These early chapters really could be written better. They get better after this chapter, trust me..

"Sorry Sandy, I have work today." Spongebob told his friend over the phone as he straightens his red tie and puts on his black shoes. Sandy had called him earlier that morning to see if he was free that afternoon to come over once again. Spongebob was less than in the mood to do so. What with both of his best friends either ignoring him or being completely unhelpful.

"Oh, that's alright Spongebob." Sandy said from the other end, getting out of bed herself. "Maybe if yer not busy after work?"

"Umm...Mr. Krabs is making me work late again.." Spongebob lied, voice shaking. He wasn't good at deceiving people.

"Ok then. Just give me a call and I'll be over!" Sandy said cheerfully, trying to hide her disppointment.

"I sure will, Sandy." Spongebob slipped on his hat and began to head towards the door. "See ya."

"Adios!" Click.

Spongebob put the phone down and headed outside. The sea was turning cooler as winter began to approach. He shivered slightly and put his hands in the pockets of his pants to warm them.

As he walked by Squidward's house, he could hear him humming to classical music as he got ready. He was almost tempted to go over just to say hi, but after yesterday...

He took and deep breath in and forced himself to walk forward. He would have to see him at work anyway. And he would have to walk home with him.

As he continued, he heard the creak of Patrick's rock opening. He hung onto the top half. "Good morning, Spongebob!"

Spongebob stopped in his tracks. "I'm not talking to you, Patrick." He said coldly.

"Huh?" There was automatically a drop of cheeriness in his voice as he fell from the rock into his house below.

Spongebob watched this with unamused eyes before walking towards the Krusty Krab. Then he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He ignored it at first, but then suddenly he was picked up and spun around harshly by Patrick. Now facing him, he could see the concern in the starfish's eyes.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" He asked, breathing up and down heavily.

"Because, I asked for your help yesterday..." Spongebob stated, turning around and folding his arms. "And all you did was go on a rampage trying to destroy SEA FLOWERS!" He whipped around to glare at him.

"Hey, those things were mocking m-" He tried to defend.

"I needed to talk to someone, but you just ignored me." Spongebob said, turning around again."I always help YOU when you're depressed, but you never help ME."

He heard Patrick whimper from behind him. "I-I didn't mean to..." He muttered.

Spongebob could just see the tears welling up in his eyes. It broke him, thinking that he was making someone cry, especially his best friend. He tried to keep himself strong. "I thought that best friends were supposed to help each other.." He murmured.

Patrick ran up to him so they were eye to eye. "I will, buddy! Next time you need help, I'll help you!" He could see tears in his eyes. He always got worked up when his friendships were in jeopardy.

Spongebob forced himself to turn away but his unamused, straight smile began to curl downward as he listened to Patrick hit the asphalt and sob loudly. "Patrick." He said, rolling his eyes. Then he turned around to see the broken look on the star's face as he sobbed. "Patrick..." His voice began to break. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Al-alright, FINE I FORGIVE YOU!" He yelled, letting out a few stray tears himself.

Patrick stopped short and leaped up from the ground, grin wide on his face. "Y-you do?"

"Yes-" Before he could explain, he was crushed and suffocated by Patrick's stomach as he was held tightly. He couldn't breath. He waved his arms around. "Patrick...Patrick!" He yelled, muffled.

"Yeah?" He heard him say from above him.

"I can't breathe."

"Oop. Sorry." He let go of him, putting him back down on the ground, smiling sheepishly. At some points, he really didn't know his own strength. "So...you're not mad at me?"

"Well, I was." Spongebob said, feeling slightly ashamed he got so worked up over something so simple. "I'm sorry."

He half expected Patrick to tell him not to be sorry. But being Patrick, he didn't quite get the message. "Oh, phew! I thought I was the one who needed to apologize for a minute there..." He smiled. "Friends?"

Spongebob sighed. "BEST friends." He corrected.

Patrick grinned and before he could stop him, he was pulled into another bone crushing hug. This time he was pulled above his stomach, so he could breathe.

Then he heard a door open. Squidward was about to walk outside to go to work, when he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the two hugging. He looked appalled. "Could you two be more disgusting?" He asked rhetorically.

"I can." Patrick answered, a sly grin on his face as he squeezed the sponge tighter.

"Fascinating." Squidward muttered.

Spongebob could feel his lower body being compressed. "Patrick...can you let me down...?" He asked, raspily as his breath was leaving him.

Patrick gladly let him go, but being taller than him, his fall to the ground was not pleasant. His face collided with the road, but he quickly shook it off. "Welp, I gotta get to work." He put his hat back on that had fallen on the ground and began to walk down the road. "See you after work, best friend!" He cried out cheerily before laughing loudly.

"I'll be waiting, best friend!" And he guffawed before returning to his rock.

Squidward groaned. "Why must I live next to such annoying neighbors..." He muttered, before reluctantly walking down the road as well.

Noticing this, Spongebob slowed down a bit just so Squidward could catch up to him. Once he did, he cleared his throat. "So...Squidward?"

"What?" He didn't look at him. He just kept staring ahead at the Krusty Krab.

"Um...I just wanted to...apologize for what happened..." He said, barely audible, not wanting to make the squid mad again. "With the present and all..."

"Spongebob, we are NOT discussing this." Squidward stated, looking at him in the eye with a hateful glare.

"But, I was just apologizing."

Squidward sighed loudly, but didn't say anything else. Spongebob waited patiently for a response, but after a while of nothing, he took it as a sign that Squidward was indeed ignoring him. Sighing, he just walked on ahead of him, not bothering to look back. Squidward was extremely surprised at this, but didn't say a word, as it gave him a few minutes of not being bothered by him.