Free Lucky Break #6 by Cindy Jefferies

sing.”
    Everyone near Danny and Chloe erupted in excitement. Marmalade fixed his face into the best grin he could manage and thumped his best friend on the back. “Good job!” he told him. “I knew you could do it!” The rest of their friends were congratulating Danny and Chloe, and Marmalade took his chance to turn away and hide the misery in his eyes. He didn’t want to spoil their pleasure, but it was very hard to bear after Marmalade had felt so close to being chosen himself.
    Chloe was sitting on the other side of Danny. She leaned over and they gave each other a big hug. “Good job!” she said. “It’s amazing. We’re actually going to be on television!”
    â€œYou’re not wearing your black beanie anymore,” Danny said, trying to disentangle himself from her.
    She giggled and clutched her head. “Well, my hair has grown out a little,” she said, smoothing the wispy tendrils over her ears. “And anyway”—she glanced at Marmalade—“someone wanted to borrow a beanie, so I lent it to them.”
    The whole room was full of excited students congratulating one another, and Mrs. Sharkey was smiling for once as she watched them. As everyone started to calm down, Marmalade struggled to his feet.
    â€œAre you all right?” asked Danny.
    Marmalade nodded, trying to look more cheerful than he felt. “Fine. I just need to get out for a minute. My leg is stiff.”
    He made his way slowly along the aisle, and out through a side door. He was glad to get away from all the excitement in the theater. But there was another reason for him to leave. Everyone was still involved with the assembly, and no one noticed him reach the stage door and go in. He and Jack had been secretly working on Marmalade’s idea for a dance, and Mr. Penardos had been so impressed that he’d encouraged them to perform it today. But Marmalade had changed. The overconfident extrovert had gone and his belief in himself was low. In a few minutes, everyone was going to get a big surprise, and Marmalade hoped it would be a successful one.
    Jack was waiting for him, holding a long black coat he’d borrowed from Mr. Penardos.
    â€œAre you ready?” asked Marmalade. Jack nodded. He held the crutches while Marmalade struggled into the coat. Marmalade took Chloe’s black beanie from his pocket and crammed it over his hair. Jack had to help him push some of the red curls under the beanie, and then Marmalade pulled it right down. Without his trademark hair, Marmalade looked completely different.
    Jack was wearing bright, floppy clothes that were far too big for him. The costume department had done well. His face was a white, greasepainted mask. He looked just like a circus clown. Threads of black string were attached to the ends of his sleeves and trousers.
    Together, they crept quietly onto the stage. The curtain was down, and Mrs. Sharkey was still standing on the other side of it, talking to the assembled students.
    Marmalade clambered up onto a raised platform at the back of the stage. The platform was often used for performances when different stage heights were needed. Danny always put his drum set there when he was playing—otherwise he would be hidden behind the guitarists. But for now, the platform was empty, except for a single chair. Marmalade sat down on it and rested his crutches by his side. Jack handed him a small crosspiece made of wood and then sprawled in front of him on the stage. Marmalade quickly hooked up the strings on Jack’s clothes and held the crosspiece in his lap. Then they waited in silence.
    Mrs. Sharkey was coming to the end of her speech. “Before you go, there’s just one more thing,” she said. “As you know, we often round off these assemblies with a performance. Today we have a very new student, and another who has been with us for a year. Usually, our performances are pop- or rock-influenced, but