Page 28 of Romeo & Antoinette

“Have you ever thought of using real cheese?” she asked her dad.

“What do you mean?”

“Real cheese,” she said again, gesturing to the food in her hands.

“Nope.”

“Really? Never?”

“We just won the Mayor’s contest honey. Why would we change anything? Now, how about you go give those guys their food?”

Ant checked the order number and called it out. Just as the boys from Monty’s arrived.

10

Romeo, Marco and Benny entered the fray. It really was quite the rager, which only added fuel to Marco’s ire.

“Can you believe this?” he said, as he pushed forward through the crowd.

“Busy,” said Romeo.

“Really busy,” echoed Benny.

They moved forward past a group of teens leaning up against an oak, sharing a bucket of fries. Then past a couple in their late seventies headed home after splitting a cheesesteak and a side of onion rings. Just beyond them Mrs Cap was holding court, in her new dress and shoes, chatting up anyone who’d listen about their unbridled success.

“We’ve won practically every year,” they heard her say.

Not true.

Marco stopped, smirked and said “Shall we?”

They got half a step in, then heard a familiar voice.

“Hey! You there!”

It was Perry. Crazy nut job, won’t let it go, goth guy Perry. Who was, as it turned out, definitely more steampunk than goth.

“I wanna talk to you,” he said, stomping towards Romeo.

It was easily seventy-seven degrees out that late summer evening and yet Perry was dressed like it was a cool, crisp fall day on the East Coast. Black pants tucked into heavy, brown boots, and a poofy white shirt billowing out over a buttoned up leather vest on which were a line of thick metal buttons and a myriad of crisscrossed chains. These undoubtedly led to a hidden pocket watch or snuff box, discreetly tucked away somewhere on his person.

He honestly looked like he just stepped out of the Old West. Though everything had more of an old-timey, mechanically industrial vibe to it than a Marlboro Man/Wild West cowboy thing going on. Frankly, he looked ridiculous.

Marco burst out laughing. “Dude. What are you wearing?”

“What?”

“Your clothes. What the hell are you wearing?”

“This is how I dress.”

“Really? You look like a casting reject from a cheap remake of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen .

“Whatever,” said Perry, turning his attention to Romeo. “I want to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“You know damn well what.”

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