The Bossy Intruder

Micah's eyes were filled with disgust as he looked around the nightclub where his friends brought him. He just arrived from his flight from Chile. He would have extended his stay at the Andes Region for his year-long paid leave.

He was supposed to go there with his now ex-girlfriend, Bella, for their honeymoon, but since the wedding was cancelled, he decided to go on with it alone. She even told him that he's the only one who wanted a honeymoon and that she was just forced to say yes to marrying him because she did not want to humiliate him when he proposed to her in front of so many people.

He shook his head at that thought and drank the brandy served to him. One year had passed yet he could still clearly remember how she stood him up on their wedding day. It was supposed to be the fulfillment of his dream but she chose to elope with his best man. that snake!

"Why the gloomy face?" one of his friends, Arice, asked. He felt him shove his side with his elbow as he said, "'Come on buddy! It's your birthday."

He glared at him. "And I was supposed to still be in Chile until now."

"And what do you plan to do? Sulk your heart out alone in the mountains?" this time it was Cougar who spoke. "We are a better company for you on your birthday. Aren't you happy that you're back with your cool friends? Why, do you prefer talking to crickets than us? I'm hurt man!" he said exaggeratingly.

His face turned sour, "Yeah! You are supposed to be in your deathbed, remember? I was forced to go home because you're supposed to be gone soon. But you're as strong as a horse." He mumbled as he drank the brandy.

It was two days ago when his friends called him through his Blackberry, which had a satellite phone feature. He just finished his hike through the mountainous region of Andes, and experienced the Altiplano or high plateau. He liked places which are almost uninhabited, where all he can see is nothingness. He would seldom check on his friends and would post pictures in his social media account to let them know that he was still alive.

But he was nonplussed when Arice told him that Cougar had an incurable disease and only had a few days to live. He was so worried that he cancelled his tour and hurried back to the Philippines. His friends fetched him at the airport but instead of going to the hospital where Cougar is supposed to be, they brought him to the Fanta-C nightclub where Cougar waited with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He had jet lag and in the past two days, he was worried sick that he may not be able to make it on time to see his friend alive only to find out that everything was a set up. Worst, he even got to see these women whom he believed existed for the sole purpose of deceiving men.

"Do you want me to just die?" Cougar asked, then he leaned to the couch, closed his eyes and pretended to be dead. "Okay. I am dead."

"This is not a good joke" Cougar growled at him.

He felt Steele's arms around his shoulder, "We just did what we thought was best for you as your friend. We can't just leave you to celebrate your birthday in the middle of nowhere."

"That's right. It would've been okay with us if you were picking up girls in the places you go to, but you are wasting those Latina chicas." he said with a clack of his tongue "We can't let you live like a monk."

"So, take your pick among the girls." Cougar said with a wink. "Time for action, man! We want the old Micah back."

He didn't even pay attention to the women. He didn't like any of them. He had already lost his taste with those kinds of women. He was actually done with them, all of them. They bring nothing but trouble and headache to his life.

He took another glass of his brandy. This was not his idea of a great birthday. He wanted peace not the eye-blinding lights, flirtatious music and sluts. He admitted he did like them, but that was before. Before he fell for Bella.

Bella was different from those women. She was his childhood friend. He didn't notice her at first, because she was very quiet. He wanted his women flirty and loud. She was the exact opposite of that. She was shy, very unsure of herself and quite fragile-looking. She was the kind of woman that men would want to take care of. He liked her because she was caring, silent, and would always agree with everything he says. That's why when he thought it was time to start taking his life seriously, and started thinking of starting a family, it was Bella whom he chose to be with.

She would make a perfect wife for him and a perfect mother to his kids.

But he was wrong. She was also a cheat. It was not him whom she loved but her best friend. And the only reason she said yes to him was because she wanted to make the man, she secretly loved for so long, jealous. She never expected he would actually propose to her and would arrange the wedding so soon.

"If you don't like that those kind of girls, would you like me to call on one of your ex-girlfriends instead?" Steele asked him then took out his cellphone.

He stopped him. "I said stop it! This is not my idea of fun. I just want to rest." If only he could find a peaceful place, anywhere away from the noise. No women. They only bring him trouble anyway. Trouble and heartaches.

