✔Sold! To The Gangsters 3

Epilogue

Where do broken hearts go?

***

"Rose, tara na.. Kanina ka pa kain ng kain ng lugar diyan! Baka mamaya bukas malugaw rin ang utak mo sa exams." Inis pero natatawang paalala ni Jasmine sa bestfriend niya. On the other hand, Rose only gave her a sheepish smile at tinapos ang natitirang pagkain.

"Eh kung hindi ba naman kasi masarap ang lugaw nila Aling Delay, sinong hindi mapapakain ng di oras?"

Tumawa ang matandang babae na nakamasid sa dalawa. She picked up their bowls and smiled,

"Hanggang ngayon talaga mga ineng.. Dito pa rin kayo kumakain. Gagraduate na kayo ng kolehiyo, diba?"

Jasmine nodded, "Opo. Konting kembot na lang at makakapagtapos na rin kami.."

"Naku, Mommg D! Magtatapos na nga kami't lahat lahat, pero favorite ko pa din ang lugaw dito sainyo! Gosh.. Ang sarap talaga balikan ang nakaraan." Makaghulugang sabi ni Rose habang pinagmamasdan ang kabuuan ng paligid. Jasmine went silent.

Nang papalubog na ang araw at wala na silang mapag-usapan pa, ay sumakay na ang dalawa sa kanilang mga bisikleta.

On the way home, Rose couldn't help but talk,

"Jaz, bukas after ng exams natin, let's visit Neptune! Sa narinig ko kay Sky, magbubukas na ang resto niya bukas at invited tayo."

"Aysus. Pagkain na naman.. Sige ka, kapag hindi ka tumigil diyan, baka lumobo ka na. Baka hindi ka na mahalin ni Sky mo nyan kapag mukha ka nang biik."

Natawa si Rose sa sinabi ng dalaga. "Leche ha! Ang alam ko si Clex lang ang nang-aasar sa akin sa pagkain ko.. Pati ba naman ikaw? Nahawa ka na ba talaga sa siraulo mong kapatid?"

"Maybe."

Later on, nang makarating sila sa isang side ng burol, they saw two people waiting for them. Kumaway si Noctis at Marcelo na agad na napansin ng dalawang dalaga. Ngumiti si Rose kay Jasmine. "Hey, una na ako ah? Baka hinihintay na ako ni Sky.." Binalingan niya ang dalawang lalaki at tiningnan na para bang isa itong, Ingatan-niyo-tong-bestfriend-ko-kundi-hindi-na-kayo-sisikatan-ng-araw look.

And she rode off. Jasmine got off of her bike and followed the two who were sitting on the hilltop. Orange streaks of the sunset were grazing the grass as they  stared at the horizon.

"At talagang pinasama niyo pa ako sainyo ha? Kapag ako inabutan ng gabi.."

Tumawa si Mars, his hair a dark shade of brown, "Chill, Jaz. Hindi ka naman siguro magiging halimaw kapag inabutan ka ng gabi.. Namiss lang namin ang girlalu bestie namin! Hahaha!"

Jasmine rolled her eyes at napabaling kay Nightmare, "At kelan pa 'to natuto ng gay talk Noctis? Tinuturuan mo?" Ngumiti sa kanya si Night. They stared at each other for a long time bago biglang nag-iwas ng tingin si Jasmine.

Mars shook his head and stood up, amused and happy all at the same time to see his two friends. Mahal pa rin ni Mars si Jasmine. That's a fact. At sa palagay ng binata, hindi na magbabago pa ito. But seeing her and Jasmins troubled, Mars realized that he's already contented with this. With Jasmine just being his friend. She's been through a lot, at gusto bumawi ni Mars sa mga pagkukulang niya sa dating kasintahan. And if that meant letting her go, Marcelo Franco will do that.

"I need to go. Tinext na ako ni papa. Kailangan daw niya ng katulong sa ospital. Bye guys!"

And he left them.

Napasimangot si Nightmare. Alam niya kung ano ang balak ni Mars. Napatingin siya kay Jasmine. She was staring straight ahead, mukhang malalim ang iniisip.

It's been a month since she fully recovered pero hanggang ngayon, nagtatago pa rin si Nightmare sa anino ng amnesia ng dalaga. He doesn't want her to recall every painful memory. Kasalanan din naman niya kung bakit nabaril si Jasmine eh. So, in return, he needs to endure this pain. The pain of never being recognized by your lover. The greatest pain a gangster could ever have.

"Bakit hindi mo sinabi, Nightmare?"

He was taken aback. Ano?

"J-Jasmine, what are you.."

Nagulat na lang siya nang umiyak ang dalaga. He immediately wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her chocolate brown eyes staring at his..they were full of love. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ni Nightmare. He really loves this woman.

"I remember, Night.. I-I can remember everything.."

Kinabahan si Nightmare. What will he do now? Kasusuklaman ba siya ni Jasmine? Magtatampo? Lalayo ba siya?

But all questions were drowned in his head when he felt her hug him.

"I love you, Nightmare. Please don't try to be a martyr again.."

It took a few moments bago naabsorb ng utak ni Noctis ang mga pangyayari. Soon enough, he found himself hugging her back. A genuine smile gracing his lips for the first time in a long time.

"I'm sorry about that, kiddo.. I love you more, Jasmine Cruz."

And their lips met again as the sun gave way for the dark. The sky and everything within it became a vast witness of the love of two people. Their souls entwined and their hearts contented.

***

Where do broken hearts go?

Hindi rin alam ni Jasmine kung saan.

Her heart has been shattered into a million fragments.

Napunta na sa kung saan-saan ang puso niya.

Pero sa bandang huli?

Kahit sino pa ang bumili sa puso niya..

Jasmine Cruz's heart will always be where Noctis Mercado is.

And when both ends meet, she will still be..

..

Sold! To the gangsters.

THE END

------

A/N:

I started writing STTG year ago. Madali kong natapos ang book one, pero after that it took me a while to finish book two. I moved out of my Writress account kaya napilitan na lang akong i-continue ang book three dito. After many hardships and twisted ideas, I finally reached their end. And all in all, I'm satisfied with the ending. Salamat sa pagbabasa!

-MistyAnnE_04 (Writress)