I stared at the beachfront house in front of me and then I turned to see the beach. I love how the sky looks like a curtain of silk above the jewel-blue sea. The sea song of the waves that ripples gently and dashed the sand calms me. I like how the whole beach shaped like a shepherd's hook of gold with the air pregnant by the smell of salt. The place is indeed heart-warming.

"Gabgab, papasok ka ba?"

Tinig ni Oxygen ang siyang muling nagpabaling sakin sa kabahayan, naroroon siya sa gitna ng magkabilaang pinto na nakabukas at nakapamewang. Kinunutan niya ako ng noo nang mapansin na nanatili lamang ako saking kinatatayuan.

"Alam kong gwapo ako, pero magkaroon ka naman sana ng hiya para sa iyong pagkababae. Wag mo kong halayin gamit ang tingin." He faked the disappointment in his eyes, even had his hand feel his chest. "Respeto naman, o"

"Yuck! I wasn't and will never eye-rape you!" I shrieked. "Never in this lifetime, scumbag!"

Malakas at nakakalokong halakhak lamang ang kaniyang pinakawalan. Muli ko siyang inirapan. Hindi ko na alam kung ilang irap na ang naibigay ko kay Oxygen para sa araw na ito at alam kong dadami pa ang bilang dahil nagsisimula pa lamang gumabi.

Kanina sa buong byahe ay wala siyang ibang ginawa kundi asarin ako, Oxygen seems to have noticed everything around. I might say that he's a keen observer, I used to believe that it's a great trait to have but with Oxygen, I don't think so. Nakakairita yung palagi siyang may nasasabi na pang-inis para sakin sa lahat ng bagay na mapapansin niya.

Humakbang na ako patungo sa kinatatayuan niya, Oxygen's built is massive, halos nasakop niya na ang buong espasyo sa pagkakatayo niya. His tattooed shoulder caught my attention again, this close, I've got a better view of it. It's a mad tribal skull in the middle of roses.

"Pwede mo naman hawakan, di naman ako aangal..."

Ang mapanuksong tinig ni Oxygen ang siyang dahilan upang alisin ko ang aking tingin sa bahaging iyon, inirapan ko siya at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad papasok sa kabahayan. "You got a nice tattoo."

"Wow, talaga ba? Ikinakabit mo sakin ang salitang nice? Bago 'yan, ah?" Tumatawang sinundan niya ako. "May sakit ba ang baby girl ni Kuya?"

Hindi ko na siya pinansin, bahala siya sa buhay niya. I surveyed the area. It doesn't have much of decorations and all the furniture and wall interior looks simple, not flashy, it's very minimalistic but cozy just how it looks outside.

"It's a symbol of duality." Expect to hear Oxygen speak every five minutes.

Not getting what he's talking about, I frowned and look at him.

"The tattoo," he said. "This was my first and only ink."

"Bakit? Nasaktan ka 'no? Ayaw mo ng umulit?" Nginisihan ko siya ng mapang-asar. "Coward!"

"Mukha mo," hindi yata marunong mainis si Oxygen dahil natawa lamang siya. "Hindi, kasi nung nag-pa-tattoo ako, parang ako na yung pinakamasamang nilalang sa pamilya naming. Ang gago eno? Pero sabagay ako naman talaga."

"Pinakamasama? What do you mean?" I said, sitting at the couch.

Oxygen took the space beside me and rested his back on the seat. "Kasi, iyong tatay ko, bastardong anak ni Senior Lucas. Of course, once a bastard always bastard. Tanggap naman siya ng lahat sa pamilya, pwera sa isa. Tito Vince never approved him. Even after he finished law. I'm not saying that he did that to please Tito Vince, he did that for himself. Pero wala, ayaw sakanya, e. 'Lamoyon? Kapag ayaw sayo ng tao, ayaw."

Nilingon ko si Oxygen at muling pinagmasdan ang tattoo niya. "Tito Vince? Isn't he your cousin?"

"Yeah, pero syempre mas matanda siya sakin ng ilang dekada. Baho naman kung Kuya Vince diba? Ano ako? Baby boy?" Ngumisi na naman siya, kaya naman napasimangot ako. "Gigil ka na naman, baby girl."

"Stop calling me baby girl!"

"Bakit? Baby ka ni Kuya tapos girl ka, diba?" Lalo siyang napangisi ng umirap ako, Oxygen seems to like it when I'm annoyed. "Ikaw baby girl? May tattoo ka?"

"None that you can see" I said.

He then studied me intently, gazing up and down my form and deliberately stopping at my exposed thighs. "Hulaan ko ba o alamin ko kung saan?"

I can't decide if it's just me or his voice really became deep and low this time. I tensed, I should've told him I didn't have one. I was never proud I'm inked, mom will freak out if she knew. It was a peer trip in high school, I was forced to pick a tiny tattoo and marked it on my skin. A tiny stem rose I had under my right boob, so I can easily hide it.

"Ano, Gabgab?" He inched closer to my side. "Hulaan ko o hanapin ko?"

My cheeks turned crimson in embarrassment just by thinking that Oxygen have started deducing thoughts inside his sick head. "Stop it, Oxygen-"

"Okay, just a wild guess." He didn't stop. I took a sharp breath when his arms move in front of my chest. With my eyes wide open, I looked at his hand, reaching down my rib. "Malapit dito?"

