Chapter 3 – Some Helpful Advice
With her eyes closed in deep concentration, Citrusella Flugpucker leapt off the tall diving board and executed a perfect swan dive into the pool that barely left a splash. Within seconds, she popped up to the surface and gave her wet hair a satisfying whip back, which she had tied out of her usual pigtails into a ponytail instead. Jubileena sat at the edge of the pool nearby, her trusty camera in hand.
"Did'ja get it, Jubi?!" the indigo-haired racer shouted excitedly.
"I got it, Stella!" her red twin shouted back, waving a photograph in the air. "And it's a keeper!"
Two hours in and there was no sign of the party dying down anytime soon. Waferhead was busier than ever, his mixing table pumping out nonstop music like it was the life-energy needed to keep the party afloat. And the racers were making sure that the pool action stayed at an all-time high. It was just the way Vanellope liked it.
Presently, the host was seated at the snack bar with Rancis, Torvald, and Candlehead, all of them noshing on massive sundaes. Candlehead, with her still-burning candle strapped to her bathing cap and vanilla ice cream smeared across her cheeks, was chatting nonstop about how she would love to change up her winning 'animation' at the end of a successful race so she could send a personalized message to thank her players for doing such a good job. Vanellope was only half-listening though, for she was too busy observing all that was going on:
Her eyes wandered over to the twins taking turns snapping pictures of each other leaping off the diving board, then caught flashes of green and purple at the waterslides as Minty and Snowanna raced each other to see who could hit the pool first.
A volley gumball tournament was underway that had placed Swizzle and Sticky against Adorabeezle and Nougetsia, although it was clear Swizzle and Adorabeezle were carrying the game since they each had a teammate who was too nervous of the gumball whenever it came careening her way. Vanellope snickered, knowing that when those two were pitted against each other, they were the only players who seemed to matter as they let their lifelong competitive rivalry take over. No matter what they did – from racing in candy karts to finishing a plate of cookies – the daredevil and athlete were always trying to better up the other.
And Taffyta had barely moved a single inch from her chair, her tanning wrapper still held up and with a determined look on her face. Her skin completely unchanged.
What mattered most to Vanellope was that enjoyment was driving her party strong. As Sugar Rush's best racer, it was in her code to drive fast and give everyone a run for their money. But as leader, it was also in her code to make sure everybody stayed happy. That's why she was glad that Torvald's insecurities had been eased by Swizzle, and Minty's troubles soothed by Jubileena and Adorabeezle. Well-aware of those moody frowns that had not escaped her eagle eyes since the party had started, Vanellope knew those girls had good friends in their circles to aid them and successfully turn those frowns upside-down. Whatever they had done and said to approach the individual problems worked. Because aside from Sour Bill's naturally despondent face over there at the barbeque, everyone she could see was clearly smiling.
Almost everyone…Vanellope's senses went on alert when she spotted Crumbelina, who was looking in low spirits as Bill handed her a jellydog. Sundae abandoned, Vanellope slid off her Oreo bar stool and navigated her way through the maze of buffet tables to reach her.
"Yo, Lina. What's gotten you in the frowny downy dumps? Party not fun enough for ya?" she asked upon reaching her.
Crumbelina, too smart to know that Vanellope would see through any fib she might try to fabricate, didn't try to hide it.
"Oh no, Van, the party's great…except I wish Gloyd would talk to me."
"What d'ya mean?"
Crumbelina put her plate on the table and crossed her arms. "He hasn't said a word to me at all since we got here," she said quietly. "He didn't respond when I waved to him twice today, and just now, he walked away from me. I was hoping we could spend at least some of the afternoon together."
Vanellope leaned against the table thoughtfully. "Tough break with boys, huh?" she said sympathetically. "Well, boys are weird. There's no escaping that. But let's lay out every fact on the card table, Crumbelina. You lovebirds have been a thing for like two months now. You know he has no trouble talking to you. But you also know how shy he can still be inside."
She eyed Crumbelina's stylish bikini and matching sarong wrap skirt. "That especially becomes apparent when you show up wearing a totally different get-up just to see what reaction you're gonna get from him. 'Specially one that features a tad more skin than usual, if ya catch my drift."
"So I'll bet a double-scooped fudge supreme with caramel sauce and crushed walnuts that he's just nervous," Vanellope concluded.
Crumbelina grew quiet for a second. "I wanted to surprise him, make his head spin a little. A little eye-candy, you know? But I didn't want to make him uncomfortable."
She lowered her eyes sadly. "Maybe I should have gone with the one-piece like yours."
"Don't start doubting your fashion-sense, Lina," Vanellope said in a scolding way. "Taffyta may think she's got the brains in that department, but we all know your knowledge on that stuff is always top-notch."
She glanced around. "You say that he just walked away from you? Tell you what, how 'bout I go talk to him and try to scoop some filling out of his dumb head. Then maybe you and he can talk. And then make-out or something."
"Kidding, kidding!" she giggled as Crumbelina's cheeks turned a fiery shade of pink. "You just wait here, ya pink panther. This shouldn't take long."
"But how will you find him?" Crumbelina quizzed.
"A-doy, it's my pool! I know this place like the back of Ralph's head," said Vanellope triumphantly as she walked off. "It's amazing how much hair he has that the players only ever get to see in 8-bit font."
Gloyd had retreated to the most secluded area of the pool that he could think of…right back to the same island where he had first glimpsed Crumbelina. Swizzle, Rancis, and the pile of water guns were gone and he was relieved to be alone. The chair he had occupied earlier was now supporting him once more, the jellydog resting between his fingers and his eyes watching the steady current of the lazy-river. Hidden away by the tropical foliage and rocks, it was just him, his fresh jellydog, and his confused thoughts.
