Zim burst into the cafeteria, flattening an unfortunate boy behind the door as he flung it open and attracting a great deal of attention. Not good. Under normal circumstances, he'd begin trying to divert attention by proclaiming how normal he was, but no. His main focus right then, above even the Mission, was to hunt down and destroy Dib for making him endure 20 minutes of Ms. Bitters by himself.

Ignoring the curious gaze of the students, he stormed to Dib's usual, oddly vacant table.

"Cowardly worm! You are WISE to hide from ZIM! For when I find you...," he slammed a fist dramatically on the table, finding no words for the pain Dib would endure once he was found. "For too long have you been a throne in my side"

"Thorn. You mean a thorn in your side. Who are you talking to, anyway?" corrected a random kid who apparantly hadn't learned yet that not only was Zim crazy, but also spoke rather mangled English.

Unfortunately for the kid, Zim now had a target for his rage.

"Ignorant squid! You DARE to correct the amazing speech of Zim! I AM ZIIM! You dare accuse your future ruler of incorrectness?"

The poor boy stared wide eyed and nervous as Zim launched into a full-fledged rant. Others, seeing Zim was distracted and glad they weren't the object of his attention, returned to their eating and conversations, leaving Zim's target to his fate.

Dib shuffled up to Gaz, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Gaz, you're a girl, right?"

His rhetorical question was met with a brief yet venemous glare.

"Get to the point, Dib. Get to the point and leave," she said, marking her book and actually sparing him some of her attention.

"Um, okay. Well, this girl, Gretchen, just... asked me to the dance. I mean, for the first thing, what's the point? We all have to go, so it doesn't make any sense to ask someone specifically to go with you, right? And she was acting all weird... Granted, she's pretty weird in the first place, but-"

"It means she likes you, Dib. She probably finds something about your big head attractive and she's dumb enough not to let your weirdness get in the way. Are you really that dense?"

He stared at the scary girl as she snapped her book open, processing what she'd said. After a while, he mumbled "Oh..," and sat down against a nearby tree, not even bothering to defend his head and paying no heed to the angry Zim-screeches and quiet sobs coming from inside.

"...So?"

"Huh?"

"You declined, right?"

"Oh. Actually, no. I said I'd go with her and she got all... creepily cheerful."

Thunk

Gaz stared at him, book slipping from her fingers. "You're kidding me. My brother, the paranormal weirdo, actually has a DATE? A human date?"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded indignantly. "Why wouldn't I have a date? And why wouldn't she be human?"

"Well, you're going to spend the entire time chasing after or stalking Zim anyway. It'd make sense if you just went with him," she shrugged, quickly recovering both her composure and her book. Dib stared at her as though she'd just admitted to being a vampire or werepig or something.

"Gaz, it's my duty to defend the Earth from Zim! Not dance with him! How does that make any sense? Besides, he's an alien! Do you have any idea how crazy I'd look if I went with him?"

"About as crazy as you look staring at him all the time and obsessing over him. Don't even say it." she interrupted him the moment he opened his mouth and brandished her book menacingly. "I'm halfway through this chapter and I either finish my book or make you regret ever waking up this morning."

Effectively silenced, he opted for fuming silently under his tree. Though, between Zim and Gretchen, he'd choose the one with the least annoying speech and ego problems. But alas, he had already agreed to go with Gretchen, and not only were he and Zim mortal enemies, but the suggestion would probably get him laughed at anyway. The concept of dates to a mandatory event was stupid, he decided, but what the heck. If it meant so much to Gretchen he could probably endure, and he might even get to survive the night if he had a date. What Gaz had said was true, too; he'd probably spend the night hounding Zim and not have to put up with the girl for more than half of it, at most.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all...

"-and THAT is why the sloth is not your friend" Zim finished, leaping off the table and sneering smugly at the boy, who seemed to have aged 60 years since the start of Zim's rant. His hair had greyed, and lines of trauma had formed around the poor kid's face. Old Kid was no longer alone.

Zim whirled around and marched away, successfully distracted from the cause of his former anger and feeling much better. Before long, the bell would ring and call them back inside, but he could live with that. Because not too much later, skool would let out and he could return to his base and immerse himself in a different brand of insanity for a while. And take off the stupid, itchy wig and scratchy lenses...

"Heya buddy!"

He screamed as Keef popped up directly in from of him.

"I know I'm not supposed to come near you and all, but you see, Gretchen and I were talkin', and I was wondering if maybe you n' me could go to the dance together! It'd be so much fun! Whattaya say, buddy?" The red-head laced an arm around Zim's sholders, beaming hopefully at him. Zim backhanded him with enough force to knock him a good three feet back.

"Are you insane? Me, ZIM, dance with you? What horrible madness do you possess, Earth boy?"

"Aw, come on, buddy! You're still my best friend forever! Best friends don't let best friends go to dances alone! And you know I like spending time with you, and this could be fun! Right, Zim?"

Zim stared at him. "What, exactly, is wrong with going alone? I'm sure it is a perfecrly NORMAL thing to do, yes...?"

"No! Gosh, Zim, if you go alone, you'll be marked as a social outcast forever! Please go with me, Zim! For your own good!"

This was actually a tough choice. Risk the mission and his life, or spend time with Keef. He shook his head in disgust at what he was about to do. The Tallest had better be pleased...

"FINE, Keef. I accept your- hey, waitaminute! The DIB is going with someone! Who?"

"Oh, didn't ya hear? Guess not, being in Ms. Bitters room and all..."

"Get to the point! Answer Zim!"

Keef laughed, happy to be in Zim's company again for some reason. "Gretchen! She asked him today! I was so happy, I thought those two would never hook up! This dance finally gave her the chance to talk to him. Isn't it great?" He beamed at the appalled alien.

"Great? How is this 'great?' Why does she pay him special attention?" he turned from Keef to rant more privately. "This dance could have been my one chance to be rid of him for good! But now, with this... Gretchen creature in the picture, my plans will be pointless!" He spun around again to face Keef. "I accept your offer, Keef. But now I am sick. I'm going home."

He turned and stalked out, bad mood once again enshrouding him as he stormed from the school to his base.

This Gretchen had somehow managed to foil his plans before he'd gotten a chance to use them. Even if she hadn't, with her around they might not have even worked on the Dib. This human girl had caused him far too much trouble... but maybe he could somehow work around her. He would have to see... but first, to the base for some much needed brooding time.

Dib walked back in to the cafeteria see an excessively happy Gretchen and Keef dancing together on a table. Badly.

His heart sank at the sight, regretting deeply his decision to go with Gretchen. Maybe he'd get lucky and she'd break her leg or something, or had changed her mind and asked Keef. Of course, the thought of being rejected for Keef didn't exactly cheer him up, but watching the pair dance was downright scary.

Wrenching his vision away from the scene, he scanned the room for Zim, who by all means should have been freed by then. But no.

The bell sounded, luring the children back to their respective classrooms. As the herd moved down the hallway, Dib looked for a flash of green to reveal Zim. His suspicions were fully aroused by the time class started and there was still no sign of the Invader. The joyous Keef was pretty unusual too, now that he thought of it.

He looked at the clock, wincing at the time left until freedom. No choice but to wait, though... wait, and try not to think of the havock Zim could wreak while he sat in school waiting for the bell to ring.

As Ms. Bitters droned on, he picked up a pencil and began to draw.