BUDDY'S POV
July 15th, 1959. 5:44 pm. The Nowak Household
"So, Buddy, is it?" Mr. Nowak asks.
I nod. "Yes sir, that's me."
"What's your REAL name?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Uh, Charles?"
"I knew someone wouldn't legally name their kid Buddy."
"Why do you go by such a lowbrow name when you have an elegant name!" Mrs. Nowak frowns. "Such a pretty one!"
Buddy, you can't get offended. They don't know. They're just Polish. You're okay. Vi will be home soon.
"Yes, Charles is a better name." Mr. Nowak nods.
"It's just somethin' that my brother called me when I was a kid," I sigh. "Name stuck."
Koch shakes his head. "Antoni, Ania, stop it now."
"Why?" Mrs. Nowak crosses her arms.
"People love their names, it's who they are. It's like me. I don't feel like a Jakub, I feel like a Wilhelm. It's a nickname." Koch inturrupts. "Leave the poor kid alone, he's probably freaked out."
"Why would he be?" Mrs. Nowak rolls her eyes. "Not like we're his parents!"
"You might aswell be. Did you see Isabella and Frank as parent figures?" Koch asks me.
I nod. "Sorta, they treated me like one of theirs."
"Exactly. This is a shock for him, too." Koch looks at Ania. "Imagine my mom and dad being revealed like this. How would you feel?"
"I guess I'd be a little shook up."
"Yes, you would be. Leave this kid alone, he's probably more scared than Vi is. Travelling to a country that doesn't speak your language, meeting many people you didn't know about until a few months ago, and finding out how bad your wife's past really was? I'm surprised he hasn't fainted yet."
I laugh. "I almost did on the train here, not gonna lie."
Koch smiles. "I'm very happy that Vi picked you as a spouse. You seem very loving and a good match for her."
"Thank you, sir. I just try my best to make her happy is all."
"You do well, son."
Did...Koch just call me son?
Is it just a term of endearment or is he trying to imply something?
"Thank you." I muster.
"So!" Koch claps his hands. "Music! You do music! How'd you get started?"
"Well, I guess you'd say that I just did. I did everything I could t'put my music out there and it paid off."
"That's so interesting!"
Buddy, you're fine! Why are you so nervous?
"So tell me about you my my Violet." Koch grins.
"Oh jeez, I have so many stories..."
February 17th, 1954. 3:15 pm. Lubbock High School
"Buddy Holley please come to the front office, Buddy Holley to the front office." The intercom inturrupts Mrs. Cheryl's lecture. I bet they're gonna ask where Violet is.
But do they REALLY gotta call me down ten minutes before school ends?
I look up to Mrs. Cheryl and she nods. "Go, take your stuff." She shoots me a knowing look.
What's that about?
I quickly gather all my things and shove them into my backpack.
Why does the office want me?
I slowly meander to the office, dreading what they want from me this time.
Let's see...
They've asked me to play and sing for fundraisers.
They've asked to measure me for a suit for said fundraisers
They've asked me where Violet is.
And they've asked me where I was.
Well, Vi is actually home with the flu, so maybe they're worried. She never misses school.
I walk into the office. It looks like the entire band is somehow crammed in there.
Adalyn isn't around, but Bob is. He looks like he's in the same boat as me. Utterly confused.
Jerry Allison looks at me and grins. "Hey pal!"
"Um, hey," I raise an eyebrow. "What's goin' on here?"
Jerry smirks and shrugs. "I dunno,"
I roll my eyes. "You totally know!"
"And you will soon." Jerry winks.
I turn to Bob. "Is Adalyn sick too?"
He nods. "Got the flu."
"So does Vi. I hope they're alright."
"Same here,"
I glance around the room, trying to figure out what's going on. I swear I see a glimpse of Violet's unique shade of red hair.
All at once, the chatter stops. Mr. Leaf emerges from the crowd. "Buddy, Bob, I seem to have found somethin' that belongs to y'all!"
Bob and I glance at eachother. Oh no. What did we do?
