Contrasting Colors of Us

Unang Kabanata

People say that I'm very lucky, being the top student of our batch and winning various competitions in and out of the country. I am a Golden Girl, they say. I also come from a rich family, a daughter of a famous actress and the highest paid surgeon in Asia. But behind all the fame and awards the people see, is a problematic past.

Hindi ko namalayan ang pagtulo ng mga luha sa aking pisngi habang pinagmamasdan ang isa sa mga schoolmates ko na kasama ang tatay sa loob ng isang coffee shop malapit sa school. It was then that I realized that life is indeed really unfair.

"Masokista ka ba?" tanong ni Sancho sakin.

"Bakit ganun? Hindi ba ako kamahal-mahal?" tanong ko dito.

Sancho dela Vega is my bestfriend. He is the son of the CEO of the biggest travel and transport company in Asia. Together, we were labeled as a power couple which I don't really mind. To be honest, I like Sancho. A lot. For me, he is the most perfect guy. Tall, smart, handsome, masculine, a gentleman, and rich. Wala na atang kulang sa kanya. He's also really sweet.

"No, no. You deserve all the love in world, Via." he said.

"I don't understand kung bakit siya ang pinili ni Tatay. I've been good, Sanch. I have good grades, I win almost all of the competitions that I join pero bakit ganun? Siya parin ang pinili." I said, crying my eyes out.

My father broke my heart before any other men could. He chose his mistress and her daughter over Mama and I. I am his own flesh and blood and yet he chose not to recognize me as his daughter mas kinikilala pa nga niya ang Zara na iyon.

"May Daddy Zeb ka naman eh." ani Sancho.

Zebedee Carbonell is my mother's second husband. She was my Mama's bestfriend before. He loved my Mama so much but my Mama chose Tatay because he was her dream guy, but he turned out to be a nightmare. Babaero si Tatay, gwapo kasi at mayaman. Anak si Tatay ng isang businessman, bukod dito ay gumawa rin siya ng sarili niyang pangalan sa larangan ng arkitektura.

In short, iniwan kami ni Tatay dahil isa siyang babaero, para sa mommy ni Zara. She treats Zara as his own, he loves her so much to the extent na kinausap niya ko noon to bail out on the Bio Quiz Bee that I was competing in because Zara wants to win it really bad. I was devastated back then, pero nandiyan naman si Daddy Zeb.

Maybe Sancho is right, nandiyan naman si Daddy Zeb bakit pa ako maghahanap ng iba? Si Daddy Zeb, he always makes time for me kahit na busy siya kasi marami siyang pasyente, he always manages to come to every competition that I join at bukod sa lahat he introduces me as his daughter. He even let's me use his surname, but I refused. It would be too much sapat na yung pagpapakilala niya sakin bilang anak.

"Kung ako mag-aasawa gusto ko gaya ni Daddy Zeb." wika ko.

"Ano? Dahil Mabait?" he said.

"Oo, tas mahal na mahal si Mama." And they starred of as bestfriends. Gusto ko iyon idagdag pero natatakot ako sa rejection, when the people around you keeps on rejecting you, you'll be traumatized.

"Sus, tara na nga. Balik na tayong school." Si Sancho. He placed his arms around my shoulder, like what he usually does but I can't help it but to still feel giddy everytime.

We went to his car and then drove to school. Pagkadating namin sa parking lot ng school napansin ko agad ang isang komusyon. The students were piling up on the bulletin board and then it dawned me. It's the school ranking!

Lumabas kami ni Sancho at lumapit sa bulletin board. Papalapit palang kami alam ko na ang resulta because our schoolmates were saying congratulations at us.

I was right. I am number one… again. I've been on top of the Stem strand since last year and for this year's first sem. Sancho was number one for Abm. I looked at ranking for Humss Strand and saw his name. Alpheus Monte Azul is on top again.