"MAYA WILL DO A STRIP TEASE FOR US" his voice roared across the classroom.

Maya froze. Blood rushing to her cheeks in embarrassment and shock.She didnt believe what he said. A strip tease?

"I.... i..." maya stumbled with her words.

"Stop stuttering and start stripping." His voice dropped to a whisper.

Maya was about to cry. Heat started building in her eyes. She saw out of the corner of her eyes many girls from the senior group was getting tense as well. A girl with pure glasses stepped up and said

"Jeeth thats too much. You cant ask her to do that".

Jeeth's expression changed. His eyes going from playful to anger.

"Did i ask for your fucking opinion??" He shouted at her. The girl stepped back a few feet.

"If you say another word again she wont be the one stripping. And you wont stop at that too" his venomous voice bought a chill up maya's spine.

This guy is really dangerous. Maya thought.

He turned to maya again and his face plastered a fake smile. It made maya gag.

"Now you should start. I dont like waiting"

"I.. i cant" maya said her voice nothing but a whimper.

Seeing jeeth's smile widen maya figured on thing. If he smiles its not a good sign.

"What did you just say?" Jeeth asked her.

"I.. i..cant do it.Im sorry"

"WHAT DID YOU FUCKING SAY????" he screamed at maya.

Deja vu flashed in maya's eyes. Her father screaming at her right before he would hit her when she was a kid. When jeeth raised his hand maya shut her eyes tightly and prepared for the impact. But instead he grabbed her injured hand and pressed into it. Maya cried in pain. It was when she heard a collective gasp fron the crowd. She looked up and saw Adhi standing up from his seat.He was looking at jeeth furiously. She wanted to stop him but the jeeth was still crushing her hand in his. Seeing adhi jeeth crushed even harder.

"Ahhhh" maya whimpered. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Thats enough" Adhi's deep voice boomed in the class. Jeeth looked taken aback for a moment but immediately recovered.

"Buddy you really wanna mess with me? I could destroy you in a snap of my fingers"

"I dont fucking care" Adhi walked towards them and released maya's hand from jeeth's.

Her bandage was drenched in blood. Adhi looked at her as if he was the one in pain. He took her by the other hand and walked out the classroom.The whole class gasped. Some clicked pictures on their phones. Preethi's eyes almost rolled out from their socket.They barely reached the door when jeeth spoke from their backs.

"Adhi buddy i know your life is hopeless but do you really want to spoil the girl's life too? "Adhi stopped his arms loosening around maya's arm. Maya looked back at jeeth to find him smirking knowing that his trick worked.

But adhi snapped out of his trance and pulled maya out of the class. Jeeth smile fell.

Rage replaced it.

Adhi didnt say a word to maya until they reached the medical room. The nurse looked at him confusingly but looking at maya's hand it was like she got her answer.

"Jeeth again?"

Adhi nodded. His expression still grave.

"Doesnt he get tired playing god."

"He's a wuss. He thinks threatening people will make him be the bigger guy but it doesnt. He wouldnt know that he's too dumb". Adhi said through his gritted teeth.

Adhi made maya sit on the bed in the middle of room. The nurse opened up her bandage and cleaned it.

"Sssssss" maya hissed in pain.

"Uhmm could you do it a bit gentler?" Adhi asked the nurse.

The nurse looked up at him in surprise. It was like an unsaid conversation was going between them.Maya looked up at them confused without a clue. But seeing adhi smiling mischeviously at the nurse was enough to make her melt. Adhi looked at her but she immediaely looked back at her had.

The nurse again began her treatment but slower,gentler with a smile mirroring adhi's. She completed her treatment by bandaging maya's hand in a sticker type of bandage.

"Thanks mom" Adhi said to the nurse.

"Mom?" Maya asked in surprise

Adhi nodded his head in agreement.

"Im his mother. Its nice to meet you maya" his mom replied in malayalam.

Maya immediately began to stand up to show her respect. But his mother pushed her back to sit smiling.

"No no sit sit " his mom protested.

"Im sorry auntie i didnt know" maya looked at adhi and found him smiling back at her.

