Mallie was tidying up her room when she heard a knock on the door. Curious, she opened the door to reveal Lottie.
"Lottie?" She asked curiously
"Sorry to disturb you" Lottie said, her tone of voice slightly embarrassed as she began to quietly mumble something
Mallie moved to the side, letting Lottie in as Mallie shut the door. Lottie took a seat on Mallies bed and Mallie followed suit.
"Sorry if i caught you off guard" Lottie finally said
"You're alright Lottie I promise", Mallie said, placing her hand on Lotties for a moment before retreating it, "Now what's going on?"
Lottie took a deep breath before continuing,
"Do you think I could join you on a journey to the city?"
Mallie eyes grew softer,
"Of course Lottie, I have something to do tonight but tomorrow let's get out of here for the day: me you, Noodle, and Piper"
Lotties smiled grew at the words
"I would love that! Almost like a girls day"
"Almost like", Mallie teased, "It's gonna be a full on girls day"
Lottie, knowing Mallie had plans, quickly said goodbye and saw her leave back to her room. Mallie, suddenly realizing she was late, headed down to meet up with Willy and Noodle.
"Took you long enough" Noodle joked as Mallie approached
"I gotta talk to you later but for now let's head to the zoo"
--
Willy and Mallie watched as Noodle spoke to the zoo guard and gave him the chocolate. After accepting, Noodle hurriedly walked to where Willy and Mallie were.
"So what is gonna happen when he eats the chocolate?" Mallie asked as they watched the guard start to eat the chocolate
"Just wait" Willy responded
Mallie, Noodle, and Willy watched as the man started to party, call the girl from his high school chemistry class he was in love with, and then promptly fell asleep. Mallie glanced over at Noodle and then to Willy.
"Uh it kinda feels like we drugged him"
"Nonsense," Willy said brushing Mallie off, "It's just some chocolate"
Mallie dropped it and they walked into the Zoo. As they walked, Willy looked at the flamingos.
"Why do the flamingos never leave?" Willy wondered out loud
"Maybe they just don't want to leave" Noodle suggested
"Or maybe they've never dreamed of anything better than this" Mallie chimed in
Willy turned to Mallie and smiled,
"That's a shame because everyone deserves to have a dream of a greater life"
Mallie smiled back,
"Well maybe they just need someone to lead them"
They finally made it where the zoo holds all the animals at night. They walked in and glanced around, reading the sign for the giraffe. While Noodle and Mallie weren't looking, Willy's "amazing" reading skills had him open up what he thought was the giraffe... only for it to be a tiger. Hearing the roar, Mallie and Noodle jumped over. Mallie grabbed Willys hand and pulled him closer to her as Noodle shut the door.
"You really need to get started on those reading lessons Mallie" Noodle says panting
Mallie stares at Willy, still holding him,
"Agreed"
Willy stayed close for a brief moment before leaving Mallie's grasp.
"Girls don't worry, i've been near death many times"
Mallie and Noodle exchanged looks
"and .. that's ok with you?" Mallie said confused
Willy and Noodle started to go in on near death experiences but the fact that Willy had been close to death shook Mallie up. She didn't want to but the thought of him getting hurt or dead hurt her, a lot, too much in her opinion. When she finally tuned back in, Willy and Noodle had found the giraffe room, Mallie jogged to catch up to them.
Willy opened the door and they walked in, staring up to look at the giraffe. Willy slowly walked up to the giraffe.
"Hi my name is Willy Wonka and if you'd allow us we'd love to have your milk Miss...uh-"
"Abigail" Noodle said, shining her flashlight at a sign in the room
Mallie walked over and stood next to Willy
"Don't worry, you'll be reading that in no time" Mallie jokes, Willy turned to her and laughed
Willy began to milk the giraffe and the topic turned into rhyming using names
"Nothing rhymes with Noodle" Noodle complained
Willy and Mallie laughed,
"No way there's gotta be something that rhymes with Noodle" Mallie said still laughing
"Boodle Noodle"
"Poodle Noodle"
"Canoodle Noodle"
By this point, everyone is laughing their heads off. Suddenly, Noodle laughs died down and Mallie turns to her.
"Is something wrong Noodle?" Mallie asked concerned
"It's just", Noddle starts but then suddenly stops herself, she glances over at Willy and Mallie who are waiting her answer and takes a deep breath, "for a moment i forgot to feel sad"
Willy and Mallie listen as Noodle begins to sing about how she doesnt feel sad anymore with all the adventures the three had had together. While it filled her with joy to see her happy, Mallie couldn't help but feel bad for Noodle. She didn't deserve this life of servitude, she deserved to be a kid. By the time the song finished, Mallie pulled Noodle into a long hug trying to contain her tears.
"One day I'm gonna help you get the life you deserve," Mallie whispered into her ear, making Noodle hold her tighter.
Willy finished getting all the milk and they put it in the crate and began to walk. Noodle, who was pushing the car, suddenly sped up and then came to a fast halt making Mallie and Willy stop in their tracks.
" I have to urgently get this milk back to Scrubbits, don't worry about catching up with me" Noodle proudly stated and looked at Mallie and give her a single wink, with that she practically ran away
Mallie could feel her face burning up, she really hoped that Willy had not seen that wink. She had no idea she was really that obvious with her slightly growing feelings for Willy. Mallie has never really been one for personal relationships growing up, but she suddenly got the realization that over this year, she has made more friends than she ever imagined. Her parents were never really there, the most vital relationship for a child, she thought that she was just an obligation that her parents had to meet every once in a while. She never thought she could have feelings like this.
