Willow Bucket and the Chocolate Factory

Berkeley

Today was the day. Willow was going to tour Berkeley.

She sat in the passenger seat of her Mr. Wonka's spare blue Chevrolet, her small black purse situated between her twitchy fingers. The Oompa Loompa,  Jake, walked outside the factory where the car sat, a briefcase in hand and determined expression plastered across his face.

"Ready to go, Ms. Bucket?" The Oompa Loompa, opened the door to the passenger seat and makes to sit down.

Willow giggled. She couldn't help it. "Aren't you forgetting something, Jakey?"

Jake scrunched his face up, then his face brightened suddenly. "Ah, yes. Chocolate. Don't worry, Ms. Bucket, I've packed plenty."

Willow continued laughing, unable to believe Jake couldn't understand what she was saying. "No, Jake, I think we're good on the chocolate. Your height, however..."

The Oompa Loompa looked down at his feet; he didn't even stand an entire three feet off the ground. A blush crawled up Jake's cheeks. "Oh yes, I forgot the Shooter-Up Potion. How could I be so silly! I'll get it right now!" Jake's voice dropped to a whisper. "You won't tell the others about this, will you?"

Willow shook her head fervently, wanting to keep this promise. If the other Oompa Loompas found out, Jake would get a song named after him. And a song in the Oompa Loompa village only meant one of two things; you've brought the village enormous glory or enormous shame. And forgetting to drink the potion to take the owner of the chocolate factory's daughter to her dream school constituted 'enormous shame.'

Unfortunately for Jake, she was too late. The other Oompa Loompas had came out, already with a song in their voice

Mr. Jake, Mr. Jake

He really needs to take a break

He left the potion on the table

Little sense that action makes

Mr. Jake, Mr. Jake

What other things, for goodness sake

The dog, the table, and now the charm

Mr. Jake, go take a break!

Jake's face was redder than the rouge stripe on a peppermint chew. He snatched the bottle of Shooter-Up potion and downed it in one gulp, then hurried back into the driver's seat, throwing it against the pavement and locking the doors.

The Shooter-Up Potion had immediate effects. Jake started grunting, as his arms and legs began to stretch out. His feet and hands grew bigger, and his face grew wider.

Suddenly, Jake was human-sized. Willow clapped to show appreciation for his transformation. Jake gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"I'm ready to go, Ms. Bucket."

Willow grinned. "Well then, step on it, Jake! Today feels like my lucky day!"

In no time at all, Willow had arrived to Berkeley. Only twenty minutes after starting the car, the Chevrolet was landing and was letting Willow out in abandoned trees near the college. Yes, landed. The Chevrolet was no ordinary Chevrolet; it could fly.

Willow began walking in the direction that was the way toward the college. Unfortunately, she didn't quite know where that was. Maybe Jake was right; maybe she should have brought the map with her.

Willow pulled out her phone, in an attempt to GPS her location. The forest though, as it turns out, was a cellular dead zone. Willow bit her tongue, to stop herself from crying or screaming. Her dad let her go out by herself for the first time and she's already messing everything up.

"Hey, you lost?"

Willow jumped at the sound of the foreignly deep voice. She turned quickly to the left, to identify it.

The voice laughed, an appealing ring of joy. "Other way."

Willow's cheeks brightened as she turned to the right. The boy had  brown hair and a light dusting of freckles across his tan cheeks. He was smiling and his smile showed prominent dimples. He was wearing a basic button down with slacks, but he looked like a model in it.

"Oh, uh...hi." Willow stuttered awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Not a problem." The boy said easily. "What's your name?"

"Willow." She was careful not to say her last name. "What about you?"

"Maxwell. Maxwell Benett. Are you lost?"

Willow couldn't help but giggle. "Maybe just a little."

"Well, I'd be glad to show you the way back to the campus. And maybe I could show you around when we get there."

Willow beamed, a genuine glow on her face. "I think I'd like that."

Willow learned two very important things on her tour of Berkley. 1) She definitely wanted to go to Berkley and 2) she definitely wanted to see Maxwell again.

The campus was huge, filled with charming and old-fashioned infrastructure along with modern touches. There were large staircases and several classrooms and a library, filled with mahogany bookcases that stretched with pages for what seemed like millenias.

But what made the tour even better was Maxwell by her side at every moment, excitedly explaining the history of all the landmarks and all the exciting extracurricular activities and nightlife to participate in.

"It's always been my dream to come to Berkley and study history, so that's what I'm doing this year. Plus, I have a family member who is an alumni here, which I guess is why I know the school so well."

"So you wanted to come here because you're parents did?"

Maxwell laughed at that. "Not my parents, no, my aunt came here. My parents are actually Irish immigrants and never went to college. They built a nice bakery just outside of Buffalo."

"Your father runs a bakery? My father..." Willow catches herself, "he always wanted to go into culinary."

Maxwell smirked. "The goods are amazing. I honestly think they would've blown up if they weren't so stuck on keeping the bakery a "local delicacy." Maxwell's smile brightened. "Hey, if you come to school here, maybe I could take you there someday."

I grinned, excited by the very prospect. "I'd like that."

Maxwell grinned back, then took my hand. "Anyways, I have to show you the arena. The games are the highlight of every college Friday. Come on!"

And so the two young teenagers ran to the arena.