Beauty Under the Lens

CHAPTER 2

Amanda's POV

I looked for Jasper and Axel. They're friends with Asher, but they're also my friends. Asher is the only one among the three of them that I'm not close to. I stood up from my seat and went to the fourth row where Jasper and Axel were seated. It's always the chaotic ones who are seated in the last row. I know these two, they never do assignments in advance. They're used to doing assignments on the spot. The kind where they start minutes or hours before it's due.

Jasper had his yellow pad on the table. And I was right, Jasper and Axel were just starting to write now.

I stopped in front of Jasper and immediately flipped open his yellow pad to get a piece of paper, causing Jasper to pause in writing. He glanced up at me and scowled.

"Don't use my paper!" Jasper complained like a child. He turned to his seatmate and asked for a blue sticky note, which he then handed to me.

"What am I supposed to do with this sticky note? I need a yellow pad, stupid!"

"The yellow pad won't absorb the oil on your face. And that's not a sticky note, it's blotting paper," I snapped as I handed Jasper the blotting paper.

"i***t! I'm not looking for something for my face! I don't have an assignment, that's why I need a yellow pad!" Jasper was blocking my hits while laughing hysterically. My classmates were also laughing along. He's one of those people whose laughter is contagious. You might not laugh at his jokes but you'll end up laughing at his laughter.

Once I got the yellow pad from him, I went to Astrid and Elara.

"User!" Jasper shouted at me. I just ignored Jasper and sat on the empty chair between Elara and Astrid.

"Hey! Do you guys have an assignment? English is really my weakness!" That's why I took up ABM, so it's all about problem-solving and no blood-curdling essays. And now I'm still being chased by that subject.

"Yeah, haven't you started on it yet?" Elara took her yellow pad from her bag.

"You were just at home yesterday and you didn't even inform me," I grabbed the yellow pad that Elara handed to me.

I'm not going to copy; I'm just getting ideas. I know that line is overused, but for me, I'm genuinely just getting ideas. Plagiarism is my pet peeve.

"Well, we expected that you started before us," Astrid said.

"I was busy studying new makeup styles." I love doing makeup. Ever since I realized that there's nothing I can do about my ugly face, I made it a priority to learn how to do makeup and take care of myself. I just can't do it here at school because it's against our rules.

I don't usually come to school looking unkempt like the lady guard mentioned earlier at the gate. I happened to be late this morning, so I didn't have time to fix myself up. The natural look-like of Aria’s doesn't suit me at all. Not being able to fix myself earlier led my classmates to comment all sorts of things.

I combed my hair before starting on our assignment. Just to freshen up my appearance a bit. I didn't want to be called a witch later because I didn't comb my hair.

Astrid looked at me and smiled. "You look beautiful today."

I beamed at her. "Thank you!"

Astrid and Elara always compliment me, but I feel like they're just trying to make me feel better. Because if what they're saying is true, why do other people say the opposite?

I grabbed a pen to start writing, but before I could even begin, Asher was already in front of me.

"Do you want to be labeled absent instead of late?" Asher always looks grumpy and he's the same now. He's like a police officer watching every wrong move I make in this classroom.

Why are there so many interruptions for me today?

"Why would I be absent? I'm right here!" I spread my arms wide, showing myself. "I'm very present!"

He pointed at my seat in the second row. "Well, the one sitting there is missing. That means she's absent."

From the corner of my eye, I caught Elara and Astrid exchanging side glances. I sighed, defeated. I returned Elara’s yellow pad. I had already skimmed through her work, so I had an initial idea of what to do.

I walked back to my original seat with Asher following me as I did. Maybe to make sure I actually do it and don't attempt to go back to Astrid.

"Here you go, Mr. President," I fake-smiled at Asher and plopped down on my seat.

He gave a satisfied smirk. My face twisted in dislike.

"One after the other," I muttered to myself. "Oh, shoot!" I was startled when Asher leaned in close to me, causing me to flinch.

"What was that, Amanda Callie? Do you have something to say?" his beautiful, teasing lips curled up as he felt my reaction to his sudden movement.

I gripped the armchair tightly as if it would save me from nervousness and from Asher.

"Uh... n-no... nothing," my voice trembled from the pounding of my heart. I always feel awkward when someone approaches me. For me, I should hide because the closer they get, the more they'll see how unattractive my face is.

He looked manly in his uniform. The school uniform outfit wasn't impressive, but he knew how to carry it well. He would make a great model, just like Aria.

When Asher stepped away, I felt someone glaring at me. When I turned to look, I wasn't mistaken—it was Rose. She's somewhat territorial about Asher even though they're not together. Everyone is a threat to her. She doesn't have to worry because I'm sure I won't take Asher from her as I don't even like him.

"Ah, two hours of free time. I wish it was always like this," Astrid slumped in her chair. We're currently in the cafeteria for our morning break.

