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**Frida**

It wasn’t until my phone buzzed that I realized how late it was. The summer sun casting long shadows on my desk further bolstered what my clock was telling me – it was time to leave. A quick glance at my to-do list suggested otherwise. The office around me was empty, the quiet hum of the AC my only business.

My phone buzzed again. It was a message from Julia. She’d predicted that this would happen, that I’d get so engrossed with work that I wouldn’t make it on time for Dave’s going away party. And she was right. I didn’t care much about the party, didn’t really know Dave that well. But he was Julia’s boss and that counted for something. And if she wanted me there with her, I would sure as hell try to.

I stared down at my desk again, the unchecked boxes in my list challenging me to get up and leave. This job was hard and I had finally begun to get a hang of it. But also, I had started using work as a distraction from all other factors of my life that were crumbling right in front of my eyes. The promotion that I was due was nowhere in sight – an infinite slew of promises made and promises broken. My relationship with Ed was on the rocks – a stagnation that I had expected to come a lot sooner. We were different people and initially that had been exciting. But time had soured that excitement into dread, causing an ever-expanding chasm between us. I frequently entertained thoughts of breaking up, but what would I do after? I had spent the past 4 years building my life with Ed and the fear of being alone far outweighed the boredom of the relationship. The sex was nothing remarkable either and happened far too seldom with a monotony that I couldn’t fathom existed.

A final message from Julia broke my reverie – she was leaving the party in an hour and wanted me to get my behind to the party pronto. She sounded angry and sloshed – not the Julia you want to deal with when you’re all sober. This was the appropriate occasion to down that miniature of grey goose sitting in my drawer. One swig later, I grabbed my bag and ran to the restroom to redo my makeup and change into something more appropriate.

**Varsha**

I was finally happy the bastard was leaving the business. He had made my life hell for the past two years. But that was Dave – the asshole had a way of kissing ass that made everyone above him think he was a prodigy while everyone below him had a spectacular view of a giant-sized piece of crap. Nonetheless, I was here to celebrate my freedom from his clutches – not something I would pass on especially when the booze was free and all I had to go back to was an empty hotel room. I sauntered over to the bar and flashed my empty beer bottle to the bartender which he promptly replaced with a cute smile. I thought if the smile meant anything – it had been a while since anyone had thrown any attention my way. But that’s expected when you’re in a foreign country where the language eludes you and you’re all the time an outsider. Forget attention of a sexual nature, I had a tough time just making new friends. As much as I wanted to, the invisible barriers had made clicking with anyone besides my Indian compatriots in the office a herculean task. With Indians, there was a certain sense of knowing what to expect and in that knowledge, I found comfort. But I still longed to expand that zone, to meet interesting people, and form friendships I could lean on in an alien land. But for now, the cute Swedish bartender and his ambiguous smile would have to do.

**Frida**

The party was in full swing by the time I arrived. The shot of vodka I’d imbibed previously at my desk definitely helped me let my guard down, but seeing Julia animatedly talking to someone made me realize I needed more to get close to her level.

Looking around, I spotted the bar at the far end that seemed less deserted. I quickly made a beeline for it lest someone impede me with a conversation about the weather. With a drink in hand, I knew I would be better equipped to take on the evening. Approaching the bar at record speed, I asked the bartender for a vodka tonic.

“You’re finally here!” Julia said with a telltale buzzed drawl.

I quickly enveloped her in a hug trying hard to not have her spill her drink on me and put an end to any more complaints she may have.

“Sorry, babe. You know how it is”.

“Yes, I do. But unfortunately, I need to leave. Jacob forgot to take his keys so he’s now stuck outside the house.”

Jacob – that bumbling buffoon she called her boyfriend. I didn’t like him much. This girl deserved someone much better but somehow, she couldn’t see it. I guess I just had to sit back and let the relationship run its course.

“My Uber is going to be here in a few minutes and I feel bad for having to leave you here all alone” she continued. “Will you be okay without me?”

“I’ll survive” I said, my voice projecting a confidence my head knew I didn’t have. I looked around to see a few of my colleagues on the dance floor but not anyone interesting enough to keep me interested for long.

“Oh, hey Varsha, good to see you here”, Julia squealed with a fake enthusiasm I knew she reserved for people she didn’t know too well.

I looked over my shoulder to see an Indian woman behind me nursing a bottle of beer. It looked like she had come straight from the office like me, but her clothes definitely accentuated a graceful frame and the overhead bar lighting did her eyes complete justice. Far from what I could say about myself on this august night.

“Frida this is Varsha, she works on my team and is based out of Uppsala. And Varsha, this is Frida”

We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

“Fuck, my cab is here. I got to bounce. Say hi to Ed for me.” Julia muttered and quickly hugged me for the second time before rushing to the door.

I watched her retreating frame, a little angry at both her and myself. I considered booking myself a cab and just heading home. This night was already fizzling out for me.

**Varsha**

I was shaken when I heard Julia call my name. Until that moment, I wasn’t even sure she knew what it was, but it was a pleasant surprise. Though we were on the same team, we barely interacted with each other. From the few times we interacted, I had initially disliked Julia – she fawned incessantly over Dave, and that was reason enough. But over time and with enough distance between us, the dislike had waned into a pleasant apathy at some point.

