Chapter Text
“Make sure to keep that ice on your knee. Okay, Preston? It’ll help with the swelling,” you said sweetly as you wrote a hall pass to allow the fourth grader to return to class.
“Thanks, Nurse Y/N! Have a good weekend,” Preston replied with a smile as he reached over to collect his one-way ticket back to Mrs. Anderson’s room. You walked Preston to the door and then gave a quick wave as he made his way down the hall. Then you promptly returned to your desk, gave his parents a quick call, made a note about the injury to add to his file, and then returned the thick manila folder to your filing cabinet.
You had only been the school nurse at Abbott Elementary for a few weeks, but Preston was a frequent flyer and had already visited your office several times. He was athletic, energetic, and took basketball very seriously during recess. And he bruised like a peach!
You spent the next half hour working on the health education PowerPoint you were scheduled to present to the teachers and students of Abbott the following month. When the bell rang at 3:30pm, you closed your laptop, grabbed your backpack, and then left your office with no intention of thinking about work again until Monday. And while the prospect of yet another quiet Friday night at home alone might have been depressing to some, you didn’t mind.
At least you pretended you didn’t.
You had almost made it to the front entrance when you heard someone call your name from behind you.
“Nurse Y/N! Nurse Y/N! Wait up,” the voice called. And when you turned around, you saw Ms. Teagues jogging toward you completely out of breath. Janine was a second-grade teacher and the two of you met for the first time about a week ago when one of her students stuck a dry macaroni noodle up their nose during Art class. Janine was incredibly friendly and seemed to be a dedicated and hardworking teacher. But you had no idea what reason she would have to chase you down the hall on a Friday afternoon.
“Hey, Ms. Teagues. Can I help you with something?” you asked curiously.
“You can, actually! See, my friends and I were thinking of grabbing a drink over at Ruby’s and we wondered if you would like to join us?” Janine asked with a hopeful smile.
“Oh, I-I don’t… I’m not…” you started to say as you struggled to find a way to gently reject the invitation. But Janine was quick to fill the brief silence while you searched for an excuse.
“Look, I know you’re still new here and that it’s probably hard to get to know the rest of the staff since you spend most of your time in your office helping the kids. I just thought this would be a great chance for us to officially welcome you to Abbott!” Janine replied enthusiastically.
You were just about to politely decline the offer when several other teachers approached and stared back at you expectantly. You recognized all of them from Principal Coleman’s introductions during professional development week. The woman in pearls was Mrs. Barbara Howard, the woman with bright, curly red hair to her right was Ms. Melissa Schemmenti, and the young man who affectionately reached for Janine’s hand was Mr. Gregory Eddie.
“So, what’s the deal, half-pint? She comin’ or not?” Melissa asked impatiently as she checked her phone. And despite your best efforts, you winced at the word.
She.
It wasn’t the first time you had been misgendered in the workplace. In fact, at your previous two jobs, your colleagues went out of their way to ignore your pronouns. They seemed to enjoy making you as uncomfortable as possible whenever an opportunity presented itself. It got so bad at the last place that you finally had to turn in your notice for the sake of your own mental health.
The big difference here was that Ms. Schemmenti didn’t know your pronouns. So, there was clearly no ill-intent. Only a lack of information. And that was entirely your fault.
When Principal Coleman introduced you to the rest of the staff a few weeks ago, you had every intention of informing your co-workers that you were non-binary and planned to share your pronouns, too. But as you looked out into the crowd of new faces, you were suddenly overwhelmed by the very real possibility that this place might be just like the others. You didn’t want to endure all the eyerolls, quiet whispers, and confused shrugs. For once, you just wanted to fit in and not feel like your gender identity was some kind of spectacle or topic for debate.
So, you kept it to yourself.
Well, for the most part…
“Actually, Mel, Nurse Y/N is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns,” a familiar voice said. And when you turned to your left, you saw Mr. Jacob Hill step out of the front office with a bright smile on his face as he joined his friends.
Jacob was the only one at Abbott who knew anything about you. And it was only because you met him before you had actively decided that you would keep to yourself at your new place of employment. And as Janine and the rest of her friends looked to Jacob and then back to you for confirmation, you thought back to when you and the history teacher first met.
You and Jacob crossed paths on the first day of professional development week when you saw him drop a box of heavy books on his foot out in the parking lot.
“SON-OF-A-BISCUIT-EATER!” he cried out in pain. And you quickly made your way over to help him.
“Mind if I take a look? I’m Y/N, the new nurse,” you said as you helped him lean against the trunk of one of the many beat-up Sedans in the lot.
