Strawberries and Cigarettes

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Sunod-sunod na putok ng baril ang binitawan ni Catalina. Hugo replaced the empty strawberry shake on her table as he watched her shoot all the dummies in a mile. Walang palya lahat ng baril ng dalaga, it was all bull's eye, as if she was shooting with a sniper.

Catalina was currently enjoying the shooting range in her parent's mansion. Alas quarto na nang hapon pero abala pa rin si Catalina sa pagputok ng baril. It was like she was releasing her stress from something, she couldn't tell.

"Babe, sit down and drink your shake first."

Napatigil si Catalina sa paghila ng gantilyo, nilingon niya si Hugo at maliit na ngumiti. She sat down beside him on the bench and reached for her strawberry shake. Hugo pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket and lit up one stick.

"Anong lasa?" She asked him.

"Mapait, it's not for you."

"Sabrina smokes too... Though I rarely see her smoke," saad ng dalaga. "May problema ba?"

Umiling si Hugo. "No, babe, everything's fine."

"Sebastian," nagbabantang tugon ni Catalina.

Hugo sighed. "Remember my former colleague in the Navy?"

"Yeah, yung hindi mo pinangalanan?"

Hugo's hand-formed into a fist. "He doesn't deserve a name."

Catalina saw how hard Hugo was fisting his hand. Inabot ng dalaga ang kamay niya at marahang hinaplos, unti-unting kumalma si Hugo. Umusog ang dalaga papalapit sa binata at sinilip ang mukha nito. Hugo avoided her gaze but he couldn't get away.

"Tell me?"

Umiling si Hugo. "I can fix this. C'mon," Hugo took her hand.

Kumunot ang noo ni Catalina. "Saan?"

He threw his smoke on the ground and stomped on it. "Pool," maigsi niyang sagot sabay hila sa asawa.

The shooting range was ten kilometers away from the pool and from the mansion, then fifteen kilometers away from the horse stables. Kinakailangan nilang mag-golf cart para maabot ang kabilang dulo ng lupaing ito. Napapalibutan lang rin ng mga halaman ang lupain na 'to, araw-araw na binibisita ng mga tauhan nina Catalina para panatilihin ang kalinisan at kaayusan.

Hugo and Catalina walked side by side, not touching each other but enough to send shivers to her spine. Hugo cleared his throat but he didn't say anything. Ganoon rin ang ginawa ni catalina hanggang sa umabot sila sa harapan ng pool.

Hugo took off his shirt and his pants, leaving his boxers. Maingat siyang bumaba sa swimming pool habang nakatitig sa dalaga. Catalina sat on the edge of the pool while looking back at Hugo. Nang tuluyan nang nasa tubig si Hugo ay lumapit ito sa dalaga. Catalina shook her head.

"Wala akong damit."

"Skinny dip with me then," ani ni Hugo sabay angat ng hinubad na boxers nito.

Mahinang natawa si Catalina. "We both know it's not just skinny dipping you're talking about."

"No? I don't know... Wanna find out?"

Catalina stood up and pulled her dress up and threw it on the ground, leaving her with her undergarments. She dived into the pool and swam across Hugo. Isa-isang tinanggal ng dalaga ang natitirang saplot sa ilalim ng tubig habang nakatitig kay Hugo. She placed it near the poolside.

"I won't touch you..." Pigil hiningang sabi ni Hugo.

Ngumisi si Catalina. "Then stop holding your breath."