Prom Dreams Side Story
Volume 3: Neela Devar - “Denial”

by QZProductions

Loop Two, Day Three

Neela's mouth opened slightly in surprise at the sheer number of dresses and gowns on the rack. While she knew full well that the prom season would drive boutiques and department stores to display the best of their formal-wear, she still couldn't help but feel somewhat overwhelmed by all the colors and styles she could choose from. With a thoughtful hum, she perused through the rack, running her fingers over the fabric as she considered each gown she came across.

"They're all so pretty," she said, "I don't know which one to choose...!"

The man accompanying her, a tall figure with slick, dark hair and a small, well-groomed beard, let out a laugh. "Well, take your time, Neela," he said warmly, "You're going to want to look your best, after all."

"Mm, I know, but... I want it to be something he'll like." She turned towards her father with a slightly worried expression. "Daddy, you and Mummy met in high school, right? What would you have liked her to wear?"

Her father blinked, surprised by her question. "Bitiya, you know that was a different time, a different country - I'm probably not the best person to ask about this sort of thing."

Neela frowned. "Please, Daddy?" she pleaded, "I-I really want to impress him..."

At that, the older man sighed, scratched the back of his head, and approached his daughter. "All right, all right, I'll try to help..." He began to stroke his chin in thought. "Now, let's see... this boy - Kyle, was it? - what's he like?"

"W-Well, um..." Neela began to smile again, fidgeting bashfully as she spoke. "He's... he's a good person, you know? He's kind, a-and he's honest, too..."

Her father furrowed his brow. "So he isn't some kind of troublemaker or anything?"

"N-No! Of course not!" Neela felt her cheeks grow warm as he continued. "...He's one of the nicest people I know. He helps people, he never judges anybody, and -- "

The man's scowl quickly turned into a small grin. "Well, then, there's your answer." He placed a hand affectionately on his daughter's head. "If he really is as kind and open-minded as you say, he won't care about the dress - " he planted a kiss on her forehead, " - only the girl wearing it."

Neela giggled at her father's affectionate gesture. "Hee hee! ...You really think so, Daddy?"

"If he's any man worthy of you, Bitiya, I know so." He tousled her hair a bit. "Now, why don't you pick out something you'll enjoy, hmm?"

She nodded. "Okay!" She eagerly returned her attention to the gowns, looking them over for a short time before coming across one that caught her eye - a blue cocktail dress with puffed sleeves. She checked the size of the gown on its tag and beamed when she realized it would fit her. Finally, she removed it from the rack, draping it over her arm before turning back to her father.

"Daddy, what about this one?" She said chipperly, "I -- "

Just then, the shrill ring of a cell phone pierced the bustling ambience of the department store. Neela's father reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the device, frowning when he saw the number on its screen.

"...I'm sorry, Neela, I have to take this." He flashed a weak smile at her. "Why don't you go try it on? I'll come take a look when I'm done."

Neela's face fell. "O-Okay..." She turned towards the fitting rooms nearby and began to walk away.

"Mahendra speaking. ...Kya? Jee haan, sab kuch theek hai."

She froze in place when she heard her father speaking not their native Hindi or English, but Urdu; a language he only used when conducting his... business. While Neela herself was not fluent in Urdu, its similarities to her mother tongue allowed her to understand bits and pieces of these sinister conversations.

"...The package? Yes. Delivered to... afternoon... No, no one... the police..."

The girl swallowed as she clutched her dress tightly to her chest. She tried to drown out her father's words and their terrible implications, to erase the awful thoughts of what he could be doing behind her and her mother's backs.

"...No... tonight... it has to be... the money... Yes. Yes, I know. The building is..."

Neela could no longer bear to listen - holding back a sob, she dashed towards the dressing room. Why would her father be involved in such things? And, most importantly... why did she have to bear the burden of knowing...?

---

Loop Two, The Morning Before Prom

A pale blue and lavender curtain gave way to a clear, sunny morning. Groggily, Neela rubbed her eyes, then reached for her glasses on the nightstand. Once she had them on, she was able to get a much better look at the beautiful day before her.

She sighed, greeting the sunshine with a small, weary smile. While her sleep had been restless, her father's phone conversation from the day before still weighing heavily on her mind, she knew things were going to be all right; that, as long as she could keep smiling, she'd be all right. As long as she pretended not to know, as long as she could keep her guilty conscious at bay...

Once she was a little more alert, Neela's attention turned to the dress hung carefully on her bedroom door. Almost immediately, her demeanor brightened - tonight was prom night, wasn't it? Tonight would be her chance to have fun, her chance to forget all about her problems... and, most of all, her chance to be with the boy she'd liked for what seemed like ages.

She giggled, blushing as she imagined what her prom night with Kyle would be like. She knew there'd be food, music, and dancing - would they be dancing together, just the two of them? Maybe it'd be the type of dancing where he'd hold her close, just like in the movies... and then, when they finished, he would slowly bridge the gap between their lips, and they'd --

Her reverie was suddenly interrupted by a strange, metallic taste in her mouth. Confused, she swallowed, only for the taste to grow more intense. She then placed a fingertip on her tongue and inspected it, only to find traces of what seemed to be blood.

Neela inhaled sharply - had she bitten her tongue in her sleep? But, even if she had, it shouldn't be bleeding this much... She got out of bed and quickly made her way to the bathroom, where she grabbed a small cup of water and rinsed out her mouth. After spitting and rinsing the sink of the murky, reddish liquid, she inspected her tongue in the mirror, only to find no visible wound.

"That's strange..." She opened her mouth wider and began to look for any sores or ulcers that could have caused the bleeding, but to no avail. She tried to tell herself that perhaps she hadn't been brushing well lately... but she had a sickening feeling that wasn't the case.

"Neela!" called a voice from downstairs, "Breakfast is ready!"

Neela startled slightly and turned towards the hallway. "C-Coming, Mummy!" she called back, adjusting her glasses before leaving the bathroom and heading down the steps to the dining room.