"Spongebob!"

"AAAH!" Spongebob screamed as he was startled by Mr. Krabs, who was glaring at him from the door of his office that led to the kitchen. "Y-yes...Mr. Krabs?" He saluted nervously.

"What are ye doin' standing around? Are ye going to let them patties burn to a crisp?" He demanded, pointing a claw to the grill where smoke was rising.

Spongebob quickly took them off the grill and placed them off to the side. "S-sorry, Mr. Krabs..."

"You've been actin' strange ever since ye came in today, boy. What the halibut's the matter with you?" He came in the kitchen as Spongebob weakly put the patties in the buns.

"Nothing, sir, just tired." Spongebob murmured, trying to focus on putting the ingredients in the right order.

"That's not like ye..." Mr. Krabs commented, trying to see the sponge's facial expression to try to register what was going on. "Turn around, boy."

Spongebob did, to reveal baggy, bloodshot eyes and a pale, lifeless face. His boss grimaced at the sight. "Yer so pale... Have ye got the suds again?"

"I don't think so..."

"Hmm..." Mr. Krabs put a claw on his forehead. "You feel pretty warm, boy. Maybe ye should go home and get some rest."

"Oh, I don't know Mr. Krabs..." Spongebob whispered, not wanting to miss a day's work, for one. But he also didn't want to face Patrick on the way back. It was Friday now, and he had been avoiding him ever since that night.

"I can't have ye gettin' sick all over me Krabby Patties." Mr. Krabs persisted. "Get some rest, Spongebob."

Spongebob sighed, knowing it was no use to argue with his boss. "Ok. See you tomorrow, sir." He said lowly, walking out in a droopy, depressing manor.

The past few days had been awful. After watching that video he couldn't bear to face Patrick, in the fear that he somehow remembered.. As far as he knew, Patrick wasn't gay. He'd never shown any signs of liking him before. He had a crush on Mindy. But this WAS after she rejected him. So it was possible.

Spongebob shook his head. He knew it had only happened because they were both so "drunk" on ice cream, but it was still a hard thing to believe. He didn't know what to feel. He felt somewhat appalled, disgusted, but there was also a part of him that had liked it. Something about it that made him feel...aroused?

He groaned as he made his way up Conch Street. Immediately he noticed Patrick outside, happily blowing bubbles outside of his house. He whimpered, knowing he would have to pass by him, because on this side of Bikini Bottom it was just barren sand. No kelp or grass he could hide under.

'Come on, Spongebob... He's your best friend... You can't just keep ignoring him!' He told himself in vain. But as he looked back at the sea star, all he could picture was them on the floor, making out. And it got him slightly excited.

He sighed as he walked as quietly as possible past the star. But of course, he noticed him. He waved at him happily. "Hey Spongebob, you're home early!"

Spongebob tried to walk past him, but the star kept calling his name. Finally he felt a tap on his shoulder that startled him. "Are you mad at me again?" He asked, sounding worried again.

He gulped as he turned to face him, trying to shut out all images of what he had seen on the video. "N-no..." But they kept coming back and he felt a slight blush forming on his cheeks.

"Wow, you look pale..." Patrick said, reaching a finger forward to touch his skin.

Spongebob recoiled. "Y-yeah... I think I might be sick." He fake-coughed into his arm loudly and turned to leave. He felt himself getting red-hot as he pictured more scenarios of him and Patrick together.

"Oh, ok. I'll let you rest." He walked back yo his rock. "Oh, Spongebob! We were gonna meet at my house tomorrow before you go to Sandy's!" He called out before hopping into his rock.

Spongebob took a breath in as he watched him disappear into his rock. A day with Sandy might be just the thing to calm his nerves. Plus he would have another day to try to calm himself.

"Spongebob?" Another tap on his shoulder, and he shrieked with surprise. But when he turned around he saw Squidward standing in front of him. He breathed out on relief.

"Squidward? What...are you doing back from the Krusty Krab?" He asked, happy to see his other neighbor.

Squidward scoffed. "Old man Krabs made ME cook all of the Krabby Patties.. It took about two minutes for the customers to clear out. Bottom feeders..." He rolled his eyes. "Anyways, before he docked me a months pay check, he told me to give you this." He held out a picture frame.

It had a picture of Spongebob in the middle, smiling and giving a thumbs up. Above it, encrusted in gold, said "Employee of the Month" and at the bottom said, "November".

"Congrats, champ." Squidward muttered.

Spongebob stared at the award in his hands. He smiled at Squidward. "Thanks!" He replied, as cheerily as he could muster. He felt himself becoming happier by the minute.

In fact, more happy than he intended. As he looked back at the squid, he began to picture him and Squidward in his mind. In the same situation as Patrick and him had been the previous night. He felt himself grow hot as he was memorized by the thought.

"Spongebob...?" Squidward had been waiting for the sponge to say something else, but now he was just staring there, staring at him lustfully. He poked him at the side, but he didn't move.

Spongebob began to have more thoughts run through his mind. Him and Squidward making out in his living room. And for some reason he was more excited about this than he was with Patrick.

Suddenly he felt a tightening feeling in his nether regions that snapped him out of his fantasy. He felt his cheeks become hot and he flicked his eyes to that spot for a second, trying to not make it visible to Squidward what he was looking at. And sure enough, he had gotten himself overly aroused. It was clearly visible through his pants.

"What are you...?" Squidward was about to ask.

"Um...thanks Squidward, see you tomorrow, bye!" He cried out quickly, running inside his house and locking the door.

He looked back down and took slow, deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. He looked back down, and flushed bright red again. He prayed that Squidward hadn't noticed.

"Meow!" Gary had slithered into the room, carrying a food bowl in his mouth. His eyes widened and he dropped the bowl, mouth agape when he saw the sight in front of him.

"I...I thought that WE-" *sobbing*

"What's wrong, Spongie..?"

"I thought...you loved ME!"

"I was just kidding... I DO love you!"

"*sniffle* Really?"

"Yes!" *tackles to ground and kisses*

Spongebob held the camera in his hands shakily as he replayed the video over and over on his bed. Gary was right next to him, not even interested anymore because of how many times he had replayed it. Spongebob just sighed heavily. "Oh Gary... what have I done...?"

"Meow."

"I know it was beyond my control but..." He murmured. "It's just that... Gary...I don't think I like Patrick like that..."

"Meow?"

"Well, yeah, he was loopy too..." He thought. "But today when I saw Squidward... I just lost it.." He blushed again as he looked out his bedroom window. He saw the silhouette of Squidward as he heard his soft clarinet playing. "I think..." He stared at the figure again and a rush of memories went through his head. "I just need to sleep on it... Maybe tomorrow will be better." He lifted Gary off the bed and put him on the floor. He pulled the covers over himself and turned off the light. "Goodnight, Gary." He whispered.

He anxiously awaited the morning, where he could have time to clear his head with a day with Sandy.