Dibs eyes blared open as his door swung open, a tall, blocky figure standing confidently as his body jolted into a sitting position.
He blinked for a few seconds, reaching for his glasses as his ears began to register the voice talking to him.
"-Son! " A familiar, deep voice spoke with the same wise tone the professor always seemed to have.
Seeing his father clearly now- he squinted slightly, his body was stiff and his hair messed.
".. Dad? " Dib mumbled in a groggy, confused tone.
His father was rarely ever at the house, let alone long enough for him to be greeted by the man.
Wait, had he seen Zim?
"Yes, my son. I thought I'd wake you for your first day back from your suspension! " Professor membrane greeted once more, half explaining. He hadn't mentioned the little alien at all. Maybe he didn't see him?
But if that was the case- where was Zim? Had he gone back to his base?
He pushed the thoughts back, focusing on another fact- his suspension was up.
"W-what? B-but dad! I can't go to skool! " Dib panicked, hastily hopping out of his bed.
The man sighed.
"Yes you can, you're not sick, nor hurt. You're a perfectly healthy boy! Now you better start getting ready, skool starts in an hour! " He chirped, closing the door with a sharp click before he could protest further.
Dib grumbled under his breath, begrudgingly picking out clothes for the day.
His father would probably leave before he will, so he can just skip it.
Pulling on the clothes, he turned to look in the mirror.
He'd forgotten just how plain his outfit looked without the jacket.
He brushed his hair, restyling the scythe-like ahoge.
Pulling on his signature jacket and his shoes, Dib opened the door.
He wanted to know where Zim was, if he was even in the house,
Stepping down the stairs, he swooped into the lounge room.
"What do you think you're doing, son? You should eat before you go watch your silly shows. " Professor membrane called, shaking his head.
Dib froze, why was his father still here?
He turned around- completely ignoring the task of looking for Zim.
The scientist held a piece of what he'd called 'super toast', with another piece in the making.
He perked a brow, had Gaz already eaten?
It didn't matter. As long as his father was home- he would have to go to school.
"Don't you have work? " He asked hesitantly, his arm still held the frame of the lounge room.
"Of course! I just had to run some errands here at home. So I thought I'd quickly greet you and your sister! '' Dib couldn't see his expression, but he could basically feel the grin on his fathers face.
He stayed silent for a few moments, how long would his dad be here?
"I-i can't go to skool. " The boy stated once more, his stance slightly wobbly.
"Yes you can. " Professor membrane disagreed, voice stern.
"I can't dad-! I have to- to do something really important! " He stumbled, not quite sure how to explain the whole situation without sounding crazy.
"And what could possibly be more important than skool? " He pushed.
"T-The aliens-! They're coming- the whole Irken armada! Please-" The disappointed posture on his fathers figure bit into him like a pack of hungry wolves, and he felt the little hope that maybe, maybe he would be taken seriously for once- crumble.
"Now, son, Your fantasies are no excuse to miss out on crucial education. " The man shook his head with a sad, unimpressed tone.
"It's not! It's real- can't you just believe me for once? Just this once! " Dib's voice shook with desperation.
The professor just shook his head with a sigh.
He felt his shoulders slump, the sting of angry, sad tears brimmed at his eyes.
The feeling that he'd never be heard. It gnawed at him, gutting him out.
The same feeling that'd chewed and fed on him since the first day he'd seen Zim, how all of his classmates would sneer and call him insane.
The same feeling that swirled and boiled inside him every time he'd shown his dad- his classmates even- real evidence of the alien race that was sure to end life as they'd known it.
The same feeling that snapped at him as everyone on this planet, and his father, chose to deny life outside of earth even after the florpus incident, even after he'd seen and fought the little alien known as Zim.
The same feeling that choked him as his classmates did nothing, even after seeing the space creature without a disguise.
Dibs breath hitched and his hands shook, bitter fury snaking around him.
"You just don't get it! Don't blame me when an alien army comes and obliterates our planet. " His voice wobbled, but a bitter venom dropped from every word.
