[TW] Offensive Language, Vomit, Anxiety

Dustin eagerly made his way out of his sixth period classroom moments after the bell rang, waving goodbye to Nicole who responded with a wink followed by a salute. Dustin just smiled to himself and continued down the hallway, ignoring the pushes and shoves that kids gave to one another, including him, as Fridays were always hectic at Middle Borough High. But honestly, right now, Dustin mind all that much. For one, it was indeed Friday, but this also meant that Jenna would be hanging out with her crew in the math hall, which happened to be two hallways down, so it would hardly take any time to get there.

Dustin kept a fine posture to his steps, actually looking up for a change to spot Jenna's brown hair pop up at the ceasing crowd as Dustin headed in the opposite direction of the nearest exit. He soon approached the group, stopping behind Brock who was currently the one leading the group's discussion.

"Alright, now what about her?" Jenna pointed over the girl who was fleeing from the campus, obviously excited for the weekend.

Brock shrugged, "Eh...I think that ones bi-sexual- pft, not to mention a trans."

"Bi-Sexual means she likes girls and boys." Jenna scoffed, "So she'd still like guys."

"No, that's not the issue. Problem is, how are you supposed to date someone who likes multiple genders? I mean...for me, personally, I feel like it'd seem like they were disloyal to, you know? Like one minute they'll love me and then another minute they're off chasing after some cute chic they saw on your date!"

Dustin felt the air get a bit thicker and he balled the hem of his jacket into his hands.

"And, what about in bed? How's that supposed to work? Isn't that basically like gay-sex then? I mean, she used to be a guy after all."

"I suppose that's fair." Jenna nodded.

"They'll grow out of it one day...right? Being gay?" Stephanie, who was on Jenna's left, previously texting on her phone, chipped in.

"Probably." Jenna murmured.

Dustin felt like he was choking as the conversation kept going.

"Dustin, you okay? You're pale, man?"

Dustin looked up at Brock with wide eyes, "Y-yeah I just-" He swallowed, "I-it's nothing."

"Okay...-but Jenna haven't you dated a girl before?" Brock glanced back over at Jenna.

"It was...well, it was just a phase." Jenna chuckled.

"I-I need to go to- d-doctor's ap-ppointment." Dustin's voice came out as a hushed whisper, though nobody really heard, and they could honestly care less. He quickly booked it in the other direction, feeling as if he were going to throw up, he looked around wildly and spotted the restroom, however, it was the girl's restroom. He would usually care, but he didn't. It was after school anyway, barely anybody was left in the hallways to go to the bathroom. He slammed open the door and ran into the big stall, fumbling the shut the door behind him before collapsing at the head of the toilet, gripping it's sides and let out many dry-heaves before finally throwing up into the bowl. He trembled, letting out many coughs and throwing up once again. He was trembling quite a bit now and his knuckles had turned white frown his grip on the toilet. Dustin shakily grabbed for some toilet paper and wiped off his face the best he could, before flushing the toilet. He now leaned against the tile-wall and let out a few choking sobs as the trembling refused to cease, and as if things couldn't get worse, Dustin heard a knock on his stall. He froze. He hadn't even thought about people actually being in here before he got into the bathroom stall. So he did his best to keep as quiet as possible, biting down on his fist to quit his cries.

"Hello...? Are you...are you alright in there...? Do you need me to call the nurse?" A voice rang on the other side of the door.

Dustin felt his heart lurch as he was sure he recognized the voice, it wasn't Jenna- and it sure wasn't Nicole, he'd know if it was Nicole, but he stayed quiet none the less.

"A-Are you conscious?" The voice wavered.

"Mhm..." Dustin made his hum as squeaky as possible to disguise his actual voice.

"Well uh- I have to get back to uh- play rehearsal miss but, I'll go get the nurse."

Dustin's eyes widened when he put a face to the name, "W-wait!" He accidently yelped in his usual tone. Well, usual being nervous.

The footsteps that had been retreating towards the door stopped their tapping for a minute, "...Ponytail...?"

Dustin's suspicions were confirmed at that nickname, it was Puck.

Puck made her way back over to the large stall, "Wh-what's wrong?" She knocked on it's door, but Dustin stayed put, "Come on, let me in- please?"

She sounded genuine, but Dustin just shook his head, "Mm." He replied as a no, his eyes were puffy and he was in no state to have anybody looking at him, and he could hardly trust Puck, despite them being friends, they'd only known each other for a short amount of time, she could turn on him in a minute, snapping photos just for a chance at some popular hit.

