The clock ticked eight and it was hot and humid which made clothes still to the bodies. Aparna, an English teacher in her mid twenties, was sitting cross-legged on her bed inside the teachers quarters, wearing a yellow coloured cotton salwar kameez which was clinging to her damp skin.
Meera was her roommate and colleague who too was in her mid twenties was sitting on the floor wearing a blue colored deep-necked cotton nighty. The nightie was short and had ridden up her thighs revealing her well toned bare thighs and she had no panties inside as she used not to wear panties for bed.
Suddenly the bedside lamp flickered and it was dark. It was just another power cut which they had been experiencing quite often lately.
'Oh no, not again" said Aparna.
"It's already unbearable." She continued.
"Then maybe you should remove that suffocating dupatta. What's the point of it anyway?" Asked Meera pointing at Aparna's such conservative clothing.
Aparna hesitated but pulled it away off her shoulders and kept it aside.
"Doesn't that make you feel better?" Meera asked.
"A little" said Aparna.
"You always dress so proper, even inside the room. Don't you ever want to let go, feel free?" Meera asked.
"I don't know."
Meera's fingers moved against Aparna's arm.
"You're sweating so much."
"I can't help it," Aparna said.
Meera's fingers slipped beneath the edge of her kameez sleeve, caressing her shoulder.
"Maybe we should get rid of this," Meera suggested.
Before Aparna could protest, Meera's hands slid to the hem of Aparna's kameez.
"Let's take this off, as it's sticking to you anyway."
Meera's hands slipped beneath and lifted it slowly as it revealed Aparna's delicate frame, clad in her cotton bra.
