Second fastest update so far! School's starting up again and I wanted this posted before that.

I was soooo happy to get all of your reviews and I smiled so much after reading each one! Thank you all so much!

Well… I'm pretty sure this next chapter won't be like most of you imagined it… but I hope you enjoy reading it anyway. :)

Chapter 11:

Kisses and Starfishes

Unbeknownst to her, there were situations where emotions over took one's thoughts.

What was also unbeknownst to her was that that she was in one of those situations.

Sandy eyed the sponge's pearly whites, her thoughts too foggy for even herself to understand.

And SpongeBob's brain went crazy when he noticed what the female squirrel was looking at.

The romance movies he watched always had scenes like this.

Someone's gaze would dart to the other's lips and then they'd both lean in and- He didn't have any mouth spray at his aid this time!

Was he supposed to pucker his lips or pull her closer?

What if his nose got in the way?

Was Sandy really going to kiss him?

What did he have for breakfast this morning?

Did Squidward feed Gary?

All he knew is that he was supposed to close his eyes, lean in and-

A loud, twangy country song played out of nowhere.

Sandy dropped the sponge's hand and jumped back at the shocking closeness they shared.

SpongeBob's eyes shot open and he jumped back as well, at the same time a deep red blush spread across his already freckled cheeks. Sandy surely saw the way he had leaned forward with his eyes closed, his lips slightly puckered as if waiting to be kissed.

He looked around, trying to find the source of the strange music and also trying to avoid Sandy's gaze.

That was when the male caught Sandy reach in to her pocket and pull out a cell phone.

Mobile devices weren't very widespread in Bikini Bottom, but SpongeBob noticed these "cell-phones" were much more popular up on land. He'd seen Sandy's relatives and friends texting or playing games on them. It seemed like a lot of animals up here had one. But SpongeBob never would've guessed that Sandy possessed one.

The squirrel pressed a button and the country music immediately silenced.

"Howdy! Sandy Cheeks here!" She talked into the device, greeting whoever was on the other end of the line. "No. Y'all didn't interrupt anything. ...yeah, we're about 2 hours- What? ... Why? ... Okay. We were fixin' ta get home anyway. Love y'all! Bye." Sandy slipped the phone back into her pocket.

"We gotta go home, SpongeBob. It was Randy. Something came up and my parents want us back at the treehouse." She gave him a worried glance and then waked over to where she parked the truck.

SpongeBob followed her, pensively touching his lips.

The squirrel opened the door for him before climbing into the driver's seat herself. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on at home and why her family needed them back so early. Starting the engine, she noticed the sponge was playing with his fingers, something he didn't usually do. "You okay?"

"I'm fine but..." He took a deep breath before asking her. "Were you going to kiss me?" Sandy watched his fingers clench tightly together at the word 'kiss'.

At first she didn't know what he was talking about. She was still thinking about Randy's phone call. Sandy had to take a moment and ask herself the question.

Was she going to kiss SpongeBob?

Surely her deepest thoughts hadn't gotten a hold of her actions that quick.

"SpongeBob, to be completely honest, I have no idea what you're talking about. When was I about to kiss you?"

The sponge avoided Sandy's gaze.

"Well… we were both kind of leaning in and you were holding my hands, and we were so close, and I thought- You looked at my mouth."

Sandy mentally recalled her actions before her brother called.

All blood drained from Sandy's face.

Kissing him would have been the almost inevitable ending of their conversation. Even if Sandy wasn't looking at SpongeBob's mouth.

"I was looking at your teeth." She said, truthfully, and put her hands on the steering wheel. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw SpongeBob blush even more. Poor guy. But she didn't know what to say.

She hadn't been consciously thinking of kissing the sea sponge.

Actually, the only times she had really thought of kissing him this week was on the balcony of their hotel and last night when she was pondering over her feelings for him. But it wasn't because she wanted to at the moment. It was because she was thinking about the fact that SpongeBob wasn't wearing his helmet for once and the whole sea creature/land critter thing.

