Back at the Sugar Sweet Hotel, Clair's victory party is in full swing. Caramel and white streamers are hung from one side to the other along with a banner that says "Clair Cremecape, Congratulations on Your 45th Career Win!", tables are filled with French pastries, like crepes and éclairs, along with several other kinds of food and goodies, fine champagnes and gumdrop wine, AND sodas of every kind. A huge five-layered cake edged with chocolate syrup-topped creampuffs and the inscription "Congratulations Clair Cremecape!" in blue icing sits on a separate table with clear plates and silver forks next to it, along with a cake knife and cake server in snowflake white. The DJ plays "Celebration" and the racers begin to dance and have a great time.
"Wow, this is an excellent party! C'est magnifique!" Clair says while smiling.
"I know, and it's all for you, Cremecape. Go on, Clair, loosen up a bit!" Gloyd says. "You deserve it!"
Clair smiles and joins the party.
In one corner of the room, Barry, Dylan, and Pepi are cornering Swizzle about what he did at the race.
"You dirty racer!" Pepi yells at Swizzle. "Why can't you just accept the fact that some of us are better than you?"
"Because Cremecape didn't deserve to win!" Swizzle replies. "I felt he deserved that little shove into the wall."
"That little 'shove' you did caused one of his tires to come loose! You should be lucky he didn't get hurt, jerkbreaker! He was also able to get back into the race!" Dylan says, sipping a Coke. "Why are you even racing?! Why are you always out to hurt your fellow racers? After what Minty taught you about how 'winning isn't everything', you still want to get rid of your fellow racers like you own the track!"
"B-Because…" Swizzle starts to say.
"Talk, dirty racer! TALK, DARN YOU!" Barry says, about to activate his wristband.
"Cremecape is a creampuff! A CREAMPUFF!" Swizzle yells, causing the activity in the room to stop abruptly. The music stops, the racers stop dancing, and everyone stands still as Swizzle continues to speak.
"That's right, I said 'creampuff'. This idiot is HONESTLY going to beat me in the Grand Prix?! HA!" Swizzle says, smirking. "Cremecape, you are a no-necked, no-good, CREAMPUFF!"
Clair's eyes begin filling with tears, and he covers his face, running off to a table to cry.
"Swizz, I don't know what's gotten into you. And the way you've acted on the track lately, you really are acting like a jerkbreaker to everybody." Minty says, standing with Swizzle, her arms folded. "And calling Clair a creampuff was a little uncalled for. What has he ever done to you? What happened to the Swizzle I fell in love with?" Minty says, her arms still folded, a serious look on her face.
"He does plenty of things!" Swizzle says, trying to defend himself. "And that Swizzle is still here! I swear!" he says before Minty speaks again.
"It isn't just Clair you hurt, you know! Crumbelina may not race in next week's race if her kart isn't repaired in time. And you did push her against the wall, making her kart unfixable. Why do you have to be such an asshole?! Oh, don't answer that question, because I have something to say to you. If you can't change your ways, WE ARE THROUGH!" Minty says, walking away.
"But, Mints…" Swizzle says, pleading with his girlfriend.
"No buts, Swizz. If you can't race fairly and treat the other racers with respect on the track, you can consider yourself single." Minty says as she walks off.
Swizzle just stands there, stunned into silence. Minty is everything to him, and hearing her say that just tugs at his heart like a strong rope.
"I swear…I will change my ways…even if it takes me the whole season to prove that I can change." Swizzle says to himself.
The party starts again with "It's All In The Mind" by the Baha Men playing in the background. Some of the racers go back to the dance floor to dance as others grab some cake and other refreshments, while a few others are talking. Clair is feeling better after Swizzle's little outburst about him, although "creampuff" is a very sensitive name to him. He hates being called that, and all the racers knew it.
"Sacre bleu…" Clair says as he grabs a slice of his cake and joins Crumbelina and Gloyd at a nearby table.
"I know he called you a name you don't like. I know how you feel." Crumbelina says, putting a hand on Clair's shoulder.
"Yeah, I know how you feel as well, Clair. Swizzle's just being a jerkbreaker, and you know it. I'm sure he didn't mean to call you a…well, you know." Gloyd says, taking a bite of his cake.
"Mon dieu…" Clair says, eating a creampuff off of his piece of cake. "I just hate being called that. It's a bad name to be called. Even though it's my theme, I just hate being called 'creampuff' and you all know it…Swizzle apparently has so much going for him, he acts like a big shot racer and insults me, then he makes me cry." Clair says, taking a bite out of his cake.
