The perfect date

Chapter 1

It was a quiet day in Bikini Bottom as Spongebob fries up some delicious patties for the hungry customers in front, who all have ravenous appetites and are willing to eat anything at this point.

"Spongebob! Hurry up with those orders! They're starting to eat the tables waiting for your butt!" Squidward yelled out, irritated.

Although, he doesn't get much aggravated with him like he used to as often, he still hates working and dealing with barnacle brains like these fish, who have just about put up with his patience.

"You got it Squidward!" Spongebob, as joyous as ever, shouted back in glee.

Spongebob was just glad to be a big part of Squidward's life even after the major breakup that he had with Squilvia.

Spongebob hoped that someday, things will get better and somehow, he make him truly smile once more and open his heart out again.

As Spongebob wraps up the orders, he rings the bell in a swift motion.

Ding!

"Order up, Squidward!" Spongebob shouted in a diner like tone.

"Yeah, yeah." Squidward said, rolling his eyes sarcastically as he grabs the trays quickly and gave them all out to the customers, hoping that they would back up and go away. .

After a few minutes, since most of the customers were to-go's, the restaurant soon became quiet again.

Much to their relief, Spongebob and Squidward  can finally relax again as they talk for a while to pass up the time before closing.

"Phew! All in a day's work. Huh, Squidy? Spongebob said as he wipes up his sweat with the spatula in his hand.

"Yeah, I guess. I just can't wait to get home so I can practice for my clarinet recital." Squidward said in a bored tone while looking at a music magazine.

"Oh right! You said that you're going to be at the Philharmonic Concert Hall this Friday. Can I come and watch you perform?" Spongebob asked, his eyes widen in sparkling blue awe.

Squidward looked over at him and chuckled a little, his mouth turning into a sweet smile.

"When do you not barge into my own life? Yes of course you can come. As long as you're not distracting me." Squidward said in a lighter and friendlier sarcastic tone.

"Yippee!" Spongebob yells out, his fist pumped in the air with victory.

Squidward laughs at his silliness until he hears the front door bell ring and then frown.

There went his peace and quiet he thought with a sigh as he shouts over at the customer upfront, without really knowing who it was.

"We're closed! Come back and bug someone else some another time!" Squidward shouted as he rushes back to his magazine in a huff, believing that the customer will go away if he ignores them.

Spongebob turns around to see who it was and froze in an instant.

"Uh....Squidward?" Spongebob called out to him in a nervous rant.

"What! What! What is....it?" Squidward yelled out as he follows the direction of Spongebob eyes and then stops all of sudden when he realizes why.

Standing in front of the two was none other than Squilvia herself, in the flesh.

"I see that you haven't changed much." Squiliva said bluntly with her eyebrows raising up from hearing his rude tone.

"Oh, um sorry about that. I thought that you were an annoying customer." Squidward said, rubbing his neck with his face flushed full red in embarrassment.

"That doesn't surprise me." Squilvia said in monotone while crossing her arms.

"W..we'll now that you're here, is there something that you wanted to order?" Squidward sputtered out, sweating nervously.

"No, not really. I came back here to apologize for my sudden departure of our relationship. I wasn't thinking about how you would feel and for the most part I felt guilty about hurting you. I miss you and I want to try again with us." Squilvia explained, rubbing her arm, sadly.

Spongebob's face then started to fluster in distress.

His mind swirly in a mix of hurt and confusion.

Why am I like this?

What is this empty, hollow feeling that I have? Spongebob thought as he holds himself together for a bit longer until he can get the full story of it all.

"Oh...yeah of course. We can always try again." Squidward said with an anxious smile.

"Great. How does Friday night sound?" Squilvia offered in a much more relief tone.

"Uh, actually. I have a clarinet recital concert that night at the Philharmonic Concert Hall. Maybe you can meet me there, backstage, and  watch me perform. Then, we can go out to dinner on Saturday night. If you're not too busy I mean." Squidward suggested.

Huh?! Spongebob thought frantically as he
swished his head over to him in disbelief.

Squilvia smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

"Sure, I'd like that. I'll see you there then." Squilvia said sweetly as she waved goodbye to the two of them and left the restaurant.

Spongebob and Squidward sat in awkward silence for what felt like an hour until, Spongebob gave up and spoke.

"Well, I better be heading home soon. It's getting late and Gary's probably waiting for me. So I guess I'll see you later." Spongebob said as he was going to head out until Squidward, who was surprised by his tone, ran up to him and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"W....wait! Just give me a moment to close up the restaurant and then we can walk on home together because I really need your help and you're the only person I can talk to about about this." Squidward suggest in a plea as Spongebob, whose cheeks were tinted pink, nodded his head slowly.

"Okay." Was all Spongebob could reply as Squidward begins to let go of his arm so that he can grab their boss's keys to lock up the joint.

When he was done, the two stroll on their usual path home while talking.

"I know you're probably thinking that I'm nothing but a completely hopeless romantic but, I think I can really win her back. I just need some advice on how to do so." Squidward said, embarrassed.

"Why me? You said so yourself that you can get her to like you anyways. So why does my opinion matter?" Spongebob asked with a tint of hurt in his voice.

Although for the moment, Squidward couldn't quite spot that he was ever feeling this way yet.

"Because you're my....friend." Squidward said, turning away at the sound of friend, which took him at more longer to say than he realized before.

"Yeah, sure." Spongebob said sarcastically as Squidward turns back to him and tries to apologize.

"No, really! you are my friend. I....I guess I never knew that we were friends to begin with for a long time.....Until you started to stay by my side after my messy breakup with her. I just wish I could talk it all back on what I said about you. But without you... I don't think I can make it another day. I was so upset, I knew then, that we really are more than just neighbors and coworkers. I even thought about us as best friends." Squidward confessed as Spongebob locks eyes with him for a moment before turning away and sighs, his face redden at the thought of his rare kindness to him.

When the two made it back to conch street, Spongebob turns to him and smiles.

"Hey, do you wanna hangout with me over at my place? I got a spare couch bed you can use." Spongebob offers.

"Haha. At first I thought you were going to say sleepover." Squidward said with a small laugh.

"It is a sleepover silly. I just meant in case you want to stay the night. We can drink some hot cocoa and talk all about it." Spongebob corrects with a warm smile.

"Usually, I would say ew and slam the door in your face but today, I'm a little more giving." Squidward said as the two head inside Spongebob's place and talk out everything for the rest of the evening.