Obnoxious Oxygen

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Why didn't you tell me you already told your dad about us?" I asked when he pulled over near the crag, I looked outside the window to see no one in there.

When I asked Oxygen to take me in a place where I can find peace after he asked me where to go, he brought me to the perfect place. It's so quiet outside, even the road was empty. I don't know where we are and it looks scary dangerous that it's only us in here, but I trust Oxygen. He'll keep me safe.

"Sorry," was his simple reply.

It annoyed me because I was expecting a more significant answer from him, but it seems like he wasn't going to give me that. I watched him kill the engine of the car. "You should've given me a heads up, hindi 'yung ganito. Mabibigla na lang ako na pupunta yung mommy mo sa Bahay, I mean that's okay if I was alone in there. But my mom's with me-"

"Sorry na sabi ko 'di ba?" Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero parang galit siya. "Hindi ko alam na pupunta si mama sa inyo. Hindi ko nga alam na nasabi na pala sa kanya ni papa, pasensya ka na. Oo nga pala, ayaw mong malaman ng mga magulang mo o ng kahit sino. I should've counted my parents out of this secret."

I frowned on the way he said the word secret. "Ano bang problema, Oxygen? Nagtatanong lang naman ako."

Diretso pa rin ang kaniyang tingin sa harapan, while I turned to fully face him.

"Hindi ko naman sinasabi na hindi 'to pwedeng malaman ng mga magulang mo, ang akin lang sana sinabihan mo 'ko na nasabi mo na sa papa mo. Kasi napagusapan na natin 'to 'di ba? Akala ko naintindihan mo 'ko-"

"Naintindihan, wala naman problema 'dyan. Lagi naman kitang naiintindihan. Kahit mahirap, kinakaya ko naman intindihin. Basta sinabi mo, naiintindihan ko." He cut me off, turning his head on my side. "Pero ikaw ba naiintindihan mo 'ko?"

"Oxygen, ano ba 'to? Simpleng tanong lang naman 'yon, I just want you to answer me-"

"Sinabi ko na 'di ba? Hindi ko alam na alam na ng nanay ko 'tong sikreto natin." Mariin ang pagkakabanggit niya sa salitang sikreto, the more I'm confused. "Had I known, I would've stopped her from barging in your house without notice. Sa tingin mo ba gugustuhin ko na ipahamak ka? Na maipit ka? Gabbana, if I can do that I would've told your mom that you're pregnant the first time we met. I have given you so much time to adjust and even willing to give more, hindi pa ba sapat 'yon? Kulang pa?"

I was stunned, for a moment I couldn't react. All I can see is the pain in his eyes. It's more prominent that it was the moment I've asked him to keep this a secret.

"Kung iniisip mo na basta ko lang sinabi 'yon sa tatay ko, dahil wala lang, trip ko lang. Gabbana, hindi. You can't imagine how hard it was for me to go home every night and see the woman trying to ruin me, perfectly doing it. Ilang beses ko nang ginusto na sabihin sa nanay ko na hindi ko naman 'yon nabuntis, na ikaw naman talaga. Hindi ko ginawa, because I know you wouldn't like it." He said in a gentler tone now. "You wanna know what made me say it?"

I tried opening my mouth to say something but I couldn't find my voice, tears sting my eyes. I slowly shook my head.

"I was there when Thalia cried watching Trigger trying to survive death. I've witnessed it and realized that there are some things we have no control over, they're unexpected. And that if I ever had it coming, I have one secret I can only trust to my most trusted person. Which is my dad." He blew an air. "If there's one thing that I'm not sure anyone will ever understand, it's the bond I have with my father. Same goes to you and your mom."

And that's where he's wrong. I think I understand him better now. I looked straight into his eyes, how could I hurt this beautiful man? "I'm sorry. I- I didn't know you were hurting."