Third Person PoV

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The next day

Devrudra and Somvrat sat in Somvrat's cozy hostel room, the air filled with the faint smell of the warm food they had received from an online delivery service.

The room, though small, had an inviting charm-a simple desk piled with books, a few posters on the wall, and a small but comfortable couch perfect for lounging. Sunlight streamed through the narrow window, illuminating dust particles dancing in the air.

It was already 11:30 a.m., and both of them exchanged glances, silently wondering why Prashmita was late. She had promised to arrive by 11, but there was still no sign of her.

Devrudra, dressed in a faded blue t-shirt and joggers, carefully unwrapped the containers of food, laying them out on the floor in neat rows, creating a makeshift buffet.

His mind, however, kept wandering to thoughts of Prashmita, wondering if something had happened or if she had simply gotten lost in her books again. He smiled to himself at the thought.

"She's really taking her time, isn't she?" Somvrat remarked, pulling his hair into a bun and glancing at his phone for any messages from her. His voice had a playful edge, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.

Devrudra chuckled softly. "She probably lost track of time. You know how she is when she gets in her zone."

Somvrat rolled his eyes dramatically, as if that explained everything. "Well, if she doesn't show up soon, I'm eating her share of the chicken lahori."

"Good luck explaining that to her later," Devrudra responded, amusement clear in his tone as he placed another container down, this one filled with puris.

Somvrat took a seat on the floor, cross-legged, and pulled a bottle of soft drink from one of the bags. "Seriously though, do you think she's okay? It's not like her to be late, especially without a text."

Devrudra paused for a moment, considering. His brow furrowed slightly. "She'll be fine. Maybe she just needed a moment. I'll call her in a bit if she doesn't show up."

The clock ticked softly, the room now filled with the scent of spices and anticipation. There was a quietness between them, both waiting for their third companion, yet an unspoken understanding lingered that Prashmita's pace was her own.

Devrudra leaned back, resting his hands on the floor behind him, and looked out the window, lost in thought. The vibrant food spread before him was the only thing grounding him in the present.

Prashmita, at that moment, was in the library, completely absorbed in her studies. She had intended to leave by 11, but time had slipped away as she lost herself in a research article.

Surrounded by towering shelves of books, the library was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of pages and the soft hum of the ceiling fan. Her desk was cluttered with notebooks, pens, and a half-empty coffee cup, a testament to how long she had been there.

She glanced at her watch absentmindedly, her eyes widening when she realized it was already 11:30. A sudden wave of guilt washed over her as she remembered her promise to meet Devrudra and Somvrat.

"Oh no," she muttered to herself, hurriedly gathering her things. She could already imagine Somvrat teasing her for being late.

Stuffing her notes into her bag, she fumbled with her phone and quickly typed out a message to the group chat: "Sorry! Lost track of time. On my way now!"

As Prashmita rushed out of the library, she checked her phone again to see if either Devrudra or Somvrat had replied. To her surprise, there were no new messages.

She hurried down the corridor, her footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet building. Outside, the sun was high, and she winced at the bright light as she made her way toward Somvrat's hostel.

Meanwhile, back in the room, Devrudra's phone buzzed on the floor where he had left it while arranging the food. Somvrat, lounging lazily by the window, noticed the vibration first and picked it up, reading the message aloud.

"Sorry! Lost track of time. On my way now!"

"Told you," Devrudra said, his face lighting up with a knowing smile as he placed the last container of food on the floor.

Somvrat grinned mischievously. "We should eat all the puris before she gets here, just to see her reaction."

Devrudra shook his head, though he couldn't help but laugh. "You really want to get on her bad side, huh?"

"She loves me too much to stay mad," Somvrat replied, leaning back against the wall. "But I bet she'll give you a lecture about being patient."

Devrudra smirked but didn't respond, lost in thought about how Prashmita always managed to keep him grounded, even in her quiet and reserved way.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Somvrat leapt up with exaggerated excitement. "Finally!" He opened the door to reveal Prashmita, slightly out of breath, with her bag slung over her shoulder and an apologetic look on her face.

"You're late," Somvrat teased immediately, leaning against the doorframe. "We almost ate without you."

Prashmita rolled her eyes, though there was a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I said I'm sorry. The library was a trap, as usual."

Devrudra looked up from where he was seated on the floor, his expression warm but teasing. "Better late than never, I guess."

Prashmita set her bag down and joined them, sitting cross-legged next to Devrudra. As she looked at the spread of food, she shook her head with a mock sigh. "You guys went all out."

"Of course we did," Somvrat said proudly, sitting beside her. "Now dig in before Devrudra gets all philosophical about the meaning of lunch."

Prashmita laughed softly, feeling the usual comfort she had developed over time with them, her earlier guilt melting away as they began to share the food, the banter, and their quiet camaraderie.

As the three of them settled down to eat, the atmosphere in Somvrat's hostel room became light and filled with the familiar energy of their friendship.

They passed around the containers, helping themselves to the food they had ordered-biryani, samosas, naan, and a couple of curries. The smell of the spices filled the room, and the quiet sounds of their movements mixed with the occasional clink of utensils.

"So, what were you so absorbed in at the library?" Devrudra asked casually as he tore a piece of naan.

Prashmita, still feeling a little guilty for being late, explained between bites. "It was this research paper on cognitive biases in decision-making. I thought it would be a quick read, but, well..." She trailed off, knowing the other two had heard this story from her before.

Somvrat raised an eyebrow. "Cognitive biases? Sounds like the kind of thing you'd get lost in for hours."

Prashmita chuckled softly. "I know. I just couldn't stop once I started." She looked at the biryani, then at Somvrat. "By the way, I heard you were planning to steal my food if I didn't show up."

