Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

Flashbacks

"Dawn..." he begins quietly. "I can't make it better if I don't know what I did." I finally turn to face him. His eyes are wide and transparent. Not transparent in the way that I could see right through them, transparent in the way that I can tell he's not hiding anything from me. He doesn't have an ulterior motive, as so many people I know do. "I really want to fix this, Dawn. Help me. Please."

"I...I..." I shake my head, at a loss for words. Shrugging, I open and close my mouth several times, trying to judge how much to say. "I don't like the idea of being owned." I watch his eyes, looking for a reaction. He just listens calmly. "I can't...can't tell you why, but the idea of being owned by someone, kept by someone, is terrifying to me." His brow crinkles again, in concern and confusion. Being owned. Being an object. Being a runt. Memories fly through my head, showing me image after image of that night. Feeling after feeling. My eyes glaze over and my face goes indifferent.

"Hey, hey, hey." He cups a hand on my cheek and tilts my head toward him gently. "Don't leave me hanging, Starshine. I know you're there." Woeful violet eyes gaze into mine. His voice goes soft and sincere. "You have to be there."

I look up at him with suddenly aware eyes, welling with tears. "I'm here, Will." He smiles brightly and moves his hand from my face awkwardly, realizing how close we're standing. "I know you didn't mean to do anything, I'm just..." I sigh heavily and glue my eyes to my feet. "Just broken."

His mouth drops open and a look of disbelief crosses his face. "Dawn, look at me." He puts his hands on my shoulders and I look up under lowered eyelashes. A small smile rests on his mouth and the light reflects in his clear lavender eyes. "You may be broken, but broken is beautiful." He tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear timidly and swallows hard. "You are beautiful."

My heart flutters and a heavy blush rises to my face. My mother tells me I'm beautiful, but I never really believed her because I never thought so and no one else ever said so. In fact, the way people look at me makes me feel ugly. Like gum on the bottom of a shoe, like vermin they want to get rid of. But here, in this factory, with this new man, with his new words, I feel beautiful.

All too soon, the spell is broken. Will looks away when Veruca tugs on his coat and sneers at me. "Will Violet always be a blueberry?"

People begin to reconvene around Will, eager for more words from the chocolate wizard. "No. Maybe. I don't know, but that's what you get for chewing gum all day. It's just disgusting."

I couldn't agree more. Mike steps forward and I can't help but wish he just wouldn't talk at all. It's so obvious and repetitive. "If you hate chewing gum so much, why do you make it?"

Because he can. I think. You don't need a reason to do something, you just have to have the will to do it. He gives the boy a sarcastic smile. "Once again, you shouldn't mumble, 'cause it's kinda starting to bum me out." That's one way to avoid answering.

Charlie leans in at my elbow, excitement still radiating off of him. "Do you remember the first candy you ever ate?"

Will's smile fades and his eyes grow distant. We're like a yoyo, I suddenly realize. I space out, he pulls me back. He begins to space out, I have to pull him back. I can tell he's thinking of something from his childhood, but I don't know what. Guilt floods me all of a sudden. He's been asking about my story and trying to understand, but I haven't even tried to do the same for him. My brow furrows and I reach out, grasping his forearm gently. I can feel all eyes on me, the strange, poor girl Will has taken an special interest in. His hold on his cane tightens and I give his arm a squeeze. Come back, Will! You brought me back, so I bring you back.

I make small circles on the fabric of his coat sleeve with my thumb and watch the mesmerizing motion, forgetting for a moment that I'm supposed to be bringing him back. A warm hand folds over mine neatly. "Sorry, I was having a flashback."

Mr. Salt looks at Mr. Teevee warily, as if they're sharing a secret. "I see. These flashbacks happen often?"

I gaze up. Will's eyes shift between the men. "Increasingly." His eyes slide down to me and my hand still on his arm. "Today." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, yet playfully. I retract my arm quickly and tuck it under the coats in my other arm, cheeks burning for the second time in five minutes. I've known Will for about an hour and a half and he knows how to make me blush with just one look. I hear his musical laughter and smile. "Well! Let's get a move on, don't have all day do we?"

He sets off, leaving the Inventing Room behind, leading us down a colorful hall until he stops at a door marked 'Nut Sorting Room.'

I really wanted to give you guys a lot more than is actually here because this took so long, I apologize. I've been working on another story though, make sure to go check it out! Thank you all for just passing 2k reads! I can't believe it. Thanks for reading! You're awesome!
xoxo, Tilly