Beauty Under the Lens

CHAPTER 25

Amanda's POV

Papa told me to go home because it was Mama's order. I was surprised when I received that message. I never imagined Mama's anger to only last for less than a week. I even thought that I would never be able to return to our house. She looked ready to disown me that night. I didn't know why it felt like the wind had suddenly changed.

"Good evening, ma'am Amanda. We missed you here!" the house helpers greeted me. "You're the only kind one here, yet you were still asked to leave."

I smiled at them. "I missed you all too. Mama is kind, she just gets irritable on some days due to stress."

"So, she’s stressed every day then?" Eva shook her head while helping me with my luggage.

I stayed with Astrid for a short time but I already felt like a stranger in our house. I feel warm at Astrid's home. While here, I feel nothing. Everything seemed dull, distant, and cold.

I trailed my finger along the stair railings as I went up. I pulled my suitcase and walked towards my room.

"Why did you say that to your sister, Aria? Goodness, I don't even recognize you! What will your sister think when you called her a home wrecker?"

I stopped in my tracks upon hearing voices coming from Mama and Papa's room.

"You're suddenly on her side now, Mama? I thought we were supposed to be allies? Are you forgetting that she spoke ill of you to others?" I sensed Aria's annoyance in her response.

"I'm not siding with her. The audio was edited. Hasn't it been confirmed by the investigators?" I sighed in relief upon hearing that. At least Mama knows it was fabricated. I would never do that to her. Maybe that's why Mama's feelings towards me have improved.

"Or maybe you're just scared of what Avon told you," Aria replied mockingly.

Who is Avon?

"How did you meet Avon?" Mama sounded terrified. "You eavesdropped?!"

"Yes, Mama. And I'm glad I did. Because I don't feel obligated to respect Amanda now that I know the truth."

What did Aria find out?

I shook my head silently. In the midst of my thoughts, the door to Mama's room opened, and she ushered Aria out. She looked surprised that I was there, but she quickly composed herself.

"Welcome back..." she smirked. "Sis."

I felt like rolling my eyes in my mind. She just called me by my name earlier, and now she's being respectful.

Mama followed suit and came out. She seemed to hurry, probably because she heard my name.

"Callie, you're here," Mama gave me a smile that seemed genuine. If I hadn't heard Aria's words earlier, I would have thought Mama's smiles were real.

"W-when did you arrive?" Mama looked pale as she awaited my response.

"Not long ago, just now," I replied smoothly. But deep down, I felt suspicious. I felt like Mama was hiding something from me that she didn't want me to know.

Mama swiftly came over to me and embraced me tightly. I almost ran out of breath from how tight Mama's hug was, as if she didn't want to let me go.

"I'm very sorry, Callie. It was wrong of me to accuse you and make you leave the house," she held both of my hands close to her. "I-I won't do it again."

This was the most vulnerable I've seen Mama. I couldn't tell if she was feeling overly guilty for what she did or if it was related to what Aria knew.

Mama got too exaggerated with her welcome home treatment. My sheets were changed as well as the curtains. My makeup collection was also added to. She stocked up my favorite foods in the pantry. There was so much food prepared for dinner that it felt like they were preparing me for execution.

Papa was delighted to find me at home when he arrived.

"I missed you, daughter." whispered Papa as he kissed my head and wrapped me in a hug.

"I missed you too, Papa," I sighed in his embrace.

I got ready for bed. Asher was texting me. I put my phone on silent so it wouldn't make a sound in the house.

Before I could even open my phone to read his messages, there was a knock on the door. Mama peeked in at the door of my room. "Amanda?"

I don't really have the best memories of the last time she came into this room. I remember vividly how insincere her motherly love was for me. It turns out, she was just asking for a favor for my sister.

Mama sat at the edge of my bed.

"I just... want to know if... you feel comfortable in the new sheets," Mama was fidgeting, unsure of what she was doing. "Or maybe I should tell the maids to find more comfortable sheets."

"No, Mom," I stopped her. You don't have to try so hard. "I'm comfortable here in my bed."

I've been sleeping in this bed for seventeen years. It's impossible for me not to be comfortable in my own bed.

"Okay," Mama sighed, realizing how strange her questions sounded.

I cleared my throat to release tension.

