"Yo, Katniss, you sure you wanna jump into the medical program? That''s some serious stuff," Juniper asked, eyes wide in disbelief.


    Katniss nodded, eyes zing with determination. "Yeah, I''ve always wanted to be a doctor. This is my shot."


    "But those med exams are brutal. You really think you can handle it?" Juniper pressed, still stunned.


    Katniss took a deep breath. "Just give me a chance. I''ll ace those exams." She was confident, having shadowed Aurora for years and picking up tons of practical skills.


    Juniper was floored. Katniss ditching her speech slot was already wild, but now switching to med? She couldn''t wrap her head around it. Did something major go down during her hospital stay?


    Caleb sighed, a bit skeptical, and said, "Katniss, you should talk this over with your family. Supporting a college student ain''t easy. Don''t wanna see you regret it and bum them out."


    Katniss got where Caleb wasing from and appreciated his concern. But she was set on this path. Failing to switch majors now would just waste her parents'' money and her time. She knew the stakes but wasn''t backing down. As for her parents, whether she left or stayed, they probably wouldn''t care. Heck, they might even be relieved if she was out of their hair.


    "I''ll handle my own decisions. Just help me set it up. I won''t make a fool of myself," Katniss said, resolute.


    Caleb sighed again but agreed to help. He''d try to get her a shot, but the rest was up to her.


    "I''ll talk to the med program professors, but no promises. Be ready for anything," Caleb warned.


    Katniss nodded, satisfied. "Thanks. I''ll take whateveres."


    She was grateful for Caleb''s help and felt a surge of happiness. She dragged a stunned Juniper out of the office.


    "Katniss, are you for real?" Juniper asked, still in shock.


    Katniss shrugged. "You saw it. That''s the deal."


    Juniper touched Katniss''s forehead, checking for a fever. This decision was out of left field.


    "Is it ''cause the Manners family gave you grief again?" Juniper guessed.


    Katniss didn''t confirm or deny. "Don''t overthink it. Just focus on your speech prep!"


    "Katniss, move in with me. My ce is huge, and my dad''s hardly ever home. My mom loves you and keeps asking when you''ll visit," Juniper offered.


    Juniper couldn''t stand how the Manners family treated Katniss and ra''s fake niceness. It made her skin crawl.


    The Manners family ignored their real daughter Katniss but doted on the adopted ra. It was enough to piss anyone off. Even Juniper, an outsider, couldn''t stand it, let alone Katniss.


    "Juniper, thanks for looking out for me. I''ve got my own ns. Don''t worry, I''ve already bailed from the Manners Vi. No more dealing with their crap," Katniss reassured her.


    Juniper''s jaw dropped. "Wait, what? You moved out? Where are you crashing now? It''s sketchy for a girl to live alone. Just move in with me. My ce is huge, and you can pick any room." Juniper''s enthusiasm warmed Katniss''s heart, but she had her reservations.


    "If you feel weird about staying over, juste by and cook for me sometimes. I''m obsessed with your cooking," Juniper teased.


    Katniss chuckled, feeling both amused and touched. She was about to respond when a voice called out from behind.


    "Katniss, hold up, I need to talk to you," someone shouted.


    Katniss''s smile vanished, her eyes turning icy. She didn''t want to engage, but the thought of ra badmouthing her on campus made her blood boil.


    She turned to see ra, decked out in designer gear, looking like she stepped out of a fashion magazine. Dior hat, Gi jacket, LV shirt, Hermès scarf, Cartier bracelet, Chanel handbag, and red-bottomed heels. The whole nine yards. Katniss sneered internally, thinking, ''ra, you really think I''m not miserable enough and need more humiliation?''


    Katniss, the real daughter of the Manners family, got kicked out of the house, and now she was facing the adopted daughter ra on her first day back at school. It was a scene straight out of a soap opera, and the students were eating it up. Katniss stood her ground, her expression hard, eyes cold and disdainful. Her simple but neat outfit gave her a unique vibe.


    ra hadn''t even opened her mouth yet, but her eyes were already welling up, ying the innocent and sweet card. "Katniss, I''m here to convince you toe home. You need to learn to control your temper. It''s not safe for a girl to live outside."


    Katniss sneered, "Oh, you''re here to care about me? How touching."


    The students started whispering, eyes glued to the drama unfolding. "Katniss is so bold, standing up to ra!"


    "ra''s got a huge rep. How''s she gonna handle this?"


    "This drama''s just getting started. I can''t wait to see what happens next!"


    The crowd buzzed with excitement, pointing at Katniss. Juniper wanted to jump in and defend her, but Katniss stopped her.


    Juniper''s bluntness might make things worse, and Katniss didn''t want her dragged into this mess.


    She shot back sarcastically, "Home?Oh! You mean that cramped, cluttered storage room? It''s so kind of you, ra."