Love will tear us apart

Chapter 7

"Okay. Perfect. Now we have to redo the second and third voices and we're done with these two tracks".

Björn's voice came from the speakers placed at the corners of the recording room and Frida and Agnetha nodded, confirming that they understood.

"What do you think about it?" Björn turned to Benny.

"They're good. They're good. We need to fix some things in these vocal lines, but it seems like an excellent result to me".

"Yes, I agree. Michael?".

"Top as always" Michael raised his thumb in agreement.

"Always a man of few words, eh?" Benny chuckled and Björn followed suit.

"Hey, guys, sorry. Benny?".

"Yeah?" Benny turned towards the door, from where Görel was peeking out.

"They want you in the conference room" Görel informed him.

"Now?".

"Yeah" Görel nodded with an apologetic look and Benny stood up with a sigh, following her.

"Will it take you long?" Björn asked, looking at him from his chair.

"I don't know. I don't think so" he replied without even turning around.

"Okay" Björn sighed, then pressed a button on the console to communicate with the recording room "Okay, ladies. Let's take a little break."

Benny walked down the hallway to the conference room where Görel had directed him and entered, stopping at the door.

"Mona".

***

Agnetha immediately took off her headphones "Oh, I'm sweating in here".

Frida smirked and took off her headphones too "Hot flashes, old lady?".

Agnetha chuckled "Could be, do you know anything about it?".

Frida chuckled and remained silent. So much irony in that sentence. She rose from her chair and walked alongside Agnetha to leave the room. She needed a drink. One of the side effects she was suffering was feeling thirsty all the time.

She entered the kitchen, greeting some people in the corridors and immediately headed to the fridge to get some fresh water. After a full glass, she poured herself another, pulling the supplement blister from her pocket, and she leaned against the kitchen counter with one arm under the other, trying to relax.

She froze.

She had no reason to be jealous. It wasn't her place anymore.

Frida's eyes remained as If glued to the scene that she could clearly see from her position in the studios' kitchenette. In the conference room, Benny and his girlfriend were hugging and smiling like crazy.

Frida gritted her teeth and glared at the woman who was hugging Benny as If her life depended on him. And he was hugging her back. So effortless and natural.

Benny wasn't hers. Not anymore. Now more than before. But that didn't mean she was okay with that.

Frida saw Mona taking his hands in her own and kissing him deeply and she turned her eyes away because that was enough.

Realizing she had been holding her breath until then, she let out a near-silent sob before gripping the counter in front of her and telling herself to calm down.

It was all falling apart. It was all wrong.

'Not like that. Not this way'.

***