Of course, there had been a few fleeting thoughts about kissing him in Bikini Bottom.

But her or his helmet was always in the way and it was just a caught-up-in-the-moment thought.

Like, when an experiment of hers worked and he happened to be standing next to her, or something terrible happened to him and it turned out he was alright or when she found him after he had ran off or gotten lost. Then there was that one time when she had pinned him down in a karate match… But thoughts like that only came in those ephemeral moments.

And the spontaneous kiss was always replaced by a friendly hug just in time, because none of them could take their helmets off and risk the chance of making their friendship completely awkward.

A single moment of bliss was not worth losing one of the greatest friendships.

Now that she thought about it, her feelings for the sponge beside her weren't exactly new, just newly recognized.

Sandy looked at the yellow sea sponge. He was still blushing and avoiding her gaze.

Maybe she was the girl he liked.

'No. Sandy. You aren't.' She told herself and put the keys in ignition.

After they started driving off, Sandy turned on a country radio station, constantly switching it to another every time a love song came on.

SpongeBob, tired of the twangy accents, mandolins, banjos and acoustic guitars, fidgeted with his tie and the collar of his shirt. He would roll his window down and back up over and over again, tap his fingers on the dashboard and look out at the boring concrete highways.

Despite both of their whirling thoughts, no one said a word until Sandy parked in front of the tree.

"Thanks for showing me around, Sandy."

The squirrel didn't know how to answer.

My pleasure? No.

You're welcome? Golly! She could've kissed him and then all those weird feelings would be undeniable!

No problem? Sure, it's not like her heart and all her thoughts weren't completely jumbled up and threatening the loss of her sanity.

'Almost kissin' a sea critter... what were you thinking?! This ain't yer best friend in the entire world, the same guy you promised yourself you wouldn't show your feelings to!' Sandy shook her head.

She ended up saying that she was glad he got to see more of Texas.

"It's a nice place."

After giving the sponge a swift nod, Sandy swung the car door open, jumped out of it and walked to her parents' front door. SpongeBob followed suit.

Sandy's brother opened the door, giving both his sister and her guest a serious look. Randy was tense, which meant that something was definitely wrong.

"Uh… SpongeBob," He didn't bother greeting them, "you've got a visitor."

"Who is it?!" The only female in the room demanded, immediately thinking of the chipmunk in LA who SpongeBob so bluntly told they were going to Texas or that hamster. Who SpongeBob thought was oh-so-wonderful with her buckteeth and knowledge.

SpongeBob, however, was on a different train of thought.

Could it be the mailman? Maybe the faithful, purple fish was delivering him that new grill cleaner he had ordered before he left! (Mr. Krabs made his employees buy the cleaning supplies themselves)

Or was he being followed by salesmen once again? The yellow sponge shuddered at the thought.

"To be completely honest with y'all…" Randy began, looking a bit too perplexed for his muscular, Texas-tough self. "I have no idea. The only thing he said was that he wanted to see SpongeBob. Since then he's been sittin' on the couch staring at the wall. I suppose he's waiting for y'all."

"Are you pullin' my-" Sandy stopped short when she saw the creature sitting in the living room.

SpongeBob frowned; he wasn't tall enough to see what Sandy was looking at.

"Who is it, Sandy?" He whispered, standing on his tip toes. The sponge caught a glimpse of round glass -a water or an air helmet- but that was all.

The squirrel wouldn't reply. Her jaw opened, but in shock and not because she was going to answer his question.

"Sandy, I can't see!" SpongeBob exclaimed, much louder than his previous whisper, "Who is it?!"

Sandy, however, let their guest reply to his question.

"SPONGEBOB!" An extremely familiar voice called out.

The called sponge was paralyzed for a moment. A single name was the only thing his mouth would utter:"Patrick?"

