NO CHOICE /r18

BRO CODE

Feeling hurt isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it's kind of a "wake-up call" that encourages you to travel down a different path that could ultimately bring you a greater sense of fulfillment, joy, and happiness."

HOW TO OVERCOME HURT

by Adam Sicinski

********

The moment you recognize you're feeling hurt, it's imperative to immediately settle yourself down to prevent your emotions from getting the better of you.

That is one of the most effective defense mechanisms that a person has when they get hurt.

Maraming paraan ang pag cope up sa pain. Everyone has his/her own way and process.

 Para kay Mylene, diversion of attention worked for her the most.

That was what she had done for the past few days. She spent her time working, shopping, working out, and working again. She spent her time diverting her thoughts to something more important than lounging on her hurt feelings. She knew better than that and it always worked for her.

A day after she ran away from everyone, sinubukan nila Ann, Ogie at Rose na punatahan ang kanyang penthouse at nagbakasakali silang andun sya. 

Buti nalang.

So when her friends asked and invited her out for the weekend, she didn't have any second thoughts. It's time to unwind and relieve herself from all the stress she had for the whole week.

It had been 5 days since that incident happened and for Mylene, sapat na ang araw na nagmokmok sya. She put it at the back of her mind. 

 tangina, eh bakit ba ako nagdu-dwell sa mga ganito? Get up self! Give yourself a life because that is what you deserve.

"San tayo?" Ann asked her.

"I'm actually starving. Can we have dinner first?" ani Rose habang nag-aapply ng lipstick.

"Ok, after dinner, where tayo? Mag clubbing naman tayo please.." suggest naman ni Doc Ogie.

"That's what I wanted to do too! mag GUESS tayo!" patay malisyang sabi naman ni Mylene at nagkatinginan ang mga kaibigan nya.

"Are you sure you wanna go there? Di natin teritoryo yun." ani naman ni Ann.

"Of course. AnO ba naman kayo. Di naman tayo banned sa lugar na yun, arent we? Hahaha. And even if it is not our territory, we have money to pay naman." pabirong sagot nya

"Syempre no!! So g na tayo sa Guess ha. Antagal ko nang di nakapunta dun." sagot ni Ogie.

That night, Mylene was wearing a simple black long sleeve one-piece that showed her sultriness, sophistication, and class. Bakit ba naman hindi? eh kulang dalawangpung libo ang nakakabit na price tag sa damit na yan. It was just hanging on her closet sa kanyang penthouse na di pa pala nya nagagamit kayat may price tag pa. 

She paired it with her black Manolo Blahnik Callasi na nagkakahalaga din ng higit kumulang limangpong libo! Dagdag pa ang million dollar worth na Patek Philippe 5004T na relo sa kanyang wrist. 

So, sapat na bang requirement yun sa isang club na hindi nila territory? 

She was glad ito ang sinuot nya ngayong gabi. Tamang tama lang sa pupuntahan nila.

In the meantime, Alex and Jack were seated in a dark corner at the second floor of the club. They chose this place para magkaroon sila ng privacy sa dami ba naman ng taong pumupunta dito. From there, makikita nila lahat ng mga tao sa ground floor mula sa entrance hanggang sa dulo ng club. They have the most reserved VIP table of the place. Kelangan ng minimum consummable order na P10,000 to have this table. Mostly itong lugar ang pinagkakaagawan ng mga VIP's and they were luck na nakauna sila dito.

Napagpasyahan nilang pumunta ng GUESS club, pero this time, they came here not to party but to just unwind at uminom.

It was around 11 pm when Alex noticed Mylene and her friends came in.  They were ushered to their reserved VIP table too near the bar. That was where Alex and his friends were seated last week.

It surprised him, at the same time, bigla ring nagkaba ang kanyang puso. Halos isang linggo na nyang di nakita ang asawa and it felt like this is the first time na m meet nya ulit sya.

