The next day, the air in Mr. Ratburn's classroom was buzzing with excitement. The students were about to announce the colleges they would be representing in the Jeopardy tournament. Mr. Ratburn called on each student one by one to share their choice.
First up was Arthur. "I'm going to represent Michigan," he said confidently.
Francine followed. "I'm picking Stanford University," she declared, proud of her choice.
Binky stood up next. "I'm going with Ohio State," he said with a grin.
Buster was up next. "I'm choosing the University of Miami," he announced, imagining the sunny campus.
Fern shyly raised her hand. "I'll be representing the University of North Carolina," she said, her voice quiet but firm.
Muffy Crosswire chose with her usual flair. "I'll be representing Yale University," she announced, her tone filled with confidence.
Alan Powers, ever the scholar, chose "Princeton" without hesitation.
Ladonna Compson, with her Southern roots, decided on "Louisiana State University."
George Lundgren opted for something closer to home. "I'll represent the University of Illinois," he said.
Maria Pappas, thinking of the arts, picked "New York University."
Jenna Morgan decided on "Duke University," a school she'd always admired.
Sue Ellen Armstrong, the adventurous spirit, chose "University of Colorado Boulder."
Beulah McInnerny, ever practical, selected "Purdue University."
Paul Jacobs, with his love for history, picked "Georgetown University."
And finally, Alex Davidson, thinking of the future, chose "Massachusetts Institute of Technology."
Mr. Ratburn nodded approvingly as each student announced their choice. "These are excellent choices, everyone. You'll all be wonderful representatives of these prestigious schools. Remember, you don't have to attend these schools in the future. Whatever happens, I'm proud of you all. Our flight is tomorrow night. We will meet here at the school tomorrow evening, and we will fly to Los Angeles."
With that, the school day continued as usual, but the kids' minds were already on the journey ahead. They could barely contain their excitement as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. They knew that when they got home, they would face their families, who by now had heard the news from the school.
Arthur arrived home, still basking in the excitement of the day. But as soon as he walked through the door, he was met with his family's voices discussing plans.
"Arthur, we heard you're representing UCLA!" his mom exclaimed. "That's wonderful! Just think of all the opportunities that could come from this. Maybe you could even get a scholarship there!"
His dad chimed in, "And with the prize money, we could start planning for your future. UCLA is in California; think of all the connections you could make!"
Arthur's face fell as he listened to their excited chatter. "Can you stop thinking about the money for one minute? I'm the one who has to compete, and all you care about is what you can get out of it!"
D.W. smirked from the corner. "Well, if you win, I'm getting the stuff I wanted, right? I mean, you wouldn't want me to be disappointed."
Arthur finally snapped. "You're all being selfish! I'm under so much pressure, and instead of supporting me, you're just making it worse! I haven't competed yet, and you're already counting the money!"
His mom looked taken aback. "Arthur, that's not fair. We're just excited for you."
But Arthur wasn't having it. "No, you're excited for yourselves. None of you have asked how I'm doing or what I need. I'm the one who has to go out there and compete!"
His family fell silent, but Arthur didn't wait for a response. He stormed upstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him.
The rest of the group did not fare much better. As soon as they got home, their families continued to be overexcited and dramatic about the money. The kids didn't care. Francine even went as far as to tell them that she "needs their support, not a shopping list!" They went to their rooms and began packing.
Arthur sat on his bed, his suitcase open in front of him. He checked off items as he placed them in the bag: a few pairs of jeans, some T-shirts, a couple of hoodies, and a nice button-up shirt and khakis for formal events. He added his toothbrush, toothpaste, phone charger, and a book to read on the plane. Francine some casual clothes, her music player, some books, and a nicer outfit just in case. Binky, Buster, and the rest of the gang had essentially the same stuff packed. At long last, everyone got ready for bed.
As Arthur lay sleeping, he wondered just how significant the media attention would be when they landed in LA. After all, Jeopardy tournaments brought so much media. Arthur couldn't help but think about everyone and what they had to deal with, especially Buster. His mom was a reporter, and no doubt she, family friend and sports writer Harry Mills, and even Buster's dad would be in attendance for the event. "He's got a lot to think about in his situation," Arthur said.