"Micah, it's not the end of the world just because Belle left you. She's not worth it! Are you just going to let yourself be defeated by your misery? Stop making yourself pitiful." Cougar nagged at him. "There are still a lot of fishes in the ocean."

"What fish? Like the ones you find in this place?" he mocked as he shook his head.

"If you're not interested in getting a love life, you could get a sex life for starters or better yet, become a priest and take the honor of baptizing our babies." Steele said while dancing to the music. "You choose."

"I said I am not interested in any women." He insisted.

His friends glanced at each other and looked at him worriedly. "You prefer to go to a Gay bar?" Arice asked. "Please don't, man! We rather send you to a convent or if you want, be a monk in Tibet. I'll cover for your transportation fees."

He grimaced. He would never change his gender preference. All he wanted was peace of mind. He had not found it yet. As much as he missed his friends and family, he was not yet ready to go back to his old life.

In the last year, he had left his company in his cousin Tracy's hands together with a few trusted personnel. It took him some years to build Zest Foods. It was doing well now.

Well he considered being a monk or a priest. He just hadn't tried yet. But he was sure he won't find what he was looking for in this night club. Not in the loud music and flirty women.

He would find peace in his bed. He wanted to sleep.

But he knew how much effort his friends had put into this just so they can be with him and he couldn't deny he missed them too.

"Let's just go to another place. Somewhere private."

Steele whistled. "See? You're not so difficult to persuade. I knew you would eventually give in. Say, they have private rooms upstairs or do you want a hotel room?"

"Just us. No women. Just like the old times. Let's drink and share stories. I really don't want any woman, bro." he said while clutching his forehead.

He really was feeling dizzy. It had been so long since he had any alcohol on his belly. He stopped drinking when he started courting Bella because she never liked it. He only had his eyes on her. There were so many other things that he used to do but stopped doing because of her. Only to realize that she had molded him into an image of the man she truly loved.

"That's boring dude. Get over Bella. That's the bottom point of all your problems anyway. So if the cause is a girl then the only solution is a girl." Cougar insisted.

"Do you want us to give you a surprise? Do you prefer one that comes out of a gift box or from a giant cake?"

He stood and took out three thousand pesos from his wallet. "I'll just take my leave. I told you, I don't have any interest in women. I don't think I'm a good company tonight. I still have a jet lag."

He started walking out of the night club. It would be better if he can get away from this place. If he could be alone again.

He was met by seducing looks from some women. He knew that look. Since he was sixteen, women offered their bodies to him for free. Now it doesn't even affect him. Maybe he really should consider being a monk or a priest.

"Micah, where are you going?" Steele asked while running after him.

He immediately hailed a taxi. He looked back just as he was about to get in, he saw his other friends already behind him. "Anywhere. I'll just phone you when I feel better. Thanks for the birthday celebration."

He gave them a salute, closed the taxi's door and told the driver to drive. "To the Robinson's Tower in Padre Faura please."

He leaned back to the seat and closed his eyes. He felt his head throbbed with pain. He also knew that the effect of alcohol was starting to kick-in. If he had stayed any longer, he wouldn't know what would happen if his friends started offering those women to him. He didn't want to do something he would regret. Loveless sex was not in his vocabulary anymore. He might end up hating himself the next day. It's best to leave while he's still in his right mind.

"Sir, where here." The driver informed him.

He paid the driver and looked up at the building. He bought it last year. These was where he planned to live with Bella after the wedding. She wanted a penthouse so that she could enjoy the view of the whole city and the sea.

He has never stepped foot in the place since the wedding was canceled. He even considered selling it. But for now, it was the only place where he could go. No one would think that he will be staying there.

He used his keys to access the elevator to the penthouse. He felt emptiness slowly creeping inside him as the elevator opened to the penthouse. He punched in the code and the electronic door opened. He was welcomed with darkness and in the wide glass window he saw lights coming from the buildings nearby. The world outside was bright and lively but he opted to stay in his dark, gloomy world. He didn't know how to return things to how it was.

He headed to the master's bedroom and took off all his clothes. He felt all worn out and filthy. He also still felt light headed. Perhaps a shower might relax his mind. And once he had enough sleep and cleared out his mind, it's time to start planning on what he needs to do with his life.