The crowd parts, revealing Violet and Adalyn standing there with two posters.
My eyes dart to Adalyn's first.
"Before you get TIED up with other things... prom?"
Prom is spelled out with neck ties. I laugh and turn to Vi's.
"I PICK you...prom?"
The poster is shaped like a guitar pick.
I laugh and walk up to Vi. "You beat me to the punch, doll! I was gonna ask you!"
She smiles up at me. "Yeah? Well there's always next year!"
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her head. "Of course I'll go t'prom with you."
Vi and I pose for a picture, then all four of us pose.
"Why's the band here?" Bob asks.
"Mr. Leaf wanted to see and he couldn't find anyone to cover this class period so he just decided to take them to watch this." Adalyn replies.
Bob nods. "Well, we had an audience."
The final bell for the end of the day rings and everyone streams out of the office.
I look to Vi. "I love you."
"I love you too," she grins. "Oh! I have something else for you in my car!"
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Come on, I'll show you." She turns on her heel and leads the way to her car.
We climb in and she grabs a small box from the glove box.
It looks sort of like a ring box...
She hands it to me and smiles. "Open it!" She urges.
I flip open the top and there lays a black guitar pick with "I pick you" and "VW+BH" engraved with gold lettering. I look at her and she's beaming. "Vi..."
"Yes?"
"I, wow," I grin. "This is so amazin'."
"You like it?" She asks.
I pull her closer to me. "I love it! You know me so well, darlin'." I kiss her cheek. "You're the best girl on the planet."
She leans in and kisses me.
How'd I get this lucky?
October 1st , 1953. 12:21 pm. Lubbock High School.
Vi sits down next to me at our usual lunch table.
"Buddy!" She exclaims. "I have some FANTASTIC news!"
"Yeah?" I smile. "What is it?"
"I got an A on my Chemistry test!" She beams.
"No kiddin'? That's great! You studied so hard!"
"I'm so glad, I was so so nervous!"
"You had no reason t'be. You're smart."
She blushes and shakes her head. "No, no I'm not."
"You are! Look at you, you're brand new t'the school, town, state, even region and you're passin' every class you got!"
"We learned all this material last year in Chicago..."
"Hush, I think you're smart."
"Thank you, Buddy." She smiles.
"Vi, you have a real pretty smile." I blurt.
Shit, why did I do that?
She blushes and grabs my hand. "Thank you, that means a whole lot to me!"
I feel like I'm melting under her stupid touch.
I'm getting mixed signals from her. One day she's kissing me on the cheek and holding my hand, the next day she won't even acknowledge me.
I wanna kiss this girl so damn bad.
I can't!
I snap out of my trance. "Oh, uh, anytime."
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my house after school?" She asks calmly. "I have a couple of records I want to show you."
I feel myself freeze. Violet wants ME to go to HER house? This can't be real.
She raises an eyebrow. "Well?"
"Yes! I'd love to!" Oh no, that was over zealous.
"Neat, here, I'll give you my address. My parents probably won't be home, is that alright?"
"Yeah, should be fine."
She reaches into her bag and grabs a pen. "Do you mind if I just write it on your arm?"
I shake my head and roll up my sleeve.
She scribbles down an address on the inside of my arm. "Can you read that okay?"
"4601 21st?"
She nods. "Yeah, usually I get home around 4 or 4:15 so anytime after that is good."
"Great, cool."
"Yeah, don't get lost, most of the houses in that area are really similar."
"I'll try not to..."
4:30
Well damn, I heard the Winters were wealthy but I didn't think they were THIS wealthy.
Huge garden, pillars, garage, the whole nine. I don't think I've even been to this part of town. It's sorta near Texas Tech, down a nicer neighborhood. I almost got lost, the house is hidden behind a wall of trees and a fancy gate.
I try to gather myself and breathe like a normal human.
Jeez Buddy, it's just Violet. She's your friend. No reason to be nervous.
I pull myself out of my car and walk up to the porch and knock.