“Nice to meet you, Y/N. I’m Jacob Hill. Sixth-grade history. And please, be my guest! I knew I should have left Infinite Jest on my bookshelf at home,” Jacob replied playfully as he attempted to laugh the pain away. You kneeled and removed his sock and shoe. And you could already see the deep purple bruise forming beneath the skin.
“Oof. Yeah, it’s time for RICE,” you said with a sympathetic smile as you put his shoe back on, stood up, and then gestured for him to put his arm around your shoulder to use you as a crutch.
“Um, I’m not exactly sure how rice will help? But… you’re the expert, I guess,” Jacob chuckled.
“RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, Mr. Hill. Come on. Let’s get you inside. I’ll grab you an icepack and an Ace bandage. But I draw the line at being a footrest,” you joked as the two of you slowly made your way toward the entrance.
“Ha! Totally fair. Wow! You really know what you’re doing, Ms. Y/N. Thanks for the info. And for the help. You’re a lifesaver,” Jacob said as he hobbled alongside you.
“Oh, you can just call me Y/N. Or Nurse Y/N, if you’re feeling formal. I’m non-binary and my pronouns are they/them,” you replied confidently, gently correcting your new colleague. It was a sentence you had practiced hundreds of times alone in your bedroom since your late twenties, but you still always felt a little nervous when you actually had to say it out loud to another person.
“Thank you for sharing that with me! My pronouns are he/him, by the way. And fun fact about me, since we’re friends now and everything: on more than one occasion, I’ve been accused of being too gay to function,” Jacob said with a friendly grin.
“What a coincidence! I’ve been accused of the same,” you laughed. And as you gradually helped Jacob up the stairs to his classroom on the second floor, you wondered if everyone else at Abbott would be as friendly and accepting as him.
“Oh, shit! Sorry, hon,” Melissa said apologetically as she looked up from her phone.
“I-it’s fine. You didn’t know. No worries,” you replied awkwardly. You were touched by her sincerity, but also desperate for this whole thing to be over.
“So? What do you say, Y/N? Come out with us tonight! We’d love to get to know you better and hear about what brought you to Abbott,” Janine asked again with a much larger audience looking back at you this time.
Discrimination, harassment, bullying, veiled threats, you thought to yourself as you considered all the reasons you left your previous jobs. But it wasn’t exactly the best topic of conversation for a Friday night out with your new colleagues. You appreciated the invitation. But you knew you were better off on your own in the long run.
“Thanks for asking. Really. But… I can’t. I just can’t tonight. My… d-dog. Yeah, I have to get home to feed my dog. Have fun though,” you said with a nervous smile as you waved and then walked away before anyone could ask any additional questions.
And when you stepped inside your dark, quiet, and completely dogless apartment twenty minutes later, part of you felt bad about lying to Janine and her friends.
But another part of you, the part of you that was determined to do whatever it took to keep you safe this time… that part didn’t feel an ounce of shame as you put a frozen pizza in the oven, opened a beer, and then turned on the latest episode of Yellowjackets.
Janine made a few more attempts to lure you out of your self-imposed isolation over the next couple of weeks. But eventually she seemed to accept that you just weren’t interested in socializing with your co-workers outside of school.
Jacob, on the other hand, continued to badger you. Daily.
“Oh, come on, Y/N! One drink. That’s all I’m asking,” Jacob pleaded as you attempted to find room for your lunch bag in the overcrowded teacher’s lounge fridge one Friday morning.
“Jacob, if I’ve said no to Ruby’s ten different times, what makes you think I’d agree to a drink at a karaoke bar?” you laughed as you closed the refrigerator door.
“Because karaoke is a super vulnerable thing to do, you know? It takes guts to get up on that stage and sing your heart out. I guess I just figured if you saw everyone else willing to put themselves out there in some way, you might finally decide to give it a try, too,” Jacob replied as the two of you left the lounge together.
You had the distinct feeling that Jacob would not take no for an answer this time. And even though you still had some reservations, you decided to give it a chance.
“Fine. ONE drink. Then I’m gone. Deal?” you said as you extended your hand to Jacob.
And he grinned triumphantly as he placed his hand in yours, gave it a firm shake, and said, “Deal!”
Around 2:00pm that same day, there was a loud knock on your office door. You stood from your desk and quickly made your way over and opened the door. Melissa Schemmenti was in the hallway with one of her second-grade students who appeared to have a bloody nose.
