Ayat And Jaleel At Carleton U

"Ayat, you're a sweet gal, you know I have nothing against you, it's just that the girls of our Islamic faith are, well, a tad boring, and if we went out, it would be a big deal for both of our families, I don't like the fuss, that's why I date white girls," Farouk Abdallah said, smiling. The young Arab Muslim man stood there, unaware of the fact that he'd just broken a young woman's heart. This is so awkward, Farouk thought to himself.

"I see," Ayat Khazen replied, and she simply nodded, while Farouk mumbled something barely intelligible before walking away from her like she had the plague. When I thought of sharing my feelings with him, I envisioned something a little different, Wallahi, Ayat thought, shaking her head. It was a windy day, and she readjusted the pins holding her hijab into place.

Ayat looked out at the sunlit quad, which was the de facto center of Carleton University. Everywhere she looked, fellow students were enjoying this unseasonably warm day in mid-September. The City of Ottawa looked like it was in late summer rather than early fall, and if Ayat closed her eyes while soaking up the sun, she could almost make herself believe it was still summer.

Ayat desperately missed the summers back in her hometown of Douma, in the Batroun District of Lebanon. The town was small, slightly more than a village, and everyone knew everyone. In Douma, the various religious and ethnic groups of Lebanon, the Muslims, the Maronite Christians and the Druze, actually got along. The same couldn't be said in the rest of Lebanon, or the Arab world for that matter.

When Ayat first moved to Ottawa as an international student, she was blown away by the Canadian Capital. The young woman was surprised by the size and diversity of the place. There were so many Arabs there, and most of them hailed from her country. At a meeting for an Arab student club at Carleton, Ayat met Farouk, and from that moment on, her life hadn't been the same.

Tall, handsome, dark-haired and bronze-skinned, Farouk was ruggedly handsome like a true son of Beirut, and yet he carried himself like a true Canadian, rather than the son of immigrants. Farouk played hockey, didn't smoke, and had bold and unconventional opinions for a young Arab Muslim man. Farouk thought Muslims ought to do more to integrate into Canadian society, felt that the hijab was not mandatory, and strongly supported the progressive conservative party of Canada.

At first, Ayat and Farouk clashed, then she found herself quite taken with him. They became friends, and started hanging out together, on and off campus. Ayat found Farouk's ways strange because he openly flirted with her, and he liked to drink alcohol, and didn't much care for the more conservative Arabs that they ran into when they looked at him disapprovingly.

"Ayat, I'm an Arab, true, my parents came from Beirut but I was born in Ottawa, I live my life my way, fuck the rules and traditions," Farouk told her as they walked around Gloucester after watching a movie. Ayat smiled and linked her arm with Farouk's, feeling smitten with this wild, handsome young man who was so different from the conservative types she'd grown up with.

"Farouk, you're strange but cute," Ayat said with a sigh, fawning over him. Farouk grinned and then kissed her. Ayat, a prim and proper, pious young Lebanese Muslim woman, was quite shocked when Farouk pressed his lips against hers. It was her very first kiss. Farouk grinned when they came up for air and Ayat blushed, stunned by what he'd just done...and secretly pleased. She returned his smile, and Farouk nodded and winked at her.

Ayat and Farouk had their not-quite romance for a while, and in the end, he did away with her because she was not his type. Like a lot of young Arab Muslim men, Farouk found the women of his faith and culture quite boring, and was lured by the mysteries of western women. The lure of the forbidden fruit, Ayat thought bitterly.

"Hey Ayat, Hi-Ya, why so glum?" came a masculine voice, snatching Ayat out of her gloomy thoughts. Ayat turned around and found herself facing literally the number two person on the list of dudes she didn't want to see. Jaleel Abrehe, the self-styled Prince of Eritrea, stood there with a big grin on his face, a fork-like implement buried deep inside his Afro.

"Salaam, Jaleel, I've got to go," Ayat replied, and she headed toward the library entrance, but Jaleel hastily blocked her way, and he winked at her slickly, like a man who truly thinks he's all that. Ayat rolled her eyes, and shook her head. Jaleel bowed his head gently, and offered her his arm, as if he were a courteous gentleman from the old days, instead of an annoying classmate who was wasting her time.

"Ayat, my dearest lady, I sense trouble, tis sadness I see in thy noble countenance," Jaleel said, imitating the accents and mannerisms of Shakespeare's time. Ayat nearly burst out laughing, remembering that he wouldn't have passed Western Literature III last semester if she hadn't helped him. For a fleeting moment, Jaleel's eyes met Ayat's, and she was surprised to see sincerity in those orbs.

