Be My Forever

Shot 2

Gauri's POV:

I was 18 years old when I left home because there was a great interior design college in Mumbai. I was so lucky to get a scholarship. My sister Bhavya already lived there whilst Anika didi stayed in Surat. My dad was a businessman and my mum was a doctor. My mum was quite supportive of my dream but my dad was a whole different story....

For my dad; doctor, engineer, any role in business, lawyer and being an accountant....those were proper jobs for him. Interior design, art, ACP, yeh voh, voh yeh were not proper careers in his book.

He was already against me being an Instagram influencer.

So obviously if he was against me being an influencer then he was very much against my career decision and told him that I could go to Mumbai but I was not allowed to ask him for any money and he told my mother not to even give me any money. So basically my dad cut me off and before I left Surat, he told me clearly that I wouldn't be able to succeed as an interior designer. Why don't I tell you his clear words?

Dad: fine go to Mumbai. At least stay with your sister Bhavya and if you want me to give you money then ask when you get your brains back! You need to know that interior design is not a career! Go to Mumbai and do whatever! Don't come crying to me when you fail as an interior designer!

Yes I know how harsh his words were....but since I have been in Mumbai, I haven't had to hear his harsh words. All he ever asks me is how am I and that's it. I know he is waiting for me to cave and do the kind of career that actually is a 'career' in his books.

But I am not caving. I came to Mumbai with a dream and I wasn't going to give up on it anytime soon.

In Mumbai, not much really happened. Except for the fact that Bhavya had so much used furniture and she hadn't even decorated her flat so I did it all for her. Yes I gave her entire apartment a makeover. Oh also after 7 months of being in college, I finally got an internship at Contours The Design Company. I still had to study in college whilst doing this internship.

When I started at the company, I was not given a single interior design project to do, instead...

Monika: where is that new girl?

Me: I'm here.

I said as I gave one of the workers Jaya her file then came up to Monika, my boss and the woman who pretty much thinks that she owns the entire universe.

Monika: why were you so late Mahi?

Me: it's Gauri and I was just giving Jaya her file.

Monika: okay well, I would like you to colour-coordinate my entire file collection. It is so disorganised and I have so much to do.

I knew very well that she was actually just going to scroll through social media. Taking a deep breath, I still went to her office cabin so I could colour coordinate her files.

Yaar why does she want me to colour coordinate her files when I know perfectly well she would mess up my hard work?!

Monika and everyone else in the company only treated me like a servant. Except for Navya but Navya was rarely at the office since she always had an interior design project to complete so I didn't really meet her until one day....

Monika: where is the new intern Carrie?

Kia: who's Carrie?

Monika: the new intern. She's like 19 I think and is quite short for her age and is too young.

Kia: oh Gauri, there she is. Mixing the yogurt and fruit for you Mam.

I came up to them with a bowl of mixed fruit and yogurt for Monika because she always insisted that I stirred her fruit and yogurt together.