1 | 𝐇𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 ↦ Degrassi

18. Dancing Panthers

            At lunch, Manny and Mickey went over to Terri, who was reading people's tarot cards. Mickey found it fascinating. Terri was reading Manny's cards. Manny picked a card and turned it over. The upside-down Fool. "So, I'm a fool?" Manny asked, confused at the card.

"No, in tarot, the fool represents fate. What's important is it's upside down. It means your day will end unexpectedly, with a twist." Terri explained.

"A twist? What's that supposed to mean?" Manny asked

"It means you should watch out," Terri said, "Mickey do you want me to read yours?"

Mickey nodded, and Terri reset the cards. Mickey grabbed a card and flipped it over. The tower. "Oh," Terri said, "The tower, it means disaster,"

"Wow okay," Mickey said, not sure whether she believed the cards. "Thanks for reading are cards," Mickey and Manny left the table, Paige sitting in their place.

★

              Mickey, Emma, and Manny headed out of the school at the end of the day, still talking about their dance. "What do you think about adding a jested? Something like this?" Manny said, starting to show the girls and dance move but falling and twisting her leg instead. "Aah!"

Emma and Mickey ran to Manny's side. Ashley, Paige, and Terri joined them having seen Manny fall. "Can you stand on it at all?" Ashley asked.

"It's already starting to swell. We should probably take you to the nurse." Emma said. Mickey and Emma helped Manny up

"I can't believe this. How am I gonna dance? How am I gonna be a panther?" Manny asked as the two girls helped her to the nurse.

★

           "All we have to do is adjust the dancing. Tone it down a bit. Manny can be the hunter." Emma was saying to Toby the next day. Manny was on crutches and unable to dance her part. Mickey was starting to think this dance would be the disaster Terri predicted.

"I don't know, Em. I'm not exactly the best dancer." Toby said

"I think it's a great idea, really. I can't wait to see it performed." JT said

"Playing the hunter is one thing. But dancing?" Toby said.

"You're the only one who's been to all the rehearsals." Emma pointed out.

"You know the part," Manny added

"Of the hunter. Why can't we just have two panthers and two hunters?" Toby asked

"Just forget it. I'll go tell Liberty we're not going on." Emma said,

"No, Toby you have to help us," Mickey said, passing her hand on Toby's shoulder, and putting on a puppy dog face.

"Fine, I'll do it." Toby broke "But I'm not wearing a leotard."

"Yay!" Mickey said, hugging Toby. Maybe this dance wouldn't be that disaster after all.

"You don't have to. Toby, thank you, I mean it." Emma said, and the three girls left.

★

            In the gym, Mickey, Emma, Manny, and Toby are practicing their dance. Jungle music played in the background. Emma tilted her head up, which was meant to be Toby's cue, but he missed it. "Toby, that's your cue." Manny pointed out.

"Oh sorry," Toby said running onto the stage. The three of them danced until Toby and Emma bumped heads.

"JT, stop the music," Emma said and the music stopped "Toby, you keep leaning in the wrong way."

"Right, sorry. Wanna try again?" Toby said

"No, I think I've had enough head injuries for today," Emma said

"Okay," Toby said

"Maybe you should try it at home, in front of the mirror or something," Emma suggested.

"Sure," that Emma and Manny left.

"Man, how far will you go?" JT commented

"JT, shut up, now." Toby snapped and JT left too. "how bad was I?"

"I've seen worse," Mickey said, "Not really, this is going to be a disaster," Mickey sat down on the stage, upset.

"I'll practice, It will all be fine," Toby tried to reassure Mickey. Mickey laid down.

"The cards said disaster Toby, and they were right about Manny," Mickey said, Toby laid down next to her.

"Even if it is a disaster, it wouldn't be because of you," Toby said "It will be because of me, and you can hold me to that,"

"Thanks, Toby, You're a great friend," Mickey said, getting up and heading out of the gym.

"Yeah friend," Toby muttered as she walked away.

★

            Liberty was on stage as the announcer for the lunchtime cabaret "Welcome to Lunchtime Cabaret. I expect you'll handle yourselves appropriately. So without further ado, please welcome our first act, a dance piece entitled Endangered."

Liberty left the stage, and Emma and Mickey went on stage dressed in all black with fake panther noses. Mickey felt sick as they started to dance, Toby, joining them on stage. Things were going fine until Emma and Toby bumped heads. "Toby," Emma whispered angrily.

"Sorry," he muttered,

"it's fine just keep going," Mickey whispered.

"Man, this is too easy." Spinner whispered in the audience. Mickey rolled off the stage, making it look like it was part of the dance.

"I can't do this anymore," Mickey said, rolling off the stage but still making it look like it was part of the dance. Emma and Toby continued their parts of the dance, and Manny entered the stage for her part.

Mickey looked into the audience, making eye contact with Spinner, Then looked back to the stage. Manny lifted her crutch and pretended to shoot them, Toby fell, pretending to die.

"What is this?" Jimmy asked, making everyone laugh.

Sean got and faced the audience "Hey! Shut up! Let them dance." He yelled. Emma smiled at him.

"Emma, we're not done," Toby said and they finished the dance.

After the dance Terri and Paige took the stage and sang an original song, they were great. Everyone clapped for them.

★

           After the show, Mickey walked down the hall with Emma, when the two of them met up with Manny and Toby. "Toby, you were great out there. Thank you so much." Emma said to Toby.

"I'm so sorry I bailed out on you guys," Mickey said "I just couldn't take all the judging. I mean I try not to care what others think but I-"

"It's fine," Manny said to Mickey. Emma agreed.

"Yeah, so, do you want to go and maybe..." Toby started to say, But Emma cut him off seeing Seann.

"I'll be right back, ok?" Emma said.

Toby was going to say something again, but Spinner spoke, appearing behind Mickey. "Hey, Mickey can we talk?" he asked. Mickey turned to face Spinner,

"Sure," she said. She and Spinner walked away from Manny and Toby. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to apologize, For what I said in there," Spinner said, "The dance wasn't bad, I mean you were good, I don't mean to scare you off the stage."

"It's fine," Mickey said looking down at the ground. "I was already freaked out about the dance, and then you made fun of us. I just couldn't be up there anymore."

"Mickey, I'm sorry for what I said," Spinner said again "You were great really"