"Ohh thats okay dear. You've lost some blood maya. Here drink this and stay here for a while then only return to class okay?" His mom offered her a frootie drink. Maya accepted and thanked her.

Maya and his mom talked. About maya's native, her parents, the classes. She was a sweet person. Kind.

Just like Adhi.

"I have something to do. Adhi make sure to escort her back to class okay?"

"I will" adhi said without taking his eyes off of maya.

"We should meet again maya. Not in the same circumstances though" his mom said. And left the room. Adhi kept looking at her. His gaze was too intense but she kept stealing glances at him.

"Does it hurt?" Adhi grabbed her hand gently. He knelt at her side. Maya looked up at him. His eyes was filled with concern.

"A little" maya replied.

Adhi grabbed her hands and started drawing little circles in it. He was lost it thought.

"Im okay. Please dont worry about me."

"How can i not worry? Maya after what i did jeeth's not gonna make it easier for you. "

"I know"

"Its all because of me" adhi hung his head down

"Nooo. Its not. You helped me. I wouldnt have... i... i wouldnt have did what he asked but i wouldn't have stood against him either."

"Why won't you stand for yourself maya? You shouldn't let anyone treat you like that" Adhi's face suddenly became angry

"If only i could... its complicated" maya said.

"Why?" Adhi asked. He kneeled infront of maya.

"I dont know. Ive never been able to"

"We're gonna have to change that now."

"We?"

"We" His response was like a promise, a caress against her scared heart.

He covered her hands in his and said " Jeeth is a very dangerous person maya. Im sure you would've heard the stories by now"

"Ive heard a few"

"Well there are more than a few. Bullying people is a game for him. I dont know what he gets from that. But anyone who stands against him dont stand a chance" His voice was serious.

"Thats reassurring." Maya's voice slipped while she said that.

Adhi chuckled. His grip going tighter on her hands. "Past is past. But he wont get his hands on you. I promise."

"Thankyou." Maya held her other hand on top of his. He stared into her eyes. His smoldering gaze was enough to pierce through her soul.

"For helping me. That day and today. You're always helping me." Adhi's face lit up in a small smile.

"Why?" Maya asked.

Adhi's eyebrows furrowed "Why what?"

"Why do you keep helping me?" Maya held his gaze . He was the one to back down this time.

"I dont know maya. " he whispered.

"Liar"

Adhi huffed. He raised his head and met her eyes.

"I see you maya. I see your brokenness." It was like blast of cold breeze on her.

"I see me when i look at you. We reflect the same type of damage" Maya looked at him confused.

"Parents does the most damage dont they?"

Maya froze. "How..? How did"?

"They way your voice cracked when you talked about your dad. They way your fingers got busy. These cuts on your arm" Adhi pointed to the faded parallel scars on her forearms.

Maya immediately pulled down the sleeves of her shirt. But adhi stopped her.

"Dont hide it. Not from me."

"I dont know what the problem is. I wont ask you. I wont force you tell me. You can tell me if you want to tell me. Whenever you're ready I'll be here." Tears welled up in maya's eyes. One of them streaked down her cheeks.

Adhi wiped off her tears. "I need you to stay near me. I want to protect you. You are in this mess because of me."

"No you're..."

" It is maya. It is partially my fault too. What I did to him in the past. He'll take it out on you. Because he knows i.." Adhi stopped. Maya looked at him in expectance.

"You should get to class. They must've left by now" he stoop up from where he knelt all this time.

He worked out the knots from his knees and watched maya get up.

"Ill call you and let you know if anything comes up" adhi said from behind as maya walked to the door.

"You dont have my number"

"I do. Preethy gave it to me"

Maya's eyebrows rose "When did she have time to do that?"

"When you were snail crawling towards jeeth". Adhi said with a smug smile.

"Of course she did" maya scoffed.

"I'll walk you to class." Adhi stepoed forward.

"No its okay. I need to stop by washroom. I'll get to class"

"Okay then. Guess well be seeing each other more often now." Adhi looked at her mischieviously.

Maya smiled but refused to let him see that. "Sure. See you adhi".

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