As Sweet as Surprises

So this is a new story i am trying out it is a Willy W/OC pairing and i hope you will enjoy it!

PS apologies for the incorrect weather, think of it as a February drought ah hah.

CHAPTER ONE

The faint smell of freshly mowed grass drifted through the several acres of land, gardeners worked diligently occasionally wiping their foreheads or bending down to take a drink as they struggled in the sweltering sun. The smell of grass wafted over the long crystal clear pool which trembled even though there was no wind, as if expecting a sudden storm till the inviting aroma finally hit my nostrils from the open patio doors of the manor house.

I sat staring at the land with longing, half wanting to remain inside where it was cool and I had the luxury of air conditioning or to burst into the sunlight rolling around in the tiny blades. I glanced around the living room and took a sip from my glass of apple juice, I stared at the opened Wonka bar on the arm of the sofa. There was not even the slightest hint of gold, not that I expected there to be and decided to resist temptation and throw the uneaten chocolate in the bin before I was reprimanded for eating chocolate on a cream sofa. The room around me was finely furnished with an open fireplace that was hardly ever used around this time of year, three sofas and an imported rug from Dubai lay on the floor as a symbol of my families wealth.

The beautiful quiet was soon interrupted by a loud scream as a little terror stormed through the door, quickly followed by a tall man in a Saville row inspired suit. I quickly downed the rest of my drink and put it on the glass coffee table and gave my father a strained smile as my little sister threw her schoolbag onto one of the sofas with incredible force for her age before throwing herself next to it, her copper ringlets bouncing from the force.

"YOU ARE NOT LOOKING HARD ENOUGH!" She screamed at my dad who was cowering before the almighty eleven year old.

"Sweetheart I have my factories working day and night looking for a ticket, you will have one I promise you."

"I want the golden ticket now!" Veruca Salt folded her arms stubbornly and refused to look at her snivelling dad, I felt slightly nauseous at his behaviour; Veruca had always been the spoiled child whereas I had preferred to be independent. The child turned to me as if only just noticing I was in the room.

"Diana, you are here. Is daddy telling the truth about the factory working that hard?"

My dad implored me sliently, "Of course it is Veruca, daddy is working very hard for you. It is not fair of you to ask him this, there are only five golden tickets in the entire world and hundred of thousands of children are after this ticket."

"But I want it." She exclaimed, "If that fat boy can find a ticket then I want one!"

"Wait, one has already been found?" Asked dad with a frown. Veruca screamed into the pillow in annoyance.

"How can you not know that? The fat boy doesn't deserve it, he practically ate it."

My father gave me another look, I sighed. "The first one was found in Germany, a boy called Augustus Gloop. He was eating the chocolate bar when he realised he had the ticket."

"What an oaf." My father sat down beside me with a thoughtful look in his eyes, "Well at least this proves that they are real."

"Of course they are real." Snapped Veruca.

"Alright darling, I will do what I can for you."

My sister stood up and unfortunately for us noticed my uneaten Wonka bar in the bin, she pulled it out and with another ear aching scream threw it on the sofa and began to rub the chocolate into the fabric. Both myself and my father sprung up at once.

"Veruca. Stop it this instance." Warned my father as he stood there meekly and let her ruin the suite. It was I who was physically restraining the brat from doing any futhur damage.

"ANOTHER BAR WITH NO TICKET. YOU ARE ALL USELESS!"

She was fighting me with all her might and I was quickly tiring of the unnecessary fight. Veruca however recognised my fatigue and took the opportunity to punch and kick at me even harder till I could feel bruises.

"SHUT UP YOU SPOILED BRAT!" I screamed in her face.

There was a moment of silence where we both stared at each other. Tears began to well up in her eyes and suddenly she looked like a beaten little puppy, as the waterworks began to fall from her eyes my dad stood to and attempted to put his arms round her only to be shoved away. The eleven year old drew herself up to her full height and while fighting her tears pointed a warning finger at us both, "I had better have one by tomorrow."

And with that she took her dramatic exit stomping all the way up the stairs as her tears became audible.

"Peace and quiet!" I exclaimed with joy while flopping back on the sofa. My father was glaring at me, "What?" I asked indignantly.

"That was completely unnecessary Diana."

"Oh please, are you actually going to tell me she did not deserve it?"

"No, but look at how upset she it now. She is only a little girl."

"A spoiled little girl."

"Now do not start this again Di."

I stood up but was careful to keep my tone quiet. "No daddy you need to stop spoiling her, you never should have started it. Look at the result when she does not get her own way, frankly I am relieved this ticket debacle has arrived now before she became any older. Now she will have to accept that some things are not possible for even a Salt to obtain."

"Now is this is because you were not treated as often as her? Because you constantly told us you did not need such materialistic objects."

"No daddy. I do not care for all the rubbish she wants. It would not be so bad if it was something she was going to use, but Veruca wants it because she simply wants it."

My father sighed, "Of course she will use it darling. Going to the factory will be exciting for her, something she will always remember."

"You do not understand do you?" I decided to give up on my dad and strode out into the blinding sunlight, instantly wishing I had my Tiffany sunglasses on me. While I did not care for designer labels much, they did have a way of making you feel just a little bit special.

I found a nice piece of shade under an apple tree and lay down feeling the coolish grass under my fingertips. I loved my sister but I am well aware of all her faults too, that is the difference between me and my parents, and the fact that I am the only one that can calm her down.

