Lucky Break #6 Read Free Page B

Marmalade enthusiastically. “It’s like having a little brother, instead of all the sisters I’m stuck with at home!”
    â€œThat’s all right, then!” Mr. Penardos laughed.
    At lunchtime, Marmalade took Jack over to the dining hall. “The salads are good,” he advised the new boy, “but don’t bother with the pasta.”
    Jack glanced at the hot dish of the day, but took Marmalade’s advice and chose a salad instead. At Marmalade’s friends’ table, everyone moved over so Jack could join them. The morning had been so busy that he hadn’t had an opportunity to meet them all yet.
    â€œChloe, Tara, Pop and Lolly,” said Marmalade, waving his arm toward the girls. “And these are my roommates, Ed, Ben, and Danny.”
    â€œDid you enjoy your first dance class?” asked Lolly. “Pop and I love dancing, but our major subject is singing.”
    â€œIt was great!” Jack said shyly. “Mr. Penardos is a good teacher, but I have so much to learn quickly. I am lucky to have Marmalade to help me. He is an excellent teacher, too.”
    â€œWow!” said Pop, grinning at him. “Don’t swell Marmalade’s head any more, okay? He’s bad enough already!”
    Jack blushed. But Marmalade was pleased at Jack’s praise and grinned. “Well,” he told Pop carelessly, “I just happen to explain things perfectly!”
    â€œHmm!” grunted Tara. “Like you explained map references to me when I’d missed part of geography class because of my bass lesson overrunning?”
    Marmalade had forgotten that. “I just got a little confused!” he protested.
    â€œYou definitely did!” Chloe laughed. “You explained the references the wrong way around, so poor Tara couldn’t find anything she was supposed to on the map!”
    â€œAll right!” Marmalade agreed hurriedly, not wanting Jack to hear anything bad about him. “I suppose you never mess up anything, like giving your hairdresser the wrong instructions?”
    There was silence for a moment. Everyone had been avoiding the subject of Chloe’s hair. She had had it cut during midterm break, and it was obvious that she really hated the ultrashort cut. She’d been wearing a black beanie over it, which didn’t suit her very well either.
    Chloe’s mouth opened and then closed again. Tears welled up in her eyes.
    Marmalade wanted to say sorry, but he wanted to impress Jack even more. “Don’t worry, it’ll grow out!” he told her breezily, and picked up his tray. “Come on,” he added to Jack. “I’ll introduce you to some more people.”
    Jack half smiled at the others and followed Marmalade to another table.
    â€œCharlie!” Marmalade said. “Can we join you? This is Jack.”
    â€œI’m just going,” Charlie Owen told them. “Hi-Jack!” he added, laughing uproariously at his own feeble joke.
    â€œPay no attention to him,” Marmalade said as the other boy left. “Charlie likes to think he’s tough, but he shouldn’t give you any trouble. If he does, make sure you tell me right away and I’ll straighten him out.”
    â€œThanks, Marmalade,” said Jack gratefully. He glanced back at Marmalade’s friends. “Are they all mad at you about what you said to Chloe?” he added.
    Marmalade followed his gaze uncomfortably. He wished he hadn’t teased Chloe. She obviously felt terrible about her new haircut, but Marmalade had long ago come to terms with his own outrageous hair, and things like that didn’t bother him anymore. Surely Chloe should be able to cope with a little teasing?
    â€œThey’ll come around,” he said hopefully. “Chloe’s usually good at taking a joke. Maybe she just had a bad day . . .”
    â€œThere weren’t any girls at my last school,” Jack told him. “And I don’t