"You alright Mallie? you've been off in space" Willy asked
"Yeah sorry, i was just thinking"
"About what?" Willy pried
"It's nothing don't worry about it" Mallie said brushing him off, with this Willy grew a big smirk on his face
"I think i know a way to get you to speak"
With that, Willy grabbed her hand and began running. Mallie stumbled behind trying to ask what was going on and that's when Willy began to sing.
'For a moment
I can't keep my feet on the ground'
Suddenly Willy grabbed a handful of balloons and they began to float, Mallie shrieked but looked over to Willy with no fear in his eyes. In some odd way, it almost comforted her. As they floated the flamingos followed suit, flying all over the city. Eventually they landed on top of Galeries Gourmet and for the first time, Mallie felt fully free and began to sing.
'He's the one good thing
That's ever happened to me'
Willy spinned Mallie all around as she laughed, something felt so right, so perfect. They began to sing together
'We're having oodles and oodles of fun'
They laughed as they began to float down into the Galeries Gourmet. When they landed, Mallie looked over to Willy.
"You really are something" Mallie said in amazement to which Willy just laughed
"You're the one that's special Mallie but i don't think you realize it"
Mallie shook her head and sat on the edge of the fountain
"I'm the most average person ever Willy"
"nonsense !" Willy said loudly, sitting beside her on the fountain, " you're kind and willing to help anyone in need, you didn't even know me before you agreed to help me learn how to read, you have a kindness in your heart that is hard to find here"
Mallies face was completely flushed, but at this point she didn't care. She was never one for people to dote on or flatter so this was something new, but instead of pushing it aside, she ran straight towards it.
"Willy you're an amazing inventor and chocolate maker and I admire how much you stand up for what you believe in, no matter what circumstances"
Willy and Mallie stared into each other's eyes, like they had so much more to say. Before anything else could be said, the yells of the head chief and footsteps could be heard. Mallie tried to grab Willy's hand and run but he wouldn't budge.
"Willy!" Mallie whispered, "we have to get out of here"
But Willy just shook his head,
"They already know someones here and i don't want you getting in trouble, go without me, i'll be fine I promise"
Mallie stared for a moment before jogging away but only to hide. She refused to leave without Willy and she couldnt live with herself if she left and he got hurt. Mallie watched in horror as the chief stuck Willy's head underwater twice and then hit him over the head. Once she knew he was gone, Mallie grabbed Willy and slowly began helping him back to Scrubbits.
--
Wily woke up with a hot towel on his head and in bed. He lifted himself up to see Mallie, asleep at his desk. The creaking of the bed woke Mallie up in a panic
"What,what is there an intruder" Mallie said in a sleepy mumble to which Willy just laughed
Realizing Willy was awake, Mallie rushed over to his side.
"Are you feeling better now?" Mallie asked, removing the towel from his head, showing a slight bruise
"I'll manage," Willy said smiling, " i told you that you were kind"
Mallie blushed, she was about to say something until they heard something coming from Willy's window. They walked over to see a rope and a basket connected to Willy and Noodles window bars.
"Mallie what are you doing in Willy's room" Noodle teased, when she didn't get a comment she continued,
"I have something for Willy" Noodle said, putting a piece of paper in the basket and sliding it to them.
Willy opened the piece of paper to see the letter 'A' on it
"Since Mallie is taking forever to start lessons I'll start you off" Noodle joked
Mallie laughed,
"Thanks Noodle, maybe you can be my assistant"
Willy quickly grabbed a piece of chocolate and put it in the basket and slid it back to Noodle
"And here's my gift, starting off your lifetime supply of chocolate"
Noodle grabbed the chocolate and ate it,
"It's good Willy but are you really gonna give you a lifetime supply of chocolate?" Noodle asked
"Of course," Willy stated, "cause you're gonna help me sell chocolate
"Willy," Noodle said sighing, "I don't even know where to begin on how to help"
Suddenly another light turned on and Piper walked out to her window
"What if you use the storm drains" Piper suggested, suddenly everyones except Abacus lights turned on and they turned their attention to Piper
"I worked on the plumbing all for the drains, I know them like the back of my hands. They connect all around the city and we can use it to escape the police" Piper explained
Willy and Mallie looked at Noodle and nodded
"Does this mean you guys are in to help us?" Mallie asked Piper, Lottie, and Larry
Piper and Larry said yes as Lottie began rambling on. Everyone except Mallie looked at her with shock
"What?" Lottie finally asked
"I didn't know you could speak" Larry said still shocked
Mallie looked at them confused,
"She talks all the time" Mallie stated dumbfounded
"I don't talk as much as I used to," Lottie said, "I was a telephone operator so i quite the chatterbox"
Before anyone could say anything, Abacus's light came on and he went to his window,
"Whatever you're trying to do you need to stop," Abacus lectured, " Nothing can get past the chocolate cartel"
"But Abacus you've got to try this" Noodle said, tossing the chocolate to him
Abacus took a bite of chocolate and began to chew, his eyes lit up.
"When do we start"