"I don't get what my deal is today," he grumbled. "I've never had trouble talking to Lina. Why am I being all weird around her now? Pool parties are supposed to be fun! I should be having fun like everyone else."
Being the naturally-coded prankster of the racers meant that 'fun' was the definition of Gloyd's code. And Vanellope's parties were always a big highlight for him. He always had a blast at these shindigs, 'cuz it meant it was mandatory to stuff his mouth senselessly with snacks and goof off. It also meant pulling an awesome prank of some kind. Relaxed party-goers made for vulnerable targets. These were what 'having fun' at parties meant to Gloyd. But right now, this party was feeling like a major bummer.
"Swizz and I always have a blast at these things," he muttered. "Cola guns…flipping the girls off their chairs and into the pool…I don't wanna lose that. But I don't wanna lose her either…"
"Cola-delivery!"
A cold splash against his knees interrupted his thoughts. Glancing around wildly, he saw Vanellope emerge from the lazy-river and approach him like the school teacher making her way towards the troublesome student about to receive his dreaded sentencing to the principal's office.
"Oh…thanks for that, I was getting thirsty," Gloyd said sarcastically as she sat next to him in Swizzle's chair. "How'd you know I was here?"
"This is my pool, ya Halloween-hooligan. I know all the best hiding spots," she snickered, giving her wet bangs a shake out of her face.
He flinched as some of the cola pitter-pattered him. "So if this is your pool, shouldn't you be off hosting?"
Vanellope smirked. "Well Einstein, it's my job as president to make sure everyone is happy. And all that jazz applies to my job as host. Part of the hosting biz is erasing any upside-down smiles I see at my party, otherwise known as frowns."
That last word was emphasized in such a derisive way as if she were name-dropping a horrible disease. To Vanellope, a frown may as well be one.
"And you, my orange-faced chum," she added, poking Gloyd playfully in his bare chest, "have the biggest frown that needs some serious tending-to here!"
The boy bit his lip, thought felt secretly impressed by Vanellope's hardcore dedication to look after them. "What about Minty? Why didn't you go fix her?"
"Because she's like that every summer," she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "And everyone knows that Adorabeezle and Jubileena are the ones who can spank her in just the right way to get that smile out again. As for you, you're candy of a different colour here!"
"I don't get'cha," Gloyd said flatly.
"Just callin' it as I see it, Orangeboar. This is the first pool party where I've seen you looking like the candy in your corn has run out. I mean, c'mon Gloyd…you never back out of handling those cola guns with Swizzle. You terminators do it every year, it's practically tradition by this point!"
The sounds of spraying liquid, mixed with the shrieks and angry yells of girls suddenly rang out over the bushes, standing out from the music from DJ Waferhead's soundtrack.
"Sounds like Swizz started without you," Vanellope said calmly. "By the way, he got Torvald to take your place."
"She can have it," mumbled Gloyd, sounding thoroughly disappointed.
"And that just brings me to why I followed you here: why?" asked Vanellope in a serious tone now. "What's going on, Gloyd? Are you feelin' okay? 'Cuz you 'ain't acting normal."
At this, Gloyd's mouth flattened. "I don't really think my life is exactly normal anymore, Vanellope," he muttered.
Vanellope smiled. At least Gloyd wasn't denying things like he always used to do. "If you're feeling nervous 'round Crumbelina, I'm tellin' ya not to," she soothed. "You don't gotta be weird around her, just be yourself. You two are buds. More than buds! You ought to be used to her highly-polished presence by now, right?"
Gloyd opened his mouth, but Vanellope, who had taken to gazing up at the green sky, cut him off. "And sure, it's not every day you get to see her struttin' around, rockin' it out all dashing in a bikini," she added with a giggle (making Gloyd blush hard), "but she's still the one and only Crumbelina. And I dunno if you haven't picked up on this, but she ain't feeling too happy right now either."
Whatever Gloyd had been about to say was lost, for his instinctive protection of Crumbelina's well-being was set on high. "She's not?"
"Not one bit. She's feeling crummier than the crumbs in her own namesake! And it's 'cuz she thinks you're avoiding her on purpose."
"Oh."
Vanellope leaned closer towards him. "Just talk to her, okay? Clear the salt in the air and replace it with good ol' sucrose again. 'Cuz no matter how much we race in karts, compete for the prize, and love to see our name on the top of that Jumbotron…nothing can beat that super mushy-gushy cliché act of talkin' about our feelings."
Gloyd winced. Opening up was still hard for him, but he knew Vanellope was right.
"I'll try," he finally muttered, taking a bite out of his slightly damp jellydog.
"Good. I'll let you think about it some more. Just don't think for too long. I don't want ya to waste the night, alright, buddy?" Vanellope said, patting his shoulder reassuringly. "I wanna see smiles and you doing your Gloyd-things."
"Gloyd-things?" he asked, not familiar with this term or what it meant.
"You heard me! The things only the Crafty Gloyd Orangeboar can do. Minus the frowns…none of us wanna see that."
Vanellope got up and stepped back into the lazy-river. But she held back against the slow-moving cola by grasping one of the volcanic candy rocks. "And Gloyd?"
"Yeah?"
"Just a little advice for your clueless head to process…girls like to look at cute guys too."
And with that, Vanellope let go of the rock and the current took her away, leaving Gloyd to wonder what he was expected to do with that 'advice'.