Squidward was feeling particularly proud of his humble abode on this particular day. He had spent hours cleaning and organizing, making sure every nook and cranny was in perfect order. So he was excited to show it to Sonic and Lily, now that they were on the way to his house.
"Welcome to my humble abode," Squidward said grandly as he opened the door for Sonic and Lily. "I hope you like it."
Sonic and Lily looked around, taking in the neat and orderly interior of Squidward's home.
"It's very nice, Squidward," Sonic said politely.
"Yeah, it's really clean," Lily added, nodding her head in agreement.
But as they continued to look around, they couldn't help but notice that some of the furnishings were looking a bit dated.
"Uh, Squidward," Sonic said, trying to be tactful. "Your furniture is a little old, don't you think?"
Squidward's face fell. He hadn't realized that his furniture was looking a bit outdated.
"Well, I suppose it could use an update," he admitted.
Lily, who was known for her bluntness, didn't hold back.
"Yeah, it looks like something out of a thrift store," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
Squidward was feeling more and more embarrassed by the minute. He had been so proud of his home, but now it seemed like his friends weren't impressed at all.
"Well, I'll have you know that I put a lot of effort into keeping my home clean and organized," he said defensively.
But Lily wasn't done.
"Yeah, but it still looks like crap," she said, completely oblivious to the hurt look on Squidward's face.
Sonic, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally spoke up.
"Lily, that's really rude," he said, giving her a stern look.
Lily, who had been enjoying tearing down Squidward's home, suddenly realized what she had done.
"Oh, I'm sorry Squidward," she said, her face turning red with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to be so mean."
But it was too late. The damage had been done, and Squidward was feeling more hurt and humiliated than ever.
"I think it's time for you both to leave," he said, his voice shaking with emotion.
Sonic and Lily quickly made their apologies and left, leaving Squidward alone with his wounded pride.
As they walked away, Lily couldn't help but feel guilty for the way she had treated Squidward.
"I'm so sorry, Sonic," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't mean to be so mean to Squidward. I don't know what came over me."
Sonic, who had been feeling increasingly uncomfortable around Lily, finally spoke up.
"Lily, I don't think we should be friends anymore," he said, his voice firm. "You're mean and rude, and I don't want to be around someone like that."
Lily was devastated. She had never been so rejected in her life, and she didn't know how to handle it.
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her face crumpling with emotion. "I'll never be mean to anyone again, I promise."
But Sonic was done. He turned and walked away, leaving Lily standing alone in the street, feeling more alone and humiliated than she has ever felt.
It felt like she was drowning again, which would make sense as she was under the sea but that hadn't been a problem before. Right now she was drowning in her own tears.
