"I'm serious. The first time she even acknowledged I existed was during orientation. She looked at me like I was something stuck to her shoe and walked away. After that, she just kept showing up wherever I happened to be, saying things about lottery winners and proper bloodlines and how I didn't belong here." I spread my hands. "I never said anything back. Never challenged her. Never even made eye contact if I could avoid it. She just decided I was someone worth hating."
Cassandra studied me for a long moment. "You're saying my sister targeted you unprovoked."
"I'm saying I don't know what I did to make her angry. If I knew, I'd apologize and move on. I don't want problems with your family. I'm just trying to survive long enough to graduate."
"And yet you've been advancing faster than anyone in academy history."
"Because I'm scared. People like your sister make it really clear what happens to lottery winners who can't perform. So I perform."
