NO CHOICE /r18

ALEX

Hmmmm, she looks interesting ha. And she is cute! Maganda.

Napansin nyang lumingon ang babaeng naka off shoulder na white dress at umirap ang mata sa kanila.

She wasn't really his type because she has petite built. Mas gusto ni Alex ang mala-modelong height sa mga babae, since he was tall himself at his 6'0' na height samantalang ang babaeng yun ay parang teenager lang sa laki.

She looked so simple with her garb, wala syang masyadong make up at nalakugay lang ang medjo kulot na buhok.

She doesn't look like a socialite too compared sa ibang babaeng bisita dito na kulang nalang lagyan ng tags ang mga gamit nila to show it off. Pero yung sa kanya, naka sukbit sa kanyang balikat ang isang classic limited edition Chanel boy shoulder bag. 

Pansin rin ni Alex na wala syang palamuti sa katawan maliban sa Rolex mariner watch na kapareha ng suot nya ngayon at dalawang diamond studded Cartier bangles sa wrist nya.

Simply classy. 

Nothing extraordinary. 

Pero maganda, he admitted that to himself.

Still, she is not his type.

Alex likes his women tall and sleek 

Those are the kinds of girls he goes out with on a date.

Particular din sya sa mga mestiza at mapuputi. Gusto nya rin ang stylist manamit. Nakaka turn on para sa kanya ang mga babaeng all out sa fashion at nagpapakita ng skin. 

Of course, the sexier, the better din.

He had bedded lots of women. And it was a norm. He is a young, rich, unattached, bachelor, and good-looking. In other words, a certified playboy.

He knows how good he is in bed. Maraming nang babae ang makapag totoo nyan.

Another thing, habulin din siya ng mga babae. 

Di naman sa pagmamayabang pero  kahit na matipuhan pa nya ang isang babae, di sya naghahabol dito because he knew that eventually, hahabulin pa rin sya. 

So, bakit pa nya pahihirapan ang sarili.

He also never committed to any of them. Simpling ONS (one night stands) lang,  very short affair that would last for a month or two or di kaya, occassional flings. Wala syang naging seryosong girlfriend. Flavor of the week, oo. Kung suswertehin ang babae, aabot ng 2 months but mostly never longer than that. Si Alex ang tipo ng lalaking madaling magsawa sa babae, especially pag nakuha na nya ang gusto nya dito, at alam nyo na kung ano yun.

That's how he sees it. That's how he wants it.

Bakit nga ba sya ganyan?

Bata palang sya, alam na nya na dadating ang panahon na ang mga parents nya ang maghahanap ng mapapangasawa nya.

It has been part of their tradition in the family mula pa sa Old Pab nya.

It has been an arranged marriage.

His parents' marriage had been arranged and so as his Old Pab and his MamaLa.

He accepted that fact.

Whoever ang papangasawa nya, di pa nya alam o kilala ngayon. Kung kelan yun, di rin nya alam pa.

Malalaman lang nya sa oras na magreretiro na ang dad nya, pag may napili na at ipapasa na sa kanya ang responsibility sa kompanya. 

Pero he also trusts his father's taste and his Old Pab's wisdom sa mga bagay na ganyan.

At he feels that it's going to happen sooner than later.

May nagsisimula nang mainggit sa success ng industry nila and kelangan nila ng mas stronger na connection sa business world para di sila matitinag.

Like the usual success stories na fini-feature sa mga reality shows at magazines, di galing sa mayamang angkan ang great grandparents ni Alex. Kung ano man ang meron sila ngayon, yun ay dahil sa sobrang pagsisikap ng mga great grand parents nya at sina Old Pab nya at ng dad nya para marating ang status ng company nila ngayon.

One reason why ang bilis lumaki ng company nila was emerging their business to other big and known companies through business deals and arranged marriage. That was their key para manatiling malakas ang company nila.

Sa mga mayayaman kasi, they are so keen pagdating sa mga yan, lalo na at pag pera, negosyo, koneksyon at kapangyarihan ang pag uusapan. 

Most often than not, they set aside their feelings at mas nananaig ang kanilang praktikal na pag-iisip sa kung ano pa ang pwede nilang gawin para mas mapalago pa ang kanilang business.

Alex was trained to take over their business ever since, knowing na sya naman talaga ang tagapagmana nito.

He was given freedom by his parents to do everything and anything he wanted to do while he is single...kahit ano, except to seriously fall in love with a woman that is not their choice.

Kaya he never committed to any woman, never fell in love with anyone, and eventually, he got used to that idea.

In fact, he enjoyed this setup. Walang girlfriend na kukulit kung saan sya, walang pipigil sa mga gusto nyang gawin at walang magco-control sa kanya. He liked that convenience and he planned to make it stay like that. 

