Chapter 4

Life keeps going for Tiffany as she discovers new things every day. This time, she's on the path to learning more about her father. Also, she may have declared Howard her archenemy in school, but that doesn't mean she'll turn a blind eye on her friends. Tiffany and howard send stares at each other from across the class room and when Tiffany introduces herself and offers a handshake, Howard simply ignores it. That is until their math professor scolds him. He only stands up and slaps her hand, introducing himself. As soon as she sits down, she recognizes jeff and is exasperated but doesn't say anything. When the professor says that it's time to start class, Tiffany heads to the front of the class with her chair, only to become the laughingstock of the class before being told to go back. Turns out she was homeschooled all of her life, so it's really her first class in a public location. Sitting in class, she can't help but stare at Howard and he does his best to ignore her. She's not having any of it, though, asking him if he thinks she'll let it go if he pretends not to know her. Howard wants to know what else she wants since he already gave her money and claims she's his fan since she followed him there after all. Tiffany simply laughs at that statement and calls Howard shameless for saying that. She says that it was unfortunate for her to meet him but he tries to explain that he didn't know people would post pictures. Yeah, of course you didn't idol star. He says that the thing between them is over and tells her not to mention it again or things will get more complicated. Angry, Tiffany wonders, as she steps on his foot underneath the desk, if he thinks it's something she could let go so easily and he ends up knocking her chair away sending her tumbling to the ground. Seeing the spectacle they caused, their math professor makes them clean the classroom after class. Right as soon as the professor leaves, Howard heads to the front of the class surrounded by girls. Watching the sight before her, Tiffany wonders if the things she learned, like boxing, when she was little were useful and that if she were asked that question earlier, she would've said no. However, things have changed now. She gets out of her seat and approaches Howard as the fangirls move aside. She slowly approaches him, as he backs up into the podium before coming down to meet her. He says they can talk, but Tiffany is seemingly pleasant, asking for his guidance, like what she learned in boxing, before spin kicking him numerous times to the ground. Laurence and Tiffany are gathering the materials to clean the classroom as they overhear some students talking about Tiffany. They all refer to her as the strange student and there are others talking about how she's desk mates with Howard wondering how she got his attention. When she hears a group of girls talking about how she's his stalker, she tells them that she's not and that he was the one who begged her to be his fiancée. Obviously they don't believe that and before things can get out of hand, Laurence tries to move her along. While getting water in the bathroom, Tiffany wonders why Howard ran away but Laurence advices her to keep a low profile and to not mess with Howard . Tiffany wants nothing more than to do that. She also tells her the story about their professor, Professor winfield, who is also called the Old Witch. They arrive back at the classroom and Tiffany starts to work on erasing the blackboard, silently cursing Howard in her head. Jeff comes up at that moment to give an excuse as to why Howard isn't helping her but offers to help her instead. She does accept his help and seeing it as a good opening, he apologizes for lying to her on the day of the wedding. He says that he didn't mean to and he didn't know that Howard would do that. Tiffany has no grudge against him, though, and tells him that it's alright. She gets called out for a delivery but comes face to face with Howard's manager, Daniel. He takes a look at her and agrees that he doesn't have to worry about there being any rumors of them two because of her appearance. She thinks that he's there to make her pay for the medical expenses, of which she refuses. Howard tells her not to assume that everyone is as bad as she is, but she begins to list the things that he's done to her like taking her to his dad's wedding, telling everyone she's his fiancée, and kissing her twice against her will. He tries to cover her mouth at the last one because they're in public. But he wants to know what else she still wants since she got money and she got her bag back. Tiffany tells him not to talk like he's the victim and says that the victim is herself, hitting his head away when he tries to keep her quiet. That's the first time anyone has done that, though and he is in a semi-state of shock and Tiffany promises to hit him more often in the future. Daniel comes and breaks up the fight, bringing their attention to the post about Howard's fiancée going to Art university Bournemouth. Tiffany isn't worried about the post, though, she's more concerned about the ugly picture of her. That just confirms to Daniel that she didn't post it. That's not really the reason why he came to the college, though. He came to explain to them that if someone asks about their relationship to one another, they're to say that Tiffany is Howard's personal assistant. Clearly neither of them are happy about that arrangement as they want nothing to do with one another. Daniel tries to clear things over offering to give Tiffany a VIP ticket to Howard's concert but she throws it back since she doesn't want to go. She tries to leave, but Daniel passes off his business card telling her to think it over and call. Before she leaves, though, she asks Howard if he's worried that his image will be ruined