The pink, chubby starfish jumped off of the couch and ran over towards the two squirrels and the sponge in a fast pace- at least, for that particular pink creature.

SpongeBob gasped at the sight of his very best friend in the whole world. What was Patrick doing in Sandy's childhood home?

One of the tiny SpongeBobs inside his head tried to remind him that he didn't belong in the Cheek's home either. But the thought didn't stick.

SpongeBob didn't know if he was supposed to be thrilled about Patrick's arrival or worried.

He hadn't had this much alone time with Sandy in a long time. What would it be like if Patrick was following them throughout the trip?

SpongeBob tossed the thought aside as soon as Patrick, their uninvited visitor, had thrown his arms around him.

Patrick's hugs were tight, but not like Sandy's. The sponge realized. Her hugs felt like unspoken promises and safety.

Patrick's felt like possessiveness and like the starfish wanted to squeeze all the life out of him.

But the two hugs both had that wonderful sense of feeling loved.

That was one of the reasons why SpongeBob loved hugs, and he loved his best friend even more.

"Why are you here, Patrick?" SpongeBob asked, his mouth squished against the newcomer's stomach.

Patrick let go of him, and SpongeBob fell to the ground for the second time today.

"Why did you leave me?"

SpongeBob stuttered; he hadn't expected the starfish to be mad at him. That's when Sandy regained composure and stomped in their direction.

"Patrick? What in tarnation?" She fiercely put her hands on her hips.

"That's what I thought when you stole my best friend."

"SpongeBob doesn't belong to you!"

"Does he belong to you?"

Both Randy and SpongeBob himself looked in her direction, wondering what the squirrel would answer.

"What are you doing here, Patrick?" Sandy asked, without giving any further answer to Patrick's question but a quick frown.

Patrick shrugged and turned to his best friend. "I followed you."

"What?!" SpongeBob and Sandy both asked at the same time.

"I couldn't just let my best friend be alone in...in... Texas!"

Sandy folded her arms. "Patrick, SpongeBob is doin' absolutely fine and it's not like he ain't coming back."

Patrick squinted his eyes at her and muttered the words "best friend stealer" under his breath. Then he turned to SpongeBob. "Did I surprise you buddy?"

"I sure am... surprised." The sea sponge stuttered.

He should be thrilled to see his very best friend. Part of him was.

The other part, however, the part that not too many people had seen before, was completely baffled.

With Sandy having almost kissed him and him having all these crazy thoughts and feelings for the squirrel; Patrick came at the worst time possible.

"Come on, SpongeBob, let's get out of this..." Patrick looked around, thinking of a way to describe his surroundings. "…place." Patrick took his arm and was about to pull his friend out of the treehouse, when SpongeBob ripped himself from his own arm.

Randy gasped. But he was the only one in the room who thought of how horrific it was that the sponge could disjoin his arm from the rest of his body and grow a new one in its place. Sleeve attached.

"You can't just come here and think I'm gonna leave with you!" SpongeBob shouted, and then covered his mouth in shock. He didn't mean to scream at Patrick. He lowered his voice. "I mean, I'm having a great time with Sandy and I don't really want to leave yet."

Actually, he wasn't sure if he was having a great time with her or the worst time.

Patrick's eyes went wide. "You… you traitor!" He pointed to the best friends ring on SpongeBob's finger. Sandy interrupted them once again, jumping in for the yellow one.

"SpongeBob ain't yours, Patrick. He never was and never will be. Y'all may be the bestest of friends, but that don't change the fact that SpongeBob is his own person. He can leave you whenever he wants."

Patrick glared at the squirrel once again. "What if I took SpongeBob somewhere far away and you never see him again?"

"Well, if you take SpongeBob somewhere without his willin' that means you kidnapped him and since you most likely aren't informed about laws and such things: Kidnappin' is illegal. I'd search y'all and I can assure ya, I'd find that sponge." She talked about SpongeBob like he wasn't even there. "And then, I'd call the cops." She threatened.

