Ink and Ambition [RE-WRITING AND EDITING]

Hayah

NOORI MALIK

I had eagerly waited for my first day at work, where I had to start writing a plot for a book. Being an author myself, I knew that I had a pile of drafts that I could edit and make a few changes to. I hope it doesn't come off as me being lazy, I just feel like, why should I waste them?

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"Sure, I have a draft that I can edit and make a few changes to. Would you like to see it?" I asked.

Zayd Ali nodded. "Yes, please. I'd love to see what you've got."

The hayah of this man is so high that I'm seriously impressed that we still respect our future partners and stare somewhere else instead of looking at each other in the eyes.

But why can't I still forget his green eyes?

I pulled out my laptop and opened the document. I showed it to Zayd Ali, and we went through it together. I explained my thought process behind the draft, and Zayd Ali listened carefully, nodding occasionally.

"This is great work, Noori. I can see that you've put a lot of thought into it. I'm impressed," Zayd Ali said.

"Thank you. I think it has a lot of potential. I just need to make a few changes to make it more engaging," I replied.

Zayd Ali agreed. "I'd love to see your changes. When do you think you'll be done with them?"

I thought for a moment. "I think I can have the changes done by Tuesday. Is that okay?"

Zayd Ali smiled. "That's perfect. Take your time and do your best work. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with."

I felt relieved and excited. I knew that I had a lot of work ahead of me, but i was confident that I could deliver a great product. I was grateful for the opportunity to work on this project and excited to contribute to the promotion of education and literacy among young readers.

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After editing 20 chapters of my draft, I needed a break. I walked over to the coffee machine in the office, made myself a cup of coffee, and took a moment to relax. As I stood there, I found myself lost in thought, reminiscing about some of the sweet moments I shared with my colleague, Zayd.

I remembered how Zayd's tone sounded shy when we were looking at the ground.

Suddenly, a thought struck me. I knew I had to write it down before it slipped away. I quickly walked over to my desk, opened my diary, and began to write about the moments I shared with Zayd and how they made me feel. It felt good to express my emotions in a safe and private space, and I found comfort in knowing that my diary was always there for me.

As I was writing in my diary, lost in thought about Zayd, I remembered the sweet moments we shared together. I recalled how he would look down at the ground when we spoke. Despite this, I admired his hayah and appreciated his kind and understanding nature. I thought about the small moments we shared when he would chuckle in a way that was endearing, whenever I stuttered, and he made me feel comfortable around him. I felt grateful for the connection we had and for the moments we shared, even if they were brief.

Despite being a Non-Mahram, there is something about this man that I can't help with.

There are many males I encountered in high school but I never let them get in my mind for more then two seconds unless we were partnered by the teacher for some kind of work. They never held my attention for more than a passing thought. Then, what is it about him, that I still can't erase his green eyes I saw in the middle of the audience?

I can't seem to erase the image of his piercing green eyes from my mind.

It's as if his eyes were calling out to me, and I'm finding it hard to ignore them. Ya Allah, what is it about him that captivates me so?