A gigantic fiery phoenix burst from the clouds of a flaming sunset. Its long, trailing tail feathers blazed behind it like the train of a glowing gown as it swooped across the sky. The phoenix was part eagle, part woman.

That woman was me.

“That looks awesome, Sam!” Kamiko said, standing over my shoulder, looking at my rough sketch.

“You think it’ll work for Brandon’s show?” I asked. It was still just a small pen and ink drawing in my sketchbook colored with markers.

Romeo was sitting and doing homework at one of the work tables against the wall in Christos’ studio. He slid his chair out and walked over to take a look. “Wow,” he smiled, “I love it, Sam.”

I crinkled my nose. “Thanks.” I still wasn’t used to all the praise I’d been getting lately.

“Okay, now I have to take a look,” Christos said. He was sitting in a reclining desk chair with his feet propped on a window sill, sketching in his own sketchbook. He was trying to work up ideas for the rest of the paintings he needed to do for his upcoming solo show, which would be hosted at Charboneau sometime after the Contemporary Artists Show closed.

Christos rested a hand on my shoulder and leaned over me to get a better look.

Romeo blurted, “Red alert! Red alert! Boo-EEEP! Boo-EEEP! Christos is putting the moves on Sam! Abandon ship before Christos fires his torpedo into her!”

“Must everything come down to sex for you, Romeo?” I asked.

“Yes,” he grinned unapologetically.

Kamiko giggled. “Romeo, you are so wonky kong.”

“Wonky kong?” Romeo said, “I’ll show you wonky kong.” He started jumping frantically in the air. Every time he did, he said, “Boing!” His monocle danced chaotically at the end of the string attached to a button on his steampunk coat.

“What are you doing?” I laughed.

He continued jumping and started whooping, “Doodle lee DEE do! Doodle lee DEE do!”

Kamiko shook her head, amused. “I think he finally gave himself a stroke from trying too hard to be funny all the time.”

Romeo paused from his insane jumping routine, “Don’t you guys play video games? I’m Mario from Classic Donkey Kong!”

“Huh?” Kamiko said. Kamiko never played video games because she spent too much time watching cartoons, studying for all her insane pre-med classes, and drawing in every spare moment. I don’t know if she ever slept.

“Come on, Kamiko!” Romeo pleaded. “You’re the one who called me Donkey Kong!”

“I called you wonky kong,” she said.

Romeo stopped jumping and jammed his fists on his hips. “What the fuck is a wonky kong?”

Kamiko spread her hands and raised her eyebrows, “I don’t know,” she said defensively, “Donkey Kong’s crippled brother who has a gimp leg?”

Christos and I both chuckled.

“You’re crazy, Romeo,” I said.

He opened his eyes really wide and made them do circles while he waggled his tongue and made crazy noises. The Loco Locomotive was back.

Kamiko shook her head. “He’s truly an idiot. Somebody get the butterfly nets.”

“Hey, Romeo,” Christos said thoughtfully, “do that jumping thing again.”

“What, this?” Romeo asked as he started jumping up and down a few times.

“Yeah, that,” Christos said.

Romeo did it a few more times then stopped.

“Can you do it again, with the jumping noises?” Christos asked, totally serious.

Romeo frowned, “Uh, okay.” He did a half hearted jump and noise.

“No,” Christos said, “I meant like before. Try to really get into it.”

“Wait,” Romeo said shrewdly, “you’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”

“No,” Christos said blandly, “I’m totally serious.”

Romeo looked confused.

I had no idea what Christos was doing, nor did Kamiko. I said, “It’s okay, Romeo. You don’t have to do it.”

Romeo dropped his arms to his sides and looked at us.

“No, please,” Christos said sincerely. “I want to see something.” He sounded totally serious, but not in a mean way.

Romeo shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, but I need a second to prepare. I’m an actor, after all.”

Kamiko looked doubtful.

“Hush, Kamiko,” he said before she opened her mouth. “I’ve taken acting classes. College acting classes.” Romeo shook his shoulders, rolled his neck and stuck his tongue out a bunch of times while humming. Then, he started jumping again, more enthusiastically and spastically than before. “DOODLE LEE DEE DO!!! DOODLE LEE DEE DO!!!” He stopped after a few. “Like that?”

Christos shook his head. “No, now you’re forcing it. Like before. When it was spontaneous.”

“What are you doing, Christos?” I asked.

“Trust me,” he said cryptically. “Go ahead, Romeo.”

“Okay,” Romeo said. He calmed down and closed his eyes. “Kamiko, make fun of me. Say something judgmental, like you normally would.” Even though his eyes were closed, he was grinning, not taking himself seriously.

“Uh…” she stammered and chuckled. “Your monocle is out of style?”

“That’s perfect,” Romeo said, “I think I’ve got it.” He started to smile a big, natural smile. He nodded, “Yeah, that’s it.” His smile was huge now. He opened his eyes and started jumping, “Doodle lee DEE do! Doodle lee DEE do! Doodle lee DEE do!” He had a huge grin on his face the whole time.

Christos nodded, rapt, smiling his dimpled smile, that mysterious, fascinated look still on his face.

Pretty soon, me and Kamiko were giggling, then we were laughing.

“Okay,” Romeo huffed after the nineteenth time, “I’m getting out of breath now.”

“You can stop,” Christos grinned.

Romeo sagged into the nearest chair. “Whoo! That was a lot of work! Did my unabashed athleticism bring your idea to completion?”

Christos said sarcastically, “I’m totally turned on right now.”

After a moment, Romeo looked at the three of us expectantly, “Hey, aren’t any of you going to stuff some dollar bills in my G string now? That was hard work!”

“Are you even wearing a G string?” Kamiko asked doubtfully.

He hooded his eyelids and asked, “Would you be surprised if I was?”

“I would be surprised if you weren’t,” I laughed.

Kamiko and Christos both erupted into cackles.

“I want my dollar bills!” Romeo whined. “That’s the last free show you guys are getting. Sex workers never get any respect,” he chuckled.

“That was sex work?” Kamiko frowned skeptically. “I think my eyes are bleeding from watching you dance. Or whatever that was.”

Romeo grimaced at Kamiko. “Admit it, Kamiko, you’re totally jealous of my milkshake.” Romeo turned around, lifted the tail of his steampunk coat, and thrust his ass at us while resting his hands on his thighs and jiggling his butt up and down.

“That deserves a dollar,” Christos chuckled and pulled out his wallet. He walked up to Romeo and jammed the bill in the belt of Romeo’s black skinny leg jeans.

Kamiko fished a dollar out of her purse, and I grabbed one from mine. We both laughed as we put them in Romeo’s belt. He was smiling the whole time.

Romeo finally stopped dancing. “A good milkshake always gets paid,” he said suggestively.

The four of us laughed together. My friends and my boyfriend all rocked fifty-five gallon drums of awesome sauce.

CHRISTOS

“Aren’t you getting bored of staring at yourself naked?” Samantha asked.

I stood naked in front of the big full length wheeled mirror in our painting studio with a palette covered in oils resting on my forearm.

I was working on the portrait of me that was half of our dual portrait entitled LOVE. The image of Samantha was already finished, and it looked fantastic.

Samantha stood beside me, fully clothed and wearing a painting apron.

I smirked at her, gazing into her eyes, “I never get bored of staring at perfection.”

“Did you mean me?” She batted her eyelashes.