Beauty Under the Lens

CHAPTER 7

Amanda's POV

While my feet propped up on Asher’s armchair, I raised my eyebrows as he entered. He was in front of me, with his bag slung over his back. I tapped my own armchair with my fingers.

"I came first, Mr. President," I boasted, smiling mischievously. He frowned, perplexed by my actions, but at the same time, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah, I can see that," his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Now if you'll excuse me, miss. I need my chair," he chuckled as he moved my feet and gently placed them on the floor. I felt a flutter inside because of his gesture, but I tried my best to maintain an unbothered facade. He shook his head slightly as he set down his bag.

I yawned as I was still very sleepy. I just woke up early because I didn't want to be late. I also considered that he's Aria's fiancé, my brother-in-law. I probably didn't want to give him a bad impression. And besides, he might tell Mama about it if we talk during meals.

Aria is probably leaving the house now. Fortunately, the driver didn't question me when I asked to be dropped off early. To stay awake, I engaged in small talk with Asher. I needed to have a comfortable conversation with him. He would soon be part of the family, so we would have to communicate at some point.

"Don't you have a meeting with the journalism team?" I asked. He looked surprised at my initiation of conversation. I shrugged and leaned back in my chair.

"No," was his brief reply.

"I heard your meetings were for the intramurals before. Are you managing it? Isn't that the student council's job?" I took out an Oreo from my bag and opened it. I extended my arms to offer one to Asher.

"We will be documenting the intramural events. We will be making actual newspapers. It's our special project for the school since it's also foundation day on that day," he explained as he declined the Oreo I offered. I took a oreo and bit into it.

"Hmm," I nodded but glanced back at the biscuit I was eating and realized my mistake.

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously. I pouted and showed him the Oreo.

"What's wrong with that?" I could sense him stifling his laughter.

"Of course, you should open the oreo first and take out the filling. That's what you should eat first. Eating it whole is boring." I demonstrated the correct way to eat an Oreo.

He took one and handed it to me.

"Here, you still have another." I smiled at him. Indeed, I took the second Oreo from his hand and separated the two cookies to get the cream filling. I drank cold water from my bottle to counteract the sweetness I just ate.

I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"I'm still sleepy," I said as I snuggled further into my bag which I used as a makeshift pillow. But since when did my bag have a manly cologne scent?

My bag seemed to vibrate as if laughing on its own. Was this due to waking up early?

"It's okay, Astrid. Just wake her up when the teacher arrives," Asher's voice vibration was heard from my bag.

"Trust me, Asher. This is what Callie would want me to do. I'm sure all she wants to do upon waking up is feed herself," I hear Astrid said.

Who's feeding themselves? Me? For simply sleeping before class? That's not a violation of school rules, so why should I be embarrassed? Especially in front of Asher.

I opened one of my eyes and was surprised by how close Asher was to me. Please don't tell me this isn't what I think it is. Slowly, I moved my gaze to where I was lying down. It wasn't a bag but a shoulder.

I suddenly jolted from my lying position. What the heck am I doing, sleeping on Asher's shoulders?

"Asher?! Oh my! Sorry sorry sorry. It wasn't intentional, I didn't even know why my head was there, all I remember is falling asleep on my bag. Believe me, I didn't mean to invade your space or anything." I explained.

I just peeked behind Astrid, checking if Rose saw anything or if she's planning to murder me in her mind. Oh dear, please pray for me that Rose didn't see that, if you don't want my dead body to be found.

I shook my head. But that's in the past anyway! He’s my sister's fiancé now, so what can Rose do if he didn't end up with her, I slapped my cheek, Damn, he’s my sister's fiancé and yet this is what I did, I said while staring into space.

Astrid smirked because of my reaction. “Told you, Asher.”

I suddenly stood up. Astrid took a step back because of my sudden movement and I almost hit her too.

“I'll just go to the restroom.” I walked straight out of the classroom with my hand covering my face, trying to protect what little dignity I had left.

I slammed our sink and pointed at myself in the mirror. Amanda Callie, you will not get in the way between Aria and Asher. You can't disappoint mom. Stop being so near and stupid around him! I don't want to be misconstrued as someone ambitious. Even though my appearance is always noticed and compared to Aria. I'm still just a normal student.

When I returned to the room, our teacher was already there.

