Her bangles jingled as Priya walked down the stairs. She wore a new royal blue and black two piece formal sari that her aunt had bought her for the occasion. The top was black and highlighted in gold, showing deep cleavage and her athletic stomach, similar to how a sports bra fit. It had thick straps that ran over her shoulders and a strap running across her back which thinned at the middle, showing off her soft skin. It was made for her large bust to be worn without a bra. Her skirt was a rich royal blue, trimmed in gold, with a hemline that came to her ankles and a slit that came up to her left knee. He sheer depatta, hemmed in gold, but faded from black to royal blue and back again, was delicately thrown over her chest and shoulders.
Her aunt had insisted that she deck herself out in her and her aunt's finest jewelry. Over a dozen gold and diamond bangles ran up from her wrists. And another half dozen went up from her ankles. Her jewelry included various diamond studs in her ears and nose, and an additional two large ornate dangling ear rings. She wore a gold necklace that had multiple diamonds hanging from it, falling into her cleavage. And lastly she had placed a thin gold belly chain around her waist.
And in true desi style, Priya and her aunt went crazy with the henna. The nearly black ink was drawn in delicate and intricate patterns running from her fingertips to her elbows and from her toes to her knees. The swirling patterns played softly against her brown skin.
In the morning she had gone with her friends Erika, Nicole, and Lisa to get her nails and hair done. They had tried to keep in good cheer as Erika was still heartbroken that her boyfriend had broken up with her earlier in the month and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go to prom at all. Lisa and Nicole tried to clamp down on their excitement and Priya, in typical Priya style, stayed positive yet subdued. After the hair appointment her friends dropped her off at her aunts, where she had been staying for the last week while her parents were in India to deal with some family drama. Rather than disrupt her school work and force her to make up exams, they had allowed her to stay with her mom's youngest sister.
Earlier, as she did her make-up with her aunt, they laughed about how much fun tonight would be. Her aunt, despite also growing up in the States, was like her in that she was never allowed to go to prom or homecoming or such events where boys and girls were expected to freely mingle. Despite this her aunt had still found her own man, desi of course, from a good family, so the love marriage was allowed. As they completed Priya's make-up with the bright red lipstick, her aunt shared that she was getting excited, imaging herself at prom.
"Maybe if your uncle plays his cards right, I'll be his prom queen tonight," she joked refering to how Priya would be staying at Erika's tonight. Despite being married for several years her aunt and uncle had yet to have kids and both families were getting impatient.
Priya slipped on her new black and blue high heels, but even with the three extra inches she was still only 5'4". Priya's aunt finished taking photos as the limo pulled up with her friends.
"When will uncle be home?" Priya asked.
"As soon as the match is over. Go! Have fun! See you tomorrow!"
Lisa and Nicole were already in the limo with their boyfriends, corsages already in place. Erika was there as well, bummed but trying to put on a happy face.
The girls screamed as they saw each other, giving hugs and kisses, complimenting each others attire. As the limo pulled away from the house Priya joked with her friends. As they came to a stop she thought they had reached the restaurant but instead they were in another neighborhood.
Lisa's boyfriend said, "we knew you were both dateless so we thought we'd invite John and Bryan."
"Not as dates but just stag too," Nicole's boyfriend said.
Priya looked to Lisa and Nicole. They knew about her long time crush on Bryan, but the also knew that she had gotten married per her parents wishes over the winter break. They both played innocent despite this knowledge and Priya's glare.
As Bryan got in the limo Priya bit her lip unintentionally. He was still the hottest, coolest, funniest guy she had ever met. Despite that and wanting to have gone on a date with him for years, she knew all she could do was talk to this friend.
Erika was still in her own world and despite a 'non'-date arriving for her, she wasn't any happier. If anything she seemed more upset.
The group, except Erika, chatted happily during the limo ride and at dinner. Sometimes they laughed and talked as a group, sometimes they found themselves in smaller conversations, and despite herself, Priya continued to find herself in private conversation with Bryan, leaning closer than she would normally allow herself.
When dinner was over they headed out to the limo, and the friends wrapped up in their dates and non-date did not notice that Erika had been drinking from John's flask. A pattern that would continue for the next several hours.
When the party arrived at the prom they chatted with friends and checked out the decor. Nicole and Lisa and their boyfriends went to dance, while Priya and Bryan sat at the table and talked more, and Erika and John went to get punch.
After what seemed like no time at all the dancers returned to the table to take a rest. Priya and Bryan were still in conversation while Erika was beginning to show that she was drunk. Together they went to take photos, some as a group and some as couples. After Erika took a few photos with John, the friends cajoled Priya into taking some with Bryan.
The first picture was with them facing each other, holding hands, him looking down at her from his 5'11", her looking up at him from her high heeled 5'4". She didn't realize the camera caught it but she was glowing. The next photo they took was the traditional prom pic, him standing behind her, arms around her. The feel of him pressed against her excited her and comforted her at the same time. His hands were against her bare belly, her hands holding them in place. Both their hearts raced. They parted slowly after the photo, saved from additional embarrassment when their friends rushed them to the dance floor.
Upbeat, poppy music blared over the speakers. The friends danced together as a group before Lisa and Nicole found themselves grinding against their boyfriends. Priya danced with Erika while John and Bryan went to get more punch. Erika seemed to be feeling better and was getting into dancing with Priya, losing herself in the music. Priya was having a blast, prom night turning out to be everything that she hoped it would be.
Then Erika saw her ex.
He had shown up with a date, some girl from a nearby school. His date was dressed scandalously and was grinding against him. Erika took the spiked punch, ran over to her ex, and threw it in his face. She yelled at him and his date as Bryan and Priya pulled her away.
As Erika's friends helped her outside they attempted to console her. Bryan and the boyfriends talked as the girls sat on the curb by the limo. They tried to calm her down, but she was inconsolable.
Priya sat with Erika to help calm her down as Bryan got an Uber. Lisa and Nicole finally relented and went with their boyfriends to the hotel in the limo once the Uber arrived and Priya insisted that everything would be okay. John was no where to be found.
The Uber driver took the trio to Bryan's house as it was on the way to Erika's, allowing them to switch to his car. With Priya and a distraught and drunk Erika in the back, Bryan drove the twenty minutes to Erika's.
When they arrived to Erika's house she was showing how drunk she was as she stumbled from the car. Bryan waited in the car while Priya helped her friend to the door. Erika was unable to locate her keys, so Priya rang the door bell. As Erika's parents opened the door, Erika vomited and became inconsolable again.
As Erika's mom helped her inside, her father, anger exuding from him, said to Priya, "I don't think tonight is a good night for you to stay over."
"I understand," she said, before he closed the door and she headed back to Byan's car.
"Thank you for waiting," she told Bryan as she got in the passenger seat.
"Where to now?"
"I don't know," she said. "Can you take me home?"
"Of course," Bryan said. As he pulled away she started to give him directions and they once again settled into comfortable and fun conversation.
On the drive his laugh and the way he talked to her made her swoon. She had a really great time and imagined this is what dates must be like, allowing herself to imagine what it might be like to date him. The conversation grew more intimate as the minutes flew by until Bryan admitted that he had had a long time crush on her. Blushing and shy, Priya admitted that she too had had a crush on him for quite a while.