*********WARNING*********
THIS POST CONTAINS A SPOILER FOR TWICE UPON QADR. IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING OR PLAN TO READ TWICE UPON QADR, EXIT THIS WINDOW IMMEDIATELY!

So for this Skript, we need to go back in time, to the day where Hana visited Houssam at the stadium after his basketball game....This is the LONGEST Skript I have ever written! It actually is like two pages short of being as long as an Unlocked Hearts chapter!

*Hana and the rest of the staff at The New York Times, are sitting in the conference room. It is eight in the morning, coffee cups, bagels, and donuts surround them, and Carol is assigning the topics for all of them for that week.*

Carol: We need to do a piece on that new library that opened in Queens. Who wants to do it?

Mark: I'm on it boss!

Carol: *jotting Mark's name down in her notebook* Awesome! Who wants to do a review of the Johnny Depp movie that just came out?

Katie: I will! *swooning slightly* I LOVE Johnny Depp!

Carol: Perfect. Also, Houssam Shaykh of the Knicks just donated over a billion dollars to the Syrian refugees, I want to get an interview with him.

*Suddenly Hana's mouth went dry, her mind went blank, and her heart started beating in overdrive.*

Mark: *letting out a low whistle* wow, over a billion dollars!? That is insane!

Carol: *nodding* I know. He tried to keep it anonymous, but someone leaked it to the press. *Hana's heart starts beating even faster.* So who wants to do this interview with him?

Trent: He doesn't do interviews beyond the monthly ones his manager schedules.

Carol: Dang it! I forgot about that. I would really love to get a statement from him about it.

*Hana raised her hand timidly.*

Hana: I, uh, might be able to get that interview.

*everyone stares at her*

Mark: How?

Hana: I kind of know him.

*another silence*

Katie: What do you mean you know him?

Mark: Yeah! How well?!

Hana: *blushing* um, well, let's just say that I was almost, sort of, kind of, engaged to him...

*the silence was deafening, and as everyone at the table stared at her with their mouths hanging open, Hana felt her face flush even more.*

Carol: Well, yeah. That would classify you guys as pretty close. *she grins at Hana* so you think you can get in?

Hana: Probably.

Carol: Alright then!

***
*Hana stood in front of the doors of the stadium, feeling so nervous that she was positive she was going to throw up. She had been standing outside for the past ten minutes trying to muster up enough courage to go in, and after taking another deep breath, she opened the door, and stepped inside. After wandering aimlessly around for a few minutes, she eventually came upon a security guard sitting behind a desk, and thumbing through a magazine.*

Hana: Um, excuse me?

*security guard ignores her*

Hana: Uh, hello?

*still ignores her*

Hana: *waving her hand in front of the guy's face* HELLO!?

*the man looks up with a start, and pulls out earphones.*

Security Guard: How can I help you?

Hana: I am here to do an interview with Houssam Shaykh. My name is Hana, and I am from The New York Times.

Security Guard: *in a bored and robotic voice as if he says this on a regular basis* Mr. Shaykh does not do post-game interviews, or any interviews beyond his monthly ones. Please contact his Joanna Smith of his PR team to schedule any appointments.

Hana: Oh, well I am a friend of his.

Security Guard: Yeah, yeah that's what they all say. Sorry, I can't let you in.

Hana: But it's really impor...

Security Guard: *interrupting her* Look, you can call his managing team like everybody else and make an appointment. *he pulls out a sheet of paper from under his desk* here is an autographed picture of him to show off to your friends.

Hana: But I'm not here for an autograph! I really do know h...

Security Guard: Sorry, nothing I can do. *he puts his headphones back into his ears, and looks down at the magazine.*

*Hana glares at him for a few seconds before turning away. She is about to leave the building, when a man who had been standing near the door on his phone, stepped over to her.*

Man: Excuse me, what did you say your name was again?

Hana: *in a confused voice* Um, Hana.

Man: Hana Ismail?

Hana: *in surprise* Yes. Do I know you?

Man: We haven't been formally introduced but we did exchange emails a few times, and I have heard countless stories about you from Houssam!

Hana: Uh, who are you?

Man: *laughing* I am Harold Jones. Houssam's manager.

Hana: Oh! Of course! Hello Harold!

Harold: *smiling* hello Hana. What are you doing here? I thought you lived in Santa Barbara!

Hana: I did, but I got a job with The New York Times and moved here a few months ago.

Harold: Does Houssam know?

Hana: *shaking her head* I don't think so.

