I'm (not)ready...

Guilt

The town of bikini bottom looked at each other, guilt filling the stomach of some, while others just just filled with annoyance.

They watched him run into the distance wondering who will follow him. Or if he should be followed at all.

Just as they were deciding what to do, someone yelled

"Hey, it's National No Patrick day!"

Just like that, all thoughts of SpongeBob vanished, the guilt subsiding showing their care for him was skin deep at best, and we're fully ready to do it to someone else they deemed 'annoying'. All boarded the bus to leave. All except three.

Patrick, who was physically unable to enter the bus, too stupid to fully understand how they hurt SpongeBob. Mr. Krabs, who cared about not losing money if his best fry cook got hurt somehow. And Sandy, who actually cared about the little sponge who's always done so much for them.

Sure, he's been annoying at times, and she had followed the others in leaving, seeing no harm in it at the time. Now she wonders how they could possibly do that, and why she would decide to join them.

She left one of her closest friends alone for weeks.

He believed everyone had died, he had to live with that. They were lucky he was still there at all when they came back.

And it seemed like no one besides her cared.

Oh, Krabs cared about his money, and would help find him. Patrick had nothing else to do, seemingly in one of his stupider states. She'll never understand how he works...

But back to the subject. SpongeBob is missing, probably thinks everyone hates him, and she can't blame him for either of those things.

After all, if it was her, she would probably have injured a few people by now...

But that's besides the point. They need to find him, even if he doesn't want to be found, they need to at least apologize, whether he'll accept or not, they need to as soon as possible.

She tuned back in, unaware Mr. Krabs had been speaking while she had been deep in thought

"-and I hope that little fry cook is fine by the time No Patrick Day is over, I can't have my best fry cook slacking on the job"

"Is that really all you're worried about?!" She said incredulously

"Well... it's not all I care about."

"We've hurt one of our closest friends, and you're talking about money. I wish I could say I don't believe this, but I know you're greedier than a bullfrog surrounded by flies."

"Money-"

"Forget it, I need to find SpongeBob. Is anyone coming with me, or are you two busy digging for gold."

Patrick and Krabs looked at each other, neither understanding the double meaning

"There's gold around here?! Outta my way pinky, I was here first!"

Sandy sighed is disappointment.

"Are you coming Patrick?"

"Sorry Sandy, but I've got to catch up on my gold digging. I lost a lot of progress while we were busy on vacation." He said, sticking his hand in a nose she didn't know existed.

She shuddered trying to erase the image from her mind.

"Fine. I see where you two stand. I'll find him myself"

And so she went on her search for SpongeBob. Naturally, the first place she checked was his house, knocking a few times, before committing the crime of breaking and entering. SpongeBob should really start locking his door...

She checked every nook and cranny of his house, calling out to him, but alas, found no trace of him.

As Gary came up to her, she deciding if asking the snail would have any results

"Hey Gary, do you know where SpongeBob went"

"Meow."

"I guess not." She sighed as she realized she was talking to a snail.

Next, she decided on the Krusty Krab.

This search didn't last as long as his house, seeing as the Krusty Krab doesn't have a massive basement library, but once again, providing no results

"Where could the little dude be..." And now she was talking to herself. Was this how SpongeBob felt, missing everyone for weeks?

Guilt flooding her system again, knowing SpongeBob felt so much worse. Her resolve to find him strengthened even more.

So there she is, sitting in the Krusty Krab, figuring out where she would check next. She decided on writing a list.

Its unfortunate how long the list is, but she'll go through every one until she finds him. She has to.