“It’s okay, Akoni. See? The nurse is here to take care of ya. Just like I promised, hon,” Melissa said with a smile as she led the child into the room and then helped them take a seat on the exam table in the small room connected to your office.
You washed your hands and then immediately put on your medical gloves and collected the materials you needed to help the student.
“Hey there, Akoni. I’m Nurse Y/N. I’m going to have you lean forward a little bit and then I’m going to gently pinch and hold your nose right here to stop the bleeding. Breathe through your mouth for me, okay? Ms. Schemmenti, would you mind putting on a pair of gloves and holding that spit basin for me? Akoni, if you feel any blood in your mouth, you can just spit it out there. Sound good?” you said calmly as you pinched firmly just beneath the bridge of Akoni’s nose and watched as Melissa made herself ready to assist you.
“Are y-you gonna call my dad?” Akoni asked with a worried look in their eyes.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened first and then we can talk about that later, huh?” you replied. And when Melissa sat down on a short stool right beside yours to help monitor her student, you noticed for the first time just how bright and expressive her green eyes were.
“It’s no big deal. I’m fine, really,” Akoni assured you. But you saw the tears building in the corners of their eyes. You turned to Melissa, and she silently urged you to press further with a simple nod of her head.
“I’ve seen nosebleeds like this before, Akoni. Who punched you?” you asked. And you heard Melissa audibly gasp at your side. She must have assumed that the bleeding was caused by a fall or maybe even allergies.
But you knew better.
“Just some fourth grader out on the playground. But like I said, it’s no big deal,” Akoni replied, actively avoiding your gaze this time.
“It is a big deal, Akoni. You’re bleedin’, hon. You’re hurt. Nurse Y/N and I are here to take care of ya. Just tell us what happened, kiddo,” Melissa said sweetly as she rested her hand on her student’s shoulder.
“You’re safe, Akoni. I promise this is a safe space,” you added.
And then the tears came pouring out of the young, scared child.
“It was Caleb Harkness, okay? He punched me and then him and a few of his friends called me a freak,” Akoni finally admitted. Melissa wheeled her stool over to the nearby counter and returned seconds later with tissues to dry Akoni’s cheeks.
“Why would they do somethin’ like that?” Melissa wondered aloud as she looked at her injured student and then over to you.
“Because Rochelle Harkness is my best friend and… I-I told her yesterday that… that I don’t feel like a girl. I told her I might be t-trans. I guess she told her big brother and he didn’t like it…” Akoni cried softly. And your heart ached for this child.
You looked up and noticed Melissa staring back at you again. And you saw that her own eyes were wet with tears.
“You’re n-not gonna tell my dad, right? Please don’t tell my dad. He won’t understand. He’ll be mad at me,” Akoni pleaded desperately before they coughed softly and then spit out some of the blood that must have been collecting in their mouth.
“Course not, sweetie. Don’t you worry about any of that! Nurse Y/N just wants to get you patched up right now. We’ll figure out the rest together. K?” Melissa replied with a reassuring smile. And you looked at her in complete disbelief before you softened your grip on Akoni’s nose and confirmed that the bleeding had finally stopped.
You were legally obligated to inform a child’s parents of any injuries that occurred while they were on school property. And you were required to provide details about how the injury in question occurred.
But here Melissa was making promises on your behalf as she attempted to comfort her distressed student.
“I… we… Listen, Akoni. I’m going to give you some ice and then have you head to Principal Coleman’s office for a few minutes so I can have a quick chat with Ms. Schemmenti,” you said as you crossed the room and filled a small Ziplock bag with ice cubes.
“Okay, Nurse Y/N. Thanks for fixing my nose. I like you,” Akoni said with a smile as you reached over with a wet paper towel and wiped the dried blood from their upper lip.
“Happy to help, buddy,” you replied as you escorted them to the hallway and then watched to make sure they made it to Ava’s office. And when you turned back around to confront Melissa, you were caught completely off guard by how devastated she looked now that she didn’t have to wear a brave face for Akoni’s sake.
“Christ… that poor kid. I had no idea. Must be so scared! Bad enough they have to worry about bullies at school. But knowin’ they don’t feel safe at home, either? Breaks my damn heart,” Melissa said with a heavy sigh as she absentmindedly rubbed at the back of her neck.
“Yeah, it’s a shame. But it’s also not uncommon these days. Some parents just can’t see past the fearmongering and soundbites they’re spoon fed from Fox News. So much for loving your child unconditionally, I guess,” you replied as you sat down at your desk and scrolled through the student database on your computer to find Akoni’s Emergency Contact information.
“Wh-what are ya doin’ over there?” Melissa asked curiously as she stepped toward you.
