Nicotine (ZADR)

Ch.2, Lovely Garden

Dib's PoV

It has been only five hours, and everyone is already talking about me, but not negatively, more positive statements. I'm not gonna lie, I love that everyone is finally being nice to me, but its also very exhausting for girls to checking you out, asking you out, and being over all THOTS. (I'm not sorry.) 

With a sigh, I throw my bag over my shoulder and head to lunch, waving to anyone who says 'hi' to me. I make sure to apologize when I bump into someone, some even threatening me when I do bump into them. However, I guess when they notice that I'm kinda buff they simply shut up and walk away. I shrug it off, continuing my trip to the cafeteria. Occasionally, I trip over my feet, which makes my face burn red with embarrassment. Some people even chuckle and ask if I'm alright, which I confirm saying, "Yeah I'm alright." 

I finally make it to my location, pulling my lunch out of my bag and making my way over to a table with no one sitting at it, except Gaz and her friend Caleb. Caleb had dark brown hair, blue eyes, dimples, and was relatively tall, standing at 6'7 ft. He was also very skinny, and fast. 

I sit down beside Gaz, opening up my lunch and beginning to chew on an apple slice. "Hey Dib! Man, you've changed.." Caleb says, laughing when I chuckle only to choke on my apple, Gaz patting my back while laughing as well. "Thanks, Gaz. And I guess I have. heh." I say, managing to hold back a cough. We continue to talk for a few minutes before Zim finally appears and takes a seat beside Caleb. "Where are you been, Zim?" I ask, Caleb laughing when the alien gives me a glare. "Mr.Rivers had to talk to me after class." "What? Why?" 

He shrugs but replies with, "He asked me, 'The hell is up with your skin?' and since he has a unibrow, I replied with, 'What the hell is up with your eyebrows? And he sent me outside.. when I came back in he asked what united meant and I said, 'It basically means anything becomes a whole, just like your eyebrows. He then asked me to stay after class." No one could hold in their laughter as he ended his story, Gaz full on cackling while I snorted in between laughs. "Dib, you sound like Peppa Pig!" Caleb wheezes out, and I let out a silent laugh. "S..stop making fun of my piggy laugh!" I say while snorting, Zim falling out of his trance of smiling innocently  to laugh at this. "God damn, that's funny as hell." Caleb chokes out, Gaz holding her stomach and breathing heavily. "Oh man.. my sides...they hurt." She whimpers, smiling when I chuckle. 

"You okay?" Caleb asks, to which Gaz nods her head. If Caleb wasn't gay, god I'd be worried. Thank god, he has a boyfriend. Michael. Who is in Florida right now, so he'll show up in like three or four weeks for school. Also, Caleb knows about Zim being an alien. He literally walked in on Zim and I arguing in Zim's house while he wasn't disguised. He honestly found Zim's form to be adorable, teasing him lightly.

"I'm crying.." I whimper out, blinking away some tears and laughing softly when Caleb laughs. "So, Gaz, how are your guitar lessons going so far?" Caleb asks when we calm down, Gaz smiling slightly. "It's been okay. Dad's paying for my lessons so.. its a win win situation here. Not to mention, Dib, here, has been taking voice lessons." she says smugly, and I spit out an apple slice, my cheeks turning a light shade of red. "A-am not!" I stutter out, only to cover my face when she smirks at me with a raised brow. "Fine! Maybe I have been taking lesson over the summer.." I manage to say, pouting afterwards. "Awww! That's cute, Dib!" Caleb squeals, yelping when I throw the spat out apple slice at his chest.  "What are these voice lessons you speak of, Gaz?" Zim asks, tilting his head slightly. "Oh, you know...he's been getting help with singing. And, honestly, he's gotten good. His voice is amazing." Gaz explains, and I groan softly, covering my face with my shirt. "Dib-thing can sing?! LET ZIM HEAR IT!" Zim yells, and I look up at him. "No." "YES." "No." "YES." "No." "YES." "I can do this all day, Zim." 

He growls, crossing his arms but sticks out his tongue playfully, showing no harm in his actions.That's when I feel my chest tighten, a warm feeling flooding my senses. "Fuck you too, alien." I remark, chuckling with Caleb and Gaz when he flips me off. With that, the bell rings and we all part ways. Making my way to Advanced-Algebra, I take note of how girls bite their bottom lips at me and guys smiling at me. I'm not used to this..like at all. So, I keep my head down as I walk. 'Why can't I stop thinking about that alien? Why did I feel so warm when he stuck his tongue out at me?' I stop in my tracks as realization hits me like a truck. 

Finally at the end of the day, I'm in my room, staring up at my ceiling in thought 'No. No.nO. I can't love Zim! That's just..so wrong! Ughhghhgh why must feelings be so complicated?!' When I hear a knock at my door, I jolt up, now sitting instead of laying down. "C-come in!" 

I watch as the door opens, Gaz stepping inside and shutting it behind her. I notice her guitar is in her grasp, and raise an eyebrow. "Okay,I was practicing when I felt like you weren't okay. Ever since lunch ended, you've been acting weird. I want to know what's wrong. And if you don't feel comfortable telling me, that's alright." She says gently, and I look away. "I..It's..just feelings honestly. I'm...in love, Gaz." I whisper loud enough for her to hear, and she nods her head. "I'm..in love with Zim." 

That's when she screams in a high tone, not angry, happily. 

"jESUS! CALM DOWN, GAZ!"

"I can't! My inner fangirl is coming out!! I KNEW YOU LIKED HIM!"

"SHHHH!!!!! DAD'LL HEAR YOU IDIOT!"

"I'M SO HAPPY-"

I throw a pillow at her, making her retreat to her room, laughing as she closes the door behind her. I sigh, running a hand through my hair before laying back down. "Cross my heart and hope to die, burn my lungs and curse my eyes." I sing softly, sitting back up and looking at myself through the reflection in my T.V. "I've lost control, and I don't want it back. I'm going numb, I've been hijacked." I continue on with my small song, looking at the spot on my chest where my heart is. "It's a fucking drag.." i proceed to touch the spot, feeling ashamed of what I feel for the alien. "You're worse than nicotine..." I whisper, letting a tear fall from my eyes before walking outside to go eat dinner.