The cold stung at Vanellope's face like a poorly trained acupuncturist, but she didn't mind. She was on her way to hang out with her friends. She smiled at the thought. Friends. She hadn't even dreamt of ever being able to claim herself to have that relationship with the other racers, or even more with one, but all it even took was rolling over a line. She was still beaming with joy at the memory when the party came into veiw, and Taffyta met the newest arrival's smile with an equally enthusiastic one of her own.
Taffyta watched as Minty and her boyfriend Swizzle ran over to greet Vanellope. She started to walk over herself in an attempt to say hello before the new ruler was swarmed by her subjects. "we're citizens now, Taffyta. She isn't like that jerk king," she thought to herself. It was hard to adjust to the new government. Either way everyone would be wanting to see her, so Taffyta grabbed her hand and pulled her off to the side for a quick loving kiss. They crowd, already growing large, all let out a collective "d'aww" at this adorable couple, and they were soon both pulled into the mob, fingers interlaced.
There was one person at the party who didn't drop everything for Vanellope's arrival. Then again, not much had been able to excite Candlehead recently. Hell, the only reason she was even at this thing, which didn't seem to her to be worth attending, was that Crumbelina practically dragged her here. She looked up and found said kidnapper chatting up Gloyd, and sighed deeply. It seemed like everyone was falling in love or getting in a relationship but her. Her angst was inturrupted by a voice though, and a hand placed on her back comfortingly. "Everything all right? You seem a bit down," came the concerned voice of her best friend Rancis. She smiled slightly; this guy always made her at least a little happier, and she was lucky to have such a great friend. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for bein' such a downer." she replied. "I'm goin' to go say hi to President von Schweetz, I guess." "Alrighty, I'll be here," Rancis called as she walked off, and he noticed her step didn't have that slight spring it used to. She used to be way more light hearted and even a little ditsy, but now she just had a somber disposition that made Rancis want to cuddle her into happiness again. But he could so plainly see she just thought of him as a friend.
"Hello, miss president," Candlehead said as she approached the couple laying in the candy grass. "Heya Taffyta." She finished with a tinge of sadness in that second greeting. "Hey hothead," Taffyta returned with a grin, her long-time nickname doing nothing to help the girls longing and sadness at the pair before her. Before Candlehead could realise she forgot to reply the silence was broken by Vanellope coughing awkwardly and saying, "Hey, I'm going to go grab some punch. You want some Taff?" "No thanks. Hurry back," came her reply, accompanied by a peck on the cheek. The president grinned and glitched herself into a standing position, and darted off. Taffyta watched her go, and Candlehead just kept her eyes on the girl lying on the ground. "You two seem to be doing well," she muttered, an attempt at small talk. "Yeah, she's great," Taffyta smiled, the very same smile that tore her friend up inside wishing that she could be the one who Taffyta was reffering to. "Hey, why don't we hang as much anymore? It seems like once this place reset we started drifting apart." Candlehead didn't really know what to say to that. "I guess I was just givin you and Vanellope some space," she lied. "Nonsense, we'd both love to hang with you," came the cheerful reply. Candle just shrugged and muttered an inaudible excuse to leave before perching herself in the highest tree she could find and weeping herself to sleep.