“I’m getting a phone number for Akoni’s parents,” you replied matter-of-factly.
“Wait! What? I thought we just said…” Melissa started to say before you cut her off.
“We didn’t say anything, Ms. Schemmenti. You, unfortunately, made a promise to Akoni that I can’t legally keep. I have to inform their parents about the injury and the motivation behind it. It’s not optional,” you replied firmly as you continued to click through the database.
And when you felt Melissa’s hand on top of yours a moment later, you were surprised by the softness and warmth of her skin. You slowly pulled your hand away from the mouse and stopped your frantic scrolling as you turned to see what she had to say.
“Look, I didn’t mean to step on your toes, hon. And I don’t wanna get ya in trouble or anythin’ like that. But…” Melissa said before she paused briefly and then sat down on the corner of your desk.
“But what?” you asked, crossing your arms defensively. It was an unfortunate habit that you developed as a means of self-preservation at your last two jobs.
“This kid is scared, Y/N. They’re goin’ through this huge thing, and they don’t have the support system they need at home to help ‘em navigate it. So, I’m thinkin’… what if we make sure they do have it here at school?” Melissa replied with an optimistic grin.
“And how do we do that?” you asked, still annoyed but also slightly intrigued.
“Well, what if you, me, and Jacob started a club or somethin’? It could be like an anti-bullyin’ group. And we just make sure it’s super inclusive and a place where all the kids can feel safe and free to be themselves. What do ya say?” Melissa asked.
“I say it sounds nice in theory. But it’s a lot of extra work to run a club. And there’s the potential for some serious backlash from parents. Not to mention the fact that none of us are counselors. So, we’re not technically qualified to organize or run something like this,” you reasoned. And when Melissa slid her body a little closer across your desk, there were instant butterflies in your chest that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
“Yeah, but we have life experience on our side!” Melissa replied eagerly.
“Right. Jacob’s gay. I’m queer and non-binary. And you’re…?” you paused as you looked Melissa over.
“Go on,” Melissa said with a smirk.
“Well, straight… I’m assuming? But what does any of that have to do with us being able to support these kids? You watch the news, Melissa. Do you know how many LGBTQIA+ teachers have been fired just for having a picture of their significant other visible on their desk? We can’t share any of that stuff with them. It’s too dangerous! And with the way things are politically right now, it’d be a huge risk to start something like this here at Abbott,” you replied, hoping she would see reason.
“Why do you assume I’m straight?” Melissa asked as she crossed her legs and glared down at you from the desk. And you realized she hadn’t heard a single word you said after you made the mistake of assuming her sexual preference.
“I-I don’t know. I just… I mean, are you not straight?” you asked. And when you felt yourself blushing after you asked the question, you wished you could just evaporate into thin air.
“I’m not, actually,” Melissa said. And that was all she offered as she crossed her own arms and mirrored your body language.
“Okay... that's my mistake then. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed anything. But… I feel like we’re getting off track. The point of all this is, I have to call Akoni’s parents,” you replied as you desperately attempted to regain control of the conversation.
“Fine. Call ‘em! But you’re not gonna tell them what really happened this time. Say they bumped their nose on the monkey bars. Or fell from the top of the slide. I don’t care. Get creative. But I’m not gonna let ya out this kid before they’re ready to parents that don’t seem ready to hear it. Capisce?” Melissa declared as she stood up from the desk and then reached over to hand you the phone.
“Melissa…” you said, shaking your head to show how reluctant you were to agree.
“Listen, if it happens again. I’ll call the parents myself and explain everythin’. I’ll take full responsibility. But I personally think Akoni deserves a little more time to figure things out before we add the weight of what their parents might think to the equation. Wouldn’t ya agree?” Melissa asked.
You couldn’t argue with her because she was right. In fact, you knew from personal experience just how right she was. And even though it was a risk to keep the truth from Akoni’s parents, you knew how damaging it could be for them if they were met with hostility and rejection while they navigated the complexities of their identity.
“Fine,” you said as you stood up from your chair.
“Really? Ya mean we got a deal?” Melissa asked as she reached out to shake your hand.
“Yes, Ms. Schemmenti. We have a deal,” you replied with a sigh as you shook her hand. And the triumphant grin on her lips completely eclipsed Jacob’s from earlier this morning.
Melissa left your office and went to collect Akoni from Principal Coleman’s office.
And as you stood there in the doorway and watched her leave, all you could think was that you had made one too many deals today.
When you arrived at the karaoke bar later that night, Jacob and the rest of your colleagues were already in their private room singing at the top of their lungs.
