For A Moment - A Wonka AU

Chapter 14: To Read and to Create

The next day was filled with the group working tirelessly to fix the shop. And after a day of working relentlessly, Willy, Noodle, and Charlotte were taking a walk through the streets as night began to fall, since they had a little bit to spare until they had to be back at the Wash House. Noodle had brought the others back to the Wash House earlier, so it was just them now.

"Come on, you two, I'll be fine!" Charlotte insisted. She was trying to convince them to let her go with them. Noodle was trying to teach Willy how to read and she wanted to help.

"It'll only be for one night! My father won't mind," she lied. "And I'll just sneak out later! Nobody will have to know!"

Willy and Noodle exchanged worried glances. They looked doubtful. "I dunno, Charlie..." Willy said.

"C'mon, Willy!" She frowned.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you, it's just that..." He sighed. His voice was quiet and less confident than usual, like he really wanted to say yes, but still wasn't sure. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Her face softened slightly, but that definitely wasn't enough to stop her.

Noodle nodded. "Willy's right, Charlotte. If Mrs. Scrubitt catches you, she might try to make you one of us!"

Charlotte crossed her arms. "My father wouldn't allow it," she said flatly.

Willy gave her a look, as if he didn't believe her.

She sighed. "Look, even if I'm currently working against him, he still loves me!"

The trio exchanged silent looks, neither of them saying anything else.

Until Willy spoke again.

"I mean...it's only for a night, right...?"

Charlotte's face lit up and she gave Noodle a smug look. "See? Willy agrees!"

Noodle glared at Willy and he gave her a sheepish shrug. "Okay, fine..." she mumbled reluctantly. "I'll sneak you in. But you're responsible for the sore back you'll be waking up with after sleeping on the floor."

Charlotte smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!" If a sore back was what she had to receive in return for spending time with them, then so be it!

Noodle sighed and led them to the alleyway where she usually parked her laundry cart. "Come along then..."

The other two followed after her.

Once they reached the cart, Willy climbed into one of the laundry sacks and closed it up. Seeing this, Charlotte climbed into another laundry sack and Noodle sealed her in.

It was a bit hard to breathe in the sack, but she could manage. After all, they weren't too far away from the Wash House.

Charlotte shifted into the most comfortable position she could manage and she felt the cart move as Noodle pushed it through the alleyway and back to The Wash House.

She knew exactly when they had made it, because she could hear the voices of Mrs. Scrubitt and Bleacher. It sounded like they were making horrible attempts at flirting at each other.

"Why, hello, Noodle..." Mrs. Scrubitt's nasty voice said. It sounded like she was feigning sweetness.

"Hello, Mrs. Scrubitt," Noodle replied.

Charlotte felt the cart come to a stop, and moments later she felt herself being shoved into something- probably the laundry chute.

Since she didn't know what was happening yet, she almost screamed at the falling sensation, but silently slapped a hand over her mouth to silence any noises her body tried to make.