside each other, but because the lights were dimmed and the snacks were at the coffee table, Arnold's family assumed that it was a date.
The thing is, we tried to clean up and I tried my best to excuse myself so he can accommodate his family. But his mother didn't let me go anywhere. When she met me, she treated me as if she had known me for years. Which made it more awkward because I wasn't really supposed to be there. It was part of the agreement that I should let him host a gathering or a party. And that I should be given my own privacy.
I guess it became a special case? Because they were warm and I didn't feel left out. Only to find out that they weren't convinced that I'm only cohabitating with Arnold as a roommate.
I saw Arnold try his best to explain to his family that we were just former classmates and I've seen him try to include Mr. Tanael in the conversation. However, nobody believed that we are just bound by a house contract.
***
When asked about what's so special with Two-Storey, all I could think about was how it made me feel.
"I fell in love with the house the moment I saw it."
"Fell in love?"
"With the house. Not with Arnold."
"Just make sure to guard your heart no matter what. Your Arnold is too good to be true."
"My Arnold? He's not mine. He's just a former classmate."
"Alright. I'm sorry."
"Jeesh, Hero. I'm not ready yet."
"Ready for what?"
"Ready for another headache."
"You can never be ready."
"I know. But I am sure that I'm not looking for that right now."
"Well, I couldn't stress this enough. You are an adult and you can decide on whether to entertain this thought or not."
"And I plan to just live in this house and enjoy my freedom. Don't make this weird. We're just cohabitating and he's just being nice." I agreed and at the same time tried to steer the conversation to where it was going.
"Yeah, a nice guy who made his family think that you are his girlfriend." Hero said sarcastically.
"Here we go again!" I sighed in frustration. "I know that not all people will understand our situation. I know that our setup is unconventional. In this day and age, people who live under one roof are considered a couple or hooking up. 'Though there are progressive ones who think like us..."
"Co-habitating."
"Yeah. I'd rather think of our setup as similar to roommates or housemates."
"It's just that no matter how hard you explain it to others, they wouldn't get it."
"And if they don't understand. We'll just accept it. We can't control what people think."
"His family was nice to you because they think you are an unlabeled couple."
"I don't think they think the same way our family does."
"What? It's a possibility."
"Hmmm... I think they are too nice to even think that way."
"How could a contract bind two former classmates to cohabitate in one house?"
"But what is there to panic about? We don't have any form of mutual understanding. We're just acquaintances who are bound by some house contract and that's all there is to it."
"I just hope that you'll be safe in that house."
"Thank you. I know that you are just concerned about my welfare but, Hero, trust me, okay? I'll be fine."
I'm not the type of person who will just date anyone I met. I'm not the type who will engage in a conversation just because I'm bored.
Hero has done his research about Arnold and I've done my share as well. From asking our former classmates, batchmates, and friends about him to stalking his social media accounts. But there isn't anything alarming about him. I also believe that Mr. Tanael wouldn't risk tarnishing his name to my boss or even to my family if he'd known that Arnold is not trustworthy at all.
Still, I'm not that stupid to be careless around him.