After a few seconds, the door opens and there stands Juliet.
"Hey, Buddy. Here to see Vi?" She asks.
"Yeah, she said she had a coupla records t'show me." I reply.
"Oh, okay, cool." She steps aside and motions for me to come in.
I walk in and see the...parlor? I dunno what to even call this.
Violet pops out from a doorway. "Hey Buddy!" She grins. "Are you hungry?"
I shake my head. "Nah, I'm good, thanks."
"Do you want any water or a drink or something?"
I shake my head again. "No, I'm good."
"Come here," she disappears into the other room.
I cautiously try to follow. I find myself in a huge living room, complete with...
IS THAT A COLOR TV?!
THOSE THINGS COST A MINT!
Wow. This place is like a damn castle.
Juliet points to the kitchen and I find my way there.
Vi is standing infront of the stove making Jiffypop. "I'm actually going to STARVE!" She frowns. "I should have eaten more at lunch."
"I mean, you did just have an apple and two crackers."
"Exactly."
She finishes making the popcorn and pouring it into a bowl. "Here, let's go to my room. That's where all the stuff is." She picks up the bowl and a glass of water. "Don't tell my parents I'm taking food into my room," she heads out, leading me to a large staircase.
We climb it and she walks all the way to the end of the hallway. She looks at the door. "Can you open that, Buddy?" She asks.
I open it and she walks in, me trailing behind.
It smells like warm vanilla and almost like...just sweets.
The walls are a light lavender and there's various pictures taped to them. Her bed is in the center of a wall with a window over it, shining light onto the floral quilt. She has a ton of stuffed animals piled meticulously on the bed. I see a white wooden desk in one corner with pencils, pens, notebooks and text books scattered across it. Adjacent to the desk is a white vanity with a lighted mirror. I see a ton of makeup brushes and eye stuff and lip stuff and that weird skin colored paint. Oh, and a little flip mirror. One side it's normal and the other it's super magnified. The rest of her room seems normal. A clothes hamper, a dresser, a closet, normal, only this room is huge.
She sets down her popcorn and water on the desk and walks over to the record box and picks two out. She sets one on her dresser and puts one on her record player.
Once the music is playing, she sits on her bed.
"Buddy?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Hmmm?"
"You know you can sit?"
"Yeah, oops. I zoned out." I sit next to her.
I feel her scoot closer to me.
Does she want me to make a move?
Or is she just friendly?
I look over at her and I know that look. That look definitely means she wants me to make a move.
I wrap my arm around her waist.
She rests her head on my shoulder and we just sit listening.
After a while, the record ends and she looks up at me. "Did you like it?"
I smile and nod. "I loved it."
Her face is so close to mine...
I should just kiss her.
I'm gonna.
I'm gonna kiss her.
I start to lean in and she does the same.
Closer
Closer
Closer
"Vi, do you know where my blue pleated skirt is?" Juliet asks from the doorway.
Vi and I practically jump apart.
Vi rolls her eyes. "No, we're busy."
"Oh! Oh oh oh, I see! Okay, okay. I'm sorry..." she dissapears.
Vi hops up and changes the record out.
Now she sits at her desk.
Damn it Juliet! She ruined the moment!
It's gonna take me a while to get the confidence to do that again.
The next day
I see Vi and smile at her.
She meerly glances my way and sits down at the cheerleader table.
What did I do wrong?
Last night we almost kissed and she kissed my cheek when I left.
What is going through her head?!
Bob sits down next to me. "Where's Vi?"
I purse my lips. "With the cheerleaders."
He turns to me. "What? Why? Did y'all get in a quarrel?"
I shake my head. "I dunno. She was super duper friendly to me last night."
"Last night?"
"She invited me t'her place last night t'show me some records. She cuddled up on me and we almost kissed-"
"Almost?"
"Yeah, we were about to but Juliet interrupted!"
Bob frowns. "Damn! I'm so sorry, Buddy. I know you like her."
