Chapter: 1 eye contact

I woke up to the sound of my alarm—it was Fajr time. I really love Fajr; it's so peaceful at this hour. I got up to pray. As I was praying, my cheeks became wet with tears—I didn't even notice that I had started crying. Then I began making du'a, telling Allah (SWT) everything—my feelings—because I know my Allah will give me solutions to my problems and sort things out for me. I felt so much better after talking to my Lord. After I was done praying, I read the Qur'an, and once I finished

reading, I got up to get ready for college.

"Dua, breakfast is ready!" Mom shouted from downstairs.

"Coming!" I replied. I grabbed my bag, went downstairs, sat at the dining table, and

started eating breakfast.

"Baba, pass the jam," I said.

"Yeh lo jam, Dua," said Baba.

"Ammi, baba, I'm going. I'm getting late. Allah Hafiz!"

At college:

"Heyy bestie, kaise ho?"

"Heyy beautiful, main achhi hoon. Tum kaise ho?" Nadia replied.

"How many classes do we have today?"

"Three classes, I think," said Nadia.

"Okay then, let's go to the class."

"I am sleepy and hungry."

"Me too, Dua," replied Nadia.

"After this class, let's go to the canteen."

"Ok, let's go," replied Nadia.

At canteen:

"What do you want to eat?" I asked Nadia, as she was zoned out.

"Ahh, yeah... whatever you want," replied Nadia.

"Ok, so sandwich and coffee."

"This is so good. This coffee was a much-needed boost," said Nadia.

"Yeah, because we're coffee addicts!"

We both laughed.

After attending the remaining class, it was time to go home.

Nadia was waiting for her brother to come and pick her up, and I was accompanying her. I had come by driving my own car.

"What will you do when you get home?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe sleep for a while," replied Nadia.

I laughed at her. "You love to sleep so much."

"That I do," Nadia replied, laughing.

I love this woman so much. Just being with her is so much fun, and there's a kind of peace she carries around her.

"Look, my brother is here," Nadia said.

I was zoned out and hadn't noticed that her brother had already arrived.

His brown eyes met mine, gazing at me. There was something in his eyes—an emotion I couldn't describe or recognize. Our eye contact lasted for a minute or so; I don't know, I was lost in his honey-like eyes.

"Heyy Dua, I'm going now. Bye!" Nadia said, snapping me out of it.

"Bye," I replied, waving my hand.

Then I drove back to my house.

"Asalamualaikum, Ammi."

"Walaikumussalam, beta," Ammi replied.

"Aaj ka din bohot boring tha, Ammi."

Ammi laughed.

"Lectures bohot boring thay."

Ammi was listening to my rants—this was my daily routine. The day went by like this. I was constantly thinking about him... how our eyes met, how they stayed on each other.

It was just a mere eye contact. Just an eye contact, I told myself.

It was dinner time now. Baba was sitting at the head of the table, Ammi was on the right side, and I was on the left.

"How was your day, Dua?" Baba asked.

"It was boring, Baba."

"Main sau dafa sun liya yeh aaj," Ammi replied out of nowhere.

Baba and Ammi laughed, and I was left dumbfounded.

After dinner, I made some black tea for myself, Ammi, and Baba. I took my cup to my room, did some work, and texted Nadia, asking if she was going to college tomorrow or not. She replied, "Yess, I am going tomorrow."

I started getting ready for bed. My routine consisted of praying Isha, then doing my skincare, and finally going to sleep.