Part 2, Chapter 12 Summary

Ten days before school lets out, Jeff reaches his house and sees Max's car out front. Melody is sitting on the lawn, and though Jeff is tempted to ride away, he decides to stay because Melody is his responsibility. Melody asks if they can put everything behind them and he tells her he already has. Melody starts to flatter him, and Jeff feels complicated feelings of anger and guilt rise up inside him. She tells him she doesn't want anything from him, but merely wants to say goodbye before leaving for South America with Max to teach villagers. Jeff is pleased that he has no feelings about that. Melody tells Jeff that she couldn't be happy knowing about the situation in Columbia and doing nothing, and Jeff thinks that happiness and unhappiness isn't the question after all. He thinks of the...