Harold:  *with a huge mischievous smile on his face* why don't you come on in Hana! I'll set you up in the press room, and as soon as Houssam changes and showers, I'll send him over to you!

Hana: Oh, I don't want to be an imposition!

Harold: It is no imposition at all. *he holds a door open, and motions for Hana to step inside. They start to walk down a hallway* On the contrary, I think that seeing you will life Houssam's spirits considerably!

Hana: Does his spirit need lifting?

Harold: Unfortunately yes. He has been hurting a lot lately, and I know that he is trying to put up a front for everyone, but the boy is like my son, and I can tell when he isn't happy.

Hana: *her pulse speeding* why isn't he happy?

Harold: *looking at Hana briefly* You really don't know?

Hana: *shaking her head* no.

Harold: Well dear, let's just say that he talks about you more than anything else!

***

*Hana sat in the seat in the large press room, her whole body shaking from nervousness. Harold had poked his head in and said that Houssam would be in momentarily, and she was seriously wondering if it was too late to run away. Before she could decide however, the door opened, and Houssam stepped in. At first he didn't see Hana, but when he did, he just froze, staring at her.*

*He looked amazing. His hair was long again, and flowing in wet curls down his face. He was wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans, and for some reason he just looked amazing to her! Well, it probably had to do with the fact that she hadn't seen him in a year. The silence dragged on between them for what seemed like years, until eventually she stood up.*

Hana: *extending her microphone in his direction* Hana Ismail, The New York Times.

*he just continued to stare at her, as if he was doubting that she was actually there. He looked like he had seen a ghost.*

Houssam: *whispering* Hana?

Hana: *clutching her notebook tightly against her chest* Salaam Houssam.

Houssam: *taking a hesitant step forward* what are you doing here?

*as he stepped closer to her, she felt her entire face flush to the point that she feared she was going to explode into flames! Ugh, he smelled so good!*

Hana: In New York or here at the stadium?

Houssam: *still stunned* both?

Hana: Well I am in New York because I got hired with The New York times about six months ago.

Houssam: *raising an eyebrow* That's what your interview was for?"

Hana: *nodding* Yes.

Houssam: *giving an impressed whistle* MashaAllah that's great. The New York Times! Mabrook.

Hana: *blushing slightly* Barak Allahu Feek.

Houssam: So when did you move here?

Hana: About two months ago.

*Houssam fell silent again, continuing to stare at her, and while on one hand she was as red as a firetruck, she was also practically over the moon being near him again! As he pushed a lock of his hair behind his ear, she had to practically stifle a sigh at the reveal of his amazingly sharp jaw. Sigh.*

Houssam: And you're here at the stadium today for an interview?

Hana: *nodding* Yes. They sent me to cover your latest good deed.

Houssam: *blushing deeply* Aw man. I wouldn't call it a good deed.

Hana: *looking down at her notebook* Highest paid NBA player in history gives two years' of his salary away to Syrian refugees? *looking back up at Houssam* That's a pretty huge accomplishment."

Houssam: *shrugging uncomfortably* Really it's not. I tried to keep it quiet, but you know my life is on public display.

*Hana's heart felt like it was swelling triple in size!*

Hana: I know.

Houssam: *running a hand through his nervously* How is your family doing over in Syria?

Hana: *her eyes suddenly filling with tears* They aren't in good shape. Some of them are missing, some are trying to escape, but most of them are dead now.

Houssam: *softly* Oh Hana.

Hana: *taking a deep breath so she wouldn't start crying in front of him* Alhamdulillah they have the morale and the hope. Just keep praying for them, and all of the other Muslims around the world.

Houssam: *raising his hands in the air as if to make Duaa* Ameen ya Rabb! May Allah swt reward them, give them patience, protect them, keep them safe, let the tyrants fall, and give them victory.

Hana: Ameen. *as their eyes locked, the room around them seemed as if it was buzzing with electricity. Hana was desperately trying to figure out if he had changed at all since the last time she had seen him, but it was impossible to tell anything beyond the fact that his hair was long again, and that he seemed to have gotten more muscular. If that was even possible...She had dreamt about him almost every single night since he had left. Sometimes she would wake up from how fast her heart was racing. She thought about him constantly, and even though they hadn't spoken in a year, she always watched his basketball games on television, and constantly prayed for him. Eventually the intensity of looking at him got too much, and Hana looked away.*

Hana: *smiling* Well we just need a quote from you if that's okay. *when he didn't answer, studying her so intently, she cleared her throat* Houssam?