"Alright, I'm not having the best of days, and if you must know, a representative of your gender just dumped my ass," Ayat said forcefully, and with that, she practically stormed into the Mac Odrum library, brushing past a bewildered Jaleel. In no way did her behavior or mood deter the grinning young man, and he walked with her all the way to the elevators. There were about ten students waiting for the elevators leading to the fourth and fifth floors, and the slow, stupid machines were working even slower than usual.

"Ayat, on behalf of my gender, I apologize for the lout who offended thee, now, please, tell thy friend the tale of woe," Jaleel said, and Ayat grinned, shaking her head once more. I can't believe he said that with a straight face, Ayat thought. Fellow students looked at them, some grinning, some puzzled, and some bored. The elevator doors swung open, and several students rushed out. When the others rushed in, Ayat and Jaleel found themselves waiting for the next one, as this one was packed.

"Alqarf ( shit), this isn't my day," Ayat scoffed angrily, and Jaleel looked at her pensively. Puzzled by his sudden silence, given that it was completely unlike the motor mouth to ever shut up, Ayat looked at him. Jaleel simply looked back at her, and he wasn't smiling, or smirking, nor was he posturing. The brother was not acting like his usual self, that's for damn sure...

"Ayat, calm down, my friend, and talk to me," Jaleel said, and the sincerity in his tone gave her pause. Just as Ayat was about to reply, the elevator doors swung open, and this time no one came pouring out. Ayat and Jaleel exchanged a smile, then went in. They rode the elevator to the fifth floor, and then went into the first empty study room they found, library procedures and reservations be damned.

"Alright, Jaleel, Farouk dumped me, because apparently, us Arab girls are boring and white girls are all that, must be something in the water, every fucker in town, black or brown, seems to want a blonde-haired Becky," Ayat said bitterly. Jaleel sat opposite her, and stroked his goateed chin thoughtfully. For a moment he remained silent, and then when he spoke it was in a soft tone.

"Ayat, I may tease you a lot but you are a beautiful woman, this Farouk guy is a fool to let you go," Jaleel said, and the words, spoken without guile or even a hint of teasing, struck a cord in Ayat's soul. Sighing deeply, Ayat looked at Jaleel, whose sincerity surprised her. There is clearly more to this brother than meets the eye, Ayat thought.

"Jaleel, thank you, habibi," Ayat said, and she gently laid her hand on top of his and Jaleel nodded and smiled, but said nothing. The moment passed, and the two friends resumed talking about school, and life in general. As international students living in a new country, far from their respective homes, Jaleel and Ayat had much in common, come to think of it.

"Ayat, I know I joke around a lot but I want you to know that I'm here for you," Jaleel said, and Ayat nodded. They exited the study room, and went their separate ways. Ayat's next class would take her to nearby Dunton Tower, where she would learn about the Ethics of Engineering. Jaleel was bound to his next class, Accounting For Business, in the Loeb Building. Right before they left the library, however, Ayat surprised Jaleel, and herself, by hugging him.

"Knucklehead, thanks for listening," Ayat said, as she fiercely hugged Jaleel, and he smiled faintly, and returned her hug. Ayat walked away, smiling, while Jaleel stood there, stunned by what just happened. He was practiced at hiding his feelings around Ayat, whom he'd been crushing on ever since he first laid eyes on her at the International Student Orientation Day last year.

"It's what I do," Jaleel said to himself as he headed down the elevator, intent on reaching the Loeb Building. The accounting professor, an ex-CRA guy named Malcolm something or other, was kind of tough and Jaleel didn't want to get on his bad side. There were thirty students in the class, seventeen of them were female, and Jaleel was one of four black students and the only black male student. Welcome to my life, Jaleel thought.

Ayat went to class, and sat through the lecture on the Ethics of Engineering, which was about the rules and guidelines that engineering types were supposed to follow in the business world, especially at the international level. She found herself thinking about Farouk, and thoughts of Farouk with a white gal pissed her off. Scoffing derisively, she thought of the young men back in Lebanon, who marveled at her beauty and sang her praises.

Farouk is a fool just like Jaleel said, Ayat thought to herself. For the remainder of the afternoon, Ayat thought of Farouk, her not-quite-ex, whom she wanted to give her heart and soul ( and body ) to, only to have those gifts spurned. For some reason, thoughts of Jaleel intruded in her consciousness. Impulsively, she looked him up on Facebook, having added him ages ago without communicating with him much. What Ayat found on Jaleel's profile truly amazed her...