One drink, you thought to yourself as you made your way to the bar and ordered a beer. And you barely had time to blink before you heard the sound of Melissa’s voice.
“Put it on my tab, Frankie,” Melissa said to the bartender. And the mysterious butterflies that infiltrated your chest in your office earlier today suddenly reappeared.
“You really don’t have to do that,” you assured her as you took a sip of your beer.
“Sure, I do! Ya did me a solid today, hon. Least I can do is buy ya a drink, yeah?” Melissa replied as she tucked a bright red curl behind her ear and then reached for your hand to guide you over to the room.
And there was absolutely no way you would ever be able to get over how soft this woman’s hands were.
“Look who finally decided to grace us with their presence after school hours,” Melissa announced playfully as she pulled you into the room. And everyone raised their glasses and cheered at the sight of you.
One drink. One drink. One drink.
“Hey, everyone. Thanks again for inviting me,” you said as you raised your own glass in solidarity.
“It’s so nice of you to join us, Y/N! Janine has been positively insufferable trying to find some way to convince you to come out of that little shell of yours,” Barbara said as she walked over to greet you.
“Whoa! Insufferable, Barb? I prefer… unstoppable,” Janine laughed as she sipped her cocktail and leaned over into Gregory’s arms.
“Not gonna lie, Janine was one rejected invitation away from setting up a corkboard in our living room to figure out how to get you out on a Friday night. And she won’t admit it, but she’s plotting her revenge against Jacob for convincing you before she could,” Gregory laughed.
You knew they were being friendly. You knew they were only trying to make you laugh. But you suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious. You weren’t used to people wanting you around. You weren’t used to the attention. And you weren’t used to kindness like this. You didn’t know how to engage with them. So, you decided to fall back on some good old-fashioned self-deprecation.
“Well, I appreciate your dedication, Janine. But I promise I’m not worth the effort,” you laughed awkwardly. And everyone just stared back at you with confused expressions on their faces.
“Lies! Liesza Minnelli! You are awesome, Y/N! Now, stop putting yourself down like that and start figuring out what song you’re going to sing for us later,” Jacob said with an encouraging smile.
“Uh, there’s no way I’m singing anything! One drink, remember? We agreed,” you replied to Jacob quietly as you pulled him aside.
“Okay, okay! You’re right. I won’t push it! But drink slowly because you do not want to miss Melissa’s performance,” Jacob said enthusiastically as Mr. Johnson finished his surprising rendition of ‘It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.’
Janine and Gregory were up next. But you were so distracted watching Melissa chat with Barb across the room that you didn’t even notice what song they decided to sing.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Jacob said with a sly smirk. And you realized that he must have noticed the way you were looking at the redhead.
“Thoughts? Me? Pfft. Nah. Head empty. No thoughts,” you joked, hoping it would throw him off the scent.
“Mhmm. You have a little crush on our resident firecracker, don’t you?” Jacob teased.
“Crush is a strong word, Jacob. I barely know the woman,” you replied as you took another drink and tried your best to pay attention to Janine and Gregory up on the stage.
“Right. Because crushes are always entirely rational and historically known for being the result of months of intensive research and study. Just admit it!” Jacob said with a soft elbow to your rib.
“It’s really not that serious. I just… I guess seeing her with her student earlier today, seeing how protective she was and how much she cared… it was sweet. Every kid deserves a person like that they can count on. She’s good at her job and I noticed. Okay? That’s it,” you replied nonchalantly.
“I see. So, you’ve been staring at her non-stop for the last ten minutes because you admire her dedication to the craft? Sure, Jan,” Jacob chuckled.
“You know what, Jacob…” you started to say before you saw Melissa cross the room and grab the microphone from Janine.
“My turn!” Melissa said with a huge smile on her face as she set down her beer and prepared for her performance.
And when Chappell Roan’s ‘The Giver’ started playing in the background and Melissa winked in your direction, your knees felt like fucking jelly.
'Cause you ain't gotta tell me,
It's just in my nature.
So, take it like a taker.
'Cause, baby, I'm a giver!
Ain't no need to hurry,
'Cause, baby, I deliver.
Ain't no country boy quitter.
I get the job done!
I get the job done!
“Jacob…” you said.
“Yeah, Y/N?” he replied with a knowing grin.
“It’s possible that I have a crush on Melissa,” you replied as you downed the rest of your beer and then quickly turned to leave the bar.
“See? Now, was that so hard?” Jacob called out after you.
And all you could do was shake your head and laugh.