We didn't do anything in the first two subjects. Our teacher was absent in the first class, and in the second class, we were given tasks as long as we didn't make noise. They're busy grading now for the first semester, so teachers can't teach properly.

"What are you doing later?" Elara asked.

I rested my head on the table. "Just practicing doing makeup again to master it."

"Practice on me instead, Callie!" Astrid said. "Isn't Aria’s birthday coming up? Mommy and Aunt Asteria sent invites. You can do my makeup."

"Okay!"

Aria’s sixteenth birthday is next week, so I've been trying out new makeup styles because Aria promised that I would do her makeup. But I'll do it for her on her birthday to surprise her. It's also good practice to work on Astrid since she has a similar skin tone to Aria.

"Let's sit here, bro!" I immediately heard the loud voice of Axel.

"Love!" Elara shouted. Axel is Elara’s boy best friend, which is why we also became friends with him.

"Dang, Elara, lower your voice! I can't even hit on girls, they think I'm taken."

"That's the point, dumbass! So we're quits!"

Jasper followed Axel and sat with us at our table. We were at the far end of the cafeteria.

"Should we invite Asher?" I saw Jasper sneak a glance at me, teasingly. I threw him my notebook in front of me.

"Ouch! Amanda Callie, you're so violent towards me, but with Asher, you're all soft and gentle," he lowered his voice to mimic a girl's voice.

"Stop it, he's probably with his friends from the journalism team," Axel said with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Ew! Gross, dude, are you jealous?" Astrid remarked.

Axel scowled suddenly. "What? Can't a man have feelings? Geez!"

I started eating my rice and chicken. I missed breakfast this morning.

"Hey, Amanda Callie, what were Jasper and the others saying about seeing you with Cedric from STEM this morning?" Astrid asked, turning to me.

Jasper, Axel, Elara, and Astrid shifted into an interrogating position. I suddenly felt small in my seat. What could I possibly explain to them when there was nothing really going on?

"We just bumped into each other on the stairs, that's all!" I raised my voice slightly, but their skeptical eyes didn't falter.

"Why do you look like you're panicking?" Elara crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Because you're pressuring me, that's why! And now you're interrogating me like I did something wrong!" It's true!

"That's right, Amanda Callie. It's better if you stay away. You two don't match! You're like Milo and milk. And look at those side bangs of yours, you look like an emo girl," Jasper commented.

"Nyah nyah!" I retorted to Jasper.

"Someone like Cedric should be with girls of Astrid or Aria’s level of beauty," Axel added.

Elara glared at Axel. "What about me? Am I not on their level?"

"Well of course, you're mine already, you're not part of the options," Axel teased, and we all chuckled at the table.

Elara blushed. "Nice one! After years of practice on me, your comebacks are getting better. You're ready to face off. Go find a girl now!"

"Poor you, Amanda, if you get introduced with him, people won't even recognize who the guy is between you two. You're already fitting in with our squad!" Jasper laughed as he said that.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" I teased Jasper.

"But because we're your friends and we want you to achieve your happy ending. We'll give you some tips," Axel sat on the edge of the table and leaned forward. "First! Get Aria’s skincare routine, so you can have clear skin too!"

"Right!" Jasper stood up and moved to the other edge of the table, mimicking Axel’s pose. They looked silly. "Second! Reduce going out with Astrid so you can become fairer! You're almost turning into the burnt bottom of a pot!"

I scowled at them. "Wait, are you helping me or insulting me?"

Elara slapped Axel. "You guys are so mean! Callie is pretty, you know."

"Of course, Elara, Callie looks pretty to us because we're her friends! She always looks pretty in our eyes and Jasper’s. But we can't say the same for Cedric. If she likes Cedric, she needs to do this."

"It's already 10 am, back to the classroom. Now," a stern voice interrupted our conversation, and we all knew who it was.

"Sorry, master," Jasper flashed a mischievous grin and raised both hands. I flicked his head.

"Crazy! Let's go! You talk too much," I hooked my arm with Jasper’s to leave the cafeteria.

"Amanda Callie, you stay."

We five, Astrid, Elara, Jasper, and Axel, stopped and looked at each other. Elara and Astrid grinned mischievously while Jasper whispered to me that I was in trouble.

"Uh... okay guys... we'll go ahead," the four of them ran off, racing to get up the stairs. Kids.

I slowly turned back to where Asher was standing. He was staring at me intently, as if trying to read my thoughts. I looked away, afraid he would discover something about me that even I didn't know.

"W-why did you... ask me to stay and let them go?" I fidgeted with my hands, finding a reason not to look at him.

Asher fell silent for a moment, as if he himself didn't know why he stopped me from joining my friends.

He straightened up and started walking, passing by me. I furrowed my brow.

He stopped walking, still facing away from me.

"Don't listen to them," he says coldly.

"Huh?" I asked for clarification.

"Just... stay that way," I felt the struggle in his voice. He shook his head and left me standing there dumbfounded. Stay what way?