Meerab Khan strode through the halls of St. Mary's High School, her leather jacket slung over her shoulder, her jet-black hair cascading down her back. She exuded confidence, the kind that had earned her the title of the school’s "bad girl." With a sharp tongue, piercing eyes, and an attitude that no one dared to challenge, Meerab was the queen of her world. Teachers didn’t bother reprimanding her anymore, and students either feared or admired her.
As she walked past a group of her friends, she tossed her bag into a locker with a bang, drawing attention — just as she liked. "Party at mine tonight," she announced, a devilish smirk playing on her lips. The group of girls squealed in excitement. Meerab rolled her eyes at their enthusiasm, but she loved the power she had over them.
She loved the thrill, the control, the attention.
What she didn’t expect was how her day would change entirely with just one glance toward the far end of the hallway.
A crowd had gathered around a small figure near the lockers. Meerab’s gaze narrowed as she spotted the familiar sight of boys pushing and shoving someone who clearly couldn’t defend himself. She frowned.
“Not again,” she muttered under her breath, annoyed.
At the center of the group was Murtasim Khan, the school’s top student and infamous nerd. He had glasses too big for his face, always carried a stack of textbooks, and avoided eye contact at all costs. He was the type of guy who stayed quiet, stayed invisible — and that made him an easy target.
The sight of him being pushed around set off a flare of irritation in Meerab. She had never interacted with him before. Why would she? He was shy, awkward, and avoided trouble — the complete opposite of her. Yet, something about the way he was being humiliated tugged at her. Maybe it was the way he stood there, trying his best to stay calm while his glasses were knocked off his face, or maybe it was just that deep down, Meerab had a thing for breaking the rules — and this, whatever was happening to Murtasim, was a rule she wasn’t willing to let slide.
Without a second thought, she stormed toward the group, her boots clacking loudly against the floor, announcing her approach.
"Hey!" she yelled, her voice sharp and commanding. The bullies froze in place, turning to face her, their faces paling the moment they recognized who was behind them.
“Walk away. Now.”
The boys hesitated for a moment, exchanging nervous glances, but none of them wanted to get on Meerab's bad side. With a few grumbled insults, they scattered, leaving Murtasim standing there, disheveled and shaken.
Meerab bent down, picked up his glasses from the floor, and wiped them on her jacket before handing them back to him. "Here," she said nonchalantly.
Murtasim looked up at her, his big, brown eyes wide with surprise. He hesitated before taking the glasses from her, his fingers brushing hers lightly. "Th-thanks," he stammered, barely able to meet her gaze.
Meerab raised an eyebrow, intrigued by how shy and nervous he was. She had expected some sort of gratitude, maybe even a quick escape. But the way he couldn’t even form a sentence properly made her smirk.
"Are you always this quiet?" she teased, crossing her arms over her chest as she tilted her head to the side, studying him.
Murtasim looked down, his face flushing a deep shade of red. "I… uh… I’m just not used to people… you know, helping me."
Meerab chuckled, the sound light and amused. "Maybe you need to hang out with better people."
Murtasim gave her a confused look. "Like… who?"
"Like me," she replied confidently, flashing him a grin.
Murtasim blinked, completely thrown off by her words. "You? But… I mean, you’re… you’re…"
"Out of your league?" Meerab finished for him, laughing softly at the flustered look on his face. "Don’t worry. I’m not about to throw you to the wolves again. You’re safe with me, nerd."
Murtasim swallowed hard, completely unsure of how to respond. He was used to being invisible, not the center of attention — and definitely not to *her* attention.
But from that day on, Meerab made it her mission to rescue Murtasim from any more harassment. She started walking him to class, sitting next to him at lunch, and making sure that no one dared mess with him again. At first, Murtasim was overwhelmed by the sudden shift in his life. Having Meerab, the school’s bad girl, by his side was not something he had ever expected. She was loud, confident, and completely unpredictable — everything he wasn’t.
Yet, despite their differences, something between them began to shift. Meerab found herself drawn to Murtasim in ways she hadn’t anticipated. There was something about the way he blushed when she talked to him, the way he tried to hide behind his books, the way he genuinely cared about things. It was refreshing, in a way, to be around someone who wasn’t constantly trying to impress or please her.
And Murtasim, though quiet and awkward, couldn’t help but be fascinated by her. Meerab was everything he had never imagined falling for — wild, reckless, and completely untamable. But there was something about the way she made him feel seen, protected even, that made his heart race in ways he couldn’t control.
One day, after school, Meerab dragged Murtasim out to the football field, insisting that they hang out before heading home.
"You really don’t need to keep doing this, you know," Murtasim said, his voice soft as they sat on the bleachers, watching the sun set in the distance.
"Doing what?" Meerab asked, leaning back with her hands behind her head.
"Looking out for me," Murtasim mumbled, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I’m fine."
Meerab turned to him, a smirk playing on her lips. "You think I’m doing this out of pity, nerd?"
Murtasim didn’t respond, his silence saying more than his words ever could.
Meerab rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I’m doing this because I like you, genius."
Murtasim’s head shot up, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You… you *what*?"
Meerab chuckled, leaning forward as she reached out to flick his glasses playfully. "You heard me."
Murtasim blinked, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never been the guy who got noticed, never been the one to catch the eye of a girl like Meerab. But here she was, looking at him with those intense, mischievous eyes, and for the first time, he felt something he had never felt before.
"I… I like you too," Murtasim admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, his face turning red again.
Meerab’s smirk softened into a genuine smile. She reached out, ruffling his hair teasingly. "Good. Now, let’s make sure no one messes with you again."
Murtasim laughed nervously, feeling a warmth spread through him that he had never experienced before.
And as they sat together, watching the sun dip below the horizon, Murtasim realized that maybe, just maybe, being rescued by the bad girl wasn’t so bad after all.
