Author's Note: Upon popular demand, here is part two of my crappy story! Seriously, you guys. This is not my best work. Why do people worship my shit-load excuses for stories?
I don't know if I'll keep going after this. It might just end up as another Discontinued.
Don't own Zim in any way, shape, or form. I only own Tia.
Flame and suffer the consequences.
===LINE BREAK OF DOOM===
I bob my head to the beat of the song. The other kids get up and I figure the bell rang, so I get up and start to leave as well. "Don't forget, students. Tonight is Parent-Teacher Night, and everyone is required to go," I barely hear Bitters growl. I roll my eyes and continue on. The alien- Zim, I've learned his name is- freezes in the doorway, blocking my way so that I unadvertantly bump into him.
"Outta my way!" I bark, my mood already dampened by the reminder.
"Keep moving, filthy human! ZIM has matters to deal with!" Zim snaps back.
I restrain the urge to shout and walk away. If there's one thing I hate worse than my life, it's idiotic alien scum blocking my path.
Walking home, I turn my iPod up louder so the noise of the cars passing by are drowned out. I trudge up my front yard, kicking one of the brats' stupid toys away. My house isn't so bad, actually. It's big, six rooms and four bathrooms, but drearily painted. My window is the one on the far left, looking at it from the front, and is the only one where the drapes are pulled shut. I don't let daylight in my room- the sunrays bleach my bedspread and reflect off my mirror.
"I'm home!" I shout as I open the front door, not caring if anyone hears me or not. I pull an earbud out and stick it in my shirt collar so it doesn't swing as I walk- I'm not allowed to have both earbuds in while I'm inside the house.
"Hi, Tia!" My step-mother is the one home today. I groan under my breath and walk into the kitchen, where she's cooking dinner already. I can tell by the stench that it's lasagna again, or her failure Mexican-American attempt at it. Seriously, who puts chili in an Italian dish? "How was school?" she asks.
"Same," I mutter, opening the refrigerator door in hopes of finding something decent to eat.
"Don't fill up on snacks- we're having dinner early tonight so we can make it to your Parent-Teacher Night."
Don't remind me, I'm compelled to say, but I keep my mouth shut, having learned my lesson after being grounded before for being a smart-ass. I instead grab the milk jug- the only thing worth consuming in the entire fridge. I pull a cup out of the dishwasher and fill it to the brim with milk. That should hold me until after the stupid parent night thing.
"If you need me, I'll be doing homework in my room," I excuse myself from her presence with a lie, same as every day. I never have homework, one of the few things I'm glad about being in Bitters' class.
Closing the door behind me, I sigh gratefully for having at least an hour of silence and solitude. I turn off my iPod, my ears throbbing, set the milk aside on the nightstand, and lay face-up on my bed. I place my hands flat on their palms beside me and take several deep breaths. My eyes flutter closed, and as I relax I feel like I'm floating away.
I'd been doing this excersize since I was little to help cope with my mother's death. After I accepted the fact that she was never coming back from the hospital, I began to use it to calm myself after particularly stressful days, or before something I dread. It helps keep my anger in check.
I let my mind drift, and I go back to the past. Back to Mom, and New Mexico; the only things that make me happy. I find myself in the park, laughing and spinning around with Mom. I smile at her and our brown eyes meet, and I feel at ease again, like nothing has changed in my life.
A knock on the door brings me out of it. My blood boils for a moment but it quickly goes away and I keep my composure. "Yo?" I say loudly.
"Time for dinner!" says my dad's gruff voice. I sigh and pull myself up in a sitting position.
"I'll be there in a few," I call. My head is aching and my limbs numb. Did I fall asleep again?
Eventually I'm able to shuffle myself downstairs to the kitchen and take my place at the table. My plate falls in front of me and I hold back my grimace. Nevertheless, I pick up my fork and push the slab of poorly cooked meat and noodles around my platter, picking off what few good parts there are. My four siblings go on loudly and rapidly about how their day went. My step-brother wants to play football; the older girl wants to join the softball team; the younger girl wants to be a cheerleader. The same trash they ramble on about every night.
The only I really listen to is Raemi. I giggle as she tells me about how she wants to 'marry' one boy in her preschool class. "But he's getting married to Angel!" she complains. I smile at her.
"Oh, Raemi. There'll be other boys. What about that one kid, Issac?" I ask, hoping she'll stop moping even though her pouty face is just so damn adorable.
"I don't like Issac. He pushes me around and makes fun-a me!" she whines.
"Really? Well, next time he hurts you, tell him to stop or I'll come to pick you up next time and get him in trouble," I tell her seriously.
"Okay!" Raemi says, smiling. That seems to have picked up her mood, and my chest relaxes once more.
Dinner ends much too quickly. I head back up to my room to finish my milk and to retrieve my iPod. I come back downstairs to be greeted with another complaint from my step-mother. "Why do wear that damn jacket every day? Wear something else! Something less dirty," she criticizes. I look down at myself.
Yeah, my jacket's stained and has a rip on the sleeve. I've worn it every day since I got it. It was a present from my grandmother; it's special to me in a way my step-mother can't ever imagine, since she can't own anything for more than six months without getting rid of it for one reason or another.
I hold my tongue and shrug. "I like it," I say quietly, avoiding her gaze and touch.
We all leave and pile up in the van. With my step-brother sitting between the older girl and me in the back, we can barely make all seven of us fit. Raemi has to sit a row up since she still needs her own little booster seat, even though I would prefer it if she sat beside me.
