"Don't Tell Me Twice" Chapter Ten

“So, this is what you do for entertainment around here, huh?” Ziggy inquired, looking around. There was over a hundred people in front of her, clustered in a space around a large barn. A bonfire blazed in the middle of the crowd, and there were a dozen of people sitting on the backs of pickup trucks, taking shots, conversing, and just having fun. The sky was clear, allowing the moonlight to glisten over a small, nearby pond in the distance, and the music and lights that were coming from inside the large barn made it known that someone had transformed the area into their own make-shift stage. “These are all band members?” Ziggy asked, looking back at Spike. The other woman had told her earlier about the hidden music scene, but she had been hesitant to accept the truth in what she said.

“Yeah, everyone here belongs to a band,” Spike grinned. “It’s one of California’s hidden treasures.”

“Wow,” Ziggy sighed. She hadn’t seen anything like this in Chicago.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” Buck said, looking out into the crowd.

“It is,” Ziggy replied, happy that Buck was talking to her. She had spent the whole ride to the venue, hoping that it wouldn’t be an awkward night. It was clear that Buck wasn’t fond of her, so hearing the other woman say something nice to her was a pleasant change.

“Well, Jemma and I just saw a couple of people that we know, so we are going to go over and say ‘hi’,” Spike said to Buck.

“Have fun. Be safe, and if you have any questions about anything, I’m sure that Buck will be able to help you,” Jemma added, giving Buck a wink.

The two walked away, and Buck looked stunned for a moment, but the other woman quickly put on a polite smile. “Want to get a drink?” Buck asked, pointing to a nearby keg.

“Sure,” Ziggy said, following the other woman. She wanted to smooth things over with Buck. She was already tired of the tension between the two of them.

“So, how did you get into music?” Buck inquired as they walked over to the keg.

“I don’t know,” Ziggy replied, honestly. “I guess that it has always been in my blood. One day, I just picked up a guitar and began to play. It is the easiest way to express myself, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Buck replied, pouring the two of them drinks and leading her over to an abandoned picnic table. “Most of the time I have a hard time talking about how I feel, but when I sing and play guitar, I can express emotions that I can’t put into words.”

“It’s just natural, huh?” Ziggy commented. “I feel like it’s one of those things that only a select few people understand, but when you find someone that does, there’s a special connection between the two of you.”

“That’s how I felt when I met Olive,” Buck replied. “I was just playing on the streets at that point, but she saw so much more in me than a street performer. She played guitar too, so we began to have nightly jam sessions. It was great being around someone that got it.

“It sounds like you two grew very close,” Ziggy commented carefully picking her words. She knew that the wound that Olive created when she left was still fresh, and she didn’t want Buck to think that she was prying into her business.

“We were,” Buck said, a sad countenance coming across her. “I really fell apart. I didn’t see it coming.”

“I’ve been there,” Ziggy told her, thinking about Lana. “It has been a long time since I’ve felt like you probably are now, but I do know how it feels.”

“It sucks,” Buck said with a grimace. “I just feel like I can’t trust anybody anymore. I trusted Olive. I tried to build a life with her, and she acted like she loved me when really she was just seeing Viola Young behind my back.”

“Speaking of Viola…” Ziggy trailed, failing to catch herself before she said it aloud. She quickly tried to change the subject and divert her attention back to Buck, but the other woman had already noticed Viola coming towards them.

“Hi, Zigs,” Viola said.

“Hello, Viola,” Ziggy said, hanging her head.

“You two know each other?” Buck inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, she’s my cousin,” Viola replied. “Long time, no see, Zigs. What brings you to the party?”

“I’m just here with the band,” Ziggy said, wishing that her cousin would leave. The two of them had never been close, and there were several times in her youth that Viola had gotten her in trouble. Viola wasn’t exactly her favorite person, and with Buck being so upset about her relationship with Olive, Ziggy knew that her cousin would just cause problems.

“Jems and Jamz?” Viola smirked. “Not much of a band. Why are you hanging out with those losers?”

“I’m the lead guitarist,” Ziggy informed her. “And from what I hear on the radio and online, this band is much better than yours.”

“You got the wrong information, Zigs,” Viola chuckled. “But good luck to you. Maybe, after getting some practice, you can get a better gig.”

“It was nice seeing you,” Ziggy told Viola sarcastically, hoping that her cousin would go on her way.

“You too, cuz,” Viola smiled. She clearly wasn’t the best at picking up on hints. “I’m going to get another drink. Do you want one?”

“No, thanks,” Ziggy said, watching Viola walk away. Ziggy had already told Spike and Jemma that she was related to Viola, but she had been hesitant to tell Buck due to the recent situation with Olive. Ziggy turned around to talk to Buck, but Buck was gone. “Crap,” she said aloud, knowing that the other woman probably left after finding out that Viola was her cousin. Just when they were finally getting along, everything had fall apart. She picked up her drink and looked into the crowd. Ziggy knew that she needed to find Buck and explain the situation but finding her in this crowd was going to be difficult.