The boy glared for a few seconds before throwing his bag over his shoulder, and running out of the house.
The door slammed shut, and he felt the hot stream trickle down his cheeks.
He stepped away from his house, seething with anger, his face damp from the dripping tears.
Dib wiped at his face, stopping the tears before they became noticeable.
Why couldn't someone just hear him out for once? He's doing his best! Warning, fighting- defending.
But it seems his calls always fell on deaf ears.
No one ever listened to him, it didn't matter if it was about some strange cryptid, or an upcoming attack from the depths of space.
He realised with a low head, that it'd never change.
That no one would ever understand.
He'd always be ridiculed, labelled as just another crazy, delusional kid.
Just another lost cause.
Dib picked up his pace, letting his thoughts fade out and merge with the sound of passing cars and the windy breeze.
His eyes were glasses over with tears he wouldn't shed, not here, not now.
As the skool came into view, and his speed slowed, a thought resurfaced.
Where had Zim been?
The day seemed to go by frighteningly fast, yet dreadfully slow after he'd arrived at skool.
He'd tried to distract himself, but his mind constantly strayed.
The reminder grew into a desperate yell in his mind, and his thoughts explored every possibility.
Zim, he could simply be in his house somewhere, maybe even regretful.
Or, he could be planning. Calling his tallest even.
Dib almost sighed. A reminiscent of the past, scandals of the weird kid and an alien.
Scandals of him and Zim.
Things were a lot more simple then, he still had the whole wanting to save the would thing- but it wasn't as scary.
Sure, he knew the Irken empire was dangerous.
But deep down, he thinks he knew that they wouldn't actually send a whole armada.
But now it was different, it wasn't just empty threats anymore.
It was real, he was there himself, watching the whole call live.
And watching Zim try to brainwash himself, wanting to go back to before all of this happened.
Dib furrowed his brow, resentment building.
If he'd just stopped clinging onto an already dead reality- none of this would've happened.
He wouldn't be in danger.
He wouldn't be falling back into what other people called a 'stereotypical crazy kid'.
His leg bounced slightly under his desk, as his eyes glanced across the chitter filled room.
Luckily, no one paid any mind to him, too busy having actual friends to talk with.
And still, no word about what'd happened prior to the suspension.
No panicked shrieks about an alien in the school, no thankful vows of how he'd been right.
He glanced away, a sorrow filled pit formed in his stomach.
A loud ringing filled the space, the bell.
Dib sighed quietly as he stood, maybe he should just skip.
His father should definitely be gone now. And if he went now, there was more time to find Zim.
He mentally nodded.
He hastily left his classroom, heading towards the run-down bathrooms of the school.
Trying to take a direct route out of the school would be hell.
He'd tried it once, and he'd decided that a detention with Mrs bitters would not be worth it.
So he'd found a different way.
Sitting above one of the stalls, was a window.
The window may have been locked, but in his school? He doubted the… janitor? Would remember to.
Stepping on the toilet lid, he peered over the window, trying to get a good height.
After getting in position, he began to budge the seal open, and to his luck, it choppily opened.
His balance wobbled as he tried to get it open enough for him to fit through.
Hissing, Dib quickly regained his posture, and began attempting to climb out of the window.
It was an awkward angle, and it took a few tries- but he did it.
Unfortunately, not in a front-facing position.
His back hit the stale grass with heavy thud, earning a groan out of the boy.
Dib knew it wasn't a good idea to stay on school grounds too long, so much to his spines' dismay, got back onto his feet.
Fortunately, he'd tried this route before. And found a safer exit than jumping the fence.
There had been a small cut in the tall wired walls, an average kid probably wouldn't fit.
But he had become good at getting out of things, even if that meant being as small as possible.
The tough metal brushed his jacked, creating small cuts that were annoying, but better than cutting into his flesh instead.
With haste, he ran away from the skool.
He headed for his house, and just hoped that his father wouldn't be there.
And that Zim would be.