"They said that to you?" Alec was surprised only because he thought public schools and public education were supposed to be encouraging in a positive way. He'd heard sentiments like that thrown at him before but he'd thought mundanes (and he knew Billy wasn't a mundane but he'd lived in the midst of them) weren't like that.

"I bet it was satisfying to show them up," Alec said, nodding. "I'd say you've amounted to something."