wooing Meera Rai

inayat

When eclipses were taught in class seven, the school kids had learnt a new way to tease the dark skinned students.

calling them 'grahan'. 

Meera Rai was constantly pointed by her classmates and laughed at. She would try to shut them up but they were too many and she was just one. She was the only dark skinned girl in their class, barring the boy who was ignored because even her classmates were sexist. 

So when eclipses were taught in their science period, the class erupted in laughter as they replaced the word 'grahan' with the word Meera Rai.

The teacher did nothing, of course. She laughed at the humor of the kids and looked at Meera Rai like she was exactly as the kids described her.

a 'grahan'

Meera hated that week. She was constantly teased by frustrated kids, bullies and even her closest friends chose to join the club than take a stand for her. She would rather be called chocolate than an eclipse. 

Honestly speaking, she would rather be called nothing. Just be treated like a normal human being who is born with a dark skin just as people are born with fair complexion.

No one cared.

They just teased her more when she voiced her frustration.

Until one day one girl had enough of the teasing.

"EY HARAAMZAADI, SHE SAID STOP -" 

Meera Rai's mouth remained ajar when she saw the quiet, shy girl who remained out of all sort of nonsense speak up. Not just her, the entire class went silent for that second when Inayat Hafiz stood up against the silly girls who would not stop pestering Meera.

"What is it for you? Why don't you go catch a corner and study."

"I am trying to study but you fucking shit ass cunts won't let me with the way you project your insecurities on a girl who can literally finish you all in both beauty and brains. So get the fuck out of her face and study for the unit tests. Maa - baap itna marenge, ki shakal dekhne layak nahi rahegi, chutiya aurat." 

If love at first fight ever existed, Meera Rai knew she was in absolute love with Inayat Hafiz and her vulgar mouth.

Inayat Hafiz was the hijabi girl of the class. She had her fair share of bullying for wearing hijab to school but all of it came to a standstill when rumors started spreading around that Inayat had beat the shit out of one of the bullies.

The rumor was in fact true.

Inayat was even suspended for a week.

But after that, no one bothered the quiet girl. Mostly because they were afraid of her vile vulgarity and insane behaviour. 

Inayat never cared for anyone. She always fend for her own. She never had people to take care of her ever since her father left her mother and her mother left her with her aunt. 

She would not bat an eyelid for anyone because she knew no one cared for her either.

Until one day at lunch when she saw Meera Rai consoling a crying girl who had stained her uniform with her period blood. 

What made her scoff was that the girl was the same one who started the entire 'grahan' joke. 

Stupid Meera Rai.

So, it irked her to see the girl being ganged up on by idiots who thought they were class A clowns with their racist and sexist remarks. 

"You okay?" 

Meera Rai looked at the badass hijabi girl and nodded, grateful for her.

"Yes."

"Stand up for yourself, because no one else will." Inayat did not bother with the small talk, she never wanted to make friends. She was here to study and make a living for herself. "And next time, get bullied out of the classroom so I can study in peace."

Meera held Inayat's hand, her rough and worn out hands in her dark hands. 

"Thank you. You are awesome." 

Inayat looked at the way Meera held her hands and then Meera's pretty eyes. She withdrew her hands and walked away from the starstruck girl. Meera Rai watched Inayat Hafiz sit back on the last bench and drown herself in studying. 

But something had changed.

Inayat was smiling.

And so was Meera.

When her doorbell rang on a normal Sunday evening, Inayat opened the door to a crestfallen Meera who looked miserable and exhausted with bags in her hands.

Inayat Hafiz did not need to know what happened to Meera Rai that evening.

She just hugged her best friend.

And Meera could finally let her guard down and cry.

Why wouldn't she? She was with her best friend. Her home. Her safe haven.

The inayat to her grahan.

_

Meaning: inayat - blessing, grahan - eclipse