Jaleel's profile was not what Ayat expected, given his image as a wannabe rapper and Hip Hop enthusiast who emceed so many events at venues on campus, at Oliver's Pub, for example. Jaleel, the Eritrean-born international student who was trying so hard to emulate African American rappers like DMX, Ice Cube and Eminem. The brother had a big poster of a rather controversial movie which surprised Ayat...

"Oh my," Ayat thought to herself as she looked at the picture of Jaleel standing before a poster of the French film Rengaine, set in the City of Paris, France, which told the story of an Arab woman in love with a black man. Ayat remembered watching the movie back in Lebanon, where it was seen as controversial, to say the least. The brother is into Arab women, Ayat thought with a smile.

That night, when Ayat lay on her bed, she thought of Farouk and that white chick he spoke of. A cursory check on Facebook revealed that he was dating a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young white woman named Gwendolyn Hawthorne, and she favored short skirts and tank tops. Another Muslim brother who likes slutty foreign women, Ayat thought, disgusted.

A simple but wicked idea sprang into Ayat's head, and a slow smile crept into her face. Ayat sent a message to Jaleel via Facebook, and thanked him for everything, then she gave him her phone number and suggested that they hang out. Much to her surprise, Ayat got an immediate message from Jaleel thanking her, plus a smiley face. The brother texted her almost immediately, and Ayat grinned and saved Jaleel's number. Let the games begin, Ayat thought to herself.

For the next few weeks, Ayat and Jaleel began hanging out together like never before. What a pair they made, the wannabe rapper/campus emcee and the Hijab-wearing young Muslim woman. Fellow students stared, especially Middle-Eastern male students, but Jaleel and Ayat ignored them and continued going about their day, hanging out and having fun.

Ayat wanted to get Farouk out of her mind, and Jaleel was just what the doctor ordered. Jaleel took her to the movies, at Silver City, and they also hung out at the Saint Laurent Mall and the Rideau Shopping Center. The brother from Eritrea was a lot of fun, and good company. Ayat enjoyed Jaleel's company, and he proved to be a man of his word. He was definitely there for her...

"Ayat, hanging out with you feels awesome," Jaleel said to Ayat one morning, as they sat inside The Page Break, the trusty old Starbucks located at the front of the Carleton University library. On that fateful morning, Jaleel looked pretty cool in a black silk shirt, black silk pants, and black Timberland boots, with his Afro puffed up. Ayat looked awesome in a full-length traditional Islamic dress, dark emerald in color, with a simple black Hijab.

"Jaleel, you're cool as ice, you're the sauce," Ayat replied, sounding very much like one of the white girls on Facebook, and Jaleel nodded and laughed, then pressed his fist against hers. Jaleel was about to reply when something caught Ayat's attention. A young Arab man walked into the café, holding hands with a blonde-haired young white woman in a short skirt and tank top.

"Ayat, are you alright?" Jaleel asked, and Ayat's gaze lingered on the couple, then she turned back to face him. Ayat sighed deeply, and her shoulders sagged. This is not happening, Ayat thought as she looked at Jaleel and licked her lips, forcing herself to be calm. Farouk is here with his whore, don't spaz out, don't let him get to you, Ayat silently reminded herself.

"No, Jaleel, I'm not alright, that's Farouk, and Gwen, the white chick he dumped me for," Ayat said, with her head low. Jaleel looked at her, and hesitated. He looked at Farouk and his blonde gal, both of whom were seated at a table. Farouk rose and got in line behind the other customers, and at some point, he looked their way. Ayat still had her head down, but Jaleel met Farouk's gaze, and the guy shrugged and looked away.

"Ayat, I'm here, with you, because I like you, now, are you holding your head down because you're ashamed of me?" Jaleel asked, and Ayat looked up, astonished by what he'd just said. She looked in Farouk's direction, and saw him sitting down with his girlfriend Gwen, with drinks and sandwiches on a tray. Ayat took a deep breath, and focused on Jaleel, who appeared to be quite indignant...

"Jaleel, you're awesome, and I'm damn proud to be here with you," Ayat said in a voice choked with emotion, while gripping his arm. Jaleel took a deep breath and smiled faintly, and Ayat smiled as well. Without warning, she drew closer to him, until her face was inches from his. Jaleel's heart thundered in his chest, and he held his breath. Go on and kiss the gal, Jaleel told himself.

"Right back at you," Jaleel replied, and then, closing the gap between himself and Ayat, he kissed her. Ayat kissed Jaleel back passionately. Jaleel had been with a few women in his time in Canada, but none of them were anything like Ayat, the gal who took his breath away. Jaleel kissed her like his life depended on it. When they came up for air, grinning goofily, Jaleel winked at Ayat, and she beamed at him, thrilled.