Somvrat feigned innocence. "Who, me? Never! I was just... ensuring quality control."

Devrudra snorted, trying not to laugh as he poured them all some juice. "Right, and I'm sure that involved eating all the puris."

"You don't understand," Somvrat insisted dramatically, pointing to the empty samosa box. "They were calling to me."

Prashmita shook her head with a smile, playfully nudging him. "Typical."

As they continued eating, the conversation flowed naturally, drifting from casual teasing to more thoughtful topics. Prashmita, always the one with a philosophical bend, brought up a recent article she had read about mindfulness and its impact on creativity, sparking a lively discussion between her and Devrudra, who showed his interest. Somvrat, pretending to be uninterested, scrolled through his phone but chimed in with sarcastic comments that made them both laugh.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The three friends froze for a second, exchanging confused looks. "Did anyone else order something?" Prashmita asked, frowning.

Somvrat, still chewing, stood up to answer the door. He opened it to find a delivery guy standing there, holding another food package. "Uh, Somvrat?" the delivery guy asked, checking his notes.

Somvrat's eyes widened. "I didn't order anything else..."

Devrudra leaned forward, curious. "What is it?"

The delivery guy handed the package over, saying, "It's a cake. Someone ordered it for you."

Somvrat took the box, baffled, and looked at the receipt attached to it. "There's no sender name... Just a note that says 'Enjoy!'"

Prashmita raised an eyebrow. "That's mysterious."

Devrudra smirked, sensing a story. "Looks like someone's got a secret admirer."

Somvrat, still looking at the cake box, muttered, "Or a very confused delivery service." He set the cake on the floor, opening it carefully. Inside was a beautifully frosted chocolate cake, with "happy dessert" written in delicate icing.

Prashmita looked at the cake with a knowing smile, feeling an odd sense of comfort. "Looks like we've got dessert, too."

Somvrat eyed the cake suspiciously for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, whoever sent it, I'm not complaining. Cake is cake." He grabbed a knife from his desk drawer and started cutting slices.

Devrudra watched with amusement, his curiosity piqued but not quite willing to let it go. "It's a bit odd though, isn't it? A random cake delivery?"

Prashmita, who had been quietly observing, took a slice Somvrat offered her and raised her eyebrows. "You think it's from one of your admirers? Maybe someone in the department?"

Somvrat waved her off. "If it is, they've got great taste in cakes." He plopped down on the floor, taking a huge bite. "Mmm, chocolate."

Devrudra shook his head, though the hint of a grin played on his lips. "Well, cheers to mysterious cakes and secret admirers, I guess."

The three of them dug into the cake, and for a while, the conversation revolved around its sweetness and how much better this unexpected dessert made their afternoon. As they settled into a more comfortable silence, Somvrat suddenly spoke, his voice quieter than usual.

"Hey, do you guys ever think about where we'll all be in a few years? I mean, once we've finished all this." He gestured vaguely around him, as if to encompass their studies, their lives as students, and the entire world beyond.

Prashmita paused, the fork halfway to her mouth, the question catching her off guard. "I don't know. I guess I've always been focused on the next step, the next project. I haven't really thought much about what comes after."

Devrudra leaned back, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I think about it sometimes. But it's hard to picture. I mean, we're all going to end up in different places, doing different things. And yet... this," he gestured to the three of them, "feels like it'll always matter, no matter where we end up."

Somvrat smirked, though his eyes softened as he glanced between them. "Look at you, getting all sentimental, Devrudra. But yeah, I get it. It's hard to imagine life without... this." He waved his fork at them before taking another bite.

Prashmita smiled faintly, her usual guarded expression softening. "I think no matter what, we'll stay connected. At least, I hope so."

Devrudra nodded in agreement, and for a brief moment, a comfortable silence settled over them, the kind only shared by close friends who didn't need to fill every space with words.

Eventually, Somvrat broke the silence, his tone returning to its usual playful edge. "Alright, enough with the deep stuff. We're supposed to be celebrating, remember?" He raised his fork with a piece of cake on it as if to make a toast. "To whatever comes next, but also... to this. To us."

Devrudra and Prashmita both raised their forks, smiling. "To us," they echoed.

As the afternoon stretched on, the three of them lingered in Somvrat's room, sharing stories, laughter, and an unspoken bond that would carry them through whatever the future held.

The mysterious cake had become just another part of their shared experience, a sweet reminder that life was full of unexpected moments, some of them simple, like a sunny afternoon with friends and an unexpected dessert.

By the time Prashmita finally left to head back to her hostel, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the campus.

She walked slowly, her mind replaying the day's events. The weight of her studies and her responsibilities felt lighter somehow, buoyed by the warmth of her friends and the strange comfort of the ordinary moments they had shared.

As she crossed the familiar pathways back to her hostel, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Even though she had spent most of her life keeping people at a distance, days like today reminded her that some connections were worth holding onto.

Meanwhile, back in Saomvrat's room, Devrudra sat on the floor long after Prashmita had left, still lost in her thought.

He couldn't help but wonder how their paths would diverge as time went on, but he held onto the hope that, just like today, their friendship would find ways to keep them tethered to one another, no matter what the future brought.

Maybe one day they would find a different equation to held onto each other.

Somvrat, sprawled out lazily on the floor with the remnants of the cake in front of him, sighed contentedly. "You know, that cake might just be the best thing that's happened all week."

Devrudra snorted, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

Somvrat grinned, unbothered. "And yet, you love me anyway."

Devrudra rolled his eyes but didn't deny it. "Maybe."

With that, the two friends fell back into their usual rhythm-playful banter and comfortable silences. The future might have been uncertain, but for now, they had this moment, and that was more than enough.

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