Disclaimer: I do not own SpongeBob SquarePants or any of its characters.

A Heart That Beats for You

2 O' clock in the morning, dark, quiet and restless. Sandy tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get any shut-eye ever since her head first hit the pillow earlier that night.

She sighed heavily, staring at the dark ceiling in her bedroom. Her mind was spinning with a million different thoughts, giving her a headache. They were thoughts of everything that had taken place that week. Most of them were thoughts of Larry and the strange, irresistible yet sickening way about him.

She thought of all the smart-aleck remarks he had spewed when she spent time with him. And those remarks only seemed to slip out of his mouth more and more.

Was he really the great, cool and smooth guy everybody thought he was? Or was it all just in her head? She couldn't decide, she couldn't wrap her sensible mind around it.

He was charming, calming to be around and talk to. These and many other things were exactly why every woman in town adored him. But… hadn't those women ever noticed this strange second side of him? Or had they just ignored it? It certainly seemed possible. After all, the way a person looks on the outside can truly be blinding.

He just seemed… more and more sneaky and cocky every time she hung out with him. She wanted to believe he was everything everybody said he was, a cool, slick, handsome, almost superhero type of guy that any girl would be lucky to have. Heck, almost every girl in town had wanted to marry him at some point, whether that girl was someone the lobster had dated or just some random lady off the street, it didn't matter. There was no doubt he had a way about him that kept your eyes and mind glued to him.

And why, out of all the hundreds of young ladies in town, would he choose her? On the outside, it may have seemed like they were a good match. Both tough, strong and clever. (She, of course, was definitely smarter than he was), but it was no secret how pretty she was and just how handsome he was.

It couldn't have just been her looks he was after, right? She had so much more to offer as a person than just her pretty face. But perhaps… Larry wasn't the type to even give a hoot about who a person was on the inside. That was one of the biggest differences between him and…

GAH, not again. How many times must she go through this?! Every time that lobster came to mind, that little sea sponge shortly followed.

As she laid there, feeling troubled and confused, she thought of the encounter they had earlier that night at the theater. The look on his face… she had never seen anything like it. And even though it was new to her, she could still feel his usual self underneath that solemn expression.

In fact, when she saw him, something occurred within the depths of her heart. The warmth of his presence surrounding her for those few short minutes… the delicate and childlike innocence that shined through his massive ocean blue eyes, his willingness to still say hello to her even after their conflict that was now starting to feel just downright ridiculous… all of that and more just seemed to melt away the emptiness she had felt while being around Larry. What in the world was going on inside of her?

The big summer festival was coming around shortly, and Sandy felt as though something was going to change… she couldn't figure out what exactly. It was a feeling that something bad, yet, something good and even unexpected was going to take place. It made her feel sick to her stomach, with both crippling nausea and at the same time… butterflies.

As she continued to lay there, more and more thoughts flooded her mind about the sponge she had been so desperately avoiding. Was he really the one to blame for their broken friendship? Or… had she just overreacted?

She just couldn't figure it out. Why had he refused to help her? It wasn't like him to just try and run away from her. And what was with all the odd behavior over the last three months? And another thing, why on earth was Patrick acting so aloof towards her? It was obvious he knew about their fall-out, they were best friends, they told each other everything.

But the combination of Patrick's strange, unfriendly attitude and SpongeBob's demeanor was just out of the ordinary and unsettling. What was SpongeBob hiding from her? Why was he all jumpy and nervous whenever he would encounter her? What had she possibly done wrong towards him? She just couldn't understand it.

As her mind settled on that feeling he had given off, she felt a wave of warmth, comfort and fuzziness wash over her. She smiled softly to herself, and drifted off to sleep, feeling that dreadful emptiness melt away from her as thoughts of the lobster completely disappeared from her head.

"French Narrator~

"Two days later."

SpongeBob sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of his favorite Kelp-O cereal… or, at least, it used to be his favorite before he became a sugarholic.

He read the newspaper, taking small bites of the now soggy breakfast cereal.

"Meow? (you okay?)" Gary meowed as he enjoyed his usual breakfast on the kitchen floor.

SpongeBob looked over at him. "Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm okay Gare. Just… not feeling very hungry for this today." He replied, pushing the bowl further away from him.

"Meow? (I thought Kelp-O was your favorite?)"

SpongeBob sighed. "It was Gare Bear. But I'm afraid all I can think about is burying my face in a tub of ice cream after what happened last night at the movies." He shook his head as he folded up the newspaper.

"Meow (yeah, what were the chances of you two running into each other like that?)"

"I know. As soon as I saw her, my cravings really attacked me. You should've seen it, I ripped Patrick's gummy sea-bears away from him and practically swallowed them in one bite." He said sadly, resting his cheek on his palm.

