Note: This is my first fanfic, so be nice! I've loved SpongeBob since forever and since I couldn't find the story I wanted to read about him and Sandy. I thought I'd write it myself. This first chapter is a little short but just remember: it's only the beginning! Constructive critisism is appreciated and so are thoughts and comments :)

The Krusty Krab

"La la la la la la la," SpongeBob sang as he planted the last of the flowers for Sandy in her garden. It was her birthday and she hadn't told anyone about it, but SpongeBob had been counting down the days since Easter and now it was February. He finished quickly and giggled to himself when he saw Sandy coming home. SpongeBob hid behind the tree so he could jump out and surprise her. It wasn't long before Sandy noticed the flowers – they covered the entire ground of her tree dome.

"What the..?" she said to herself. Sandy liked flowers but not enough to want a million of them in her home.

"Surprise! Happy birthday Sandy!" SpongeBob jumped out from his hiding place, laughing. Sandy didn't laugh; instead she looked sternly at the childish sponge.

"SpongeBob, what have I told yall about doing stuff to my home without permission?" SpongeBob saw that she wasn't pleased with his birthday surprise and was saddened.

"I'm sorry, Sandy. I thought you would like it and it is your birthday..." he stopped, realizing that he had made a mistake. He had honestly thought that Sandy would love the flowers and it had taken him so long to do. His efforts had been in vain and he made his way slowly to the door. Sandy, understanding that SpongeBob meant well, softened.

"Aw shucks. It was real nice of you, SpongeBob." He turned back, beaming.

"You mean it? You don't hate it?"

"Heck no! It's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," Sandy said, smiling at her friend. She reached for his hand and they shared a hug.

"You know SpongeBob, I always thought you were cute," Sandy said, her face looming closer to his. SpongeBob's little heart began to beat wildly. This is the moment I have been waiting for, he thought to himself, just as Sandy's lips touched his.

BRRRRR! BRRRRR! BRRRRR!

SpongeBob woke up when his fog horn alarm went off. Tartar sauce, he thought to himself. It was that same dream again. He'd been having the same dream every night for three weeks now and he wanted the dreams to stop. No matter what his feelings were for Sandy, it was obvious that she would never see him as anything more than a friend. Besides, he was quite a bit younger than her, unlike Larry. Larry made it clear that if Sandy wanted him, he was there. Why would Sandy choose SpongeBob over Larry anyway? He was tall, strong and all the girls loved him, whereas SpongeBob was short, weak and had never been on a date.

"Meow," Gary said, pushing his bowl towards SpongeBob.

After SpongeBob had fed Gary and then himself, he got ready for work and skipped there merrily. He loved nothing more than to cook burgers for Mr Krabs – he would actually do it for free. At the wages Mr Krabs offered, SpongeBob might as well have.

"Hi Squidward!" SpongeBob greeted the sullen squid who ignored him. No matter how badly Squidward treated SpongeBob, SpongeBob would always see him as a good friend. SpongeBob felt so happy while he was working. He loved being a fry cook more than he loved jelly fishing: nothing could compare to it; at least, not until Sandy had moved into Bikini Bottom.

At around lunch time Patrick came into the Krusty Krab and ordered seven Krabby Patties. SpongeBob gleefully made his best friend's order and Squidward grumpily served him. Patrick ate the burgers in one mouthful and belched loudly.

"That'll be $20.93," Squidward said in his nasally voice. Patrick looked at him blankly.

"Oh, I don't have any money," he said, scratching his behind. Squidward's eyes twitched; Mr Krabs would not be happy. As if on cue, the bright red crab burst out of his office with wild eyes.

"What?! Who doesn't have any money??" he bellowed in Squidward's face. Squidward calmly wiped the spit from Mr Krabs' mouth from his face and pointed at Patrick, who grinned sheepishly and tried to run away. Mr Krabs grabbed the back of Patrick's neck and pulled him back.

"You an' I are gonna have a little talk in my office," Mr Krabs said threateningly, dragging Patrick. Patrick began to scream and cry. Once they were gone, Sandy entered the Krusty Krab.

"Hiya Squidward. Is SpongeBob around?" she asked.

"Yes, but you're going to have to wait until he gets off work. Mr Krabs doesn't let us go on breaks," Squidward's voice was full of resentment. He was only working at the Krusty Krab until he was discovered – either for playing the clarinet, dancing or his art skills. Any day now, someone would come along and make him rich. That's what he told himself to stay motivated in life anyway.

"That's okay, I'll wait for him," Sandy said, sitting down. Squidward shook his head.

"Mr Krabs has a strict no-sitting-unless-you-buy-something policy," he said. So Sandy bought a Krabby Patty, although she couldn't eat it as she was wearing her helmet. Mr Krabbs is so cheap, she thought.

"I heard that thought, missy!" Mr Krabs yelled through his closed office door. Sandy was startled; how did Mr Krabs hear what she was thinking?!

A few hours later the Krusty Krab was closing down. Mr Krabs came out of his office and dismissed Squidward and SpongeBob. Patrick hadn't left Mr Krabs' office in all that time and if Squidward cared about him at all he would have been worried. As it were, Squidward despised the starfish and went home without a second thought to him. SpongeBob would have cared if he had known that his best friend was tied up, gagged and locked in the treasure chest in Mr Krabs' office, but he was unaware. He had, however, seen when Sandy had entered the Krusty Krab and told himself to stay cool in front of her. He couldn't risk making her think he was a clown.

"Hey Sandy," he said smoothly, tripping over a bucket and mop and falling to the floor. Darn it. Sandy giggled at her friend's clumsiness and helped him up.

"Hi SpongeBob. Walk with me?" she asked. They walked in the direction of Sandy's house. On the outside SpongeBob appeared to be normal but on the inside he was a mess of nerves – he always was around Sandy but he usually hid it well.

"Can I ask a favour of you, SpongeBob?"

"Of course, Sandy. I'll do anything for you; you're one of my best friends," he replied. They smiled at each other, each thinking their own thoughts for a while.

"Could you talk to Mr Krabs about hiring me as a fry cook? I need a new job since the scientist thing isn't going so well..." Sandy said sadly. She had wanted to be a scientist her whole life but now that she was one, she was finding it harder than she expected. The chimps above the water were sly about it but they had been paying her less and less money each month and now she barely had enough to live on.

"Of course I will!" SpongeBob said cheerfully. He hoped that Sandy got the job: it would mean that he would see her more often and they would be working together. Sandy grinned, happy that SpongeBob would help her. They had arrived at Sandy's tree dome.

"Oh, thank you so much SpongeBob!" she said. She hugged him quickly and then ran inside. SpongeBob was glad that she went home so fast; otherwise she would have seen him blushing.

"You're welcome," he whispered, and walked home.