The Beauty Under the Lens

Amanda's POV “Come on! Is this what they call sembreak? This is just a long weekend!" Astrid slurped on her pancit canton. She had her feet up on the couch in my room. Today is Sunday and tomorrow we will be going back to school. We just had our second quarter examination last week. ABM is really giving me a headache. I already entered this school year feeling like a dummy and ABM just made me realize even more how much of a dummy I actually am. It's not like I'm totally dumb or clueless. I'm just an average student, always maintaining a general average between 88-90 on my report card, so it's fairly good enough. I'm nervous about the results of our exams tomorrow. I hope if there's a subject I will fail, that subject won't require a parent's signature. Mama and papa want to see both mine and Aria’s test papers. I'm not trying to put down my sister, but I'm somewhat comforted that we're at the same level academically, so our parents don't compare us in that aspect. But one thing we are often compared to is our looks. Aria is fair-skinned and smooth. You could mistake her for a model from another country because of her beauty. I, on the other hand, am morena, with pimples, and short. I am older than Aria but she's taller than me. I stand at just 5'2 tall. "Do you think I haven't noticed that you're just talking nonstop so all the pancit would end up with you?" Elara snatched the large bowl from Astrid’s hand. "Slow down! The noodles aren't even cut yet!" Astrid’s mouth was full. She wiped the couch she was sitting on. "Now, the couch has sauce stains! If we get caught, you'll explain this to Asteria!" I burst out laughing at Astrid using my mom's first name. But when she faces my mom, she becomes timid. It's an inside joke between the three of us. When it's just us together, we address each other's parents by their first names instead of aunt or uncle. "This is for Callie and me, okay?! Next time we should have a weighing scale so we can share the noodles. We can't use one plate and get cheated by Astrid." This might not be the standard for dining in wealthy families, but pancit canton is really our obsession. "Wow, this is really delicious," Elara sighed and felt the softness of the bed she was laying on, AKA my bed. I rolled my eyes and shifted my gaze between my two friends. Astrid on the couch and Elara on my bed. Then I looked at myself, sitting on the floor. "Wow! This is really my house! Amazing!" I clapped loudly for the two. My friends really do not hold back with their shamelessness. This is not the first time they've hung out at my house and acted like they own it. They ignored me and started using their cellphones separately. It's a good thing they're here. It's too quiet at home. Mama and papa are at the office and Aria is out for a shoot. Aria can easily land modeling gigs. Aside from our famous surname, just by her skin color alone, she's got what it takes for modeling agencies. "Oh my gosh! Pres hottie finally came home," Elara suddenly stood up from my bed and stared at her cellphone. I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean finally came home?" "He messaged in the group chat! I miss his announcements so much," Astrid hugged her cellphone. "Goodness, Astrid! We only had a 4-day break from school! He just didn't chat for 4 days, not months," I point out. I don't understand why it seems like a ceremonial moment for most people when the class president chats in our group chat. "Check your phone, Amanda Callie!" Astrid’s hand was shaking as she pointed at me and gave the order. I shook my head, determined not to let anything school-related disrupt my current state of calm. Tomorrow is the start of classes, so it's only right that I don't stress myself out about anything school-related. If it's an announcement, I can always check it in the morning before heading to school. "I'm not joining your squad obsessed with Asher!" "You're crazy! The Pres mentioned you in the group chat!" I immediately ran to my bedside table to grab my phone. I shouldn't be happy when Asher mentions me; it's usually either bad news or a reprimand. I entered my phone's passcode and quickly saw the group photo of 11-ABM in the chat heads. Asher Rowan Ledesma: @Amanda Callie Velarde Is that all? Did he just mention my name? "And then? What's next?" I raised an eyebrow. "There's still suspense, why not just say what needs to be said." Amanda Callie Velarde replied: Yes, Pres? "Oh! He suddenly unsent it!" I heard Elara comment. I went back to read what she was referring to. Asher deleted his message where he mentioned me. Maybe he made a mistake? "He has already seen your message for a while now. Why hasn't he replied yet?" Astrid was watching like she was witnessing a suspenseful movie. I sighed and was about to turn off my phone when I heard notifications come through and our group photo appeared in the chat head again. "Here it is!" Astrid and Elara said in unison. Lord help me, hopefully they are both okay. Asher Rowan Ledesma: Message Ms. Mendez, you are lacking in her subject, and she may not give you a grade for the first semester. Wow! He didn't message me privately. Instead, he decided to publicly announce it in the