Sameer finally reached home, the small shared room he stayed in with Tom. The room was modest, with a bed on one side and a mattress on the floor, neatly folded. Tom sat casually on the bed, scrolling through his phone, while Sameer began setting up his mattress for the night.
Tom looked up and asked, "So, how was Alya's house?"
Sameer corrected him without looking up, "It's not a house; it's a flat."
"A flat, huh?" Tom's curiosity was piqued.
"Yeah… an awesome flat. Just like the ones we see in anime," Sameer said, a small smile creeping onto his face.
Tom nodded in understanding, then leaned forward with a smirk. "I see. By the way, where did you get that wound? You told Paul and Suzein you fell on the road, but I don't buy it."
Sameer finished spreading the mattress, stood up, and walked over to the switchboard. He turned off the main light, leaving the room dimly lit by a small night lamp. Sitting down on the mattress, he hesitated for a moment before confessing, "It's kind of embarrassing… She accidentally kicked me."
Tom burst into laughter, his voice echoing in the quiet room. "Oh, now I get it! That's hilarious."
"Ugh, don't laugh at me," Sameer grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
Tom, still grinning, leaned back against the wall. "But bro, don't you think you should tell Paul and Suzein about Alya?"
Sameer smiled thoughtfully. "I was thinking… Instead of telling them, why don't they meet her in person?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Tom raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"She's going to join us tomorrow," Sameer replied with a mischievous smirk.
Tom's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! For real?"
"Yeah… although I think so," Sameer added, a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
"That's great! So, did you tell her what time we're heading out?" Tom asked.
Sameer froze. "Time? Oh no, I totally forgot to tell her the time! What am I gonna do now?"
Tom rolled his eyes. "Huh? What's the big deal? Just call or text her."
Sameer let out a nervous laugh. "The thing is… I don't have her number or any of her social media."
Tom looked at him, utterly shocked. "What?! You went to her place, sat on her sofa, had dinner with her, and you didn't even get her number?!"
Sameer scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously again. "Yeah… I thought it'd be rude to ask for her number so soon."
"Oh come on, just admit that you were scared," Tom teased.
Sameer sighed, giving in. "Okay, fine. But it doesn't matter—she'll be coming with us anyway. We'll just pick her up from her place."
Tom nodded in agreement. "True, but she still needs time to get ready. You know how girls are; they usually take ages."
"You're right… I didn't think of that," Sameer admitted, realization dawning on him.
Before Tom could reply, the door burst open, startling them both. Suzein stormed into the room, with Paul trailing right behind her. Sameer and Tom jumped in surprise.
"Who told you girls take a long time to get ready?" Suzein yelled, glaring at them.
"Su-Suzein?!" Sameer stammered.
"And Paul, too?!" Tom added, equally shocked.
"Wait… Don't tell me you two were eavesdropping!" Sameer exclaimed, his eyes narrowing.
"Yep, heard the whole thing," Suzein replied nonchalantly.
Paul grinned mischievously. "And we have a plan."
"A plan?" Sameer asked, skeptical.
"Tomorrow we're picking up Alya at 6 or 7 a.m. so we can leave by 9," Paul declared, crossing his arms.
Tom groaned. "Oh man, that's too early."
Paul shrugged. "For you, maybe."
Tom muttered under his breath, "Obviously, for me."
Ignoring Tom, Suzein turned to Sameer with a triumphant smile. "Congratulations, Sameer."
"Huh?" Sameer looked at her, confused.
Paul chimed in. "Yeah, congratulations."
Tom smirked. "Congrats, bro."
Sameer frowned, still not understanding. "Huh? I don't get it. For what?"
Paul leaned closer, grinning. "'Cause now it's your turn to be cringe."
The room erupted into laughter, except for Sameer, who sat there, red-faced and embarrassed. "Oh, come on. Shut up, guys, and stop laughing!"
But they didn't stop. Their laughter filled the room, leaving Sameer to groan.