He remembered when they had first met in school.

He had walked in, wearing a sailor's cap over his pointed head. His jacket was pulled tight over his plump body. His pants pushed a bit into his belly where the elastic met skin. His shoes were muddy, probably from the puddles of dirt left over from the last night's rain.

Spongebob had been wearing something similar, but he was covered in mud. Both of them looked at the outfits they were wearing, pointed, and said, "You're wearing my clothes!"

Then laughed. "Nice style, friend!" Spongebob told him, patting Patrick's shoulder.

Patrick's eyes widened. "Friend?"

"Yes, you're my new friend!"

Patrick had smiled a toothy, cheesy grin. "I have a friend! I have a friend!" he cheered, jumping around excitedly. Spongebob laughed. The two hit it off immediately, and sat next to each other when the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the first day of school.

When Spongebob couldn't answer a question, Patrick burped or farted to distract the teacher. When Patrick had an internal meltdown from a question, Spongebob slipped the answer to him surreptitiously. They would share a secret grin afterward, but the teacher never noticed. She was just pleased they weren't causing trouble.

When the recess bell rang, Spongebob rushed out of the room, Patrick in tow. They played hopscotch, jump rope, anything they could think of.

When the bell rang again, they ran inside, pushing and falling over each other the entire way.

And were separated for a group game. Patrick wibbled and held out his hand to Spongebob. Spongebob smiled reassuringly at him, hugged him melodramatically, and ran off to his side of the room.

Patrick stayed in the center of the room.

When Spongebob started playing with a pink salmon like fish, the two having a grand time playing freeze tag, Patrick realized just how much he and Spongebob didn't have in common. He was yellow; Patrick was pink. He was square, small; Patrick qualified as a giant for his age. He was funny, mature, even though no one noticed it; Patrick was…not.

Patrick's eyes filled with tears. He couldn't be Spongebob's friend. Spongebob had moved on in life without him. Patrick was alone. Forgotten.

"Well, I don't need him!" Patrick whispered to himself. His hear t ached, but he followed in Spongebob's example. He moved slowly, shuffling, to his own group, and started to despondently play with his teammates. He only managed to get in the way, and when he was It, he couldn't find the spirit to tag anyone else. They all ran away from him.

He was alone again. No one would even come near him now.

He sat down and started to cry.

A blue fish sighed and walked up, slapping him on the shoulder. "Oops! I'm It," the blue girl cried, and then chased some of her friends around. The only reason she came up to him was to use him.

Patrick felt someone tap his shoulder. He looked up, tears falling down his face. "What's wrong, buddy?" Spongebob asked. He had left his group and come over quietly.

"You…you forgot about me!" Patrick wailed, burying his face in his hands.

"No, I didn't, Patrick," Spongebob pouted. He sat down next to Patrick and put his hand on his shoulder. "Just because I left, it doesn't mean I forgot about you."

Patrick sniffed. "It doesn't?"

Spongebob nodded.

"Yay!" Patrick jumped up, dragging Spongebob up with him, and they ran around, playing their own tag. Sure, it was only two people, but that was all that they needed.

I own no Spongebob characters. Just thought I'd, ah, let you know.