group chat. Clearly, he doesn't know what it feels like to have your shortcomings broadcasted to the whole class. I closed my eyes tightly as Astrid and Elara looked at me. "Asher really has no consideration, does he? He just had to broadcast that I am lacking in my subject! It would make sense if many of us were lacking, it would justify using the group chat." Rose Garcia: How about me, Pres? "This Rose is such a nuisance! She just wants to get Asher’s attention!" Elara huffed. It's not a secret to our entire section that she has a crush on Asher. When Asher was elected as the president of our section, Rose was quick to suggest we make her the secretary. That got me thinking. I'm sure I completed all the requirements before we had our exams. Amanda Callie Velarde replied: Okay Pres. Will message her right away. I put our group chat on mute and immediately searched for Ms. Mendez’s name in the search bar of my messenger. Amanda Callie Velarde: Good day Ma'am Mendez, I was informed by our president that I have some shortcomings in your subject? As far as I remember, I have completed all the requirements. I would like to ask you where I may be lacking. Thank you! I'm not that competitive in school but I take the completion of requirements seriously. Being punctual is one of my strengths. As soon as I understand all the details in outputs or assignments, I start working immediately. Though I may not make the best submissions, my teachers also use my work as an example in other sections because I always submit early. Lyra Mendez: Good day Ms. Velarde. I probably did not fail to remind your section that I do not accept school-related messages on weekends. Yes, as far as I know, you don't have any shortcomings with me. But since Mr. Ledesma is the one who told you, then maybe I did tell him something and I just can't remember what it was. I will check. Thank you. Is Asher teasing me? I don't have any shortcomings after all, yet I'm the one who appears not to be listening to Ma'am Mendez. “Callie, they said you have shortcomings? That doesn't seem right!” Elara glanced up at the ceiling. Because whatever project one of us hands on, the three of us surely have submitted it. Now, if I have a shortcoming, it's possible they have a shortcoming too. “Maybe Pres just missed you, Callie” Astrid wiggled her brows, insinuating. My brows furrowed into a scowl. “W-what are you talking about, Astrid? We're not even close!” a flush of color cheeped up my cheeks at the thought. And he probably wouldn’t use Ms. Mendez as a reason just to chat with me. He is aware that she does not want to be messaged during the weekend. Which is a mistake on my part because I didn’t even think about that before asking her. Amanda Callie Velarde (to 11-ABM): @Asher Rowan Ledesma, Ma’am said I have no shortcomings. What are you saying? He's so irritating! That's not a good joke! He's online but ignoring my message in the group chat. What? Feeling guilty? I searched for his name. I will really confront him about this. Why did he have to become the president of our section?! Just because he's smart and handsome, all my classmates immediately voted for him. I felt a pang of embarrassment as I stared at his profile picture. It's a candid photo of him holding a camera. It's a photo of him from their campus journalism team last year. He is often mentioned for his winning pieces. His photos are always full of stories but his eyes are the complete opposite. It lacks emotion. If his expression isn't blank, his forehead is often furrowed. I swallowed nervously. Amanda Callie Velarde: Asher... I feel like burying myself in the ground out of embarrassment. Can I just not look at his reply? I don't usually chat him anyway! This is my first time! He might think something! Within seconds, he replied. Asher Rowan Ledesma: Yes? "He replied so quickly!" drowned in embarrassment, I failed to notice Astrid and Elara peering over each of my shoulders and looking at my phone. "Pres is not only smart in academics, but in his moves too. Damn, wish all were like that, Amanda Callie!" Elara and Astrid nudged me as if we had won the lottery. "Wait wait wait, stop shaking me," my head was starting to ache from all the shaking. I'm not ready to lose my mind yet. I still have a battle, the second semester. Amanda Callie Velarde: I was told I have no shortcomings. Are you trying to test me? If you miss me, you could just chat with me! Instead of using my supposed shortcomings in the subject as an excuse. Now I'm the one being reprimanded by Ma'am Mendez. "You've got some nerve, Amanda Callie! Are you really claiming that she missed you?!" Astrid and Elara playfully hit each other at the back. Asher Rowan Ledesma: Ms. Velarde, we have to talk about your attitude tomorrow. I scowled. Is he really more concerned about my approach to him? He's just our class president, not a teacher! Ms. Velarde, really? Tss! My two friends behind me, who were now reading our messages too let out a gasp. Asher Rowan Ledesma: And stop getting ideas in your head. I didn't miss you. It's Velardo. I thought it was Velarde. I must've misread it. Unless you're the one who missed me, do tell, love. I'll get you as close to me as possible tomorrow.