A/N
Veronica Franco (Catherine McCormack) is an adventurous, curious, slightly tomboyish young woman in Venice. Her lover Marco (Rufus Sewell) cannot marry her because her family is not wealthy enough to provide a good dowry. Marco, a future Senator, marries a foreign noblewoman instead. Veronica's mother (Jacqueline Bisset) must think of the future and her family's financial security, as she still requires dowries for her younger daughters and money for her son's commission. Rather than go to a convent, Veronica's mother suggests she become a courtesan, a highly paid, cultured prostitute like her mother and grandmother before her. At first Veronica is repelled by the idea, but once she discovers that courtesans are allowed access to libraries and education, she tentatively embraces the idea.
Gin's POV
I blushed when I saw all the pictures that Lian and I had in high school. I looked weird! Gel na gel ang buhok ko.
Hawak na ni Bella ang tyan kakatawa habang pinapakita ni tita ang album sa kanya.
"OMG! Look at this Gin! Ikaw talaga to?" nanlalaki ang mga matang sabi na tinuturo ang isang picture namin ni Lian noong prom night. Napasimangot ako. Ano naman problema don? Ang cute ko nga eh!
Natawa si tita. "He really likes to wear his hair that way! Parang nadilaan ng 10 baka!" she said in a horrific voice.
Muntik na akong malaglag sa kinauupuan ko. "Tita naman! Uso yan noong mga time na yon!" depensa ko.
Bella giggled. Tiningnan ko ito ng masama. She is grinning from ear to ear.
"I didn't know na ganito ka ka fashionable during high school! Buti na lang hindi pa kita kilala niyan!" kantyaw nito.
Pinandilatan ko ito ng mga mata. "As if naman hindi ka nagsuot kagaya ng sinusuot ni Lian!" pang aasar nito.
Napatingin ito sa picture. She shrugged her shoulder. "But I don't wear this long skirt at all," she commented.
Natigilan ako. Agad na napatingin kay Lian. Alanganing matawa ako. "Sweetheart, Lian is a very conservative girl. Palibhasa noong high school naka skirt ka na!"
She pouted. "If you have it show it," she said proudly. Napasimangot ako uli. Sa naisip na marami ng nakakita ng legs ni Bella noong high school parang gusto ko silang sapakin isa isa.
"You must be thankful we didn't;t know each other that time kung hindi malamang hiniram ko ang saya ng nana mo at itapal sa legs mo," inis na sabi ko.
Natawa si tita. "O siya tama na yan, baka mag away pa kayo," nakangiting sabi.
Nakangiti lamang si Bella na parang nakakaloko. Naiiritang pinagtitingnan ko na lamang ang nasa album. Masayang nagkwentuhan na sina tita at Bella. Si Lian naman ay nakiupo sa harap ko at nakitingin na rin, maya maya ay nagtatawanan na kami ni Lian ng makita ang ilang kaklase namin.
Tawa ako ng tawa ng makita ko ang itsura ni Dean, ang sagwa! Naka brace pa. Napahalakhak ako maging si Lian ay natawa.
Biglang nawala ang ngiti ko.
"Gin? Are you okay? Nahihilo ka ba?" nag aalalang sabi ni Lian na concerned na nakatingin sa akin.
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