"So can I call the cops on you? Because you kidnapped SpongeBob?"

"I didn't kidnap SpongeBob. He wanted to come with me. He begged to come with me. Ain't that right Spongy?"

SpongeBob was speechless.

Randy gave him a small smile, and then SpongeBob chuckled. "I'm not sure if I'd call it begging..."

Patrick and Sandy frowned and then Sandy's parents came in.

Mrs. Cheek's looked stressed –but relieved to see that her daughter and the sponge were home. "Howdy, SpongeBob! Sandy. I'm glad y'all are back here and have already seen our surprise visitor."

Sandy forced herself not to roll her eyes.

"What's his name?" Mrs. Cheek's head was tilted slightly to the side. "He wouldn't talk to us earlier…"

SpongeBob took his chance to get back on Patrick's good side. "This is Patrick Star; he's my best friend in the entire ocean!"

Patrick smiled at that and shoved Sandy away from the sponge. "I am."

"Well then, y'all sure must've missed him, haven't you?"

"Who?"

"Why, SpongeBob of course."

Patrick frowned. "I don't get it."

Mrs. Cheeks looked confused, then hurt. "Is it my accent?" She whispered to her husband, who shook his head.

This time, Sandy rolled her eyes, but at Patrick and not at her mother.

Sandy's mother then saw SpongeBob's detached arm in the starfish's hand and gasped.

But no one bothered to explain the situation.

Instead, Randy changed the subject. "Where is he going to sleep?"

They decided that Patrick would sleep in the guest room with SpongeBob. Then, there was the problem that there was only one bed. Someone suggested that one of them could sleep on an air mattress.

Once that was fixed up, Patrick claimed the bed SpongeBob had slept on the whole time, to which Mrs. Cheeks argued that SpongeBob would hurt his back sleeping on the mattress the whole time (Sandy's mother obviously liked the sea sponge more than their newer guest). And Sandy ended their discussion saying that both sea creatures were invertebrates. If one of them had a backache, it had nothing to do with the place they slept on.

"Are you sure you're having a great time with Sandy?" Patrick asked, once the squirrels had left them alone. Sandy was going to work on the antidote and the other squirrels just left to do their own thing as well.

SpongeBob wasn't acting like his normal self, even Patrick could tell. The sponge wouldn't stop checking himself out in the mirror muttering things like "Are my teeth really that noticeable?", "Why was she looking at me like that?", "Does she know I like her?"

He turned around to face Patrick as soon as the starfish asked his question. "Why wouldn't I be having a great time with her? We're great friends!"

"Well, you keep looking in the mirror all nervous." The starfish pointed out.

SpongeBob did an overly-dramatic, frustrated movement with his arms and then let himself fall on the guest bed.

"Patrick I'm… I'm… discombobulated! My life is a complete mess! I miss Gary and the Krusty Krab and can't help but wonder how poor Squidward is doing without me… I let my secrets slip out like crazy and I feel like Sandy's dad is judging me and her mom sometimes seems to like me more than she likes Sandy! Randy's real nice and all, but who knows, shouldn't Sandy like a guy like him? I guess Sandy did say she's never been in love but then she almost-" He stopped right there.

He'd slipped out enough private information today. Besides, Sandy denied that she was about to kiss him.

Patrick frowned. "So, if you're 'dis-bob-ulateded', does that mean your name is just Sponge SquarePants?"

"No Patrick, it means I'm confused."

"Well, if that's the case, I can help you!"

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. I'm really confused."

SpongeBob frowned and starred at the ceiling.

If only Patrick could tell him what he should do. His friend was normally so good at giving advice.

SpongeBob thought about the time he met Sandy.

When in doubt, pinky out!

SpongeBob raised his hand, because right now, SpongeBob really doubted.

Was Sandy really just looking at his teeth?

Was she in love with someone or not?

And did she know about his super-secret crush on her?