Sameera got up sleepily from the bed and picked up the newspaper which the newspaper boy had slipped into the room and the rustle of which had woken her. The 22 year old girl was pursuing a course in Microbiology in Delhi. This was not what she wanted to do but had given in to her parents' wishes. If she could have her way, she would have been a model; preferably a ramp model. If not a model then at least something more glamorous. Certainly nothing as drab as Microbiology and that too in a different and unhospitable town. As she scanned the paper she saw a newsitem that was not entirely unfamiliar. Girls from good families had been picked up by the police from posh hotels in a pre dawn scoop. God, did these policemen have nothing to do and what on earth were these girls doing there? Just as she was pondering over these things, her roommate Anuradha returned from her morning walk.
"Hi! Sleepy head. Finished your beauty sleep?"
Sameera and Anuradha had been roommates for almost one year now and though they were not lesbians but they were quite free with being nude in front of one another.
"Good morning. I am sorry. I wish I too could accompany you to these morning walks. But I just can not seem to get up." Sameera apologized.
"Its OK. Even without too much strain to your body, you look stunning. Look at your breasts. Flawless."
"Come on. You always praise so much." Sameera playfully threw a pillow at Anuradha which caused here bare breasts to bounce. "Have you noticed Anuradha? So many sex scandals and poor girls getting caught. Not poor financially since they appear to be from so well to do families but look at the humiliation they would be undergoing."
"Yeah. Kind of sad. Isn't it? By the way I have an offer for you. There is a group Omega International. I don't know much about them but I am told that they are looking for a girl for their swimwear calendar. The best part is that the calendar will not be launched here in India so why don't you give it a try? If nothing else it will give you the much needed exposure? And as you know the landlord has been after us to raise the rent. We could do with a bit of money."
"Sure, the money would certainly be welcome. Butβ¦.are they OK guys?"
"No reason to believe otherwise. Go to Hotel Savoy. Ask for Mr. Bakhshi and that's all. To the best of my knowledge they are straight people or else would I ask you to do anything so reckless?"
"Swimwear?"
"Yes, swimwear. Its okay. A little bit of exposure never harms. They are not asking you to strip, are they? And why be so apprehensive at this stage? Check them out. If you do not like them, walk out. Look, your nipples are stiffening at the very thought of nude modeling." Anuradha teased.
"Shut up, will you. And if you keep on passing comments, henceforth I will start sleeping all clothed."
"Oh, please don't do that. That would mean even I'll have to get a night suit and should we not be avoiding unnecessary expenditure?" Anuradha laughed.
Two days later, Sameera tried not to sound too anxious as she called the Omega International. She and Anuradha had been trying, in vain to find an alternative accommodation but in a good locality the rents were almost three times higher. Neither of the girls wanted to bother their parents for more money.
"Omega! May I help you?" said a nasally female voice on the other end of the phone.
"Yes, This is Sameera. May I speak to Mr Bakhshi?"
"Regarding?"
"Actually its about a photoshoot for a swimwear calendar." Sameera replied.
"Please hold the line."
Sameera waited on hold, surprised there was no music on the line while she waited. Finally, after about five minutes, she heard Bakhshi's voice on the other end.
"Sameera I'm glad you called. I had heard about you. I described you to the boss and he's definitely interested in meeting you. Would you be free for a meeting tomorrow?
"Certainly," said Sameera barely able to contain herself.
"Great. Come to the address on the business card at noon and bring your portfolio. Bye."
Sameera listened to the click as Bakhshi hung up. She didn't have a portfolio yet. She was a girl who wanted to be a model. She had never given a serious thought to having a portfolio of her own.She hung up the phone and smiled. She would just have smile and bat her eyes a little more at the interview and they would be fools if they didn't hire her.
Sameera spent the rest of the day sightseeing and treated herself to a complete makeover, getting her hair and nails done.
The taxi pulled up to an old warehouse near the docks. Sameera got out and paid the driver, then looked at the building that appeared to be a bit rundown. She looked at the address on the card that Anuradha had given her for the third time since the cab pulled up here. There was no doubt this was the right place.
She walked around to the side of the building and noticed stairs leading up to a door. She walked up the stairs and knocked.
"Yes?" a matronly woman asked.
"I am Sameera. I have an appointment with Mr Bakhshi." She smiled.
"Go in the room. It's the first one to the right." The woman replied.
"Sameera thanks for coming," said Bakhshi opening the door and swallowing up her little hand in his again. "Come on in, I'll show you around and take you to see Roshan."
Sameera followed Bakhshi into the building. For the most part it was dirty and deserted with a few rooms cleaned up. She passed an empty photography studio and wondered where all the people were. "This isn't exactly what I expected," she said to Bakhshi.
"We just moved into this building. It'll take us a while to get it up to speed," said Bakhshi holding open a door to a small waiting room with an empty desk.
A tired looking woman came out of a door by the desk. She was only about thirty, was wearing a short skirt and too much makeup. "Roshan will see you now," said the same nasally voice that she had spoken to yesterday.
Bakhshi nodded and entered the offices Sameera followed Bakhshi into the room. This room was the best decorated so far with a flashy maroon carpet, a book case filled with unlabeled video tapes, and a large desk with a computer on it. A giant man sat at the desk. He was dark complexioned and ugly with a broad face, flat nose, and big lips. He was bigger then Bakhshi, but not as tall.