When I realized Frida had thrust her hand out post Julia’s introduction, I hesitated for a moment. My own hands were wet with the condensation from the bottle but it was too late now. I pushed my hand forward and was thankfully met with an equally moist hand from Frida. As we both chuckled nervously, extricating our hands, we exchanged our hellos as Frida spoke in perfect English with only a minor hint of a Swedish accent. I looked around for some paper napkins and reached across the bar to grab some from a stack. Before I could offer one to Frida, I could see the retreating frame of Julia without as much as a good bye. I guess the apathy was mutual after all.

Frida accepted the napkin from my hand and proceeded to swaddle her drink with it while I did the same for my beer. I sensed a certain sense of despondency from her, maybe because Julia had so abruptly abandoned her leaving her in the business of a complete stranger. But for an attractive and well-spoken woman like Frida, I didn’t expect that to be a major hurdle.

“So, where are you from Varsha?” she asked.

“India” I responded looking up from my drink. “I’m from the south of the country.”

“Oh, fabulous. Which city? I spent a few months in India when I was younger”

“Really? I’m from Bangalore. Did you visit the city when you were there?”

“Unfortunately, I didn’t. I only covered some northern cities but I would definitely want to cover the south too someday. Beautiful country”

I had heard that line enough from a multitude of people in Sweden, but when she said it, it sounded very sincere.

“Yes, you should. I’d be happy to help you plan.” I offered.

“Of course. Julia mentioned you’re from Uppsala, how long are you in Sweden for?”

“I leave for Uppsala tomorrow. I came here to meet with Dave before he leaves so that we have everything in order. You live in Stockholm?”

Before she could answer, my phone buzzed. It was Shankar, my developer. This was his third call in a span of ten minutes.

“Sorry, Frida. I’ve got to take this, but it was nice meeting you” I said reluctantly as I peeled my eyes from hers.

I answered the phone and could barely hear Shankar over the sound of the music being picked up on both our phones.

“Varsha, where are you? The team is doing shots in the bar upstairs. Come soon”.

By the time I hung up, Frida was already walking away.

**Frida**

I wanted to chat with Varsha more, to hear about her life in India but maybe that would have to wait another day if I ever met her again. With Julia gone, it felt awkward to just stand around the bar and I didn’t see much use in waiting around. Maybe, it was time to call it a night after all.

I saw Dave across the room and decided to quickly bid him good bye before making my way out. I walked briskly across the floor where drunk bodies continued to groove to the music, electrifying the dimly lit space.

“Dave, congratulations on the move.”

“Thanks, dear. And thanks for coming by. Where’s Julia?”

“Oh, she had to leave and I’m leaving now too but just wanted to stop by.”

“Hello no. You have to have a drink with me. I insist”

With that, he grabbed me by the arm and led me back to the same bar where I’d met Varsha. I looked around for Varsha though she was nowhere in sight now. I quickly downed the drink I had been holding, while Dave ordered another round for us. I knew I was going over my limit, but I can all the time take a few sips of the next drink for the man and quietly slip out.

But alas. Before I knew it, others had congregated around the bar, around Dave and I was drawn deep in their web of inane conversation. Conversations of the kind that required more than a few sips of something strong and before I knew it, someone had thrust a fourth drink in my hand.

I’m not sure how time flew or when the crowd had finally dwindled until it was just a few of us left milling around. I realized I had enjoyed my evening despite everything having pointed to the contrary at the beginning. This was of course aided by more than my fair distribute of booze that was now beginning to smell on my breath and cloud my judgement. Unlocking my phone, I called for an Uber and watched as the car snaked its way through the late-night traffic. One quick pitstop at the restroom and then I’d be on my way.

**Varsha**

The team seemed to be in high spirits by the time I had joined them. It appeared that they had already done a few rounds of shots as evidenced by the empty glasses and boisterous conversation switching quickly between Hindi, English and a host of other languages. I was already on my fourth beer for the evening and another shot might just send me over the edge, but it’s not too often that I got the chance to let my hair down in a different city especially on a Friday night. I graciously accepted the shots and was soon downing more than I had signed up for. And just as swiftly as the action had started it died down, or maybe that was just my perception of it since my watch read a quarter to 11. My hotel was just a block away from the bar, so I weighed my options and decided to walk back. But I wasn’t courageous enough to carry a bladder from an evening of liquid courage back to my hotel.

My legs appreciated the break as I sat on the pot, while the while my mind languished slowly in a pleasant stupor. My reflection in the mirror while I washed my hands was not the most flattering but who cared. I was feeling good. That’s when I saw Frida walk in.

After an instant that it took for her to place me, she beamed, “I thought I’d lost you” obviously equally buzzed as me.

I let out a chuckle that surprised me too. “This is a big place, so not your fault.”

“Did you enjoy yourself?” she enquired as she looked into the mirror and coaxed a stray strand of hair back in place

“Yes, I did. It’s always nice to have a night away from the husband and a 10-year-old.”

