Obnoxious Oxygen

Chapter Seventeen

"Okay ka lang?"

From the outside of his moving car, my eyes shifted to Oxygen. I gave him a simple nod and immediately look away. Seeing Oxygen made me remember everything that happened last night at the platform of his yacht. And remembering it warms my face. How I acted last night was beyond me. I was in heat and the sensation Oxygen awakens me was strange and foreign. I'm like going over a hill and I get that swoosh feeling in my stomach. It's like that but in my pants.

"Sigurado ka?" His eyes were going back and forth from me and the road ahead.

I couldn't construct any sentences, yet. I couldn't even look him straight in the eye. I've managed another nod without turning to him. Having to face Oxygen last night as he tucked me to bed is one thing and having to face him today is another.

When I woke up this morning, I was already in my bed at the house. I didn't know how I managed to stay asleep the whole time and thinking about Oxygen carrying me from the yacht to my room made me feel more embarrassed. The sleeping me doubles my weight, I have no doubt that Oxygen could carry a lot more weight with his ripped muscles, but still that's a shame!

And now, after breakfast, we're heading to his parents' house. I overheard him awhile ago talking to his dad, informing that we'll be there before lunch. And I don't know what to feel about it. I sighed deeply. I'm seated here, on the shotgun of his car while he's driving straight to his parents. Not that it made me nervous but it made me a little bit anxious.

"Ayaw mo bang tumuloy? Pwede tayong bumalik, tatawagan ko nalang si papa-"

Mabilis akong umiling upang putulin ang anumang sasabihin pa niya. "No, I'm okay, Oxygen. Really. I'm good. I don't even know what makes you think that I'm not."

He gave me a sideways glance before his hand reached over the rear view mirror just so I could see myself in it. "Tignan mo nga kung mukha kang okay."

I did as I was told. I look normal, with my hair properly combed through my shoulders as it was tucked behind my ears. The light makeup I had on looks nice. But he's right, one look and it's obvious. I don't look fine.

"Nagugutom ka na ba? Nauuhaw? May gusto ka ba?" Sunod-sunod niyang tanong.

Magkakasunod na pag-iling din ang aking ginawa, I lowered my eyes to my lap. I don't want him to see me through my eyes and know what I'm thinking, he seems to be good at that. I just couldn't think of a perfect way to tell him that me coming with him to attend to some family affair ain't sound right and fine. What was I to him for me to be brought to his family? I'm just a weak, pitiful woman he took the responsibility of sitting until my brother came back in town.

"Gabgab?" He called my attention back.

I sighed, this man ain't gonna stop. Nilingon ko siya, ganoon din ang kaniyang ginawa. Oxygen in the morning is a sight, people who didn't know him only sees his devil-may-care outlook and a stellar smile but he's more than that. And I like how his goatee doesn't make him look dirty. I smiled at my own thought.

"Hoy, baliw?" Umangat ang kaniyang dalawang kilay bago muling ibalik ang paningin sa daan, "Kanina lang parang ang lalim lalim ng iniisip mo, ngayon ngingitian mo ko na parang nakita mo na ang kinabukasan mo."

I rolled my eyes, maybe I should stop overthinking things. "I said I'm good, just a little bit bored. Can I manipulate the radio?"

"As you please," he said with a wink and what's wrong with me that my heart took a flip? This is crazy.

After a long drive, he pulled off in front of a huge Modern-French gull wing house in a mixture of gray, black and white colors. And a huge courtyard with beautiful landscape. I didn't wait for Oxygen to open the car door for me, I know he would. I slipped off the car the same time he did.