Squidward couldn't figure out how Spongebob was doing it. Quarter after quarter of success with the vending machine claw game. Soon he had a small collection of stuffed animals whilst Squidward still was empty handed... or in his case empty-tentacled. His mind even drifted over the thoughts that Spongebob was doing this as a show off attempt to irritate him, or maybe even he had rigged it earlier with the helps of Mr. Krabs just to prank him. In this scenario, neither of those were the case. When Mr. Krabs had ordered the crane machine from a vendor over the phone two weeks earlier Spongebob had overheard this while preparing the pickles for 'pickle inspection.' He usually did this in secret since Mr. Krabs prohibited him and Squidward from any nonsense that wasn't earning immediate money-- such as working the grill or the cash-register.

Spongebob heard of the new addition and ran back to work behind the fryer. He'd spend every second that he wasn't working down at the local arcade becoming a professional at that game to win a stuffed animal for a certain someone special. He'd look like such good boyfriend material. Much cooler than that stupid steroid Larry. Sandy would be so impressed, and after he gave her the winners prize. She'd love him.

He was off to work.

Once the machine came he couldn't help but win everything he could, just to brush up on his skills. Playing in the atmosphere of children at the arcade was a lot different than the pressure of playing right next to his secret love. Who the prize would be given too. He was all nerves all morning but around the afternoon, after he'd seen how much he'd racked up he decided it was time.

"Howdy Spongebob." Sandy pushed through the doors. Spongebob felt his insides heating up while looking at her. Her presence made him weak in the knees. His stomach started doing cartwheels, he was so nervous he couldn't eat. Even though that was the guise under which he invited her here. He ran over to her, latching onto her arm and dragging her off. "Close your eyes. Dyeeehehehehehehe."

Sandy hesitated, raising a cagey eyebrow but going along with the unsuspected request anyway.

"I thought ya'll said we were fixin' to get some lunch?"

Spongebob continued to expel his kooky laugh, which had Squidward's eyes rolling. It was super obnoxious to everyone else but Sandy didn't mind it. She actually started to smile as he cupped his hands over her eyes from behind her and continued with his giggling. She found it.... cute.

Spongebob was on his tippy toes trying to reach her height as he pressed his chest and stomach up against her backside, covering where her eyes could see through the helmet. She broke into a smile. "Spongebob where in tarnation are you taking me?"

"Shhhh. It's a SURPRISE!"

Squidward rolled his eyes as he watched the two smiling and playing around. He reached for an art magazine under the cash register which he read in between costumers. He was very bitter Spongebob was always so happy and cheerful when all he was, was miserable but now he was even more envious and bitter that Spongebob seemed to have found love while he was all alone in life. If only he had a girlfriend of his own. But he didn't. So he decided to tear them down to feel better about his girlfriend-less life. "Must you always laugh that obnoxious laugh when the squirrel comes around?"

Spongebob's face instantly slummed into melancholy. He didn't realize his laugh had been 'obnoxious' He hoped Sandy didn't think so too...

"Aww don't listen to him Spongebob, Seeins how I think it's cute."

"REAALLLY!!?" His voice started to jump and he picked himself right up again at her feelings of it. He started to blush and was thankful he was still covering her eyes so she wouldn't be able to see his reddened cheeks. As he reached the crane machine he released his hands from her eyelids. "We're here."

"A vending crane machine?"

"Watch and be amazed Sandy, Watch and be amazed."

Sandy looked down at him as he concentrated on slipping in a quarter. He looked so enthusiastic and cute as he got into it. She didn't want to burst his bubble and tell him that cheap old man Krabs probably greased the claw so no one would win.

"Which one is your favourite m'lady?"

"Ummm..." Sandy peered into the case, she could see his reflection in the glass, he was standing behind her watching her choose her selection with a goofy, love sick grin on his face. It casually slipped into nervousness at the pressure of having to win her something. "Oh that there electric eel is mighty nice. Wouldn't mind practicing my karate on that there varmint."

Spongebob wasn't exactly surprised she'd chose an apex predatory animal instead of something soft, safe and cuddly. Like a giant stuffed puppy dog, or a fuzzy plush bunny rabbit. She just wasn't that type of girl. She was much more raw and untamed. That was what he loved about her. "One electric eel coming up pronto!"