“Good morning, ma'am. I just went to the CR,” I greeted her so she would know where I came from.

“Okay. Good morning, Amanda Callie. Go back to your seat and let's start the class,” she replied.

I avoided looking at Asher. I tried to look straight at my seat and not wander with my eyes.

“Statistics and probability. You're probably very familiar with this already. You've tackled this since you were in grade 8 and surely it was introduced to you in your tenth grade in your fourth quarter. Now, I will be asking you. What is statistics?” Ms. Solidad asked.

I'm proud of myself that I still remember this very topic. At least even if I'm called upon now, I know what my answer will be.

Asher, Rose, and my hand automatically shot up in the air.

“Oh, Amanda Callie got an answer from Asher.”

“Wow, hands up immediately.”

I squinted hard. I felt like all the blood rushed to my cheeks. Is my academic performance that questionable that they didn't expect me to know the answer to this simple question?

I slowly lowered my right hand while resting my left on my face.

“Hands up, Amanda Callie,” Asher ordered beside me. He was talking to me, but he kept looking straight ahead as if he didn't address me.

My hand automatically rose again because of what he said.

“When you're familiar with the question, you answer. Stop seeking validation from our classmates. They're not the ones grading you.”

I gulped despite the pain in my throat as if it were blocking me.

“Mr. Jasper Cruz, you seem busy talking to Axel. Maybe you can share what you know with the class,” Ms. Solidad said with her arms crossed, “Go ahead Cruz, what is statistics?”

Axel and Jasper playfully blamed each other for why they got caught by Ma'am Solidad.

Jasper straightened his uniform before answering Ma'am Solidad. “Statistics is about the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data."

The three of us all lowered our hands at the same time when Jasper answered Ma'am's question correctly.

Elara tapped Jasper's arm and raised her eyebrows. "You're such a genius."

Jasper raised his middle to pinky fingers while connecting his index and thumb to form a circle.

"Just basic," Jasper boasted. "You think only Asher is good? It's too lazy to raise my hand. If I were active, Asher would fly off from being the first honor."

"Very good, Mr. Cruz. But still not an excuse to not pay attention in class," commented Ma'am. "Statistics, as Jasper said, is a branch of mathematics that deals with collecting, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data. Just like conducting studies or in your theses, statistics is involved. Within the study process, you conducted a survey which is the collection. Organization comes when counting how many answered A, B, C, or D. Analysis and interpretation refer to what you derive from those answers. What conclusion can you draw from those numbers? Statistics are necessary because how will you present data without a basis? You need statistics in your study."

"Those commercials, like Joy claiming 9 out of 10 moms use it, right? There are statistics involved in that. They don't just guess or randomly throw numbers out," Ma'am added.

"What's that, Jasper? Did they survey the whole Philippines for that?" I asked Jasper because I thought he knew the answer.

"Samples," Asher answered before Jasper could respond. "They get samples from a population. Only a specific number of people answered the survey. They can't go around the entire Philippines just to gather data. The samples represent the entire population. Remember back in grade 10, did you survey our whole batch?"

I shook my head. I think I surveyed only 197 out of almost 300. That was the formula Sir gave us last year.

"They're called samples," Asher explained further. "In your titles, you use words like 'effects of social media on grade 10 students,' even if not the whole grade 10 will be your respondents. The samples reflect the characteristics of the entire population."

Light dawned on me as I understood what he was saying.

"Ah, so-"

"Stop asking questions, Amanda Callie," Asher interrupted. "Ma'am Solidad will discuss it in the next class sessions. Make sure you listen."

I pouted and frowned. "Okay."

Internally, I scolded myself for having another interaction with Asher. I just told myself earlier, Amanda Callie, that we wouldn't get close to Asher.

I'll let it pass. It was just for academics, not a big deal and shouldn't be given any significance.

"Here, maybe you don't know this yet. What is probability?"

Immediately, many hands shot up.

"Probability is like the math version of mitochondria. Everyone knows this."

The five of us, Asher, Astrid, Elara, Axel, and I, turned our heads to Jasper who didn't raise his hand.

"What?!" Jasper gave us a cheeky grin. "You guys already have your hands up. Should I join in?"

"Mr. Cruz, do you want to answer again?" Ma'am noticed what we were doing at the back and shifted her attention to us.

Jasper cursed under his breath, "When did I become Ma'am Solidad' favorite?”