Obnoxious Oxygen

Chapter Twenty Four

"Gabgab."

I heard Oxygen finally calling out my name, I sucked in a gulp of air, my foot poised in midstep and my fingernails cutting into my palms. I'd been avoiding a conversation with him since we were left alone by his 'girl friend' at dinner and he's been letting me do that. I have no plans to talk to him, at least for tonight. All I wanna do is hit the bed and sleep away the rest of the evening. Confrontations doesn't appeal to me, not now.

But there he goes, calling me out. For sure this has to do something about what happened back at dinner.

"Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" He asked in a calm and unhurried voice.

Taking in a few deep breaths to calm myself down, I turned around and faced him. He's looking up at me, standing at the bottom step of the stairs. Both of his hands jerked inside the pocket of his jeans. He moved his head and sighed with a little exaggeration, making his chest rise and fall. Then he twitched his lips. Goodness, why am I watching his every move?

"Dito sana, sa baba." Malumanay niyang sabi. "Hindi kasi ako nakakasiguro kung makakapag-usap nga tayo ng maayos dyan sa taas. I don't trust myself to properly behave around you, much more with the presence of a mattress."

I took aback on what he said. Oxygen is insanely insatiable. And he's right, we won't be able to talk about things if we were jailed inside the room but what difference does it make if we're gonna do the talking elsewhere? He's a sex fiend, he craves for with or without bed. There's always and alternative for him.

His brows furrowed. "What's wrong? Ayaw mo ba makipag-usap?"

Instead of speaking my mind, I shook my head and began walking down. I saw him smile and wait for me, then he headed to the bar area and started getting himself a bottle of beer.

"You had red wine and now you're having beer. What are you? A drunkard?" I crossed my arms over my chest and raised him a brow.

He stared at me for a second and then he began putting it back inside the cooler. Good. But I'm still mad at him.

"So? What are we gonna talk about?" I tap my foot on the marble floor I'm standing at.

He slumped his shoulders and sighed once more before reaching the stool and sit there. "Yung kanina..."

"Anong meron sa kanina?"

"Ano, galit ka ba?" He sounded weary.

Inirapan ko siya. "Kapag ba sinabi kong oo titigilan mo na ko at papabayaang umakyat para makatulog na at makapag-pahinga?"

I heard him groan inwardly, taking in defeat. "Alright, I'm sorry. I'm at fault. Hindi ko dapat sinabi 'yon-"

"Talagang hindi!" I cut him off and put my hands on both sides of my waist. "You shouldn't have called her honey! You said she wasn't your girlfriend and then you'll address her that way, the woman will assume!"

I shot him a glare when he didn't say anything. He just stared at me with narrowed eyes.

"I hate you, Oxygen De Salvo!" I snapped.

"I'm not following you, Gabbana Victoria." His voice was low.

I blinked twice in surprise. I'm not sure if he ever called me that way before, but now that he did, it made me stop. Never have I ever felt this weird by the way someone say my name. The other thing that got me confuse is the frown he had on his face, it's as if I'm a complete puzzle right in front of him.

"Hindi mo ko kinakausap simula kanina. Sa byahe, not once have you turned to check on me or even say a word. Dahil tinawag ko si Janine ng honey?" Mahinahon niyang sabi. "You're bothered and upset because I called her honey. Then I have to remind myself with that. I don't want you upset, I'm sorry..."