Makukuha rin naman nya ang gusto nyang babae, so why bother to commit, di bah? Konting diskarte at papa-charming lang sa babae, kakagat na.

For him, true love doesn't exist and it will never exist because he knew it will not happen when he marries. He will never love the woman his parents will choose for him.

He planned to keep unattached to any woman. Sa katawan lang sila pwedeng mag attach. Di pwede sa puso.

*****

The main part of the engagement ceremony has finished and it's already time to party. 

Alex couldn't help but notice the girl in white again. She was with her two friends but she looked bored and tired. He could see that her eyes said so. 

When he first saw her kanina, inirapan siya nito. He knew she was annoyed.

Ngayon, ibang emotion na naman ang nakita nya sa mata ng babae. Boredom and exhaustion.

She was holding a glass of champagne, occasionally sipping it and just leaning on the cocktail table while her friends were already swaying with the music. The way she held the glass says something about her. Alam nya tamang way ng paghawak ng champagne glass!

Hey, bakit ko nga ba sya tinititigan? I should be enjoying myself with my friends now whose busy observing and hunting for their target of the night. Bat ba ako nakakatutok sa kanya?

Normally, pag merong occassion na ganito, sya ang unang makaka kuha ng babae na ma take home but now, it seems like wala sya mood na gawin yun tonight kasi naka focus sya sa isang babaeng di naman nya type.

His friends Ryan and Jack are already hitting on somebody while si Anton naman, medjo may tama na.

Alex would glanced at her table from time to time at may nakadalawang beses na rin that the girl caught him looking at their direction.

He then saw 2 guys approached the lady in white's table.

Kilala nya ang mga lalaking yun.

Sina Bons Buenavista at Riley Leviste. Ang mga kalaban nila sa drag race kamakailan lang at basketball nung nasa college pa sila.

He stiffened yet continued to observe.

He smirked and smiled when he saw na si lady in white na umirap sa dalawa at biglang nag excuse at tumalikod  nang akmang makikipagkilala ito sa kanya. It was her way to say she wasn't interested and that put more interest on Alex instead!

Hahaha Buti nga! Ang yayabang kasi. Akala nila may hatak sila sa chicks. Eh kasing laki ng tyan nila ang yabang nila!

Pero Hmmmm isnabira si Madam ah. May pagka-suplada. Kala rin nya kung sino syang maganda.

Patuloy nya itong  inobserbahan ang babae at di nya alam kung bakit.

Siguro dahil ilang beses nyang nakitang iniirapan sya nito kanina and he wondered why she rolled her eyes on him.

She wasn't that tall, siguro mga 5'3 lang ang height, and she wasn't mestiza too. In fact, she has a fair complexion and her bored face only added to the traits Alex didn't like in a woman.  For his ideal standards, ekis na sa checklist niya.

But she's pretty... no, she is beautiful especially na wala syang make up except maybe for a lip tint.

Mostly kasi, ang mga babae sa mga ganitong occassion, tudo ang palamuti sa mukha. At kadalasan din  sa mga babae nya, natu turn off sya pag wina wash off na ang make up or di kaya pagkagising sa umaga na wala nang make up. Maganda lang tingnan pag merong make up pero kung wala na, di na ganun kaganda.

But this one looked very simple. Yung kakaibang kasimple pero may dating. Ang lakas ng dating... para sa kanya.

And she looked sexy too, well-proportioned ang katawan sa height nya. And those boobs! Kahit na nakatakip ang isang layer ng tela sa dibdib nya, bakat pa rin ang umbok nito!

Another thing,  there is something in her eyes that caught Alex's attention. Parang may malalim na sinasabi, nangungusap.

He tried to divert his attention to his friends. Nakita nya sina Jack at Ryan dancing with some women. Sure ball na silang may take out ang mga ito mamaya. 

If wala syang madadala tonight, he will surely drive alone pabalik ng Manila kasi for sure mag che-check-in ang mga kaibigan nya sa hotel. 

He asked the waiter for another shot of Bacardi.

Then looked at the lady in white's direction again but to his disappointment, wala na sila nga friends nya sa table nila. Maybe they have left. 

Pero di sya mapakali na hindi nya nakilala ito kayat sinubukan nyang sundan at hanapin sa labas.

But he was a bit late. Nakita nyang sumakay ito sa driver's seat ng  puting sasakyan na kapareha rin ng sasakyan nya!

Pucha, naka Volvo XC40 din! WTH?? Sino kaya yun?

He wanted to ask Paulo or Celeste about her but it really wasn't his way. 

Off limits dapat sa kanya ang mga ganyang klaseng babae. Baka mag demand ng commitment yun, di nya maibibigay.

Isa pa, sanay syang siya hinahabol or nilalapitan ng mga babae. Wala sa vocabulary nya ang maghabol or lumapit. It had never happened before and it is not going to happen now.

Bahala nang wala syang ma take out tonight.