Houssam: *smiling at her embarrassedly* Um, okay. A quote. Alright. Umm. I don't know Hana! I do not deserve recognition for my donation! I mean it's not like I did it because I wanted coverage, but because it is like my duty as a human being to help out! As long as Allah swt has blessed me with the money, I need to spread the blessings!

*Whenever it seemed like Hana couldn't possibly love him even more than she already did, he proved her wrong.*

Hana: *quickly jotting down what he had said.* That was beautiful.

Houssam: *in confusion* Uh what?

Hana: *laughing* What you just said!

Houssam: Um, remind me again what I said?

Hana: *grinning and looking down at her notepad* When asked about his donation, Houssam became a bit flustered at the praise, claiming, 'I do not deserve recognition for my donation, because it is my duty as a human being to help out! As long as God has blessed me with the money, I need to spread the blessings!' *she paused for a second, surprised to find herself choked up. Once she was sure that her voice wouldn't crack from her emotions, she looked up at him.

Houssam: *in an amused voice* I said that?

Hana: *nodding* You said that.

Houssam: *grinning widely* You're brilliant. That's why you're the writer.

*Seriously, Hana was positive her pulse had to be in the thousands!

Hana: *self-consciously repinning her scarf* Thank you.

Houssam: How are things back at home?

Hana: *smiling* Everyone is doing well. They miss you. You know Ilham and Hisham are expecting again right?

Houssam: No! MashaAllah that's great! Boy or girl?

*Ilham and Hisham had tried not to find out what the baby's gender was going to be, but Ilham being Ilham didn't even get through one day without having to look!*

Hana: It's a girl InshaAllah.

Houssam: MashaAllah. They will have their hands full. How were Yusra and the babies when you left?

Hana: *laughing* They are a spirited bunch I'll tell you that! Kareem's new favorite thing is to run around the house and scream at the top of his lungs, and Ayyoub likes to throw things.

*Houssam laughed, before suddenly his face turned somber, and he looked down at her, his eyes flashing with such intensity, that she had no doubt in her mind where his thoughts were. And that was only because hers were very similar*

Houssam: *whispering softly* It's amazing seeing you.

Hana: *her face heating up once again* You too.

*Another silence descended upon them, but this time there was nothing weird about it. It was almost as if they were communicating directly to each other's hearts. Though neither of them uttered a single word, she suddenly felt like they were having the most intimate and beautiful conversations that they ever had.*

*Suddenly Hana heard footsteps, and as they both turned to look at the doorway, to Hana's surprise, Freddy Crewe walked in! Freddy was an amazing player, and a great friend to Houssam from what he had always told her. His brown hair was kind of long, though not nearly as long as Houssam's, and it was spiked up with gel. He had sparkling green eyes, and a smile that just lit up his entire face. He was so cheerful looking, that he practically had a blinding light around him that reminded Hana about the sunshine.*

Freddy: *looking at his phone* Hey Shaykh are you comin... *looking up from his phone* oh hi!"

Hana: *smiling* Hello. I'm Hana Ismail, The New York Times.

Freddy: *grinning largely, and pushing his hair out of his eyes* I'm Freddy Crewe. It's nice to meet you Hana! *the way Freddy said her name, gave her the impression that he knew exactly who she was* I'm sorry to interrupt, Harold is waiting in the car and said to hurry so he can get the fiesta platter."

*Both Houssam and Hana laughed*

Houssam: No worries Freddy, we were practically done. *Houssam looks at Hana with a smile. I'd love to catch up some time.

Hana: *once again feeling like she was on fire. She had forgotten how amazingly adorable his crooked little smile was!* Yeah for sure. *She put her notebook away, shouldered her purse, and turned towards the doorway. It was nice to meet you Freddy.

Freddy: *giving her a mock salute* Back at you Hana!

Hana: *turning to look at Houssam* Salaam Houssam.

Houssam: *smiling broadly*Walaikumasalaam Hana."

*She waved at them again, before leaving the room. She was about to head towards the exit, when she paused against the wall, listening to them*

Freddy: So that's the girl you're in love with?

*Ya Allah! In love! Hana's heart would definitely win a marathon from how fast it was beating!*

Houssam: Yeah.

*Hana's hands began to tremble*

Freddy: I like her.

Houssam: Me too.

*Hana quickly tiptoed towards the exit, and practically ran all the way to her car, letting the cold New York air help calm her flushing cheeks.*