Novels by Sinagtala

The entire gymnasium was filled with so much happiness. It was indeed a healthy competition."Lila! Congratulations. I knew you'll ace it!" Sasha immediately embraced Lila the moment she saw her. "Thank you, Sasha!" Lila replied and hugged her back. Everyone went to congratulate her and she thanked them one by one.Earlier, Lila was asked to go in front of the stage for the awarding ceremony. She was given a trophy as well as an envelope containing the cash price she won from the contest and a gold medal. Up until now, it still feels surreal for her. Yes, she did her best in reviewing all the information she need to acquire prior to the competition but she never thought she would ace every question. All of her answers were correct and it was actually the first time someone from the competitors of the quiz bee answered all of the questions correctly. It was a tough match but Lila never felt pressured because her op

Chapter 7 "Please settle down, students." The gymnasium that was filled with so much cheer earlier completely turned silent. "Now that we have finally met all of our contenders, our Annual Quiz Bee Queen will start," the host said with a smile. "Since I have already mentioned the rules earlier, I will just remind everyone to keep quiet. For our contenders, no asking of questions and definitely, no cheating. Okay?" he continued which made all the female contenders nod. Lila's hands started to sweat due to nervousness but she tried her best to push the nervous feeling away. Her heart and mind became one and her perseverance in winning the title overpowered all the emotions she was feeling. "We will combine your scores from the easy and average round and the three contenders who accumulated the highest points will then advance to the difficult round. Good luck ladies." The ten female conte

Chapter 6Today is the day.The day Nathan and Lila has been waiting and working for. The Quiz Bee King and Queen.After days of contemplating, Lila finally made her decision and promised to herself that she will win the contest. Unlike the past days, today, the quiz bee day, Lila was already awake at five o'clock in the morning. She doesn't want to waste few more hours before the competition. Even though she was able to review well, she still want to bombard her mind with new information she might need in order to win."Okay, inhale... exhale..." Lila kept on doing breathing exercises. This is the first contest she will join after her last quiz bee in elementary and it has already been four years. She looked in the mirror and her messy hair together with her big round glasses reflected. She never doubted herself but this time, the beating of her heart is different. She's nervous.

LILA woke up with a start. She took a quick peek on the window and there she saw the sun, already up in the sky. She checked the time on her phone, it was already seven o'clock. Her alarm clock didn't wake her up but knowing that she will be late already, she just continued to lay on her bed for a few more minutes.The memories of the time she bumped into Lucas last week kept on bugging her mind. She smiled, Lila can't help it. Lucas's face is still vivid in her memories, his smell, his hands and his voice, she can still feel it."Ahhh! What are you doing to me, Lucas?" Lila shouted. Thank God her room is sound proof so no one will hear her. Lila felt her cheeks heated as the memories filled her mind. This is the reason why she wasn't able to get a good sleep last night. Aside from the stress she had with the fact that she'll join the quiz bee, it is still Lucas.After laying down for five more minutes, she

CHAPTER 4Lila woke up to the sound of an alarm clock. Half-asleep, she stretched out her arm, searching for the clock because it kept on ringing.“What time is it?” she mumbled and opened her eyes. 6:30am. “Oh right, Friday class.”Half conscious, Lila buried her face with a pillow and then decided to get up afterwards and prepare for school. She wasn’t able to sleep well last night. In fact, it was already 3 in the morning when she finally fell asleep. The Annual Quiz Bee King and Queen kept on bugging her peaceful mind but thankfully, she already made up her mind.Today is Friday and just like their usual schedule, classes for this week ends today. The day hasn’t even start

CHAPTER 3 "Hey Lila! We've been looking for you." Lila turned her head to the person calling her as she ate the sandwich she bought earlier here in the cafeteria. It's Sasha together with Nathan. She wiped her mouth with a tissue and smiled, "What took you so long guys?" she asked them. "Oh God, James is so slow! He is so finicky," Sasha muttered and rolled her eyes. "My partner, too!" Nathan exclaimed on the side and sat at the vacant seat in front of Lila. "I was badly hoping to get a prize but Nicole kept on acting like a baby." Nathan has always been this competitive. He always wants to be first in everything but he keeps it in a good way. His facial expression made Lila and Sasha laugh.

Kabanata 13Pumunta ako agad kay Dr. Ballon para sabihin ang lagay ng kondisyon ni Daniel, alam ko wala ako sa posisyon pero tingin ko 'eto ang dapat gawin, ang maoperahan agad si Daniel sa lalong mabilis na panahon."Doc, stable po yung vitals ng patient sa room 108, 'yung patient po na may tricuspid atresia," mahinahong saad ko kay Dr. Ballon na busy naman sa pag babasa ng chart na hawak niya. "Okay, then. Good." Tiniklop niya ang hawak-hawak niyang folder at nag akmang aalis na nang pigilan ko siya. "Don't you think doc na dapat na po siyang maoperahan agad habang stable pa siya? Baka po mamaya or bukas, biglang bumagsak ang katawan niya," pag papaliwanag ko kay doc. Umiling naman siya. "It's best if we monitor him first." Wala naman akong nagawa kung hindi ang tumango na lang sa tugon niya sa akin.Naiwan akong nakatayo sa corridor ng hospital habang pinapanuod na tuluyang mawala si Dr. Ballon sa paningin ko. Okay, w