"Uh... so how have you been in... the past few days," Mama awkwardly laughed.

I swallowed. "I'm okay, Mama. I've been doing my classmate's makeup for the Mr. and Ms. intramurals pageant in our school."

I braced myself for Mama's possible anger. She expected me to do nothing but study. But that didn't come.

Mama faltered slightly with her facade but ended with a forced smile.

"That's... that's great, you should really use your talents. Maybe you can start a beauty company in the future."

Silence fell between us. We both had nothing more to say to each other.

"I hope that... your opinion still stands," Mama initiated a conversation with me once more. "That you'd always be on my side."

Reluctantly, I nodded. I wouldn't have come home if I wasn't on her side.

"I'll leave you to yourself then," Mama approached me but hesitated for a moment. And with trembling hands, she hugged me in her arms.

"I-I love you, daughter." Mama let out a breath.

I caressed her arm wrapped around me. "I love you too, Mama."

I slept peacefully that night and woke up joyous the next day. It wasn't Asher who picked us up, but Jasper. Asher had instructed him to go ahead to school. It felt like they were slowly teasing out the newspaper news so they could publish and distribute it to the students after the intramurals.

We headed to the covered court for the basketball game. The games were separated for junior high school, senior high school, and the college department. There was a scheduled use of the court. From 9:00 am to 10:00 am on the second day of the intramurals, the game was between 11-ABM and 11-STEM.

They were using a single elimination bracket. 11-ABM got a bye. 11-STEM, with Cedric leading their team, had won their previous game, so they were set to play against our section.

As I sat on the benches, I looked around for Asher. He might also be working as a photographer today.

"Where's Asher?" I asked myself but my friends also overheard.

The four of them exchanged glances. "Hey, looking for someone!" they teased.

"Of course, he's my friend... I would definitely look for him if he's not here," I chuckled.

"Don't worry, Amanda Callie, he'll show up later. Maybe you'll fall for him even more," Jasper teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

I snorted. "Fall for him? What if I push you from these bleachers down to the court instead?"

We were seated at the exact middle, which meant it was quite a drop if Jasper were to fall.

"Amanda!" a voice called out from the court. I looked to see Cedric waving at us from below. "You made it!" He climbed up the bleachers towards our spot. "I knew you wouldn't resist coming. Are you here to cheer for me?" Cedric stood beside me and then glanced at Jasper and Axel. "The two of you are also here," his tone cooled suddenly.

"Yeah, we're here as students," Axel sarcastically replied, pointing at me. "And she didn't come here for you." Why were they speaking as though they knew each other? They seemed to be some unresolved tension between them.

"Your section is our opponent. I'm here to support our classmates," I interjected to ease the tension between the three of them.

"But you'll still cheer for me, right? To boost my confidence," Cedric was about to put his arm around me when…

"Hands off, Herrera."

We all turned to look at Asher. My eyes widened as he entered the court in a basketball jersey. He's playing? I had no idea if he even played in the first place!

Cedric was stunned by Asher's sudden appearance, fists clenched at his sides.

"Oh wow! Asher is playing too?" the person next to us on the bleachers exclaimed.

"Share it on the forum!"

"I'm glad I didn't skip today. I was feeling lazy earlier, but I don't regret coming now!"

"Smart student s***h photographer s***h basketball player s***h future CEO. Asher truly is an all-in-one package!"

"Save your assumptions, Herrera. She came here for me," Cedric and Asher positioned themselves on either side of me on the bleachers. I kept shifting my gaze between the two, feeling the tension rise.

"Two hotties in one frame," the girls squealed. "But there's a photo bomber. Get out of the way Velarde! You're ruining the view!"

With my cheeks burning, I slowly stepped back to be closer to Astrid, but Asher suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist, drawing me towards him. Cedric's gaze shifted to Asher's touch, and then he smirked arrogantly.

"You don't want to disappoint her. You're competing with a varsity player, may I remind you. And you're what? A photographer?" Cedric taunted.

Asher let out a dry laugh, a self-assured smile playing on his lips. "We both know it's more likely for you to disappoint her. Just because I don't join varsity teams doesn't mean I don't play. Remember that saying? Coaches don't play," Asher said as he moved in front of Cedric and tapped him on the shoulder. "But now I do."