"Meow, meow (this can't go on forever, Papa-Bob. It's obvious that your love for her is growing stronger. Sooner or later you're gonna have to tell her.)"

"I can't, Gary. She's happy with Larry. They've been having so much fun together… I don't want to ruin that for her."

"Meow (this is gonna ruin you if you don't tell her how you feel.)"

"Oh, Gary. It just isn't that simple- "they were interrupted by Patrick casually walking in.

"Oh, hey Patrick. How's your morning?" he asked.

"Hey, SpongeBob. It's been another usual boring day so far. Every day is the same; I wake up, eat a doughnut, put my pants on and watch those soda commercials. I mean, they show the same ones every five minutes! Pssh, they're like fifty years old, too."

Gary rolled his eyes at the starfishes' senseless ranting.

SpongeBob bit his lip. "Did… did you say you eat doughnuts every morning for breakfast?" he asked, tapping his fingers together.

Patrick smiled. "Sure do. One filled with strawberry jelly smothered in thick chocolate fudge and covered with marshmallow sprinkles."

The sponge's mouth was watering. He cleared his throat. "Say, Patrick, y-you wouldn't happen to have any more of those sitting around- "

"Meow… (Papa-Bob…)" Gary warned.

"Oh, come on, Gary! PLEASE, just one?"

"Meow (if you wanna die faster, go ahead.)" SpongeBob gasped. "Way to make a guy feel better, Gary." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Gary smirked. "Meow (my pleasure.)"

SpongeBob then looked at his watch. "Well, I've gotta get to work before I'm late again. Mr. Krabs says he won't fire me, but… I have a feeling I've been getting on his last nerve." He said, a worried expression crossing his face as he stood up and pushed his chair back in.

"Don't forget about Glove World tonight," said Patrick, smiling.

SpongeBob rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, about that, Patrick… I-I don't think I want to go anymore."

Patrick gasped and placed his hands on his hips. "SpongeBob! You promised! We even pinky-swore!" he pouted.

SpongeBob felt the guilt poking him in the gut upon seeing the look of disappointment on his friends' face.

"Oh… I know we did, buddy. It's just that… Sandy and Larry are gonna be there and…" he noticed the starfish peering at him, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Something wrong, Patrick?" he asked.

"What'd I tell you about being a baby?"

"W-well… I know, but- "

"You can't let that big red crab intimidate you! You've gotta be strong because you're a man!" he said with confidence, pounding his fist into his palm.

"Uh, Patrick? Larry is a lobster."

"Oh, fish-paste! It doesn't matter; they're all the same. Big, red and sweaty. Now, are we gonna go to that festival or not?" he cocked a brow at him.

SpongeBob took in a deep breath. "Okay, Patrick. We'll go. But… let's try our best not to run into them".

"Now we're talkin'! See ya later, buddy." He waved goodbye as he exited the kitchen, only to turn back and poke his head through the door once more. "Here," he said, handing the sponge a toilet plunger.

"What's this for?" asked SpongeBob.

"I had to use your bathroom before I came in to talk to you. You might wanna use this, too," he handed him a clothespin.

"See ya!" he then exited the pineapple. SpongeBob stared blankly at the plunger. Suddenly, a puddle of water appeared around his feet. He looked down, sighing.

"Gare, would you do me the honors?" he asked, holding out the plunger and clothespin towards his pet.

"Meow (I'm on it.)"

~French Narrator~

"Later."

In downtown Bikini Bottom, Pearl, Judy, and Orchid were taking a stroll down the busy sidewalks, just chatting with each other and visiting a few clothing stores along the way.

Pearl giggled. "I'm so excited to go to Glove World tonight, it's gonna be so much fun!" she said excitedly.

"Right?! It's gonna be so romantic to watch all those couples dance," said Orchid.

Judy rolled her eyes. "You guys are so totally un-coral. We're gonna look like losers without any dates!"

Pearl waved her off. "Oh, don't be such a downer, Judy. It's possible we could run into a few cute boys there."

"Totally! Although, I really hope we don't run into Dave from gym. He's always so sweaty," said Orchid, a hint of disgust in her voice.

Suddenly, the three girls froze as they spotted a familiar muscular lobster enter the local flower shop.

"Guys, look! It's Larry!" said Pearl.

Orchid gasped. "CODE… code… uh…"

"Code what?!" asked Pearl.

"I don't know, I've lost track."

"Well, well, well. I wonder what Mr. Hollow Shell is doing in this part of town buying flowers?" asked Judy, cocking a brow.

"He's obviously getting them for Sandy. But… then again, why would he? He doesn't strike me as the 'sentimental' type," said Pearl.

"That's what I'm saying, girl. He's not doing it because he's romantic or thoughtful; he's doing it because he's planning on pulling a code blue on her tonight," said Judy.

"As much as I agree that he's not romantic or thoughtful, we can't just jump to conclusions… we're gonna have to follow him and see what he does." Said Pearl, walking towards the door of the flower shop.

