I am on the threshold of the big four-oh's now. I am a married woman, with a nice family and pretty well settled at that. But these days, I have begun to believe that everyone has two parallel lives... their fantasy existence - probably in their heads most of the time - and their real-life existence.

I know for a fact that I do. Thanks to the daily routine domestic pressures and stuff, one hardly gets any time to think, leave alone do all the things one would like to do. In a way, perhaps I am better off than most. I am still in touch with four of my school mates and we've been close pals right from grade 7 - we are talking about a 30-year-long almost constant friendship here. We have stuck together through a lot of undulating times... cried on each other's various bodyparts, and bitched around a lot. Although we dont even live in the same country now, we're continuously in touch via the www - and chat pretty regularly. And with web cameras, its practically like being together again.

I have always been the most extrovert in the group... but strangely enough never had 'boyfriends' in the romantic sense during those college days when all my classmates were getting in and out of affairs. I was rather the go-between who kept smoothing ruffled feathers - both for the gals and the guys. For some reason the guys always saw me as one of their buddies. Must have been the glasses and the peaceful look. There were those that thought me a lesbian, since I didn't get physically involved with any of the guys... but then, today I can tell you, it was simply a matter of time and mental compatibility. Back then, I was more interested in the next western novel - reading and music were my life, apart from my other hobbies.

As a matter of fact, when we graduated from college - these same friends am talking about - and I, went on to secretarial college. Dont ask me why... for some silly reason we thought it was fun to do. Ok... in a way it was, because we made some good friends and had some really good times. We had a young set of coaches who were quite friendly. Obviously we had debates on their physical attributes. Well, there was this girl in my class with whom I hit it off instantly. There were so many co-incidences through our lives... it was like almost being with a double. We even had similar clothes!

I really dont know why, when I think back on it today, my other four friends did not really relate much to her, apart from the usual customary greetings and stuff. Sometimes I think perhaps they were slightly jealous that I looked like I was bringing another member to the fold. Well, lets call her Era. She was an extremely intelligent girl, and we practically communicated sometimes by just looking at each other. Uncanny. We would discover that we even wore identical clothes some days.

Well, reader, you are probably wondering where this stroll down memory lane is leading. Actually, I am getting around to an incident that happened a few days ago. I just thought I would give you a bit of background. So bear with me, will you?

Hmm... so when we finished with our secretarial course, the other four and I drifted apart geographically. Two of them got married, succumbing to some family pressures, and the other two went away to do things more useful, like getting jobs. I got a temporary job as well, through the college, which I took up, to get time to think... because I really couldn't see myself as a secretary!! I was far too restless for that. I did go on to get a professional degree in management, but thats another story!

Well, it so happened that Era and I continued to live in the same town, and we got pretty close. We really enjoyed being together and I discovered that I could be absolutely myself with her. Sometimes even more so than I could be with my other four friends, who I used to think were the ultimate in bonding. She joined up with an engineering college while I took up this job and we would meet very often. In fact we got into a ritual of meeting every Saturday for lunch and then spending some time together catching up on the week's events, at least those events that we couldn't quite share on the phone. We had a coastline in the town we lived in... and had a favorite spot on the beach. It was a breezy little shelter, and we would sit here, a pack of cigarettes between us, puffing away, watching the waves, sometimes even sitting together at peace with ourselves, silently smoking.

She was involved with her boyfriend - lets call him Joe - at the time and would tell me about her encounters. They were sexually very active. In turn, I would talk to her about my friend, who was training to be a pilot. Well, while she was fucking her Joe, I had not really gone 'all the way' with mine. Sure we petted, kissed, groped - but didnt actually fuck. It would turn me on like crazy to listen to her describe in graphic detail about her meetings with Joe. She would talk about meeting him at an hotel - he was a salesman with a liquor company, and was very well paid. As he was stationed at one of the districts nearby, he visited our city quite often and got to stay at a plush hotel, where they met whenever he was in town, which was almost every other week, conveniently!

Joe was a really nice person - good looking and built well. During many of his visits, we went together to meet him. After a cup of coffee and a little chatting, I would leave, and they would spend the time together. One such time, as I got up to leave, Joe jokingly asked if I'd like to stay and watch. I winked and said why not... but only on one condition; that I get to sit apart and watch. Era winked back at me and teased me... telling Joe that I had been waiting for just such a situation. She came over and whispered, saying that I ought to call his bluff. Well... what happened subsequently took my breath away.

Era was quite a sexy looking girl, though quite short. She had the softest skin ever, fabulous hair, long lashed eyes and a ready grin. There was something about her that drew one to her right away.

Well, it was obvious to see what drew her boyfriend to her. And I happened to know that the sex was great too, because she never felt embarrassed to discuss it at length with me. Sometimes I am sure my ears were red from listening, but she really thought that I was a part of her. I was fairly well built I suppose, with stats of 34-26-34... I knew guys ogled at me. In fact, my glasses gave me a kinda serious look that seemed to draw them rather than drive them away! I was often told I had a terrific smile, but then thats neither here nor there, considering the fact that I just didn't feel inclined to get into casual relationships.