"Well actually Spongebob if you want to get scientific it really isn't an eel at all. But rather a knifefish."

Spongebob leaned back against the machine with ease acting cool, he didn't really have to work hard to earn her the prize. He could do this so effortlessly now after all his practice. His fingers wrapped around the joystick, pulling at animals easily. He didn't even have to watch the claw anymore. He couldn't watch the claw any way. She was talking and whenever she did that all of his attention was struck by her. She was so smart, he'd never met someone of her intelligence before, her attitude, her beauty. All of the reasons that made him fall... in love.

"Uhh Spongebob?"

He shook his head to snap back to reality. Seeing what she'd awaken him for. He noticed the crane was back at the top and the door was blinking. He figured the toy had dropped to the bottom and was now waiting in the chute. He muscled up his tone to present the toy to her. "Your electric eel--- or rather your knifefish Miss. Cheeks." He had practiced that exact line in the mirror 12 times this morning, glad he delivered it smooth and correctly. At home he kept accidentally saying Mrs. Squarepants. He wished...

As he reached his hand into the chute he felt the structure of the plush toy not long and serpent like, like the eel she wanted, but big, round and fluffy. He pulled it out abruptly and saw a heep of synthetic brown fur. Spongebob's face portrayed all the emotions of flabbergast and astonishment as he embarrassingly held the unwanted teddy bear in his hands and glanced into the glass box where the eel still sat. Which made it even worse he looked at the big bear in the face to examine it. It's eyes had pupils in the shape of red hearts. Upon his chest was a big red heart. Inside the heart were big, black letters reading 'I Love You!'

Sandy noticed the red on his face and his skin starting to heat up in embarrassment. Sandy's analytical eyes were curious to what he was hiding with the bear. She reached for it and pulled it to her. Holding it up close to her face to explore it. Spongebob could not see her changing expression since she was holding it up and it was covering his view of her face. He started to get paranoid, freaking out she'd hate how cute and cuddly it was. How it wasn't what she wanted. How she might jump to conclusions thinking he did that on purpose and she'd find out his true feelings for her. "Sandy. I'm sorr -- I mean I didn't know THAT was going to happen. You hate it don't you? Here, let me grab another quarter and I'll get you that eel-- ehhh knifefish!"

He kept blubbering on about how nervous he was about not getting her the right stuffed animal. He felt like such a buffoon. "Hold on to yer seahorses there Spongebob."

Spongebob's sweaty hands kept slipping on the quarter. His clammy fingers couldn't hold It still. He looked up timorously at her.

"Spongebob! I love it!"

He looked up a little more, peeking his eyes to her to make sure she was sincere. His voice stammering. "...Y-Y-You do?"

"Well yeah. 'ain't no other feller ever won me something. Plus it is a grizzly bear. That critter is much more mighty than the knifefish."

Spongebob calmed down, he felt all the heat slowly cool as the tension and pressure fell flat. "You... really like it?"

"I love it! You know Spongebob you are the sweetest guy I know." Sandy hugged the huge stuffed bear to her chest, it hitting the suit. Spongebob beamed from ear to ear. This had been one of the biggest smiles of his life to cross his face. Just knowing how happy he made her. Seeing it for himself also made him happy, just seeing how happy she was. "Thanks Spongebob."

Just when he thought the day couldn't get any better she crouched down to about his level. In his mind he was spinning around to music, dancing in his room alone. He felt on top of the world. He was so lost in trace he didn't even notice she'd got down low and started to remove her helmet. He felt a rush of water surround him, even though they were already in water. But there was just more pressure in the water by his feet. Quickly she leaned in, affectionately kissing his cheek. His jaw dropped, his mouth altering into the shape of a surprised 'O' He felt so shocked that her soft, sweet lips were amorously upon his cheek. Her lips were getting hot because he was flushing. His face was heating up and he was hot and bothered in an innocent way. He felt the warm winding in his stomach of hot, white fluttering butterflies. A kiss that ended too soon as Sandy quickly shoved the air helmet over her head and grabbed the flusher from her pocket to remove any excess water there might be in it.

"I didn't know you liked it THAT much Sandy." Spongebob was still blushing.

"I do... But not as much as I like the guy who gave it to me."

They were both blushing their eyes seemed to lock into each others in a shy, loving lock.