"Oxygen, what are you doing?!" Nasisindak kong tanong nang damhin niya ang bahaging iyon.

His thumb finger started the caress, hitching up to the underwire of my brassiere. "Dito?"

"H-hindi!" I was suddenly uneasy, I pushed his hand off and shot him a glare when he didn't let me.

Oxygen is looking at me with his intense eyes, the way he stared at me awhile ago back in the car. "Liar..."

"A-ano bang ginagawa mo, Oxygen?!" Muli kong pilit na inalis ang kaniyang kamay doon ngunit lalo lamang siyang nag-matigas.

"I hate liars, Gabgab..." His voice is flat and steady, but as tight as a plucked wire. "What is it like?"

His thumb finger jerked inside the under of my bra, feeling my skin there and no matter how thick the cloth of the concert shirt I had on top, I can still feel the heat from his palm.

"If it's here, I won't be able to see it, ever. And I would like to know, that's why I'm asking..." God, Oxygen should stay away from speaking in English. Why his grammar and syntax were heavenly good!

What the hell am I thinking? Have I gone nuts? I'm all about his grammar while his thumb stilled under my boobs?! I held his arm and pushed it away. "Oxygen-"

"Just tell me what it looks like, Gabbana..." hindi ko na kailangan na lumingon pa para malaman na nasakin ang buong atensyon niya. I can feel the heat of his gaze on my side and it's crazy! As crazy as him!

"A tiny stem rose," I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until I'm in need of one.

I shove his hand once more and this time, he had let me. But no, he isn't done staring. "Bakit stem rose?"

"I've always love the rose"

"Colored? White or black ink?" He asked.

"Black"

"Bakit ka nag-pa-tattoo? Parang wala naman sa personalidad mo na gusto mo pala ang tattoo tattoo."

"It's just for fun. I was dared to get inked, that's why I decided to have it done in a hidden part of my body-"

"May nakakita na ba?" He asked again, I don't know why but I'm suddenly uncomfortable with his presence. Nilingon ko siya. "Tinatago mo, kamo. Kaya tinatanong ko kung may nakakita na ba?"

Why do I feel like there's something behind his question? I paused for a second, thinking about Shaun. He might've seen it that night, I shook my head. No, I don't and will never ever count it as one. "No one."

"Very good..." his lips curved in a smirk. "Galingan mong mag-tago, secret lang natin 'yan."

Muli akong nailang. What happened to me? Why did I tell him that secret I had kept to myself for so long? I tried to brush the idea off and cleared my throat before changing the subject. "What's with your tattoo again?"

Sinakyan naman niya iyon at sinagot ang aking tanong. "A contrast of life and death, beauty and decay. Balance of good and evil. Sinner and saint."

Binalingan ko ng tingin ang braso niya, hindi naman niya iyon ipinagdamot at ipinakita pa sa akin. "Deep."

"Mukha lang siguro akong mababaw na tao," he chuckled.

Well, he's right. He doesn't look like someone who'll think of something this way. Pinagmamasdan ko iyon, every stroke is perfect. Inabot niya ang kamay ko at inilay doon, nagulat ma'y hindi ko siya pinigilan. "Bakit dito?"

"Di ko rin alam, basta ang alam ko gusto ko kitang kita siya ng lahat. Hindi para inisin yung mga tao, pero wala lang. Kingina, pake ba nila, diba?" Maaskad niyang sabi, nang mag-angat ako ng tingin sakanya mula sa pagkakayuko sa tattoo niya ay nagtama ang aming mga mata. Isang pilyong ngiti ang sumilay sakanyang labi. "Sus, tuwang tuwa ka sa tattoo ko, ah. Sige na, kiss mo na, di ako magagalit-"

Agad kong tinampal ang braso niya. "Thick face!"

"Gwapo naman." He laughed and stood up. "Nagugutom ka na ba? Halos hapunan na."

"Kaninong bahay to, Oxygen?" Nilibot kong muli ang aking tingin sa paligid. Just like his fuck-flat, no picture frames that indicates the identity of the owner. Must be one of his family's acquired asset.

"Sakin."

I gave him a shocked expression, though I already have a hint that this was his, wala lang gusto ko lang din siyang inisin kung maiinis siya then congrats to me.

"Hindi ka naniniwala? Tulog ka sa labas." He yawned and stretched his arms in the air, making his top cloth move and reveal a skin of his toned abdomen. "Libre silip bawal dila."

I flushed and looked away. "Stupid!"

Saglit na halakhak ang muli niyang pinakawalan, bago muling humikab. "Ano? Nagugutom ka ba? Inaantok ako."

I lifted my gaze to his sleepy eyes, the corners started to water because of the yawned he made. He's really sleepy, kanina sa byahe ay tuloy-tuloy lamang siya sa pagmamaneho, while I had a chance to sleep. And the whole night last night, I had a good rest. I didn't know if he had.

"Tulog nalang tayo, Gabgab. Kahit thirty minutes lang, antok talaga ako." Pakiusap niya.

I sighed and nodded, hindi naman ako gutom. "Matulog ka na."

Gumuhit ng isang maginhawang ngiti ang kaniyang labi.

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang bumalik siya sa couch at nahiga. Placing his head above my thighs! I was about to utter a protest when he closed his eyes, still smiling like an idiot.

"Goodnight, Gabgab."