NO CHOICE /r18

MYLENE

Mylene was sitting on their porch, facing the scenic view of their infinity pool that overlooked the city in their Tagaytay resthouse (which is called RaCe Cottage from her parent's names Ramon and Cecilia).

She was having her "me time" and she was enjoying the serenity of the environment.

She had never felt this kind of peace and tranquility. 

Why not?

She just got back 3 days ago from her hiatus and the one-year quest of herself, as she called it.

She was contemplating about her life now that she is back.

She was lost in her thoughts when she was suddenly distracted by a loud ring on her phone that showed her best friend name Ann on the screen.

"Ann!" she gently shouted!

"My!!! yikes! Totoo nga! You're back!!! Ang daya! Bat di mo man lang kami ininform?"

She can clearly hear the shrieking voice of her best friend Ann on the other line. "Wait, asan ka ba ngayon? Nasa mansion ka ba? Pupuntahan kita!" Ann continued to ask her.

"Hahaha. Not yet. I'm here sa RaCe Cottage now. I just got back a few days ago at gusto kong bumawi ng tulog kasi may jetlag pa ako. Punta kayo here, please!" sabi ni Mylene na nakangiti. Na miss niya ang mga friends nya and she really wanted to see them now.

Si Mylene ay tipo ng babae na di masyado  pala kaibigan, pero ang mga kaibigang meron sya  simula noon ay pareho pa rin hanggang ngayun, at iilan lang yun.

"Of course! I'll let Rose and Ogie know, ok lang ba? We'll definitely go there. We can not wait to see you!"

Mylene and Ann Mondia have been friends mula nuong toddler days nila. Their moms were best friends since their college days too, so they eventually grew up together.

Ann has a very light, happy personality. Maharot, very friendly, very positive and napaka taklesa. They have two other close friends.

Rose Catalan, whose parents own the world's famous travel agency and

Dr. Ogie Sison, the finest neurosurgeon in the country.

They have been together for ages, and even when one is out of the country, they never fail to connect.

***

It was around 5 pm when her Nana Nena informed na dumating na ang mga kaibigan niya.

Nana Nena had been her nanny since she could remember. She was like her second mother since her mom was always out of the country and busy with her personal business.

"Oh, my gee! You're here for real!" tili ni Ann habang patakbong palapit at lumapit kay Mylene. "I soooo miss you, bruha!"

"Uy Girl, ang ganda. Ang fresh. Anong meron sayo??? Iba nag simoy ng air sa ibang bansa girl." sabi naman ni Ogie habang bumebeso at yumayakap sa kanya.

"I sooooo miss you bruhas!!! Vid calls were not enough talaga. Asan si Rose? Bakit kayo yan? kala ko ba makukompleto tayo ngayon." tanong ni Mylene.

"Di sya pwede tonight. May pa dinner ang agency nila. Bukas pa sya gagayak dito." sagot ni Ogie na pumunta ng couch at nag stretch ng katawan. "My God, napagod ako sa kaka drive. yung isa dyan, natulog lang."

"So, ano na? Do we have plans for tonight? Dinner? Cocktail? Party? What!!! Bakla, mag isip ka!" excited na tanong ni Ann.

"Hmmm...Why do we have to choose when we can do it all tonight? Di ba uso sa inyo ang mag multi tasking?" ani Mylene sabay kindat sa kanila.

Her friends looked at her and were surprised. were they hearing it right?

Si Mylene makikipag party?

Mylene had isolated herself from socializing after that fateful night more than a year ago.

From then on, she never wanted to go out and socialize. She limited her connections to only her close friends, at silang tatlo nga iyon. 

Di naman talaga mahilig si Mylene sa mga party party na yan. Pero simula nuong nangyari sa kanila ni Juancho, parang sinarado na nya ang kanyang mundo at sa mga kaibigan nalang sya sumasama.

That's the reason why her parents decided to let her have a year for herself to travel abroad, to quest for herself at makapang unwind... and eventually,  to move on...

-flashback-

"Am I not good enough for you Juancho?

Why did you do that to me?" she asked as her tears started to fall.

"I'm very sorry babe. I made a mistake. I was tempted and I couldn't help it. Please give me another chance. I swear I won't do it again." pagmamakaawa ni Juancho sa kanya.

"Chance? Do you know what you are asking from me? I saw you having s*x with that hoe!!! How dare you ask me for a chance???"

"Oh please babe. Lagot ako sa daddy mo pag nalaman nya to. He'll strip me off my job, or better yet, he'll kill me. Please let us keep this between us." sabi ni Juancho.

"Bullshit! Mas iniisip mo pa ngayon ang kalagayan at position mo keysa sa nararamdaman ko?

Tell me, kelan pa kayo ni Shannon?" pigil na pagsabi ni Mylene.

Juacho took a deep breath and exhaled.

"We've been seeing each other for 2 months now but I swear Babe, I didn't really mean to bed her. I was tempted. Maganda sya, sexy, at lalaki ako.

May pangangailangan din. I could have done it with you if you just allowed me. 

