Chapter 12

Sometimes it only takes a moment for things to change. Tiffany unknowingly puts herself in an unwanted position that will probably make her life more complicated yet also puts her in the position to possibly discover some more things about her past. It's like a double-edged sword but it's something that Tiffany will have to go through sooner or later.
It's nighttime at school and Tiffany looks at her plant recalling Howard's words from earlier seemingly a little disheartened at him calling her ugly, but one look at the plant puts a smile on her face.
Laurence is on her own type of mood and is distracted when Tiffany tries to call to her, she only notices Tiffany when she comes over to her desk. Tiffany immediately takes notice to the man's jacket on her desk and wants answers, but Laurence refuses to answer her and ushers her to go to sleep.
The next day Laurence leaves the empty classroom with the jacket in her hands leaving Jeff, Howard, and Tiffany there. Howard warns Tiffany not to overwater the plant and, when he sneezes, Tiffany retorts that he should take care of himself first. As he approaches her desk, he tells her that she's quite interesting sometimes since she has a lot of skills and asks not to put on a scary face. Tiffany calls Howard the coward since he seems to like her when she's nice but runs when she turns a little mean. He's only interested in who says he likes her.
Tiffany tries to divert the subject to asking him who gave him the right to determine what girls should be like saying that they should be able to determine for themselves. Howard says that he didn't mean that and brings up Jessica, wanting Tiffany to just have half of her qualities.
Tiffany asks Howard if he really knows who she is and Howard lists off a set of qualities and tells her she should get to know her and learn how to improve herself from her, getting Jeff to agree with him. Imagine their reactions when they find out that they're actually talking to Tiffany herself.
Seeing them both in a daze, Tiffany knocks them out of it by asking the real question, if they ever notice anything strange about Tiffany since she shows up and disappears without a word. She also points out how she always wears a long dress every time they meet her and begins to create a theory about her being a ghost, creeping the two boys out as they begin to think more about the strange occurrences. She then freaks them out by pointing to the window where Tiffany stood with a creepy smile on her face, successfully freaking the boys out.
Turns out it was their imagination with Tiffany flickering the lights and upon realizing that, they quickly let go of each other and attempt to regain their composure. Tiffany just leaves without a word while Howard and jeff try to get rid of the awkward atmosphere.
Laurence has gone to return the coat to kengsington and Tiffany stumbles upon their encounter. She quickly runs up to Laurence to ask about it and Laurence quickly gives the explanation that her clothes ripped so he lent his jacket to her and there's nothing going on. That's not the problem, Tiffany just wants to warn Laurence to stay away from kengsington.
When Professor winfield passes by then Tiffany suddenly remembers about seeing her picture with her parents and runs to catch up with him. She begins the conversation by asking about a past great alumni, Mr Alonzo, the name of her father, which slightly gets a reaction out of Professor winfield who wants to know why she's asking. Tiffany passes it off as a project that the Student Council is working on and Professor winfield says that he was a great person but won't give her any more information, just directing her to the archives.
The university will be putting on a play and the cast list is put up. Tiffany goes to see that the production will be produced by Professor winfield and the gossipy girls point out that Tiffany is on the top of the list for the supporting cast, with Bernice being at the top for the main.
They arrive at that moment, and everyone scatters except Tiffany. Bernice believes that Tiffany will be a laughing stock if she's a main character and Tiffany takes it upon herself to point out that Bernice friends aren't even on the list anyway. She directs her attention to Bernice saying that she's never even seen how she acts and Bernice asks if that means she wants to see. Tiffany edges her on about wanting to see with Bernice not backing down. Tiffany has actually seen Bernice act before, at the audition, but Bernice doesn't know
Rehearsals start later that day with Howard sneezing right at the beginning. Professor winfield congratulates everyone for making the cut for their production of Beauty and the Beast and says that they'll have a performance in two weeks. She assigns Jeff as the director and assigns the rest of the roles. Needless to say that Howard is the Beast and Bernice is Belle. Tiffany ends up being Lumiere, standing in the background with the other supporting members.
She did mention that she was taking over the drama class, so maybe that explains how they ended up being in this small production, but Bernice is not even in their class.
But from Tiffany's position she sees Bernice place her arm on Howard and ask him for guidance on her first stage play. He pats her on the shoulder encouraging her that she'll do well. Tiffany watches their interaction with an upset look.
The rehearsal officially begins with Bernice overacting the entire time with various unnecessary arm movements. When they're done the first time she asks Jeff how she did and he asks that she restrain her movements a little so they try the scene again. However, nothing is changed and her movements are still the same every time they do the scene. They end up doing the scene multiple times, each time everyone get's more tired with Bernice acting. At one point she even runs out of the theater and keeps going and no one stops her.
They wait for her to come back but when it doesn't seem like it'll be any time soon, Tiffany is the one to say that they should give the role of Belle to Howard in order to improve the quality of the show. Professor winfield thinks she's joking around but she says she's not, that Jeff can vouch for her, Howard looks nice in women's clothing. He wants to know if they're playing a prank, but Tiffany says that they're praising him.
Howard says that if they're saying the truth then Tiffany should be the Beast. They begin to argue with one another in their typical way and one of the other girls say that it would be perfect with Howard as Belle and Tiffany as the Beast. Professor winfield comments on their nice chemistry with one another and says it would be nice to see them do it.
Tiffany offers to take a vote asking who objects to him playing Belle and no one raises their hand. Professor winfield decides that those roles will be permanent and she has the final say with Bernice taking the role of Gaston since she wouldn't accept a supporting role. Bernice finally comes back after her yelling and when asked if she was better, no one wants to respond.
The rehearsal starts with the new leads and it seems to be going well but Howard doesn't look too well during one of their runs and Tiffany becomes concerned, noticing he broke out into a fever. Even though they take him to the infirmary, rehearsal must go on so neither Tiffany nor Bernice can follow him there.
Later that same day Tiffany is in the classroom asking Jeff about Howard's condition. He's at home resting because of the cold he got because of his fever and Tiffany wonders if it's because of the pool scene he had to shoot. Jeff overhears that and is able to put the pieces together. He confirms for Tiffany that Howard is afraid of water and he comments on her seemingly worried state. Tiffany laughs it off as them just being classmates and having each other's back before heading back to her seat.
Once she sits down, some of Howard' fangirls surround her desk, since she's his assistant, and want her to deliver some of their gifts for him. They end up covering her and his entire desk.
It's raining by the time school lets out and she takes the gifts to Howard's house. As soon as she enters she sees Howard's father sitting on the couch and attempts to cover her face, as she was the one who ruined his wedding. She introduces herself as his assistant and he assumes that she's Victoria, his stylist assistant, I guess she's his assistant. He tells one of the maids to help her carry the gifts but Tiffany rejects, since that would give away her face, and she insists that she has to deliver them herself, making her way upstairs to his room.
She manages to head into Howard's room, where he's peacefully sleeping. She places the gifts down on the table and heads over to the side of his bed to check his condition and tries to fix his blankets. He knocks them off of himself, though, and Tiffany manages to see his boxers and immediately becomes embarrassed.