"...Dustin please..."

Dustin flinched at that, glancing towards the door, he shuffled his feet nervously before leaning forward and slipping the lock open, risking his fait.

Puck nearly fell into the stall as she had been leaning on the door, but she managed to catch herself. She looked down at Dustin who had the hood of his jacket pulled over his face and his knees held to his chest, curled up in the corner on the cold, tile-floor. She frowned in pity and relocked the door behind her, bending down in front of Dustin, "...You...alright?"

Dustin shook his head, no.

"...Can I help...?"

Dustin shrugged.

"Can I sit next to you at least?- I'd like some back support if that's alright." Puck smiled.

Dustin sighed and nodded, yes.

Puck returned the nod and sat a few inches away from Dustin, giving the boy space if needed, then leaning against the wall of the bathroom stall.

Puck stayed quiet for a few minutes. She would look at Dustin every now and then, who was just slowly breathing to himself and murmuring some nothings, she hoped it at least made him feel better. Puck had to admit that even though she'd felt pretty comfortable around the boy at the hospital, this was one of the most awkward positions she'd been in for awhile. She finally spoke when she felt it was alright to, "So...wanna' tell me what you're doing in the Girl's Bathroom...?" She turned towards him.

Dustin let out a small sigh, "I-it's nothing..." He muttered, his face still hidden with his hood.

"Okay..." Puck decided to let it be, changing the subject, "Well, play rehearsal is going pretty well. I just finished up practicing one of my parts, so they shouldn't need me back- I'm sure they'd like me there just in case but, honestly I don't think anybody'll notice if I'm gone for too long." She shrugged, "Doesn't bother me though, at least this way I get to hang out and listen to music in the bathroom stalls the rest of the afternoon." Puck glanced over to see Dustin nod a little, she smiled, "Ya' know, it's kind of ironic, the position they have me in- and not just because I have the role of Puck."

"...How so..?" Dustin murmured.

"Well, you know how Puck, the character that is, helps Oberon make the Love Juice?"

"...I've never seen Midsummer Night's dream, Puck..."

Puck frowned, "Alright well, my character and Oberon make love juice from a pansy, okay? But what's funny about that was we call it Pansy Serum." She cracked a grin.

"...What's so funny about that?" Dustin pulled at the strings of his jacket, so now only his nose poked out.

"Pansy serum?- It's funny because that's a term used for gay people and I'm bisexual as fuck." Puck laughed, "I honestly wish that it would make everyone gay instead of zombies because that would be hilarious and adorable and all together a-" Puck paused when she began to hear a few cries come from Dustin, she turned to him and saw his hands were now under the hood and rubbing his eyes, "D-Did I say something? I didn't mean to I sw-"

"No..." Dustin turned away from Puck and rested his chin on his knees, "I-I'm fine."

Puck put a hand on Dustin's shoulder, "You're not, Ponytail."

Dustin instinctively slapped her hand away.

Puck was about to make a snappy remark when she saw Dustin's face as he glared at her. His cheeks had tear stains on them, and his eyes were red and puffy, and there was a look of betrayal and brokenness that gleamed in them. Puck shut her mouth, instantly filling with sadness for the other.

Dustin immediately regretted what he did and shook his head, leaping up to exit the stall.

"W-wait!" Puck flew forward and grabbed Dustin by the wrist.

Dustin halted, hanging his head low in silence.

Puck looked pleadingly in sorrow at the boy, shaking her head as she tried to speak, "Dustin what happen-"

"-They were jeering at transsexual people, Puck." Dustin's voice was breathy as he tried to keep it from cracking, "And gays, and me!" He clenched his fists together.

"Wh-who? H-How?"

Dustin felt his sadness, hurt, and anger all boil into one, big mistake, "I'm transsexual, Puck!"

Puck froze as fresh set of tears began to roll down Dustin's face, he then snatched his hands away and made a break for it from the stall. She let him go. She didn't want to stop him. He just needed to be alone. He needed some time to think. And so did Puck.

//[Dustin has run out of art so ya'll can have the logo up there as the featured chapter art, but if anybody would like to make Dustin some art then just PM me because the little bab needs it for featured chapter art]

Brock and Stephanie were two book characters of Be More Chill that did not make it into the musical entirely [Brock is basically book Jake]

-Jay