"It's so frustrating. It's like everytime I get close and finally decide t'ask her out, she flat out ignores me! I dunno what she wants!"
Bob pats my back. "You'll get her sooner or later."
I put my head on the table. "Why can't she just tell me?"
"Women are complicated. Maybe she feels like she's too forward, then tries to undo being too forward by not talking to you."
"She's messin' with my mind, Bob. She's drivin' me crazy."
"That's what love does."
I shoot up. "I'm NOT in love."
"You sure seem to be."
I punch his arm. "Shut up!"
"Just tellin' you the truth." He rubs his arm.
I put my head back on the table. "Why her? Why couldn't I have fallen for a more...predictable girl?"
"Bud, she's starin' at ya right now." Bob mumbles. "It looks like they're talkin' about ya. They all glanced over and are gigglin'."
I sigh. "I knew she'd never go for me."
"No, no I think they're teasin' Vi for havin' a crush on you. Vi is bright red. She's embarassed."
"Ugh." I mutter. "I just wanna hold her hand and cuddle her and... I dunno."
"It'll get better, Buddy. It'll work itself out."
6:44 pm
The phone rings, startling me out of my depression nap.
I drag myself out off the couch and into the kitchen. "Holley household, Buddy speakin'..." I mumble.
"Hey hun, it's Vi."
My eyes go wide. "Um, hey?"
"You okay?"
"I dunno."
"What's wrong?"
"Just some stuff."
"I can come over if you want me to?" She says. "Sometimes company helps."
My heart skips a beat. "No, I don't wanna be any trouble."
"It really isn't trouble. I sort of want to see you, really."
This is my chance to ask why she's been so....weird. "I guess I am sorta lonely..."
"Okay, I'll be over soon."
"Okay, bye." I hang up.
I plop down onto the couch and contemplate my entire life.
Maybe I am a little depressed...
I haven't been myself lately.
Not just because of Vi, either. I've been down since middle of summer.
Vi has actually sorta...helped. She makes me so happy. But on the other hand, she makes me so sad.
Happy because she's so so amazing and funny and cute and I love to be with her.
Sad because sometimes she just straight blocks me out and pretends we don't even know eachother.
After a good twenty minutes of deep contemplation, Vi lets herself in.
She sits next to me and puts a hand on my back. "Are you okay?"
I shake my head. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you so... flip floppy?"
"What do you mean?" She lightly rubs my back.
"Sometimes you're like this... all cuddly and affectionate. Sometimes you're so distant and act like I don't even know you."
She pauses. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Buddy. I don't really mean to do that. I just... there's someone who makes me feel bad about... us."
"Who? Is it a cheerleader?"
"No, no, no! They were teasing me relentlessly earlier because of us, but that's what girls do. We all tease eachother."
"Who is it then?"
"His name is Marvin. I dated him back in Chicago and I was in love with him. Sometimes when he calls me, I miss him a lot and I feel back for liking- I mean hanging out with another guy."
"Wait are you still with him?"
"No, no, we broke up really soon after we found out I was moving. We didn't want to try to keep it together when we're a thousand miles apart."
I nod. "Okay."
"Like, when we talk, I miss him so much and I just feel so bad because I still love him a little."
"I understand. I dated Echo Maguire last year and I still have feelin's and all, but it just wasn't workin'. We're way too different. Religious stuff and such."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, she's super staunch Church of Christ. Not allowed to dance or listen t'music or make music, so you can see how that wasn't gonna work."
"Yeah, I do. I'm sorry. I really do feel bad when I ignore you. It's a stupid inner struggle, I'm so sorry."
"It's fine, I guess. It hurts my feelin's."
"I know, I'm so so sorry." She hugs me. "I'll never do it again."
"Thanks..."
She pecks my cheek. "You're my best friend."
"And you're mine."
"Promise me that we'll still be friends, even when we're with a steady."
"I pinky promise." I hold out my pinky.
She takes it. "Pinky promise."
We stand up and I hug her tightly. "Thanks for bein' here."
She hugs back. "Of course."