"You've got some sweet lips," Ayat said to Jaleel, and he smiled and nodded. The two of them continued bantering, sipping their lattes and enjoying each other's company. When they left the Page Break, over an hour later, all eyes were on them, including those of Farouk and his blonde gal. Fearlessly Ayat linked her arm with Jaleel's, not giving a damn what anyone thought.

"A life without passion isn't worth living at all," Ayat said to Jaleel, as they slow-danced in her room, while the oldie song For Your Love by Ed Townsend played in the background. Ayat liked the oldies, much to Jaleel's surprise, but he liked her taste in music. The feel of Ayat's curvy body against his thrilled Jaleel to no end, but he kept his cool...

"Amen to that," Jaleel replied, and he gently kissed Ayat's forehead. Ayat grinned, loving the feel of his arms around her. The tall, burly young Eritrean was turning out to be quite a gentleman, but Ayat's head was swirling with naughty ideas. She encircled Jaleel's waist, and then let her hands fall on his butt...before giving his ass a firm squeeze.

"Hello habibi, how am I doing?" Ayat said, looking into Jaleel's eyes, and he looked into hers, and saw the smoldering passion there. Once more they kissed, and then tumbled on the nearby couch. Easing out of their clothes, Jaleel and Ayat began exploring one another. Jaleel looked at Ayat, who looked simply ravishing, a curvy, golden-skinned beauty with raven hair, small, perky breasts, wide hips, and a big beautiful butt. Oh my, Jaleel thought as he caressed Ayat's bum...

"Come here gorgeous," Jaleel said, and he sat Ayat down, and spread her thick, sexy legs. Ayat pinched her nipples and looked at Jaleel as he smiled, then buried his face between her legs. When she felt his tongue against her clit, and his fingers darted into her wet pussy, she exhaled sharply, welcoming these wondrous intrusions. Jaleel proceeded to lick her in her sweet spot, eliciting moans from her...

"Hmm, lick my almuhabil ( pussy)," Ayat squealed, arching her back as Jaleel teased her clitoris with his tongue while twisting his fingers inside of her. Jaleel worked his magic on her, marveling as Ayat's pussy clenched around his fist, leaking hot girly cum all over. When she begged him to, he pulled his hand out of her, and brought his face back to her sweet spot, tasting her wondrous fluid.

"You have such a kabir qadib ( big penis )," Ayat said, a little while later, as she straddled Jaleel. She stroked his manhood, marveling at its length and thickness. Jaleel smiled, caressing Ayat's big ass with one hand, and her breast with the other. She looked at him, aching with need, and then, in one swift motion, she inserted his member into her pussy. Ayat closed her eyes, welcoming the feel of Jaleel's manhood inside of her. Bucking his hips, Jaleel thrust deep into Ayat, and she opened her eyes, glaring at him with a look of primal need on her beautiful, yet twisted face.

"Ride this easa ( stick)," Jaleel demanded, taking control, and Ayat rode him hard, grinding against him with all of her might. They switched positions, and Jaleel put her on all fours, face down and ass up. Ayat's big beautiful ass, which she pressed against his groin, turned Jaleel immensely, and he pushed his hard member into her. They fucked passionately, tenderly, roughly, surrendering to passions they'd been repressing for ages...

"Thank you, habibi, I needed that," Ayat said to Jaleel, after hours of passionate lovemaking. Jaleel lay right next to her, with Ayat's head resting on his hairy chest, their bodies tangled in a nest of bedsheets. Jaleel kissed Ayat's forehead, and she sighed happily. They lay there silently, basking in the moment, and there was really nothing to be said...

Ayat Khazen and Jaleel Abrehe are two individuals from different worlds, in spite of their shared Islamic faith and status as international students at Carleton University in the City of Ottawa. Away from her homeland of Lebanon, Ayat is living on her own, exploring her sexuality by her own rules, religion and culture be damned. She's becoming her own woman, and Jaleel is just what the doctor ordered...

Jaleel Abrehe, the proud Muslim son of Eritrea, wannabe rapper and aspiring emcee, is living a life like no other in the City of Ottawa. He loves his new life in the Canadian Capital, where his parents sent him to study accounting. He turned his new campus, Carleton University, into his new playground, and won't let anyone or anything get in the way of his academic and musical ambitions. The lovely Ayat, Jaleel's new lover, is just the icing on the cake.