Kabanata 12Nagising ako sa tunog ng aking telepono, may tumatawag. Dali-dali ko naman itong kinuha at sinagot. "Hello?" malumanay na saad ko, inaantok pa talaga ako. "Love, gising na. Alas sais ang duty mo 'di ba?" Napamulat ako nang marinig ko ang sinabi ni Josh sa kabilang linya. Shoot, oo nga pala. Ngayon ang simula ng duty namin sa ospital. "Hala, oo nga pala love. Thank you ginising mo ako, mag preprepare lang ako ha. Tatawagan kita ulit, i love you!" Dali-dali naman akong bumangon at nag simulang mag ayos.'Eto na ang bagong routine namin ni Josh, sa tuwing kailangan kong gumising ng maaga, lagi niya akong tinatawagan. Sakto naman dahil kapag umaga dito, hapon naman sa kanila doon kaya malamang sa malamang ay gising pa siya.Napatingin ako sa orasan, mag aalas singko na, alas sais ang duty ko sa ospital at kailangan bago ako pumasok ay naka kain na ako ng almusal dahil mahihirapan

Kabanata 11Dalawang araw na ang lumipas mula ng pumunta si Josh sa America. So far, mabuti naman ang takbo ng relasyon naming dalawa. Naalala ko, pagkarating na pagkarating niya sa airport ay tinawagan niya agad ako para ipaalam na nakarating siya ng maayos at ligtas. Sakto naman noong araw na 'yon, kakatapos lang ng klase ko kaya nakapag usap pa kaming dalawa pero hindi rin nag tagal dahil alam ko na kailangan niya rin mag pahinga.Sa totoo lang, nahihirapan pa rin ako sa set-up naming dalawa lalo na magkaiba kami ng oras. Kapag umaga dito, gabi naman doon at kabaliktaran pero sabi ni Josh, hindi rin mag tatagal, makakapag adjust din kaming dalawa. Sa loob ng dalawang araw na magkalayo kaming dalawa, pinaparamdam talaga sa akin ni Josh na walang nag bago. Hangga't kaya niya, siya ang nag aadjust para sa aming dalawa lalo na alam niya na busy talaga ako sa school at sa duty sa ospital. Pero siyempre, hindi ko naman hinahayaan 'yon.&

Kabanata 10Naiwan akong nakatayo at nakatanaw habang naglalakad si Josh palayo sa akin. Hindi ko namalayan may tumulo na pa lang luha sa mga mata ko na dali-dali ko namang pinunasan. Nang mawala na siya ng tuluyan sa paningin ko, huminga ako ng malalim. Oras na para umalis na rin ako.Habang naglalakad ako palayo, tila ba parang binabalot ng kalungkutan ang buong pagkatao ko, bawat hakbang ay sobrang bigat sa dibdib. Ganito rin kaya ang nararamdaman ni Josh habang naglalakad siya palayo sa akin? Hindi ko rin alam pero sana nga.Hindi rin nagtagal nakarating na ako sa parking lot. Nanatili akong nakatayo sa gitna habang ang mga tao ay naglalakad sa paligid ko. Tumingala ako at pag tingin ko sa itaas, nag aabang sakin ang milyon milyong mga bituin na kumikislap at ang bilog na buwan na para bang sinasabihan ako na ayos lang ang lahat. Napangiti ako, tama. Magiging ayos lang ang lahat, kailangan ko lang maniw

Nagising ako sa tunog ng alarm clock ko. Napatingin ako sa oras, alas sais na ng umaga. Tinignan ko naman si Josh na mahimbing na natutulog sa tabi ko at napabuntong hininga ako. Totoo na talaga, 'eto na. 'Eto na 'yong araw na aalis na talaga siya.Hindi ko na muna siya ginising, tinitigan ko lang ang maamo niyang mukha na mahimbing na mahimbing na natutulog. "Mamimiss kita ng sobra," bulong ko sa kaniya ngunit hindi pa rin siya nagising.Sampo pang mga minuto, gigisingin ko na siya at babangon na rin ako. Ngayon pa lang nagbabadya ng tumulo ang mga luha ko, paano na lang mamaya pag paalis na talaga siya? Alas nueve pa naman ng gabi ang flight niya pero kailangan namin mag asikaso ng maaga para hindi siya ma-late. Nagulat ako nang bigla akong yakapin ni Josh, "Ang aga mo naman magising," wika niya sa mahinang boses. Natawa naman ako, sa katunayan halos kakatulog ko lang din. Magdamag ako halos hindi nakatulog dahi

Kabanata 8"HELLO, Nicole? Ready na ba lahat?"Aligagang aligaga ako ngayon dahil mayroon akong hinandang surprise para kay Josh. Malungkot man at mabigat man sa loob, wala na akong ibang magagawa kung hindi ang tanggapin na bukas aalis na talaga siya. Simula noong napagpasyahan namin na pupunta siya sa America, sinulit namin lahat ng pagkakataon. Lahat ng pwede namin gawin ng magkasama ay talagang ginagawa namin. Sinimulan na rin namin ang pagplaplano sa kasal kahit na sa isang taon pa naman iyon. At ngayon nga, nagpatulong naman ako kay Nicole para masurprise si Josh. Gusto ko sana sulitin namin ang huling araw na magiging magkasama kami dahil sa susunod na anim na buwan, wala na kami sa piling ng isa't isa."Oo naman. Ready na lahat, basta pag umalis ako dito, ikaw na bahala okay?""Thank you so much!" Agad-agad ko namang binaba ang tawag. Grabe, sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko dahil kinakabahan