“You sure do know how to take care of yourself for being the mother of a 10-year-old” she responded.

I blushed involuntarily. “Oh, maybe it’s the lighting but I’ll take it. Thank you”, I deflected. “I have to say you look pretty great too, quite in shape.”

It was her turn to give me a smile. Her phone buzzed but she ignored it.

“Don’t get me wrong, but I also really love your skin. You have a certain glow. Maybe it is the Bangalore air” she said as she appraised me from head to toe.

I was surprised she still remembered where I was from. Her darting eyes along the length of me, left my cheeks feeling flush. I couldn’t help but notice her eyes lingering for a second longer on my breasts, but maybe I was imagining it. I was fully basking now in the attention of this stranger and somehow, I didn’t care where she looked.

“And also, I may be saying this because I’m a little buzzed”, she continued, “but I’m envious of your breasts too” confirming my earlier suspicion. She grabbed her breasts for effect which were far smaller but perky nonetheless.

“Oh, don’t be silly. I think you have beautiful skin and breasts too” I said as I found myself drawing closer to her to feel the ivory skin on her hands. She straightened up when I touched her, a curious look washing over her face that broke into a smile.

She hesitated for a moment but finally asked – “Do you want to get another drink?”.

**Frida**

When she touched me it somehow felt different? Maybe it was a welcome change from Ed’s bored hands, but it sent a shiver through my spine that jolted me upright. The solitude of the restroom made me feel suddenly in touch with my own sexuality that this exotic woman had unlocked with a mere touch of her hand.

I liked this feeling, I wanted to explore it more. Completely against the suggestion of my phone that I should be meeting Abdul, my Uber driver, I asked if she wanted another drink and a part of me jumped with joy when she agreed.

We quickly made it out of the restroom and walked over to the bar which unfortunately was in the process of closing down for the night.

“Do you know someplace else we can drink?” I asked.

“Ummm, I don’t know. I’m new here”, she said.

I rolled my eyes at my stupidity. Of course, she wouldn’t know.

“Do you want to drink at my hotel? It’s just a block away” she offered hesitantly.

That was all the encouragement I needed. I rushed to the door with her following close behind me. I had no clue what I wanted to do but I wanted to be in the halo of this woman for a little longer.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, the cool summer breeze was a refreshing change to the dank pub air. I turned to Varsha and gestured for her to lead the way.

**Varsha**

I had no idea what I was thinking when I suggested that we drink at the hotel bar. Frida was really warming up and the disappointment that came over her face when she saw the bar closing had left me pained. But what the fuck. I had no idea who this woman was. Yes, I enjoyed a little attention from her but was this even sensible? To be honest, she was a rather pretty woman. And when she complimented my breasts and grabbed her own, it fired up a certain part of my animal brain that I knew existed but wasn’t sure of. And I knew something clicked for her too when I touched her hand, like a wall coming down aided by a suppressed curiosity.

The hotel bar was still quite active with cacophonous conversation and music that was far too feeble. The exhilarated mood I found myself in at the pub was beginning to wane, and the ambience here wasn’t helping. In another brash act that was so unlike me, I asked Frida if she would rather drink and chat in the quiet of my room.

“What’s your room number?” she asked even before I finished my sentence.

She leaned her lanky frame over the bar and asked the bartender to send some beers up to the room post which she took my hand and led me to the elevator bank while I tried to fish the key out of my purse.

The ride up was tense. I knew something was afoot but I wasn’t sure where it was taking us.

As we stepped out of the elevator onto an empty floor, the scene only became more vivid. We walked over to the room with a sense of urgency with Frida right behind me. I fumbled at the door but managed to open it, welcoming her in and closing the door behind us.

**Frida**

I excused myself and entered her bathroom even before she had shut the main door behind us. I could hear my heartbeat in my chest. Opening the faucet, I washed my hands as I let my nostrils fill up with the lingering scent of her perfume. Taking a few deep breaths, I looked around the room and couldn’t help but notice her discarded bra in the wash pile. A maroon cup stuck out from underneath a towel. I gingerly picked it up and felt the softness, cupping my hands on the fabric. I tingled with anticipation, drawing from the wondered of what this bra had previously held.

A knock on the door made me drop it to the floor.

“Are you okay in there?” Varsha’s voice floated through the door.

“Yes, I am” I stammered. “Just washing up.”

I tucked the bra back in under the towel and unlocked the door.

A few bottles of beer glistened on the table, no doubt just retrieved from the bar downstairs and delivered ever so silently by the waiter.

I kicked my shoes off, opened two beers and offered one to her. We clinked, and each drew a nervous sip. Her perfume was wearing away, but I could smell every last molecule of it that came my way.

With nervous hesitation, I ran my fingers up her arm and sensed her tensing up. Her eyes were focused on my hands so there was no way I could tell what she was thinking. But I wanted this woman. I wanted to explore every inch of her while I let her explore every inch of me. A carnal energy inside me burst forth that willed me to take control of her. I caressed a strand of hair that rested on her face. And in one swift motion I pushed her back on the bed.

NSFW: yes

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