Pero umigting ang panga ni Alex when he saw what Mylene was wearing. It was too sexy and revealing for his taste na kahit naka long sleeves pa ito, it still showed some skin on her chest at maikli ang skirt nya. She looked different kasi nakaitim sya. Wala nga itong make up pero umaangat pa rin ang kagandahan. Dagdag pa ang nakalugay nitong buhok that made her looked hot!

"Bro, anong problema? Ok ka lang?" Jack asked when he noticed the sudden change of expression in Alex's face. He is frowning this time.

"She is here, bro," he said while looking down.

"Sino? si Jessica? Eh halos gabi gabi naman andito yan. You should have known. Yung iba mo pang naka One Night Stand malamang nandito din mamaya. Hahaha" natatawang sabi ni Jack sa kanya.

"No, not Jessica, I mean my wife."

Biglang tumayo si Jack para tingnan ang direksyon na tinuro ni Alex.

"Ohh.. kaya pala... All right! Good! Kasama nya si Ann bro!!" excited na sabi ni Jack sa kanya. "Lika, let's join them!"

"Huwag, I don't want her to know that I'm here. Baka mailang. Baka mag walkout. We haven't talked yet..." he said with a sad tone in his voice. "I would rather watch her from here. At last nakikita ko sya."

"What? It's been more than five days bro, one week na yata! Di mo man lang ba sinuyo??Pucha, alam mo ba pano manuyo???"

"I did but sabi nya, we will talk when she's ready. Pero hanggang ngayon, di pa rin nya ako kinakausap. Di sya umuuwi ng bahay bro. She doesn't even answer my calls. or my texts."

"Sus! Ang hina mo pala bro. Hahaha.. It only means, di effective ang panunuyo mo at di mo nagawang kausapin. Nasanay ka kasi na babae ang naghahabol and sumusuyo sayo, yan tuloy, di ka na train kung papano!hahaha" biro ni Jack sa kanya.

Oo nga. He never courted any girl. Dinidiskartihan, oo. Pero manligaw, wala. Magkaiba yung nililigawan mo sa dinidiskartihan mo lang. Kasi di nya kelangang manligaw. Siya ang parating hinahabol at nililigawan.

"So, ok lang sayo na tanaw mo lng sya dito? Bat di mo kasi lapitan? Samahan kita?"

" Ok lang bro. That's what she wanted and I'll give it to her until she's ready. Mas mabuti nga't mababantayan ko sya dito."

oo, mas ok na nandito ako. Ok na matatanaw ko sya sa upuan ko nang di nya ako makikita.

"Tangina, stalker lang? Di bagay sayo bro! Para kang ewan!"

He didn't let his friend's comment affect him. Mas mabuti nang dito nalang muna sya at babantayan nya na lang ang asawa nya sa malayo.

The night was still young but the place was already flocked by people. Nakita nya rin ang grupo nila Jessica na pumasok but went in a different direction sa kanila ni Mylene.

He also saw Jena, isa pa nyang ka ex fling at mga kaibigan nito.

Buti nalang talaga at dito sya sa taas nakapwesto. Far and hidden sa mga taong ayaw nyang makausap.

Mayat maya, dumating din sila Anton at Ryan kasama ang mga dates nila. Umakyat ang mga ito sa kanilang pwesto and joined them pero di na ito pinansin ni Alex.

He only had his attention dun sa table ng asawa nya sa baba.

He knew they ordered Martinis for the first round, and now, they were drinking Daquiris na naman. Paglapag ng waiter sa table nila Mylene, Alex asked their server na ipatawag ang waiter na yun para kausapin nya na lahat ng orders nila icha-charge sa kanya.

Mylene and her friends were hard drinkers. He had seen that many times. Halos cocktails lang ang iniinom nila but Alex knew for a fact din that drinking different mixes of cocktails have harder blows than the usual hard drinks.

Isa pa, nakita nyang nag bo- bottoms up silang magkakaibigan. Mas malakas ang tama nun! Sa tantya nya, naka 4 glasses na ang bawat isa sa kanila ng cocktails.

Nagpapakalasing ba talaga sya? 

His eyes bore into her.

God, how I missed her!