Veruca and I were born into the lap of luxury thanks to my father's flourishing nut business, ever since Willy Wonka made that public proclamation of hiding five golden tickets in his chocolate bars with an invitation to look around his mysterious factory as well as an added lifetime prize, the world had been obsessed with finding them. Including my sister, Veruca. I had argued again and again over the poor choice of name, I still have no idea why my parents chose it. There is no one in the family tree named Veruca, no royal or public figure and I had not had the heart to tell Veruca why every new person we met could not help a snort when she introduced herself.

Yet as much as I hated the name, it suited her incredibly well. My sister was a small wart that clung to you and spread her disease until you were so desperate to be rid of it you succumbed to whatever it wanted. I wanted these tickets to be found as soon as possible so we could put it behind us.

A lonely shadow blocked my sun and I squinted only to notice my sister's copper ringlets gleaming in the sun. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"May I sit next to you?" She was unusually quiet. I nodded my head slowly, wary of a sudden outburst from the girl, when I received none I turned on my side and lent on my elbow. Veruca was rubbing her eyes.

"Are you alright?" I asked, no matter how dreadful she could act this girl was still my sister.

"My eyes are itchy." She muttered.

"That's because you've been crying."

"No I have not." She snapped defensively. I frowned slightly and she finally gave in. "Okay so I have been."

"It is only a golden ticket Veruca. You must try to understand that there will be some things in the world that you will not be able to have."

"But I have always got everything I want." Veruca replied with a puzzled expression. "If I want it, I get it."

"Well that will not be the case forever. Mummy and daddy are far too soft on you."

"No they aren't they are hard on me. They always tell me off for wanting something."

"Well you are rather spoiled, you are far more spoiled than I am."

"But that is because you never ask for anything."

"You have to start asking youself, do I really need this." I pushed some of my own light brown hair out of my eyes and laid my hand on top of her own.

"Okay." Veruca lay down on the grass, there was silence between us. Just simple silence where we were just two sisters lapping up the rare English sun, it was times like these when I knew I loved her dearly. She was just a normal child.

"Diana?"

"Yes?" I did not look at her but was instead trying to identify pictures in the clouds.

"What does spoiled mean?"

I sat up in surprise, Veruca did not know the meaning of the word? "You honestly do not know?"

"Well I hear you call me it a lot, and I used to think it was just a special name for me until daddy called me it."

I sighed, how could I explain this. "Spoiled is someone who always gets their way and does not know when to stop." I tried to sum up, I flashed her a watery smile.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It is yes?"

"Why?"

I tried to form a sentence but was unsure how to reply, "Well um, like I said they do not know when to say no and become very angry when they do not get their way."

Veruca looked away and I smiled as she let the idea process, maybe this piece of information would flick a switch in her brain that desperately needed to be turned on.

"I still do not understand." She said with an air of finality. "I will ask daddy later."

I opened and closed my mouth before deciding that was probably the best thing to do, before I could speak Veruca piped up,

"I am sorry about earlier."

"It is alright as long as you learn to keep that fiery temper of yours in check."

"I will try." She extended her short little arms out and I happily accepted her hug. "I will probably never say this again," She whispered in my ear as if she was afraid of being overheard, "But you are my favourite family member."

I grinned as we released each other. At that moment a squirrel lept into the garden and Veruca's face lit up.

"A squirrel!" She cried in delight, having always had a soft spot for them. I let her chase the squirrel round the garden in an attempt to catch it and could not resist laughing as she nearly knocked a gardener off his feet. The squirrel had hurriedly climbed up a tree and Veruca cried out in frustration.

"Ahh leave him alone Veruca, you shall never catch a squirrel."

"I will one day." She told me as she resumed her place in the shade, "I will be the first person to own a squirrel."

I laughed, "I think that may be the one thing you cannot own." I turned over onto my back and she copied me.

"Di, when will I find my ticket?" She asked and I held in a groan, it was as if we had never had that conversation!

"I do not know Veruca, tomorrow maybe."

"Promise, tomorrow?" She held out her little finger and I linked my own with her.

"Yes I promise, tomorrow you will have a golden ticket."

"And one more thing, when I do have it I want you to be the person who comes with me."

I stared at her for a moment, "Are you sure? You want me to come?"

"Yes." She answered bluntly. "You are twenty-two, you are an adult so you will accompany me."

"But what about daddy, i'm sure he would love to go with you instead."

"Ew no, he would just embarrass me and bore Mr Wonka talking about his own factory." Veruca wrinkled her nose up in disgust.

"Well daddy may have to take you Veruca."

Her smile slipped at little, "Why?" She demanded crossing her little arms.

"Because I am not sure I would be allowed in there."

"Why?" She asked again with much more force.

I tried to change the subject quickly, "Oh look at you blue dress, Veruca you have grass stains all over it."

"Well I can change into one of my other dresses, I have seven more blue ones. Now tell me why."

I did not answer.

"Why?" She cried tugging furiously on my lavender skirt.

"I will tell you later, I must discuss it with daddy first alright?"

"Fine." She mumbled under her breath, "But you do promise you will talk to him?"

"Of course I will, I would love to see what has become of that amazing factory."

"Okay!" Her smile was radiant in the sun as she happily got to her feet again and flounced into the manor. I half smiled at her, wondering if I too had just been twisted around her little finger.

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