Well... Era swaggered back to Joe, loosening her hair, which was in a braid... and by the time she reached him, it was swinging around her. She was wearing a pretty blouse and a skirt - one of those wrap arounds that am usually fond of wearing. She reached across to him and slowly began tongue-kissing him, without their bodies touching - yet. Joe was reclining, half sitting, against a pile of pillows on the double bed, and brought his arms around Era. He pulled her gently close, as if trying to fit her body with his. As he did this, Era raised her skirt and straddled his hips, settling herself comfortably, as they continued to kiss. I could see that they were getting a little breathless now. I was sitting at the corner of the sofa, my feet up on a little table with my arm along the side and arm of the sofa, watching them. I was wearing a skirt and tank top.

Joe's hands, caressing Era's exposed legs, travelled up her waist and into her blouse, where I could see his hands roaming over her back. I noticed Era now moving her hips slightly over him, and whisper in his ear. As I was wondering what it might be, I saw her roll off him. She half turned to me and blew me a kiss. I smiled back. I sank deeper into the sofa, waiting. Joe got up and stood at the foot of the bed. Era sat on the bed, facing him, as she undid his belt. While Joe released it from the loops of his trousers, she pulled his shirt out of the waistband and slowly undid the buttons. The shirt came off. Joe had quite a hairy chest. I couldn't take the smile off my face. I had a nice side view of the two of them.

He pushed Era's blouse off her shoulders - must have loosened the knot - she was wearing a bra that opened in front. I heard the click as it came off as well. She turned to face me, with Joe right behind her. As her breasts sprang free, she raised her head to Joe, who bent towards her to kiss her. His hands caressed her nipples, which were erect. I watched her, curiously. She pulled the bow holding her skirt up and it fell off. Joe's hand stroked her waist going lower until he had his hand in her panties. Era slipped out of her panties in one quick motion and I saw her looking at me. She was now naked. I realised I was breathing harder and was surprised to find that the strange thudding loud in my ears was actually my heart hammering away.

It was sexy to see Era completely naked. She slowly turned toward Joe as he continued to caress her all over. She took his shirt off for him, licking his arms as she took the sleeves off. She then started taking his trousers off, which she did, along with his briefs, leaving him standing naked as well. She bunched up his clothes into a ball and threw them at me. I laughed as I caught it!

Joe hugged Era from behind, a couple of feet away from me, while Era, touching herself with one hand, caught his cock with the other. She stroked him gently, as she stroked her clit. Joe lifted her by her legs and impaled her on his cock. Era moaned, her hair swaying. Must have been some feat! Or so I thought! He walked to the other corner of the sofa I was sitting on and sat there, while Era sat on her haunches, still moving on his cock. They co-ordinated well... as I watched, a little mesmerised. Joe tilted his head, smiling at me. Now Era began to move rhythmically on his cock, stroking her clit with one hand, moaning all the time. Her breasts were bouncing. It excited me to watch them as I sat now with one leg folded under me. You bet I was getting horny too, but I was loathe to do anything about it. Ego? perhaps. I was certainly enjoying what I saw. I could see Era was getting close to her orgasm, as she breathed faster, with every thrust from Joe. Joe's hands were now caressing and squeezing her breasts. I knew now that both of them we getting oblivious to my watching them, as they concentrating on cumming together, their eyes almost closed and grunting. I heard Era beginning to shudder to her climax, she was cumming... as Joe continued to fuck her. Her breasts heaved... and she was there! Joe kept fucking her towards his own point of no return. The sight of his cock (some eight and a half inches of thick cock) moving in and out of her was exciting the hell out of me!! Joe came... as Era lay back against him... his arms hugging her tight.

I watched in a trance... as his cock started to slip out of her. Now Era spread her legs, with Joe's hand slowly beginning to stroke her to another orgasm. Era looked at me, winked and asked if I wanted to join her. Well, I grinned sheepishly and got up, collecting my stuff to leave. To tell you the truth, I couldn't trust myself to hang around there because I might probably have wanted to join them! My cunt was wet as hell and I was desperate to get away from there. I felt my nipples making my top taut against my breasts. Era beckoned to me and pulled my head down as I reached her and kissed me on the lips. Joe took my hand and pulling me towards him, kissed me as well. I heard them laughing as I shut the door behind me and walked wobblylegged to the lift. I had a grin I just couldn't wipe away.

That was my first experience at voyeurism.

Era and I were in the same city for a couple of years more, as she went on to engineering college and I got a job with a multinational group. We continued to meet up every saturday - and you know what? we were absolutely comfortable with each other. There were times I thought I'd feel a bit funny about meeting her after that day... but that was not the case. She got married subsequently to someone, sadly not Joe - and moved out of the country. I moved to a different city too, as I was following my career seriously. In my heart, she's still my best friend, though communication kind of fizzled off between us.