Nakatuon pa rin ang tingin ni Alex sa kanila. Kitang kita nya ang mga galaw ng katawan ni Mylene habang nag sasayaw and it was giving him a hard-on.  How he wished she is dancing for him.

He knew Mylene and her friends were a bit tipsy already. Their actions show it. Even Mylene's movement tells him that she is no longer in herself.

"Bro!" biglang tawag sa kanya ni Ryan sabay hampas sa kanya. "Ano ba, bat ka nagsi-senti dyan? Lika, ipakikilala kita sa pinsan ng chicks ko. Mag enjoy tayo!"

Umalis ang tingin nya sa kinaroroonan ng asawa and he turned to face his friend.

"Gago, andito asawa ko."

"Really? Asan??"

Pagtingin nila ulit sa baba para ituro sana ni Alex kay Ryan kung san sila Mylene, he saw three guys approached their table and offered them drinks.

At first, di nya masyado namumukhaan ang mga lalaki but yung isa, pamilyar sa kanya.

It was his friend Ivan. 

Gaya nya, kilala din si Ivan sa pagiging matinik sa babae. Yun nga lang di naman kagwapuhan ito.

His friends saw him frowned.

"Gago, di ba kilala ni Ivan si Mylene na asawa mo? Bat parang didiskarte pa sya?" tanong ni Ryan nang makita nya ang galit na mukha ni Alex.

"Maybe not. I mean, they haven't met personally." sagot naman ni Jack habang tinititigan nilang tatlo ang pwesto nila Mylene.

Gustong gusto ni Alex na bumaba para puntahan ang asawa but something was holding him not to. Parang sya mismo walang  pang lakas na loob na lapitan eto dahil sa kasalanan nya.

It didn't look like his wife was flirting naman sa kanila ni Ivan. Parang polite lang itong sumasagot pag may tinatanong at nakatuon naman ang attention nito sa mga kaibigan.

In fact, he saw her rolled her eyes ng ilang beses pag tumatalikod sya sa kanila at umiiwas.

Ivan and the two other guys were quite persistent as they joined their table. They danced with them, habang patuloy pa rin nakatingin lang si Alex sa kanila.

Nag iinit na ulo nya. Nagagalit na sya. Naka kuyom na ang kanyang kamao sa nakikita.

Chill ka lang Alex. Di naman naglalandi asawa mo. Bantayan mo lang.

Walang problema ang asawa nya pero di nya mapagkakatiwalaan si Ivan, lalo na't pilit itong dumidikit kay Mylene habang nagsasayaw.

Then nakita nyang bumulong si Ivan sa isang waiter. He couldn't explain pero ramdam nya na parang may di magandang mangyayari. Parang may masamang balak si Ivan at ang mga kaibigan nito sa kanila ni Mylene.

Alam na alam ni Alex ang mga galawan sa club. Kung may magugusguhan kang babae at gusto mong makuha pero parang di ganun kadali, you drugged that girl ng paunti unti hanggang sa tuluyan na itong tamaan at mawala sa huwisyo para madala nila pauwi.

Pera lang ang katapat sa mga servers at sila na ang gagawa ng paraan. Sila na ng maglalagay ng drug sa inumin. Because Ivan is a regular and prominent customer dito, madali lang sa kanya na magkaroon ng contact sa mga servers to do his dirty works.

Di ito gawain ng grupo ni Alex kasi di naman nila kelangang gawin yun. Sya, si Jack, si Anton at Ryan ay may mga angking kapogihan that could easily catch the female's attention.

In Ivan's case, di naman sya ganun ka gwapo. Mayaman sya, oo pero wala syang pambato kung mukha lang naman ang pag uusapan.

His instinct told him that this will happen lalo na't nakita nya na di naman interesado sila Mylene sa kanila. Pero ganun pa man, may mga tama na ito ng alak so there's a big chance na may mangyayari sa kanilang di maganda.

Binulungan nya si Jack at sinabihan ng kanyang kutob. He didn't want to waste time. Bahala na kung magagalit si Mylene or kung ano man ang maging reaction nito pag nakita sya.

