Lucky Break #6 Read Online Free PDF Page B

teachers were insisting that he concentrate on catching up with his academic work, and he couldn’t ignore them any longer. It wasn’t easy being serious, and it would have been much more fun to continue being the class joker, but Marmalade knew that if he didn’t make more of an effort, he would end up having to go and see the principal. Mrs. Sharkey could be seriously scary, and Marmalade didn’t want to risk being yelled at by her!
    So he tried harder in class, and also started to work seriously on his dance assignment for Mr. Penardos. He had chosen a great piece of jazz for his dance, and had decided to portray each instrument as it was highlighted in the piece. Already he knew that one of his favorite parts was going to be the piano. As the music played, he was going to portray himself running down the keyboard and picking out individual notes. There was a lot to think about while he planned his steps, and Marmalade was also helping Jack out with his dance, giving him the benefit of all his knowledge, although Jack was asking him fewer and fewer questions as he got used to the school and became more proficient at modern dance.
    Marmalade was making so much effort that he felt as if he might burst, so between classes he had to let off steam. He began to behave even more outrageously than before. Remembering what he’d read about B-BOYS using cardboard to cut down friction on unsuitable surfaces, Marmalade got an old cardboard box from the kitchen and during breaks could be found almost anywhere, perfecting his spins on his shoulders, back, and even his head!
    Several other people tried, but no one could beat Marmalade at his new hobby. And he didn’t neglect his jumps either. He wanted to incorporate break dancing and ballet into his freestyle dance, so he was constantly startling the other students by leaping and bounding all over the place. He wanted his routine to be really original, and he planned on including some difficult jumps that would take a lot of practice to get right. Maybe, if his routine was good enough, he really would be dancing on television soon!
    One day, Chloe met him rushing down the hallway on the way to a very late lunch after spending too long practicing backflips on the front lawn. “I’ll come and talk to you while you eat,” she told him. “Everyone else has finished and gone outside to enjoy the sun.”
    â€œI was watching Jack dance this morning,” Chloe told him as he joined her at a table with a large salad and a glass of milk. “He was practicing in the small dance studio and I watched through the window. He’s very good, isn’t he?”
    â€œHe’s all right, I guess.” Marmalade wasn’t sure he liked Jack being praised. He was too used to being top dog himself. “Jack needs to get more power in his movements,” he told Chloe. “I keep telling him to try weight training, but he won’t. How can I help him if he won’t do what I say?”
    Chloe laughed. “I think he’s been very patient, listening to you so much,” she told him. “How’s your dance coming along?”
    â€œAwesome! It’s a lot of fun,” said Marmalade. “But I want it to be really original, so Mr. Penardos can see how much effort I’m putting into it.”
    â€œWell, I think you’ve got some competition from Jack,” said Chloe. “His dance is different from anything I’ve seen at Rockley Park. It’s so graceful, like a mixture of ballet and modern dance.”
    Marmalade shook his head. “It’s not good being too much like ballet,” he told her, feeling more and more annoyed that she was so impressed with Jack’s dance.
    â€œWhy not?” she asked.
    Marmalade scrambled for an answer. “Because . . . because he might get teased,” he said.
    â€œDon’t be silly!” Chloe laughed. “His dancing was amazing. It doesn’t matter