HER "MOON"

Nine

Thirty minutes later, the classroom still buzzed with the laid-back atmosphere of free time, and both groups remained immersed in their own conversations.

Mukhriz and Adam were having an animated discussion with Aiman, Aqeel, Fikri, and Danial. The topic had shifted from school assignments to weekend plans, and the occasional burst of laughter echoed from their side of the room. Adam was recounting a funny story from a recent football match when Aiman interrupted with a joke, sending the group into another round of laughter. Mukhriz leaned back in his chair, seemingly relaxed, though the earlier discussion about the PJ store still lingered in his mind.

On the other side of the room, Maha, Shini, Vini, and Aananthiy were huddled together, talking about their upcoming assignments and projects. Every now and then, the conversation shifted to gossip or light-hearted teasing, with Shini playfully teasing Maha about Mukhriz which joined by Vini and Aanathiy, making the friendship between the girls tight-knit.

Shini:"Come on, Maha, you know he was being more than just a friend," Shini said in a low voice, trying to keep the teasing away from prying ears.

Maha shook her head, rolling her eyes but smiling. Maha:"You're never going to let it go, are you?"

Vini:"Not a chance," Vini chimed in. "We’re just waiting for you to admit it."

Maha was about to reply when Shini’s expression suddenly changed. She straightened up and leaned toward Maha.
Shini: "Look who’s back."

Maha’s smile faded as she followed Shini’s gaze. There, standing at the classroom door, was none other than Vicky, the bully. His usual smirk stretched across his face as he casually strolled in, scanning the room for his next target. He was clearly up to no good.

Vini exchanged a worried glance with Aananthiy, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
Aananthiy:"Great. Just when we thought the day was going smoothly," Aananthiy muttered, her tone laced with frustration.

Maha felt her stomach tighten. She hadn’t forgotten the way Vicky had harassed her earlier at the PJ store. It had been humiliating, and if it hadn’t been for Mukhriz stepping in, it could’ve gotten worse. Now, with Mukhriz on the other side of the room and Vicky prowling around again, Maha wasn’t sure how this was going to play out.

Shini, noticing the unease settling over Maha, gave her a reassuring pat on the arm.
Shini:"Don’t worry, Maha. He’s just trying to mess with you again. If he comes over here, we’ll handle it."

Meanwhile, across the room, Mukhriz caught sight of Vicky out of the corner of his eye. His relaxed posture stiffened, and his gaze followed Vicky’s every move. Adam noticed the shift in Mukhriz’s demeanor and glanced over as well. Adam:"What’s up?" he asked, already sensing that something was off.

Mukhriz nodded toward Vicky.
Mukhriz:"He’s back," was all he said, his voice low and serious.

Adam’s expression hardened as well.
Adam:"That guy really doesn’t know when to quit, huh?"

Aiman, Aqeel, Fikri, and Danial, overhearing the conversation, turned to see what was going on. Aiman frowned.
Aiman:"What’s he doing here? Didn’t he get enough the first time?"

Mukhriz:"I guess not," Mukhriz muttered, his eyes never leaving Vicky. He wasn’t about to let the bully get away with causing more trouble, especially not for Maha. He could feel his frustration rising, the memory of Vicky’s earlier behavior still fresh in his mind.

Back with the girls, Vicky had begun his slow approach, his gaze settling on Maha’s group. The air in the room seemed to shift, growing tense as he moved closer. Shini and Vini straightened up, ready to defend their friend if needed, while Aananthiy kept a wary eye on the door, almost as if plotting an escape route.

Maha, meanwhile, kept her focus on the conversation, trying her best to ignore Vicky’s looming presence, but it wasn’t easy. Her heart raced as she felt him getting closer.

Vicky:"Hey, Maha," Vicky drawled as he finally reached them, his voice dripping with mock sweetness.
Vicky:"Had a fun time earlier, didn’t we?" His smirk widened as he leaned against the desk next to hers, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.

Maha’s fingers gripped the edge of her desk, but she refused to look up at him. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to her.

Shini:"Leave her alone, Vicky," Shini said, her voice firm. "Haven’t you caused enough trouble for one day?"

Vicky shrugged, pretending to be innocent.
Vicky:"I’m just here to have a friendly chat. No harm in that, right?"

Vini, never one to back down, chimed in. Vini:"Friendly? Yeah, right. Why don’t you go bother someone else?"

Vicky’s gaze shifted to Vini for a moment, but he quickly turned back to Maha, his smirk never fading.
Vicky:"You know, Maha, you’re lucky your 'knight in shining armor' showed up earlier. Too bad he’s not here now, huh?"

At that, Maha finally looked up, her eyes flashing with defiance.
Maha: "I don’t need anyone to deal with you, Vicky," she said, her voice steady despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface.

Vicky raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her response.
Vicky:"Oh, is that so?" He leaned in slightly, his smirk widening. "We’ll see about that."

Before Vicky could push further, there was movement from across the room. Mukhriz, unable to ignore what was happening any longer, stood up, his expression hard and unyielding as he began making his way over.

Adam followed close behind, his presence just as solid and protective.
Adam:"Let’s put an end to this," Adam muttered under his breath.

As they approached, Vicky glanced up and saw them coming. His smirk faltered for a brief second, but he quickly masked it with a casual shrug.
Vicky:"Looks like your backup’s here after all," he sneered, straightening up from his slouch.

Maha didn’t flinch, her gaze remaining locked with Vicky’s. She felt a surge of relief knowing Mukhriz and Adam were coming, but at the same time, she didn’t want to rely on them to handle Vicky every time.

Mukhriz’s voice was low but firm as he reached them.
Mukhriz:"Vicky, leave them alone. Now."

Adam, standing just behind Mukhriz, crossed his arms.
Adam:"We’re not playing this game with you again."

Vicky, sensing that things weren’t going to go his way, let out a short laugh.
Vicky:"Fine, fine. I was just having a little fun, no need to get all serious." He gave one last look at Maha before turning on his heel and strolling away, pretending as though he hadn’t just been called out.

As soon as he was gone, the tension in the room seemed to ease, and Maha let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Shini placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Vini gave Mukhriz a grateful nod.

Maha:"Thanks," Maha said softly, looking up at Mukhriz, her eyes full of appreciation.

Mukhriz gave her a small smile in return.
Mukhriz :"You don’t have to thank me. Just looking out for you."

Adam, sensing the moment between them, gave a small smirk before stepping forward. Adam:"Alright, crisis averted. Let’s get back to pretending we’re doing work."

The group chuckled, the tension from earlier finally dissipating as they returned to their conversations. However, there was a lingering sense that something had shifted, both in Maha’s growing awareness of her feelings and Mukhriz’s protective nature.

For now, though, things returned to normal, but both of them knew that things between them were slowly but surely evolving.