"He's always acting like a big shot around us. That's nothing new." Gloyd says, taking a sip of his orange soda.
"He's such a braggart. Ever since he won his 300th race, he's been rubbing his winning in everyone's face. Even the racers who haven't won a race in years. He even rubbed his victory in Bubblina's face one time, and Barry didn't take it too lightly. That little confrontation ended with Barry knocking Swizzle out for making his sister cry." Crumbelina says as she takes a bite out of her cake.
"So, he's a jerkbreaker all the time now?" Clair asks Crumbelina.
"He sure is." Crumbelina says, putting an arm around Gloyd. "He always has been. How Minty survived his bragging and jerkiness, I'll never know."
"I want to hurt him for hurting me…" Clair says, tears forming in his eyes once again.
"Violence is never the answer, Cremecape." Gloyd replies, sipping his soda again. "Swizzle just needs to learn that being a jerkbreaker all the time can ruin your life in a matter of days, weeks, even months. Even now, Minty threatened to break up with him if he didn't change his ways."
"Really?" Clair asks Gloyd, eating more cake.
"Yeah. I heard it all." Gloyd says, sipping his soda again. "If he didn't learn to respect his fellow racers on the track, she said they were breaking up."
"Wow…so do you think he'll change his ways?" Clair asks.
"I hope so. I'm really tired of the way Swizzle has been acting lately." Crumbelina replies, smiling at the thought of Swizzle actually changing his ways.
"He needs to change." Gloyd says. "Otherwise, his life will change forever without Minty in his life."
The three of them spend the rest of the party talking about how Swizzle might change, all while dancing and enjoying themselves.
As the party winds down, most of Clair's fans leave as well as most of the racers, but Crumbelina, Gloyd, and Clair stay behind to help clean up.
"This was some party." Gloyd says as he helps a hotel staff member clear empty food trays from a nearby table.
"I know. It was the best party I've ever been to!" Clair says, smiling. "But, I can't help but think that something went missing among all this excitement and fun."
"What would that be?" Crumbelina asks Clair.
"My friendship." Clair says, helping a peppermint busboy clear cups from several tables. "I just wanted a friend to share this moment with. Swizzle was my best friend, but ever since his jerkiness took control, I haven't found a friend that could be as nice as him."
"We'll be your friends, Clair." Crumbelina says. "I knew when Swizzle started acting like a jerk, things were going to get crazy when he broke off his friendship with you, Clair. So, from here on out, me and Gloyd will be your new best friends. Don't worry about Swizzle anymore, because he no longer needs to be around you after all he's done."
Clair hugs Crumbelina and Gloyd. "You two are true friends." Clair says, smiling.
"I know we are." Crumbelina says as she eats a biscotti cookie.
"We're going to be there for you, no matter what." Gloyd says as he eats a bag of mellowcreme pumpkins. "Remember that."
"I will." Clair says as he ties his cape around his neck.
Soon, the ballroom is clean and they go with the others back to their rooms.
Later, everyone heads to their rooms, talking about the confrontation at Clair's party. Everyone says that Swizzle shouldn't even be in the next race after the way he acted.
"Swizzle's been snortin' MAJOR pixie sticks, especially when he did what he did to poor Clair!" Herschel says as he puts on his Jeff Gordon pajamas. "Do you even think he should be in the next race, Wipp?"
"I don't know, Hershey." Sticky says as she pulls on her teal nightgown. "Why do you ask?"
"Because of all the stuff he's done on the track lately. Me father is the head of SRGP Racing, and I can talk to him about taking Swizzle off the race board for the Caramel City Classic." Herschel says, taking a Pepsi Max out of the mini-fridge in their hotel room.
"You can talk to your dad about taking him out of the next race?" Sticky asks Herschel.
"Sure I can. Me father has that kind of power." Herschel says as he takes a sip of his Pepsi Max.
"Wow…" Sticky says, impressed. "You think you'll go talk to him tomorrow?"
"I'll certainly try to, Wipp. No promises, though. Me father is a very busy man, being in charge of SRGP Racing and all. It's nearly impossible to get an appointment with him." Herschel says, finishing his soda. "But I'll try to get an appointment with him. I am his son after all."
Herschel lays in the bed next to Sticky, and goes to sleep a short time later, thinking about what he should tell his father.