"Ooh, yes! I am so up for more spying," said Orchid excitedly.

The three peeked in through the glass door of the shop, watching as the tall lobster picked out a bouquet of large Sunflowers.

"Sunflowers? I thought Sandy was more into those pink flowers that grow by her house?" asked Judy.

"She is. SpongeBob always brings some whenever he visits her," replied Pearl.

"Aww. You know, for a dork, he is so romantic," Orchid gushed.

Just then, Larry turned around and headed for the door.

"HIDE!" whispered Pearl. The three ducked into a shaded alleyway. They observed from a distance as the lobster headed across the street with the bouquet in his claw.

"Where is that meathead going now?" asked Judy.

He stepped up to the local candy shop, looking around in all different directions, almost as if he didn't want to be seen by anybody.

The three glanced at each other and dashed across the street. They peered into the large glass window of the shop, watching as he spoke to the young female employee behind the counter.

"What kind of candy does Sandy like?" asked Orchid.

"I'm not totally sure, but I think SpongeBob once mentioned she likes chocolate," replied Pearl.

They watched as he pointed to different samples of candy. The lady opened a few boxes, allowing him to view each set of twelve different flavors of what appeared to be candied fruit.

"What's he picking out?" whispered Judy.

Pearl peered, attempting to see in further. "It… looks like candy oranges," she said, her tone of voice puzzled.

"What?! But I thought you said she likes chocolate?"

"I thought she did! Maybe she likes more variety nowadays?" Pearl shrugged.

After paying for the item, he then turned towards the exit. The three girls dashed across the street once again, almost getting hit by a boat speeding down the road.

"Hey! Watch where yer goin' ya delinquents!" the old crustacean shouted as he shook his claw, speeding by.

"Hey, wait a minute… wasn't that your dad?!" asked Judy.

"Yep, I'd recognize that stupid old hunk of junk boat anywhere!" replied Pearl, shaking her head.

The three were now hidden behind the alleyway once again. They watched Larry disappear further down the street.

"Oh no, he's on the move. After him, girls!" said Pearl. They ran, remaining on the opposite side of the street.

"Now, if we want this to be a successful code red, we gotta be extra quiet," whispered Pearl.

"Right, extra quiet." Said Orchid. Just then, as they quietly followed the lobster, they passed by a vinyl record store.

Orchid abruptly stopped and stared through the window. "EEEEKK!" she squealed loudly.

Pearl and Judy turned around. "Look! They have the new Boys Who Cry album! Oh my gosh, I am so totally gonna- "

"SHHH!" they warned. Larry turned around to see what all the noise was. There was no one in sight. Shrugging, he continued his walk.

The three had ducked into another alleyway, Pearl and Judy both covering Orchid's mouth.

"What part of 'extra quiet' was not clear to you?!" Pearl scolded.

She mumbled under their fins. They uncovered her mouth. "I couldn't help it! I've been waiting for that record for a year now, do you know how often Boys Who Cry put out records?!"

"I know, Orchid. I've had their very first platinum album on my wish-list ever since they performed at my Birthday party. And you know what my dad bought me this year instead? An old beat up forty-five record of that stupid musical doodle song!"

After a while of following Larry to various stores and him not buying anything else, the girls followed him to one last store, one they weren't expecting in the least.

"The leather shop?! What the heck could he be buying there?" asked Pearl.

"Maybe Sandy's into those fancy leather gloves?" asked Orchid.

Pearl rolled her eyes. "That doesn't make any sense. She has to wear that suit all the time; what's she gonna do, stretch them over her already gloved hands?"

"Hey, you never know! Fashion trends are always changing."

Just then, as they hid in another alleyway, Larry came out from the leather shop across the street, carrying the bouquet, the candy box and finally, a large, plain white box under his arm.

He once again peered in all directions around him, then slowly disappeared down the road.

The girls came out from their hiding spot. "Wow… that was really weird," said Pearl.

"You said it girl. Either Sandy's taste in things is changing, or that meathead is up to no good…" said Judy. They all glanced at each other.

"Well, I guess we'll have to find out at Glove World tonight," said Pearl, shrugging. They then continued their walk.

"Ooh, before we go to the makeup shop, can we go get that Boys Who Cry record?" asked Orchid hopefully.

The two stared blankly at her. "PLEAASEE? Just because we're undercover, doesn't mean we can't jam out!"

They shrugged. "Eh, I guess it couldn't hurt. But I hope you have the money to pay for it; my dad's cut back on my allowance by five cents." Said Pearl.

Closing time at The Krusty Krab…

SpongeBob was busy finishing up his mopping for the evening, quietly humming to himself.

Squidward walked up to him. "So, you and Patrick are going to that festival tonight, huh?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

SpongeBob turned around and smiled at his coworker. "Yep, that's right, Squid."

