I take a step back, changing my stance so that I'm ready to bolt if needed, even though I've closed the door behind me, so there would be a few seconds where I'd be helpless, just standing there. Zim is still cackling in the corner, but his metal legs move, slowly, one by one like an actual spider, making his way over to me. I try step back again, but I bump against the door.
"Z-zim?" I ask, my voice shaking. There's no use in trying to hide my fear now. "What's going on?"
"We've become so close..." Zim growls, smiling evilly at me. "You're a bigger distraction than anyone." The solid, lifeless orbs staring through me make his words even more terrifying.
"A distraction?" I manage not to stutter this time, though I'm still pressed up against the door. The handle is digging into my back uncomfortably. Zim doesn't answer, only begins giggling again, still slowly making his way toward me. He's getting dangerously close. Moving quickly, I take half a step forward, feeling behind me for the doorknob. It takes me a second to fumble it around enough for the door to open, but once I'm out of the room, I slam the door shut and run as fast as I can out of the house, not bothering to put on my coat.
---
By the time I get to school, my fingers are stiff and my nose is stinging from the cold. The blast of heat that comes when I walk into the building barely helps, but at least it's something. I cast a glance behind me, which I'd been doing for a majority of the trip here, but once again, no one is behind me.
When I sit in my desk, I can barely focus. Being right next to the window tempts me, and I spend most of class looking outside, worrying that the next time I do, I'll see Zim hurrying across the field toward me.
But, when the lunch bell rings, I still haven't seen any sign of Zim. I swing my legs over the seat, my paranoia ebbing. Maybe I was just tired. I'd stayed up so late last night, waiting for Zim to come to my room and tell me he was fine. Maybe I was the insane one in that scenario. Maybe Zim was completely normal and sane, and I had been seeing things due to lack of sleep. Yeah. I'll probably go home, and Zim will ask me why I ran out of his room.
"Dib!"
Or maybe he's already here.
"How did you get here?" I ask. "I was watching the window the whole time." I don't bother grabbing anything to eat.
"Yeah, I noticed," Zim says, raising an eyebrow. "I was in class for most of that. You know there's two sides of the school, right?"
Oh yeah. "Whatever," I say, slightly embarrassed. "Uh... sorry about this morning. I didn't get much sleep."
Zim looks down. "I'm sorry too. I... I don't know what happened, but it's gone now. Let's just... pretend that never happened."
So it wasn't just me. Either way, I agree that we should just act like we saw nothing. Anything to keep from things being awkward between us. I'd really rather be able to spend time with him comfortably.
Before either of us can say anything, a few of the other students walk up to our table. Their shadows loom over us, which is what causes me to look in their direction. I recognize the students as Zita and Sara. Zim looks up too, but with a look of blatant distaste. He's no more used to this than I am.
"Uh, hi guys," I greet them, still not great at the whole social interaction thing. Zim sits next to me, quiet, leaning on one arm.
"Hi, Dib," Zita says. "Did you hear about the Skool Dance next week?"
"I have," I answer. Ms. Bitters had- reluctantly- told us about it on Friday. "What about it?"
Zita's face goes a bit pink. "I was wondering... if... you wanted to... go," she says. "Um, with me," she adds. She glances at Sara who gives her a subtle thumbs up.
I glance at Zim next to me. He seems to have tensed up, but at the same time, he looks kind of spaced out. How ironic. "Um... sorry, I'm already going with someone," I answer, looking back at Zita.
"You are?" she asks. "Wow, you're really popular for a new kid." I can tell she's trying to cool down her face, because I've done it so many times before too. "Who are you going with?" The question almost seems like a challenge.
Without hesitation, I put my arm around Zim. "I'm going with Zim," I answer. In response, Zim snaps out of his spacey state and blushes.
"Guh, um... what are we talking about?" he stutters, obviously flustered.
"There's a Skool Dance," I answer. Again, he's usually a lot more grounded than this.
"Ah," he says, then glances up at Zita. "Was this one bugging you to accompany her?" he asks, pointing a claw at Zita. Without waiting for an answer, he climbs up on the table and gets right in Zita's face. "This is my human. Not yours. Find your own love pig," he growls. His pupils dilate for a few seconds before going back to normal.
"Okay, Zim, I think that's enough," I say, tugging on his shoulder a bit. He complies and sits back in his seat, still giving Zita the stink-eye. I give her a look that says 'don't mind him', and they walk off. I don't bother telling Zim not to worry about the other kids. Whether I tell him or not doesn't dictate if he listens.
---
(Zim's P.O.V)
The heavy feeling in my chest has since disappeared. What happened this morning lays heavy in my mind, however, though for Dib's sake- as well as my own sanity- I decide not to think about it. The pressure in my chest seemed to have been building up to that, though it was so short and sudden that I'm beginning to wonder if it was even a threat in the first place. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes. Then again, ten minutes is all you need for something bad to take place...
I push the thought to the back of my mind. Maybe I'm still messed up about not remembering my trip. That can cause stress, which can lead to some uncontrollable emotions. I just need to cheer up. Maybe that's why the pressure would ebb when I was near Dib. He makes me happy. After a few days with him, this will all disappear. Maybe staying in my room alone wasn't the best idea.
Unconsciously, I've moved to press up to Dib, leaning my head against his shoulder as I look forward at nothing, spaced out. He boops me between my eyes- where a human's nose would be- and I look up, shaking my head to clear it of the dizziness.
"You okay? You seem to be spacing out a lot," he says, giving a small smile.
I wave it off. "I'm fine," I say, lifting my head from his shoulder, face burning. "Just lost in my thoughts, I suppose."
Dib doesn't question it further as the bell rings and we head to class together.
---
Gir squeaks as Dib plops his bag next to him once we're home. Without asking anyone, or saying a word, he starts digging through it. Dib doesn't seem to mind.
"So I'm guessing you'll be staying upstairs now that you're feeling better?" Dib asks, his tone hopeful.
I laugh and cross my arms. "Definitely. I felt so petty just laying in bed all day. I'd much rather be useful," I mutter, mentally scrolling through everything I'd missed and/or needed to work on. But one look at Dib tells me that all of that can wait. We haven't just spent time together for awhile. So instead, I jump up onto the couch, where Gir is still rifling through Dib's bag, though not taking anything out.
Almost as soon as Dib sits down, Gir pushes his bag to the side and plops down in his lap, looking up at him. He sticks his tongue out before lowering his head to look back at the TV screen, which is displaying static.
I grab for the remote to change the channel, but Gir swats at my arm, keeping me from picking it up. I recoil and Gir goes back to normal, staring intently at the white noise.
"Why can't we-"
"Just... let him," Dib says, giving me a sympathetic look. Has he been dealing with this all weekend? "He likes to watch the Snow."
"Snow?"
Gir looks over and nods enthusiastically, but doesn't say anything. Dib shrugs at me. "I know," he says.
Confused as I am, I look back at the screen. It does kind of look like snow. A bit darker in some places, but at the same time, I can definitely see the resemblance. What I think of as annoying white noise, Gir sees as something much more beautiful. It's strange how a different outlook on something can turn it into something drastically different.