For A Moment - A Wonka AU

Chapter 9: You've Never Had Chocolate Like This

Meanwhile, Charlotte sat in her room, notebook in hand, a frustrated look on her face.

"Stupid notebook..." she muttered. "How am I supposed to finish this if I don't know what to write?" She sighed and closed her notebook. "Maybe tomorrow will give me some inspiration. I hope whatever Willy's planning goes well."

And with that, she switched off her lantern and lied down to get some rest.

~

She woke up from the angry voice of her father.

"Charlotte Fickelgruber!" he yelled and she heard his footsteps coming up the stairs and seconds later, he burst through her door.

"She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Mh...don't you know how to knock? What is it?" she said as he entered her room.

"Explain to me why I got a report from the Chief of Police saying you were out with Willy Wonka last night," he said flatly, a look of disdain on his face.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Y-You did?"

He grunted.

"Well, you see, I..." Her voice trailed off, unable to come up with a response.

"You are not to speak with that man again, Charlotte," he said sternly.

"What? Why?!" she exclaimed.

"You know exactly why," he hissed. "That man is trouble and I don't want you near him. I don't want you to get it in that little head of yours that he likes you."

"Hey, Willy's not trouble!" she protested. "He's super sweet and-"

"And his chocolates are weird and demonic," Fickelgruber interrupted.

"No they're not!" she yelled. "You just can't handle unique!"

He rolled his eyes. "Charlotte, don't-"

"Oh, don't give me that, Father," she hissed. "I'm seventeen years old, for pete's sake. You can't tell me who I can and can't talk to!" Still in her pajamas, she grabbed a small backpack she had packed last night, she pushed past him and left her room.

I don't want you to get it in that little head of yours that he likes you.

Her father's words stung into her heart like acid. He wasn't right, was he? No...Willy was her friend. He was the sweetest, gentlest person she knew. There was no way all of that was merely a facade.

But she shook that thought away as quickly as it came. She didn't care what her father said. She was going to talk to Willy no matter what, whether he liked it or not.

~

Charlotte met Willy and Noodle in the alleyway again as agreed, but this time, there were four other people with them, all climbing out of their laundry sacks.

She noticed Willy wasn't in his usual brown hat and purple overcoat. He was instead wearing a pair of black trousers, a white shirt, and a black vest. He looked sort of like a waiter, and Charlotte couldn't help but notice how good he looked right then.

"Charlie!" Willy was the first to notice her, his face breaking into a smile as she saw him. Hearing his voice and his nickname for her was all she needed to know her father was lying.

"Willy!" She ran over to him and Noodle waved at her. "Who're your friends?"

"Ah, yes!" he said eagerly. "This is Abacus Crunch, Piper Benz, Larry Chucklesworth, and Lottie Bell!" He introduced them one by one, pointing to each of them as he said their names. "They're here to help us out!"