"The chocolate casino! Now that I have to see." Augustus looked at the sign heading into Las Vegas. His accent had toned down a little due to all his travelling. Ever since that day in the chocolate factory, he had been doing a bunch of odd jobs back home, saving money before dropping out of school at sixteen. Now the 24 year old was working his way accross the United States, determined to see as much as possible before his work Visa expired.
He munched on the cheap gas station nachos and a chocolate bar, glugging some "Irish" coffee to wash it down. Though being stuck in that pipe and nearly drowning in chocolate had made him realise that every day counted, not to mention he was now very hydrophobic, it could never turn him off the sweetness of chocolate. Plus it was the easiest food to pick up while on the go in a cheap rental car.
Another advertisement for the chocolate casino caught his eye, this one had Charlie Bucket's picture on it. He pulled over, looking up at the sign. "That could have been me." He said to no-one in particular. "All that chocolate and I had to blow it. Oh, well. Would have missed out on tasting the world wouldn't I?" On the road, he had taken to talking to himself, if not random hitch hikers, or drivers giving him a ride. He didn't know why he expected someone to respond when he was alone.
Finishing the chocolate bar, he hopped back in his car and kept driving. Advertisments for different clubs and casinos popped up every so often, but once again he found himself pulling over to look at one that caught his eye. Another one of his, well for lack of a better word, friends from the factory ten years ago. It was a small billboard of an older Violet. She was a contortionist, dressed up in a pretty and tight fitting costume, bending in a position Augustus thought impossible. He noted the club name, thinking that seeing her would be a good thing. Looking up at the beautiful figure he couldn't help but wonder if maybe she needed a travelling buddy to get out of this town.
Hopping back in his car and heading for his accomodation, he smiled at the possibility of catching up with Charlie and Violet. Since they all learned their important life lessons that day, he figured they could all be mature enough and sit down together, catch up and talk about the last few years. He remembered as the other three unsuccessful kids had sat on the train to the airport. All of them looking at each other and finally when time came to leave, they shared an awkward goodbye. Like they wanted to apologise for being rude to one another, like they all wanted to collapse in a hug and remember the experience and admit that they would miss each other, but they all had to much pride to do so. Augustus remembered looking back at them as they were all being dragged in different directions, and the other three having the same idea, looking back at him.
Augustus, always an optimist because thats how his mother always taught him to be, looked forward to the possible reunion. Though it wasn't the same as having all five of them there, it would be nice anyhow.
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Veronica Salt flipped her newly straight hair behind her shoulders. Once again it hadn't been her desision, but one of her stylists and image consultants. She hated the name change too, wanting to scream out "I'm Veruca damn it!" but not wanting sales of her album to stop. The limo was driving out of California, to Las Vegas Nevada. She looked out the window, watching the scene pass her by.
Her husband, who had just putdown his phone,gave her hand a nice squeeze. "Come on sweetie. It's not every day you get to be in America. Lighten up a little."
"Actually I have been here every day for the last two months for promotion. I don't get to decide anything anymore. I'm tired and I just want to enjoy myself while I'm in Vegas." Veruca replied. "By the way, don't call me sweetie. We can admit to ourselves now that this is hardly a marriage of love."
"I do love you, Veronica." He leaned over to kiss her lips, but Veruca turned her head so the kiss landed on her cheek.
"My name is Veruca. Not Veronica. You don't love me, you worship me. Purely for financial reasons and business success I can only presume." Veruca folded her arms. "Please don't touch me again, Bradley."
"You know if this is how you feel you could always divorce me. We could pull over right now and I could get out. You'd be a free woman." Bradley replied.
"I want to be a free woman! I want to dress myself and do my own thing! I want to have a break for a little bit!" Veruca cried. This was the first time she'd acted like a brat since the day she realised it would no longer get her anywhere. Though she took that lesson too far and ended up taking what she could get.
Bradley shook his head. "Stop acting like a child. Honestly if I knew you were going to be such a spoilt brat I never would have touched you."
Veruca shook her head. "It's not my fault. We were forced together by business. If I thought that you didn't feel a thing for me, I would never have touched you."
Bradley slipped an arm around her. "You know you're gorgeous, I couldn't resist you. I know you're not happy but how about we just make the most of what we have together. When your show is over we can go see something. Like the new chocolate casino. What kind of theme is that? Apparently they have a chocolate fountain in the entrance. If it sells it sells I suppose."
"I guess." Veruca leaned on him, though still not happy. She didn't want to 'make the most of it' when she wasn't happy.
"By the way, if this spark between you and me is for business, as you put it. Stop singing songs about lonliness. It hurts my feelings and doesn't go with your image." Bradley suggested. "Besides, you can grow to love me."
"Do you really want that for the rest of our lives? When we could just agree to end this now?" Veruca asked seriously.
Bradley took both her hands. "On what grounds could we end this? You know both our families are too powerful to allow that to happen. Unless you havewhat theyconsider a real reason, we're stuck together.Besides, I don't want to end this. You're gorgeous and that's all that matters."
Once again, Veruca thought, I don't have an opinion. All she wanted to do was scream, I WANT IT THIS WAY, but she couldn't. She had shut her mouth and held her tounge to the point where nobody cared what she wanted anymore. She almost wished she'd never visited Wonka's factory.
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Charlie looked at all the final touches being put on the new Casino. He smiled at the work, all brilliantly done. Back in the room where he was staying, he flopped on the bed. The smile fell from his face. He had been in Vegas for awhile now. Looking around every day, he saw the same fake, lust filled people. He had not found someone he could really hold a conversation with. Not that he had the social skills. Since he was 12 he was so busy with business he had no time for friends or a real girlfriend. Then he saw that people like him were few, looking at the four people who had failed to win his prize. Then there were the people trying to be his friend to get their hands on chocolate or his fortune he had made.
"The world is just so fake." He said to himself. "Though I should really get used to it shouldn't I?"
"Maybe you should accept people for their differences." The cleaning lady hopped out of the bathroom. Charlie jumped when he heard her voice. "Sorry didn't mean to startle you. Though you should think about what I said. Violet's doing a new show, real talented girl that one. Plus Veronica Salt is in town soon. You should go out and explore the town, meet people and get to know them instead of staying cooped up in this room or hanging around the casinos. Granted you can't really complain I have seen you win a few times."
"Maybe I will. After all, Violet and I go way back. If you want I could get you backstage to the Veruca, I mean Veronica Salt show. Backstage passes are just being thrown at me. May aswell get some use out of them. Maybe you could come with me?" Charlie suggested.
"Are you asking me out? You act like you've never done that before." The young maid smiled, sitting down next to Charlie. "I'm sure everyone else comes to you, right? Sure, I'll come with you."
Charlie let out a sigh of relief. He was glad that he managed to find a beautiful girl in her twenties that didn't look like a stripper to spend time with throughout the town.