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chapter-10

Kyle couldn’t wait for the new game to begin.

But he had to.

The elimination round wouldn’t take place until the following weekend. A lot of the board members had to fly home to go to school, but most would be flying back to Ohio on Friday morning for the start of the new competition that night.

Kyle had to go to school, too.

On Monday, in social studies, he was supposed to give an oral report on his “favorite famous figure.” Of course, he chose Mr. Lemoncello.

He concentrated on the billionaire game inventor’s early childhood in Alexandriaville, Ohio.

“When he was our age,” Kyle told the class, “young Luigi Lemoncello loved the public library because, with nine brothers and sisters—all of them crammed into a tiny apartment with only one bathroom—the Alexandriaville public library was the only place where he could go to—and I quote from an interview he gave to NPR last year—’hear myself think and work on my game ideas.’ ” All in all, Kyle did extremely well. His teacher, Mrs. Cameron, even congratulated him for “citing his sources.” Kyle was certain he’d aced it.

Unfortunately, Charles Chiltington gave his report right after Kyle. Charles was dressed in his usual school uniform (one that nobody else ever wore): a blue blazer, khaki pants, white shirt, and striped tie. He looked like he thought middle school was a formal dance at his father’s country club. He also had a slim laptop computer tucked under his arm.

“Is it permissible for me to do a PowerPoint talk, Mrs. Cameron?” he asked sweetly. “I think presentation software helps to augment and enrich what could otherwise seem exceedingly tedious and dreary if presented in the somniferous mode of a traditional oral report.” “Of course, Charles,” said Mrs. Cameron. She was one of the teachers who totally fell for Charles’s smarmy routine and loved all the big words he used.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cameron. And may I say, your new glasses frame the work of art that is your face quite wondrously.” “Why, thank you, Charles. Please, proceed.”

Chiltington hooked up his laptop to the Smart Board and blew the class away with a slide-show presentation that included awesome animations, video clips, and transitions. It was all about John Pierpont Morgan, a famous American financier, banker, and all-around rich guy who used to buy all sorts of stuff, like Charles Dickens’s original manuscripts and Michelangelo’s sketches, to put on display in his private library.

“Very impressive, Mr. Chiltington,” said Mrs. Cameron when he was done. “That’s what I call an A-plus-plus-plus presentation.” “Thank you, Mrs. Cameron,” said Charles. “But as you’ve often instructed us, anything worth doing is worth doing well!” The bell rang.

The class filed out the door.

“That’s two for me and none for you!” Charles sneered the second they hit the hall. He laughed and strutted away.

Kyle felt the way his big brother Mike probably did when he missed a jump shot at the final buzzer and his basketball team lost by one point.

Only that never happened.

Mike’s basketball teams always finished their seasons undefeated.

And his brainiac brother Curtis always got straight A’s.

After two defeats to Chiltington in a row, Kyle now held the family title of the Biggest Loser.