I came to slowly, sitting up with a yawn. I ran a hand through my tangled hair and realized that I was not on the Swudge anymore, nor was I in my own room.
I looked around, my panic rising. I slid off of the bed, and rushed to the door, opening it quickly. I looked up at Willy, who stood there with a nervous smile.
"Good morning, Starshine," he said with a giggle. "How'd you sleep?"
I raised my eyebrow at him and asked, "How come am I not in my own bed?"
"You were passed out, and I didn't know where to leave you, since the Buckets have already turned in for the night. So I thought that I should let you stay in a guest bedroom I had made," he said quietly.
I exhaled a sigh, glad that nothing happened. "What time is it?"
"I think it's 5:27 AM. I have to work on something in about an hour. Care for a ride in the glass elevator?" Willy chirped with an eager smile, one that I couldn't say no to.
"Sure!" I took his hand and we left the room, going down the hallway towards the elevator.
"There is one room I really want you to see first!" he exclaimed with glee.
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"This room is a very special room. Although, I sadly haven't been visiting it as often. It's terribly lonely to go alone to," Willy said as we left the elevator. He faced me with a sly grin, and pulled me to him as he walked backwards.
I grinned and looked around the room, a small chill reaching my skin. What was before me was what I thought to be an ice skating rink, but knowing Willy, it wasn't just ice.
"What room is this?" I asked him as he led me over to a small bench. He gestured for me to sit down, and reached behind me to grab something. He didn't respond, and he got onto one knee and picked up my foot, untying my shoe.
I looked over to his side and saw some kind of ice skates. Except, instead of metal, the blade was made of a sort of stiff, durable plastic.
"This room..." Willy explained as he worked on my laces, "is called the Cokernut-Ice Skating Rinks. It doesn't need to be kept frozen like ice does, and when you skate on it, the smell of Cokernut fills the air. Neat, huh?"
"That's brilliant!" I exclaimed in awe. I asked him with a giggle, "How are you so darn brilliant?"
He shrugged and winked at me with his dazzling smile.
"I have my ways," he chuckled. He finished tying my other skate on, and then proceeded to take off his shoes. I stifled a laugh at the sight of his atrociously bright candy-patterned socks.
"Nice socks," I commented with a tinge of mock. He looked at me and smirked.
"Glad you like them. Because I bought you some for your birthday. So we can match!" He laughed lightly with his final note. I squinted my eyes at him, seeing a bit of playful sarcasm lacing his gaze.
I realized I couldn't win this battle of teasing, feigning a frown. "You didn't have to, you know."
"But I wanted to," he countered, his voice smooth like syrup. He smirks and stands up, taking my hand. "Come on! Let's skate a couple laps!"
I giggled and stood up, doing my best not to fall over. He noticed my poor balance and sighed, scooping me up into his arms, bridal-style. He complained with a mocking smirk, "You are such a kid."
I squinted my eyes at him and crossed my arms. I said sarcastically, fighting a smile, "Thanks, I feel so much better knowing I haven't aged a bit."
He glances at me and his joking manner was dropped. He murmured, "I'm only joking."
He looked ahead as he carried me to the gate and into the rink. I reached up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, placing a gentle kiss onto his cheek. "I know, Willy. So was I."
His cheery attitude returned, and he placed me onto the Cokernut-Ice carefully. I slowly let go of him, and he held his hands to my waist after my feet touched the rink's floor. I discreetly blushed with the contact of his hands on my sides.
"Okay, have you ever been roller-skating?" he asked in my ear, sending chills down my spine. I shook my head.
"Too poor, then. Remember?" I stated then chuckled. His breath hitched at my statement, and I felt him tense up a bit.
"It's okay, I'm not hurt by that fact," I reassured him.
"Right, right," he muttered nervously. He cleared his throat and I felt him slowly remove his hands from my waist.
I was shocked at how well I was able to stand alone. I looked over my shoulder, up at Willy. "What now?"
"Well, what your goal is, is to be able to push yourself forward. Like this!" He skates around me and faces me with a wide grin. I hated that he made this look so easy. He saw my panic and laughed a little.
"If you push your foot at an angle, it'll be easier. Trust me," he said as he reached his hand out to me.
I took it, and he pulled me to him. I gasped at the speed, and nearly collapsed when I ran into Willy. He laughed at my fluster, and wrapped his right arm around my waist, taking my right hand in his left.
"Follow my lead," he murmured to me in my ear.
It was rough at first, but with Willy's support, I finally got the hang of it. I dropped his hand and sped in front of him, cheering, "This is so much fun!"
He giggled at my childlike attitude, and skated backwards, smirking at me as he sped passed me. I did my best to catch up, but eventually, I cut across the rink and nearly slammed into him with my speed.
He caught me and we spun in a tight circle with my momentum. We gasped with the shock of our sudden collision, both of us losing balance and falling. The refreshing smell of the sweet Cokernut wafted into my nose as I lied there next to Willy.
After that not-so gentle landing, we both looked at each other, and bursted out laughing. I wiped a happy tear from my eye, and I felt myself being picked up off the cool Cokernut floor bridal-style once again.
My laughing died down to a mere giggle as I looked into the chocolatier's violet eyes. He smiled softly down at me, and I smiled back. We stared into each other's gazes for what felt like a beautiful forever.
"You better hurry; you're going to be late for work," I sighed.
He sulked a little and said, "I know."
He set me down, and before I could step out of the rink, he lifted me by the waist and set me down in front of him. I smiled a little, my cheeks flushed with his touch.
He smirked, and said with a hopeful tone, "Perhaps we can continue our little elevator tour later?"
I nodded with a grin and bit my lip, containing my blooming joy. "I look forward to it."
He grinned at that and led me to the bench, both of us taking off our skates. After he returned the skates to there rightful place, we walked, hand-in-hand, to the elevator.