Out of My Mind

As the final round begins, Mr. Kingsley explains that the questions will be more difficult although the scoring remains the same. The test begins, and Melody and her teammates match the Perry Valley team question for question. In the end, the teams are tied at 82 points with one final question left.

The question is a mathematics question, Melody’s weakest subject. She is stuck between answers C and D, and at the last moment, chooses to answer D. The rest of her classmates do the same, as do three of the four Perry Valley students. Mr. Kingsley then states that the Spaulding Street School is the winner. Melody is so happy that she begins to jerk in her seat. She says, “My body went a little wacko on me” (222), and she hears Claire ask for someone to “Shut her up!” (222).

Melody’s sounds of joy are lost in the celebration as family members rush onto the stage and balloons and confetti fall from the ceiling. Reporters go around the room and take pictures, and many of them choose to photograph Melody. Then, the winning team is interviewed on television, and Melody hopes “that my hair looked okay and that I wouldn’t look too goofy” (224).