(Greetings, readers! Welcome to Chapter 3 of this story! Today is my birthday, and I thought this was a good time as any to post this chapter. So, enjoy reading this chapter, because I sure had fun writing it!)

(October 31st, Gloyd's 10th Birthday)

It was a beautiful fall day, and the sun was shining into the bedroom of a certain Halloween racer. His alarm clock rings, telling him it's time to start another day, so he climbs out of his bed and quietly heads to the bathroom, making sure that he wasn't waking the others up.

"Today's my birthday..." Gloyd says as he looks at his reflection and smiles. "I'm the first Sugar Rusher to turn 10! I sure hope no one forgot..." he says as he brushes his hair and his teeth before heading to breakfast.

The Halloween racer heads to the kitchen, where he finds Tamora and Felix making pancakes.

"Well, good morning, pumpkin." Tamora says, looking in Gloyd's direction with a smile on her face.

"Morning, Mama Tammy." Gloyd says as he sits at the kitchen table. "What's for breakfast?"

"Well, little sugarcube, it's pancakes for breakfast! You do like pancakes, right?" Felix asks the Halloween racer.

"Of course I do!" Gloyd says eagerly. "Are these pancakes being made in honor of a certain someone's...special day?" he asks, hoping they remembered.

"Not really." Tamora says. "We're just trying to make food you kids will like. No particular reason to have pancakes today, but we thought you kids would like them."

"Oh." Gloyd replies, his shoulders slumping.

Soon, breakfast ends, and all the racers are getting ready for school. Gloyd quickly takes off his pajamas and dresses in his normal attire, then starts to brush his chocolate brown hair before putting his mellowcreme pumpkin skullcap over it.

"Dude, you look good enough. Why are you so happy, anyway?" Swizzle asks as he puts his Unicorn Pop beanie over his messy green hair.

"No, Swizz. If you MUST know, today is a very important day." Gloyd replies as he grabs his backpack.

"Oh? What's so important about today?" Swizzle asks Gloyd.

"It's my-" Gloyd begins to say, but is cut off by Tamora yelling down the hall.

"Soldiers, time to catch the bus! Front and center!" she shouts as the 15 racers, including Gloyd, line up before her. After thoroughly inspecting their school attire, she hands them their lunches as they all run out to catch the school bus.

Gloyd is the last one on the school bus, taking the seat in the very back, trying to not let anyone see him cry.

"First, Mama Tammy and Papa Felix forget my birthday, and now Swizzle forgets?" Gloyd says to himself. "This day is already turning out horribly."

At school, the class is writing in their journals. Gloyd is quietly writing in his, trying to not cry.

"This is literally the worst birthday of my life." Gloyd says to himself, his brown eyes wet with tears. "Why am I even thinking anyone will remember?"

As soon as journal time ends, the school day proceeds like normal, but Gloyd is still unhappy.

At lunch time, he sits at a table by himself and unpacks the orange marmalade sandwich, candy corn, and orange drink that was packed in his lunch, and he eats in silence.

After lunch came art, but he didn't want to paint anything but jack-o-lanterns with sadder faces than his own.

After school, Gloyd is the last one in the house as the others make a mad dash to the kitchen and start eating their after-school snacks.

"Something the matter, soldier?" Calhoun says as she sees the pumpkin boy's sad face.

"It's n-nothing, really..." Gloyd says as he eats his mellowcreme pumpkins slowly.

Calhoun takes the seat next to Gloyd. "Nothing? It sounds like something is wrong with you. You're feeling pretty sad."

Gloyd looks at the soldier with tears still in his brown eyes. "You and Papa Felix forgot my birthday was today. You said you had no reason to make pancakes this morning, and of course I had hoped you would have remembered, you know? But I guess I was wrong..."

Before Calhoun could say anything else, Gloyd takes off toward his room, crying.

"Short Stack? I think we need to fix this. Because if we don't, we'll have one of our kids hating us forever." Calhoun looks at her husband, feeling guilty.

"I think I might have an idea." Felix says, smiling. "We better get to work if we want to have this plan executed at dinner."

Rancis overhears them. "And the rest of us will help!" he says, smiling.

Calhoun smiles at the racers. "That's the spirit! Let's all work together!"

Felix, Calhoun, and the racers get to work. The racers begin decorating with orange and black streamers and balloons, and of course, making their costumes, including a special costume for Gloyd. Felix makes a Halloween-themed cake, complete with ten orange candles and Nutter Butter cookie gravestones and crushed Oreo dirt. Calhoun sets the table with Halloween-themed plates and napkins, and of course, place cards. Before they all knew it, their work was done.

Later, at dinner, which was spooky shepherd's pie and "Witch's Brew" punch, everyone was dressed in their handmade costumes. Taffyta is a princess, Crumbelina is a movie star, Adorabeezle is Elsa, Citrusella is a cheerleader, Torvald is a cowgirl, Nougetsia is a ballerina, Sticky is a sailor girl, Minty is a zombie gymnast, Snowanna is a pop star, Rancis is Prince Charming, Jubileena is a ladybug, Swizzle is a daredevil, and Candlehead is a butterfly. Felix is dressed as a superhero, while Calhoun was in her normal outfit, since it was a costume in itself.

The birthday boy, who was still in his normal outfit, still wasn't happy as he was picking at his dinner.

"Should we tell him now?" Swizzle asks Calhoun.

"Of course!" Calhoun says with a smile. "Hey, pumpkinhead?"

Gloyd looks up at Calhoun. "Yes, ma'am?"

Calhoun just smiles as she puts the handmade "King Of Halloween" costume on Gloyd, and Felix emerges with the graveyard-themed birthday cake, all 10 candles lit.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GLOYD!" All the racers shout with excitement.

"W-What?!" Gloyd says, shocked. "For me?"

"Of course it's for you, silly!" Swizzle says, smiling. "Do you like your costume?"

Gloyd smiles and nods. "I do. It's very fitting for my theme and everything!"

"Make a wish!" Crumbelina shouts excitedly as the cake is placed before Gloyd.

The Halloween racer cries tears of joy as he blows out his candles, knowing that he doesn't need a wish.

As the racers eat cake, Felix decides it's time to teach the racers about relationships.

"Okay, kids, now I know you're all siblings here, but have you all ever had relationships before?" he asks the racers.

Several hands shoot up around the table.

"I have!"

"Me, too!"

"Well, you all may be siblings, but there is nothing wrong with having a relationship with your fellow racers." Calhoun explains. "You can be in love with them. You can spend extra time with them as well. You could even be romantic toward them if you wanted to."

"But don't take it to an extreme. A lot of kids your age still have lots to learn about romance." Felix says, smiling. "And you don't want to dive in too deep when it comes to relationships. Trust me."

"We understand, Papa Felix." Crumbelina says as she smiles at Gloyd, who blushes.

"We won't go in too deep." Sticky says, smiling. "Like you said, we still have a lot to learn."

Felix and Calhoun just smile at the kids.