Bumababa sila at pumunta sa direction ng asawa. Narinig pa nya na may babaeng tumawag ng pangalan nya but he ignored it.

Sinasayaw ni Ivan si Mylene at pilit na hinahawan ang bewang nito nang bigla niyang hablutin si Mylene at niyapos.

Mylene was surprised kung sino ang nasa likod nya but that scent was so familiar to her.

"What the......" sabi ni Mylene nang lumingon ito pero naputol nang biglang tumaas ang boses ni Ivan.

"Tangina pare! Walang bastusan! Maghanap ka ng sarili mong babae!!!" Pasigaw at galit na sambit ni Ivan kay Alex.

Medjo napansin na ng ibang tao na may commotion na nagaganap kayat pumagitna na si Jack at sinabihan si Ivan.

"Stop it pare. Lasing ka na." mahinahon na sabi ni Jack kay ivan.

"Eh gago yang kaibigan mo eh!" sagot nito kay Jack at bumaling ang attention muli kay Alex na ngayo'y matiim na nakatingin sa kanya. "Bro code pare! Bro code! Alam mo yun??? Maghanap ka ng babaeng madadale mo ngayong gabi! Huwag kang mang agaw!!! gago!!!" patuloy na pagmumura ni Ivan sa kanya.

Lalong uminit ang ulo ni Alex sa narinig kayat hinablot nya si Ivan at kinuelyuhan. "I'll let you go with your foul mouth this time but for your information, that woman you're flirting with IS MY WIFE!!!" sabi nya sa mukha ni Ivan at itinulak ito.

Inawat sila ng ibang kaibigan para di na lumala ang gulo.

Hinawakan nya ang asawa sa pulsuhan at hinila. "Let's go!"

Pero di gumalaw si Mylene sa kinatatayuan. "No!" galit na sagot sa kanya ni Mylene

"I said let's go!" he looked intensely in Mylene's eyes as he asked, " Sasama ka o bubuhatin kita palabas dito?"

"Go sis! Kami na bahala dito." Ann said as she pushed her friend to go. Medjo natakot na rin ang mga kaibigan ni Mylene sa reaction ng mukha ni Alex na galit na galit.

Mylene had no choice but to follow him, especially that Alex strongly held her wrist.

When they were outside the club, she pulled her wrist out of Alex's hands and put it on her waist.

"Ano to Alex??" she sternly asked. Alex's reaction softened.

"Please, let's go home." he pleaded.

Mylene swayed and almost lost her balance, dala na rin siguro ng tama ng alak na nainom nya, and Alex immediately caught her. Pero dahil nakainom na nga si Mylene, nagmatigas ito.

"Excuse me, baka nakalimutan mo, di tayo bati. And may I remind you, we made a deal na walang pakialaman sa sariling buhay natin!" she mumbled, her speech slurred a little.

Tamang tama, dumating ang driver ni Alex sa harap nila.

"Uuwi tayo at sa bahay tayo mag uusap." sabi nya.

"At kung ayaw ko???" pagmamatigas ni Mylene. Alex wanted to smile, kasi kahit galit sya, naaliw pa rin sya sa asawa na pilit maging matapang sa harap nya, eh ang liit liit naman nya.

But no, he has to be firm.

Nagtitigisan sila ng titig ni Alex and Mylene got a bit scared when she saw Alex's intimidating stare.

"Don't try me Mylene. I can carry you if you don't go inside the car now. And people will wonder why we are fighting. look at them, may mga nakikiusyoso na. If you want their attention, then I will gladly oblige."

Mylene pouted her lips and said, "Fine!!!"

And she went inside his car, na nagdadabog at nagmamaktol.

When Alex closed the door, he told his driver. "Sa bahay tayo."

Walang imik si Mylene sa buong oras na nakasakay sila sa kotse.

She had mixed emotions: galit, pagkalasing, pagod at pagkainis.

Dapat ako ang galit ngayun. Dapat sa akin sya matakot. Sya ang may kasalanan! But parang ako ang nag give in? Bat parang sya na ang galit ngayun???