and claims for him to be her archenemy, not afraid to talk bad about him everywhere. Once she leaves, Daniel asks Howard how many times he told him not to put on a cold face because people will be offended. He continues to talk about how he told Howard to keep a good relationship with his classmates, but howard decides to leave in the middle of him talking. Tiffany heads back to class to have dinner with Laurence, but she has something to do. So, she heads there alone and proceeds to order lobster pasta along with foreign fruits and wine. The cafeteria worker looks at her like she's crazy, as they don't have those things, so she ends up with just the typical cafeteria food. She begins to wonder about where she can get information about her dad when some students sit down with her. They begin to hound her with questions and Tiffany tells them that they must trade information for their answers. They tell her that there are few things they don't know so Tiffany begins her dig for information on her father, wanting to know about where she can get information about alumni. She learns that the information is in the Student Council's office and that she can't have access to it unless she's on the council itself, which is currently being led by president jeff. They look to exchange information, since they answered all of Tiffany's questions and as she begins to talk about Howard, he enters the cafeteria with jeff. Just like she promised, Tiffany begins to talk about how he's careless and from across the room, Howard watches them. That night, she attempts to break into the Student Council office. She manages to get the door unlocked and begins to look for the information. As she's searching, she notices a teacher passing by in the hallway. He comes in to check as she hides. He leaves the room and Tiffany comes out of her hiding place but ends up hitting her head on a picture, busting it and getting caught. The teacher explains that the picture was painted by an art master of their first chancellor and that it's the most memorable piece of art in the Art university. Tiffany offers to pay for it and is shocked at the outrageous price. She wants to know what will happen if she doesn't pay and the teacher begins to list her crimes leading her to be expelled. With no other choice, she says she'll pay and he gives her a week to find the money. Dejected, Tiffany leaves the building wondering where she'll be able to get that amount of money and when she looks out the window, she sees Laurence leaving. She calls her to ask her where she's going and she says she's in the library, which Tiffany knows is a lie, so she ends up following her to a café where she sees her working. Laurence explains that she's at the school on a scholarship that covers her tuition and fees so she has to earn money for everything else. As they're having their conversation, her boss comes out and begins to scold her threatening to take away some of her pay, but it seems to happen pretty frequently as Laurence says that she almost took away all of her pay for that month. Not wanting to lose any more, she tries to get back to work, but Tiffany tells Laurence to quit so they can make money together since she has a good business in mind, ushering her inside to go and quit that instant. Tiffany waits outside for Laurence when she begins to overhear a conversation regarding jeff. She sees him with a man who tells him that he's an illegitimate child with no inheritance right but jeff is just trying to explain that he wants to do his duty as a member of the family. Sensing that he might need help, as the man threatens to kick him and his mom out, Tiffany heads over and locks arms with him calling him darling. Jeff, thankfully, plays along with her and introduces her to his cousin, lindsay. Tiffany pretends to be happy to see him thanking him for taking care of Jeff. Seeing that there's not much coffee in his cup, she begins to refill it but purposefully misses the cup and pours some on him. She apologizes but manages to get her digs in saying that it didn't seem like he wanted to drink it anyway. Angry, lindsay leaves them. Tiffany apologizes when he's gone saying that she overheard them and that she couldn't just sit there and take it. Jeff tells her that he hopes she could keep the information she heard a secret, which she agrees to, and in return, he'll try to help her if she ever needed anything. That's her chance as she tells him she wants to join the Student Council. He unfortunately tells her that the recruitment period is over but she states that there must be something he can do about it. He wants to know why she wants to join, though, and she begins a speech about wanting to learn more things, train herself, and make herself more serious and dedicated to her studies to become a better member of society. Pretty satisfied with her answer, he says he'll talk with the head of the department and takes his leave. Laurence comes out of the café where Tiffany mentions about wanting to join the Student Councill, but first of all they should think of a way to make money. Tiffany decided to give everything up to come to the university. that is about her father, but is it because she thinks her grandfather is keeping things from her that she feels the need to do it herself? Howard and Tiffany's relationship have grown to a little bit fighting relationship and about their development, It's clear at this point that they can't stand each other, but being desk mates and now employee and employer, in a sense, it'll be interesting to see how their dynamic changes will progress. It's also clear that Tiffany is really the first person who ever decided to kind of stand up to Howard. It seems like everyone else just lets him have his own way and being challenged by someone is a new experience for him.