The Almighty Error.

Sector One.

                Dibs' Perspective.

It was finally the first day of being a senior in high school. An important milestone for any child growing into adulthood. And was my father around to see me off on my first day?

No, he was not. Of course, too busy with his work to even notice today was a big deal for me.

First of all, it was the last year of public education I would ever take before I get to start on my adult-life. And secondly, it was time for me to find out if Zim was going to even show up at school. I knew we were scheduled to have the same classes together, since I hacked the schools' systems to change his courses to match mine. It was so that keeping an eye on him would've been easier.

But what would have been the point of it if Zim left earth for good after the failure he faced just weeks ago?

As I start my walk to the high school, my mind swirls back to when Zim first found out his leaders' whereabouts.

"The Tallest! Aren't! coming!—I've lost their respect!"

In that moment, part of me did sincerely feel bad for Zim. I had never even seen him so distraught before. In fact, Zim never willingly showed such vulnerability in my presence prior to that moment.

I'm guessing that after all his efforts to gain their respect again by bringing earth to them only to fail in the end, surely it took another bad toll on Zims' ego and pride.

I continue to walk, kicking rocks in my path.

'What will I do if Zim is gone for good? I've spent so much time studying him, his species, ruining his plans, or just trying to expose him..'

Walking into the poorly rebuilt high school building, my ears were immediately greeted with the sounds of other children talking throughout the narrow halls. Keeping my head low, I walk past everyone in hopes none will try and tease or mock me.

Learning too little too late that the way I was trying to expose Zim in middle school was childish had completely ruined all credibility that I ever had. No one will be friends with me at this point, nor believe what I say. Not that it matters anyways. This is the last year of public school.

Swiftly making way to my first class of the day, the teacher, ironically named Mr. Sweets, seemed to have a sour and negative personality.

Reminds me of Miss Bitters.

This guy already formed assigned seats for the students, and he told me where mine was. The second row from the front of the classroom, one desk in front of mine and in the aisle closest to the windows.

As I took my seat, I only hoped to see the green Irken join the classroom and fill one as well.

The warning bell rang minutes later to alert students to get to their classes. The room began to fill up with more bodies and Mr. Sweets pointed the each of them to their desks.

The second bell rang, meaning classes were now set to start.

And there was no sign of Zim.

'Maybe he's just late.' I thought. 'Zim liked to be fashionably late. He always enjoyed the attention it gave him.'

As time passed, I found myself unable to bother listening to my teacher. Before I knew it, it was time to go to our next class.

Standing up and walking out of the classroom to head to my next, my eyes scanned the halls full of children in hopes to see the green boy.

No luck.

A few classes later and it was now lunch time. As common as it's been the past years, I am left to sit alone in the back corner of the cafeteria. No longer even having a sister to sit with since she goes to another school after getting expelled from this one for fighting another kid over a dumb game. Not that I minded though, since my relationship with my family wasn't the best.

And learning my lesson from middle school, I bring my own lunches now so that there's at least something tolerable to eat. Beginning to munch on my pb&j sandwich, my free hand reaches into my bag to pull out a worn-out journal that's filled with nothing but doodles or writings about my nemesis. Also scrambled within the pages were looseleaf sheets of note paper and printed photos of Zim himself. I start to take notes.

'No sign of Zim today. Did he leave earth? His base looked practically abandoned the last time I walked past it. Maybe he really is gone.'

Closing my journal and sliding it back into my bag after expressing my thoughts in it, my eyes watch as other students socialize with one another.

•••

The rest of the school day went by very slow. Especially since there was no green alien making the classes more livened up and amusing.

When it was all finally over and my feet guided my body outside, it had begun to rain just minutes earlier. So naturally, I pull out my umbrella and open it up so that I could walk home.

'I remember when Zim first got burnt by the rain.. it was a funny shock. He still never realized it would've been easier to use an umbrella rather than to bathe in paste every time it rained..'

After awhile, I realized my mind wouldn't stop pondering about Zim. It was impossible to think about anything else. Before I knew it, I felt my body gravitating toward Zims' base. Standing on the sidewalk underneath my umbrella in the pouring rain, I could do nothing but stare at it for awhile.

No activity.

Part of me wanted to approach the front door and knock. Would someone answer?

Probably not.

The other part of me was too afraid to know if Zim was really gone this time.

I didn't want to know if he was gone.

I didn't want Zim to be gone.

If he was, who would I have? He was the only person—well, living soul to ever listen to me. Even if most of the time all his remarks were sarcastic, self-centered, or downright mocking.

It was the way we interacted that made his comments different from everyone else. He actually listened to what I had to say to him before making some witty interjection in correlation to the topic at hand. It meant that he genuinely listened to every word I said.

It's a difficult thing to explain. But I miss talking to Zim. I miss watching him poke at his lunch and make scrunched up disgusted expressions. I miss the way he would order me to worship him. The way he referred to himself in third person sometimes.

Why do I miss him?

•••

I noticed that it was getting dark. Somehow, I managed to spend hours just standing in front of Zims' house.

Reluctantly turning around to return to my home, I start to walk. My plan was to go straight to my room and avoid running into either of my family members. I couldn't handle dealing with either of them at the moment. Not even that bloated red faced thing that Zim tried to make look like my real father.

Besides. I needed to go to sleep and prepare myself for a life without Zim in it.