The drive is short, since we live in walking distance of the Skool. We tumble out of the van like clowns and I place but earbuds in my ears. I walk to the cafeteria, knowing the family will follow me eventually. I glance behind me just to make sure. Raemi runs up and slips her small, warm hand in mine. An ever-so-subtle smile twitches at the corners of my lips.
I crinkle my nose at the smell of the cafeteria. Even when the food, that must be from the city cess-pool, isn't being served, the revolting odor still lingers. A cloak of black catches my eye and turn my head to see Bitters lecturing a group of parents. Poor people, I think as I lead my parents and siblings over to her.
I whistle, making Bitters turn my way. "Told you I'd show up," I say mildly. "Dad, step-mom, sisters, brother." I point at each in introduction. "Guys, teacher. Name's Bitters."
"Hello!" says my step-mom in a cheery tone. I wince at the embarressment.
"Bye," I snap sharply, whipping around and walking in the other direction. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zim with a pair of sparking robots vaguely resembling people waltzing in the room like he owns the place. Not paying attention to him, I wandered over to the refreshments table.
Dib is there, with his little sister; Gaz, I believe. He's holding a cup of nasty smelling punch and she's playing a game on her Game Slave. I haven't really spoken to Dib since that first day, both too ashamed and too irritated to deal with him. Gaz, on the other hand, I sometimes talk to. We've even shared cheat codes for Vampire Piggy Slayer 3.
A sweet little hand grabs the back hem of my jacket and I look over my shoulder, unintentionally smiling. Raemi grins up at me, big blue eyes sparkling. I pick her up and balance her on my hip. "Want some punch?" I ask her. She nods vigorously. I take a cup and hand it to her. "Don't spill on my jacket, baby," I warn gently. Raemi nods again, her golden curls bouncing.
"Why does the boy have a big head?" the toddler asks me in my ear.
"My head is not big!" Dib shouts defensively.
"True. I've seen bigger," I agree, glancing over at my step-brother.
"How many times do I have to- wait. You agree with me?" Dib looks confused, head tilted like a dog's so that I almost giggle. I shrug, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, which is really hard considering I'm always much happier around Raemi.
A loud crash behind me makes all of us look that way. Zim's "Dad" is malfunctioning, probably not for the first time, and his "Mom" is wreaking havoc, dumping the cup of punch it's holding on a woman, who screams in horror and runs off.
I half wish that was my step-mother but I'm too preoccupied with laughter to think much about it. I hear Raemi's giggling in my ear, and I'm glad that I'm not the only one getting a kick out of this.
After that, the rest of the night is torture. Raemi goes off to play with the other little kids that had come, and I'm stuck listening to Dib's ranting. Now I understand what Gaz goes through on a daily basis.
"...And then they laughed at me! But I swear, he was using the beltsander!" Dib goes on. I can't take it anymore.
"Shut up!" I bark. "No one cares, or haven't you noticed! Humanity is too stupid to see the truth; why keep shoving it in their faces when they obviously are too stupid and stubborn to bother themselves and give two shits?"
Both Dib and Gaz stare unbelieving at me. That was probably the most they've heard me say at one time, so I can't really blame them. "What? It's true. The entire human race is just one big ignoramous," I point out, quieter now.
"Are you saying that you believe me?" Dib asks, dumbfounded. I roll my eyes and sigh moodily.
"Yeah, duh," I mutter.
"So I'm not crazy!" Dib seems ecstatic, so what else can I do but rain on his parade?
"No. You're totally crazy for thinking that Zim could take over the world," I say, peering over my shoulder at the green-skinned thing that for whatever reason was still here. "He's too... dumb."
"He's still a threat," Dib insists. "He almost destroyed the Earth multiple times, and if it weren't for me you would be either dead or a slave!"
"If he did get close to conquering Earth, it was probably an accident that turned into a brilliant plan. That happens to idiots all the time," I argue. "I mean, my baby sister could take over our world and his in half the time it would take him to come up with, and execute, a plan."
Maybe I'm exagerating, but Raemi could take complete control of this town with her Bambi eyes alone.
"I doubt that," Dib says. "She's cute and all, but who would be stupid enough to fall to the knees of a four-year-old?"
"Have you met your fellow humans?" I push back in his face. Dib opens his mouth to say something, but closes it again and sticks his hands in his pockets in defeat. I can't hold back the smirk. It's always nice to win an argument with someone who's nearly as smart as you.
I hear my step-mom call for me and frown. "Gotta go. Bye," I say without looking at the duo, walking away.
For the second time today I run into Zim blocking my path. Grumbling, I snap at him once more. "Hey! Move, dirtbag!"
"Monkey-worm, YOU are in ZIM'S way! Remove yourself before I do it for you!" the alien barks back.
"If you would quit stopping in the middle of everyone's way, you wouldn't have this problem!" I snarl, shoving past him. "Stay away from me, or else!"
"Or else what, little dirt-monkey?" Zim taunts as I pass.
"Don't tempt me," I warn in a low, anger voice. I walk away before he can anger me any further.
I would never do anything to ruin my permanant record, especially get in a fist-fight with an alien, but my empty threat will hopefully be enough to keep him away from me. Before I do something I'll regret.
=== LINE BREAK OF DOOM ===
End scene!
I was out of inspiration for a while, which was what was taking me so long to write this. I recorded some episodes on my new DVR and I had an idea when I was watching Parent Teacher Night. Obviously.
From now on, not only will I be writing original chapters(if I continue, that is), but I'll also be writing little continuations of real episodes, like Career Day and Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom.
Next chapter I have in mind is my own, though.
Review or... or... or I'll lay eggs in your stomach! I mean it!