Ikaw kasi, ayaw mo pa. Two years na tayo pero napaka reserve mo pa rin. You can't put all the blame on me."

Sinampal nya nang malakas si  Juancho at tinulak papalayo sa kanya.

"Gago ka! What do you mean by that? Na kasalanan ko??? How dare you throw that back at me!

Now, get out of this place and start writing your resignation letter! " she screamed.

Pilit na pinanatili ni Mylene ang composure sa sarili kahit ang puso nya ay parang sasabog na sa sakit.

Sobrang sampal sa katauhan nya nang makita nya ang kanyang boyfriend na nagtatalik sa isa nilang empleyado na si Shannon, mismo sa condo unit na ina-sign kay Juancho ng kompanya nila.

She planned to surprised him when she got back from a business meeting in Bacolod City but sa kasamaang palad, sya ang na surpresa sa nasaksihan. Nakita nya si Juancho at Shannon na nag se-s*x sa sala ng unit ng boyfriend nya. Nagulat din ang dalawa sa bigla nyang pagpasok at di na sila nakapag dahilan pa. Nakaramdam sya ng galit, sakit at hiya sa nakita kayat umalis sya and dumeretso sa kanyang penthouse na nasa top floor lang ng building na to. Dali daling nagbihis naman ang boyfriend at sinundan sya sa penthouse nya.

"No, please babe, don't do that. Let's fix this. I don't wanna lose my job. Naka linya na ako for promotion to head the Makati branch, at alam kong ibibigay sa akin yun. Please babe, huwag mong gawin sa akin to." patuloy na pagmamakaawa ni Juancho.

"Sana inisip mo yan bago ka nagtaksil at niloko ako. Now leave. Get out of my life now, bago pa ako makagawa ng ikahihiya mo. Alam mong kayang kaya kitang sirain ngayon hanggang sa wala nang kompanyang tatanggap sayo, so utang na loob Juancho, wag mong ubusin ang natitirang pacensya at maliit na respeto ko sayo!!"sambit ni Mylene na pilit pinipigilan ang mga luha.

"Leave!  Now!!!" sigaw nya.

Walang nagawa si Juancho at umalis. Walang tigil sa pag iyak si Mylene sa sobrang sakit na nadarama nya.

What's wrong with me? Bakit nakuha nya akong pagtaksilan. Anong kulang sa akin? Tanong nya sa sarili.

Unang boyfriend nya si Juancho at halos two years na ang kanilang relasyon. Isa eto sa mga executives ng dad nya sa kompanya nila at kahit hadlang ang pamilya nya dito ay pinilit pa rin nyang ipaglaban ang relasyon nila. Eventually, her family learned to accept him and welcomed him.

"Hello Ann, can you come over please?" iyak na sabi ni Mylene nang tinawagan nya ang kaibigan.

"My? Oh God, what's wrong??? What happened to you? Are you crying???"

pag-aalalang tanong ni Ann sa kabilang linya.

"Si Juancho...He cheated on me Ann. I caught them, saw them with my own two eyes..Please puntahan mo ako." iyak ni Mylene sa kanyang kaibigan.

"Putangina, where are you?" galit na sabi ni Ann.

"Andito sa penthouse. Please puntahan mo ako dito. I can't bear the pain. Ang sakit! Tangina!!!!"

"Wait for me, okay. Don't do anything stupid. I'm on my way now. Tatawagan ko si  Rose at Doc. Stay put ka dyan. Remember, we love you Mylene. Think of us. I'm coming fast!"

-end of flashback-

"Totoo nga, you're so back!!! Welcome home frenny!!!" at nagyakapan silang tatlo.

"Tamang tama. Engagement party ni Celeste tonight sa Dawns. Remember her? Yung ka blockmate mo nung senior high? She invited us. " excited na sabi ni Ogie.

"Oh yes, of course, I remember her! We used to do reportings together and aced it. Ok then, what are we waiting for? But wait, do we have to dress up? Limited lang ang choices ng mga damit ko dito. I had my luggages delivered na sa bahay sa Manila. I only have a few casuals here." tanong ni Mylene.

"Geez, that's fine. It's a casual party anyway at white ang dress code. For sure meron ka nun. Di ba ikaw pa rin naman si White Lady? At kahit naman mag short, t-shirt at tsinelas ka lang, kering keri mo. You don't want attention, di ba, so any look will do." sagot naman ni Ogie.

Her friends really knew her. Ever since they were in college, Mylene never wanted attention ng ibang tao, kahit pa isang magarang sports car ang dina drive nya sa school at may sariling syang parking slot sa VIP parking ng school nila. She was born wealthy and anything she has screams luxury and style pero di nya pinagsisigawan yun. Gusto lang nya ang low-key na buhay kasi buong buhay na nya ang pagiging mayaman. 

"Oh, that's great. I have a white sundress that will go great with my favorite no-makeup look. As you've said, I don't want attention. So, let's prepare na!" masayang wika ni Mylene at hinila ang mga kaibigan nya papuntang kwarto para mag ayos.