The octopus smirked and sighed smugly. "Oh well; too bad you'll be the only one without a date."

SpongeBob looked puzzled. "Actually, Patrick doesn't have a date either…"

Squidward burst into laughter. "Heh heh heh! You're just too easy, SquarePants! Heh heh!" his nose inflated and deflated.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Well, you should be embarrassed; you two are gonna just stand there like the buffoons that you are, doing those stupid dance moves you learned from those late-night exercise infomercials! HAHAHA!" he pointed a tentacle at the sponge.

"Oh, can it, Mister Squidward. Don't pretend I haven't seen ya sneakin' into the video store late at night and rentin' those tapes on Ballet,' said Mr. Krabs, scuttling over towards the exit.

Squidward stopped his obnoxious cackling and glared at his boss. "Wow, Squidward! I knew you liked to do those whimsical twists and spins, but I didn't know you liked Ballet!" said SpongeBob, surprised.

Squidward growled and mumbled insults under his breath as he walked out the door.

"Arg arg arg arg! Aye, ye better get goin', Boy-o. Ye don't wanna miss a chance at dancin' the night away with a young lass," he put an arm around him.

SpongeBob smiled at his boss. "That's a nice thought, Mr. Krabs. But I don't think anyone would be interested in dancing with me. I mean, I'm probably shorter than all the girls there anyway," he chuckled softly.

"Ah, don't go puttin' yourself down, boy. I remember back in the olden days when I had me first dance in high school. We were a perfect match," he smiled.

SpongeBob smiled. "Really?"

"Sure! You've seen me mother, we're like twins! Arg arg arg arg!"

SpongeBob stared blankly at him. "Ahaha… haha… ha. Anyways, get yer square behind over there, Boy-o. I ain't counted me money for the day." His tone became serious.

SpongeBob smiled. "Aye, aye, Cap'n."

~French Narrator~

"A fun-filled evening at the festival."

It was approaching dusk, the sky colored with hints of orange and yellow and the stars beginning to shine.

Hundreds of people roamed the grounds of the theme park, going on various rides, purchasing souvenirs, children and teens enjoying cotton candy and milkshakes, everything was pleasant, exciting and welcoming.

SpongeBob and Patrick arrived, handing their tickets to the man at the booth. "Wow look at this place, SpongeBob… "said Patrick in amazement, staring up at all the bright lights of all the rides.

"I know, I've never seen it so full of life," replied SpongeBob.

Patrick giggled. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" he grabbed the hand of his spongy friend and dragged him off towards a stand where they sold glove-shaped flashlights.

They stood behind a line. "Patrick, I thought you already had a Glove-light?" asked SpongeBob.

"I did. But I used it last summer when the power went out and I dropped it in the toilet," he replied.

"What is it with Patrick and toilets?" the sponge wondered.

As they stood in line, SpongeBob suddenly had a strange, overwhelming feeling wash over him… he felt something was off in the atmosphere… but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Meanwhile, Pearl, Judy, and Orchid made their way into the middle of the park. "Wow guys; this place is really packed," remarked Pearl.

"I know right? Which ride are we gonna go on first?" asked Orchid excitedly.

"Don't care. Just as long as it isn't on that spinny-thingy, I don't want to throw up that cotton candy," said Judy.

Just then, as a passing crowd of people cleared, the three girls froze. "Hey, look; it's Sandy," said Orchid, pointing towards the squirrel who sat on a wooden bench.

"Hey, yeah… she doesn't look too happy though…" said Pearl, becoming concerned.

"I wonder what's wrong?" asked Orchid.

"Hey, wait a minute… why is she sitting there alone?" asked Judy, cocking a brow.

"Yeah, where's Larry?" asked Orchid. The three looked at each other.

"Should we ask her what's wrong?" asked Judy.

"I'll go ask her. She doesn't know you guys too well; I think she'd be weirded out if two strangers asked her where her date was," said Pearl.

The two girls scoffed. "Hey! At least we don't cause an earthquake when we run!" said Orchid.

Pearl made her way over to the depressed looking squirrel. "Hi, Sandy," she smiled at her.

Sandy looked up at her. "Oh, howdy Pearl. What are y'all doin' here?" she asked, her tone bland and lifeless.

"I'm just here with friends. Sometimes I can get on my dad's good side and get him to not be such a cheapskate," she giggled.

Sandy smiled weakly at the whale. "What about you? Why are you just sitting here?" she asked.

Sandy let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. "Well, let's just say I've been sittin' here on my butt for two whole hours." She spoke blandly.

"You mean you came here alone? I thought for sure Larry would've picked you up in that big hotrod of his…"

"He was supposed to… over three hours ago."

Pearl looked shocked. Sandy shrugged again, disappointment plastered on her face. "He never showed."