Even though we were late for dinner we didn't get much crap. Mrs. Bucket was used to dad being late for meals. I guess he really was a workaholic. I made sure to tell Mrs. Bucket that there was a chance someone else would be staying for dinner the next day. She didn't mind. In fact she told me that my friends were always welcome for dinner.

After dinner I called Candy and asked her if she could come over after school the next day. She asked her parents and it was quickly arranged for her to get off the bus at the factory with me and Charlie.

The next day at school I got in trouble with Mrs. Thompson for not having my homework. I detention the following Friday with her for two hours. All over one math assignment. I guess it would have been easier to have just done the wrong. I wasn't sure what dad was going to say when I told him.

Three fifty came and Charlie, Candy, and I were dropped off at the factory. Charlie and I walked through the gates but Candy just stood there staring up at it. I stopped walking and looked back at her.

"This is the nearest I've been to this place," she said. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Come on Candy," I said taking her hand and leading her inside the factory.

Charlie took off his coat and dropped it on the floor. I had chosen to wear my trench coat that day so it soon joined Charlie's coat on the floor. Candy was looking at us with a confused look.

"You can just drop your coat on the floor," I explained. "It'll be clean when you pick it up. If the magic of this place doesn't clean it up an oompa loompa will."

"What's an oompa loompa?" she asked taking off her jacket and letting it fall to the floor.

"Only the greatest creatures in the world," Charlie said. "There's bound to be some in the chocolate room."

Candy still looked confused so Charlie and I let her down the hallway. After unlocking the door at the end Charlie opened it. The three of us walked in the completely eatable room. As expected she stood and stared at the room open mouthed.

"Everything in this room can be eaten," Charlie explained. "Even the grass."

"Amazing," Candy said walking forward.

I noticed Dad on the other side of the room. He was standing next to one of the trees and tapping it.

"What's he doing?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know," I said. "Let's go find out."

The three of us walked over to where dad was standing. He moved his head closer to the tree when we reached him. Dad kept brining his fingers up to tap the tree.

"What are you-" Charlie started but Wonka shook his head and put a finger to his lips.

"You must be quiet," he whispered.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"Checking for something," dad said. He stopped taping the tree and just listened.

"What?" Charlie asked.

"I'll explain later," he said waving us off. "Go play you guys."

"Oh," I said remembering Candy. "Before you run off I want you to met Candy."

I pointed at Candy and dad turned his head to look at her.

"Hello Sir," Candy said offering her hand.

"You're not candy," he said looking confused.

"No," Charlie said laughing. "Her name is Candy."

"Oh!" Dad said shaking her hand. "In that case it very nice to met you. I'm a bit busy right now but I would be glad to show you guys around later."

"That's ok dad," I said. "I know how work is."

"Would you like an oompa loompa to replace me for now?" he asked.

"That won't be needed," Candy said. "We don't want to be trouble."

"Well in the case be on your way," dad said and went back to tapping the tree.

"I'm going to take Candy up to my room," I said to Charlie. "Do you want to come up to?"

"I've got homework to do," Charlie said with a sigh. "I'll be up there as soon as I'm done."

Charlie bide us goodbye and walked off towards his house.

"How do you get around a place this big?" Candy asked.

"Well we have a really cool elevator we use," I said. "But I prefer the boat."

"A boat?" she asked in the same high pitched voice she had used on the phone. "I love boats."

"I guess we're taking the boat then," I said and started to lead her towards the boat.

A few minutes later we walked into my room. Candy was standing behind side smirking.

"That was so cool," she said. "I've never been on a boat ride like before and those oompa loompas were funny."

"They'd love to hear that," I said and walked over to my bed.

Candy stood at the door looking around my room. I had updated it a small bit. The bright red bedspread and a black one had replaced it. The pillows that had the double Ws on them were gone There was a pillow the read 'the nightmare before Christmas' and then a pillow that read 'I taste blood.'

"I like it," she said walking over and sitting next to me on the bed. "Can I see your guitar?"

"Sure," I said getting up from the bed and walking over to my closet.

I opened the door and got out of my guitar. I walked back over to the bed and sat down.

"Neat," she said running her hands over it's polished surface. "Could you play something for me?"

"I don't know," I said blushing slightly. "I barley know you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked.

Good point. What did he have to do with anything?

"Ok," I said getting comfortable. "I wrote this song but I don't think it's much good. My friend Suicide usually takes care of the lyrics. I worn you it's still be worked."

Candy just nodded for me to start playing.

I started playing a steady low beat. It was slowly getting louder.

"Dead I am the one, Exterminating son,

Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze

Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry

While they slowly turn, conquering the worm."

The words flew out of my mouth and I started to play the guitar harder. Candy's eyes opened wide in amazement.

"Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool
Weak and want you need, nowhere as you bleed
Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat
Tender is the fur, dying as you...you..."

I couldn't remember the rest of the song. I blushed as I stopped playing.

"I drew a blank," I admitted setting the guitar aside.

"It's ok," she said smiling up at me. "I really liked your song and you have an amazing voice."

"You think so?" I asked in the softest voice a person could imagine.

"Yes," she whispered back.

I had noticed Candy was beautiful before but I didn't realize just how beautiful until I stared into her eyes. Her almond shaped eyes were spread wide as they could get. I couldn't figure out what feeling had filled her eyes to the brim and threatened to spill over. My eyes drifted down her face to her full lips. There were spread lightly and I could see the tip of her pink tongue. I got the sudden urge to kiss those lips.

Candy must have had the same idea because she closed her eyes and put her face right next to mine. I closed my eyes, leaned forward, and caught her lips in a kiss. Her lips were as smooth as silk.

I didn't hear the door open but Candy did. She jerked away from me suddenly and looked towards the door. Dad was standing there with a surprised look on his face.

"I'll come back later," he said quickly starting to shut the door.

"No," Candy said. "It's ok sir."

"Yeah," I said nodding. "It's alright. Did you need something?"

"No," he said. "I just felt bad about being rude like that. I was supposed to be putting off work while you were here."

"It's ok dad," I said. "If you got to work you got to work."

Dad suddenly went still and it's eyes glazed over a bit. He looked just like he did the first day I met him when he had his 'flashback'. I asked Charlie and he said has gets them a lot.

"Is he ok?" Candy asked.

"Flashback," I explained. "He gets them a lot. Charlie says that he just had to wait for him to come out of them."

"Oh," Candy said still looking at dad.

A few minutes passed before Dad turned his head in my direction.

"Welcome back," I sad waving.

"Thank you," he said with a giggle. "Wait...did I go somewhere?"

Candy laughed quietly to herself. I couldn't help but laugh too.

"Never mind dad," I said. "So how about that tour? I'm sure Candy would like to see the whole place."

"Oh yes!" he nodded. "Come on along then."

Candy and I got up from my bed and headed the door. I couldn't help but smile as she took my hand in hers.

Ok. that song belongs to Rob Zombie.