Love Against Us

CHAPTER 48

"Not a Venturillo." that was my father's exact words when he found out that my brother, Sid, is dating someone. Wala pa namang sinasabing pangalan ay mahigpit nang sinabi ni Papa na hindi dapat isang Venturillo. Siguro iniisip niyang nasa dugo na namin ang magmahal ng isang Venturillo.

Si Sid ang binalaan niya dahil ito ang di hamak na mas malapit sa edad ng kambal na Venturillo at may posibilidad na magkagusto sa isa. I think he's only four years older than them.

Father, you forgot about me.

He only focused on Lucid and forgot that he has another son. Baka iniisip ni Papa na masyado akong matanda para magkagusto sa isa sa kambal ni Alfonso Venturillo. Eight years isn't that bad, right?

I know the dating history of De Grano - Venturillo. My grandfather was in a relationship with Armenia Venturillo. He told me stories about them. Kinalakihan ko na ang mga kwento niya. He loved the woman but entering politics was greater than that love. He has so much plan for the people. In order to win the election, he needs to break Armenia's heart and marry my Grandmother, whose family funded his candidacy. It was his calling to serve the people over his first love. He even mentioned that he will never fall for my Grandmother. He only married her for convenience and because of the power her family holds. But later on, he ate everything. Leticia De Grano became his great love.

My father was in a relationship with Antoinette Venturillo, kapatid ni Alfonso na anak ni Patricio. But just like my Grandfather, my father chose politics over love. Same fate with his father, the only difference is Antoinette committed suicide and my father didn't learn to love my mother. Namatay si Mama sa panganganak sa bunso naming si Luanna na baon ang sakit ng katotohanang hindi siya minahal man lang ni Papa. It was still Antoinette. I've seen my parents argue. At kapag nangyayare 'yon, palaging nababanggit ang pangalan ni Antoinette. Later on, I found out who she was.

Doon nagsimula ang pagiging kuryuso ko sa pamilyang Venturillo. What has the women in that family have that they had the men from my family? Given the beauty they hold, what else they posses that they had my grandfather and father around their palm?

And why this Aldreda Venturillo hates me so much? Wala atang pagkikita na hindi niya ako tataasan ng kilay at iirapan. She's so unlikely Annasandra. Her twin sister still managed to smile at me, habang siya ay halos hindi na huminga kapag nagkikita kami. Kitang-kita ko ang disgusto sa mga mata niya, panghuhusga sa mga tingin niya at ang harapang paglayo sa tuwing malapit ako o kahit sinong miyembro ng pamilya ko.

"Stop being friendly with the De Granos, Ada." pagalit niya sa kakambal. Tumaas ang kilay ko sa narinig. Bahagya ko silang tinapunan ng tingin at nakitang nakatingin sa akin si Aldreda. Mukhang sinadya ng maarteng batang ito na iparinig sakin ang sinabi. Kinunutan ko siya ng noo nang umirap ito.

Mas magagalit siya sakin kapag pinasukan ng hangin 'yang mga mata niya sa kakairap. I smirked at my thought. I think she misunderstood my smirk because she arc her brows. Natawa ako nang pandilatan din ako ng mga mata. Cute.

"I don't see anything wrong with being friendly with the De Granos, Eda. Mukhang makakasundo ko nga si Luanna Ramona. Lucid is cute too. And Kuya Lucian seems cool." Kuya Lucian, my mind repeated. I don't know what to feel. I shrugged it off. Tama lang namang igalang ang mas nakakatanda. Fuck! That doesn't sound good even in my own ears. Nakakatanda. Fucking old, Lucian!

"Luanna is a bitch. Plastic. Iniirapan niya ako kapag walang nakakakita. Lucid is not that cute. Puro yabang at halos ipangalandakan na isa siyang De Grano. And that Lucian is not cool. Ang tanda niya pa." talagang matalim ang dila ng batang 'to. Kaya pala walang masyadong kaibigan ang isang 'to dahil may katarayan talaga. Hindi man lang nga ngumingiti. Kabaliktaran talaga siya ni Annasandra.