Nawal - Missing Moments

19. Life Lessons - Part I

Surprise unplanned update. Unedited. Its smaller than my usual ones but hope you all will like.  

19. Life Lessons - Part I

Dhawal was on his way to Kattu's home. He had just gotten a job at a Beauty Pagent as a part of organizing team after giving interviews at so many places. He...had no idea that getting a job being Amrish Makhwana's brother was going prove so difficult. Everywhere he went people were surprised to see him asking for a job. He also had no experience as Mots never really let him go and have any. At least his College Fest experience came in handy here. He had been handed everything on a plate till now and finding his footing out in the world was proving a bit difficult for him.

Well, all that was going to change now. He was going to prove his worth to everyone, himself and of course Natasha who, coincidentally he also met along with the Bhabhis as they were there to take part in the competition. He just could not believe that Mots had allowed this to happen. Things must have been really bad for him to agree. But that was not his concern now. He was going to try hard and he would show that he could be independent and was worthy of Natasha. He was living with Kattu for the time being but he needed to find a place of his own. He couldn't depend on his friends all his life. He reached Kattu's home and told him about today's developments.

"Ab tujhe kahi rehne ke liye jagah pata hai to bata yar...I need to move out. Kitni der rahunga yaha."

"Arey tu tension kyu le raha hai...aaram se reh na jitni der marzi. Jab sab kuch theek ho jaega to wapis chale jana ghar"

Dhawal shook his head with a determined expression on his face. "Nahi. Ghar wapis jaane ka to sawaal hi nahi hai. Ab waha se mera koi rishta nahi hai. Jo Amrish Bhai ne kiya hai na...usse saaf pata chalta hi ke wo apne alawa kisi ke baare me nahi sochte. Jaha meri life ke decicions hi mere khud ke nahi hai waha ja ke main kya karunga."

"Tu phir bhi soch le ek bar...but ek jagah hai mere dimag me lekin I don't know tu waha reh paayega ya nahi"

"Main reh lunga...tu bas bata" Dhawal packed his bags and off they went on Kattu's bike. Dhawal had even left his bike at Makhwana house.

They stopped outside a shabby house in a narrow street somewhere deep inside Sadar Bazaar. It was not that far away from Pandya House but was a far more congested area.

"Main tujhe le ja raha hu par just dikhane ke liye ke agar bahar rahega to kesi jagahein milengi. Isse better tu ghar pe hi reh le" said Kattu, leading him through narrow streets.

Kattu waved to a few people who seemed to know him and opened the door in a house with a key from his pocket. Few families were living upstairs and in the adjacent rooms who were staring at them. Dhawal walked in and scanned the space in almost a few seconds, it was that small. It was a single room with a tattered sofa in front of one wall, a small area in a corner that made up a kitchen with a small, non-functioning referigarator and an empty space at the other end that Dhawal assumed was for the bed. The walls were faded and there was dust everywhere. It was all in all less area than Dhawal's room at Makhwana house. A door led to a small bathroom barely enough for one person which was smelling like shit.

"Whats the rent?" Dhawal asked.

Kattu's head snapped back at him. "Tujhe rehna hai yaha?' he asked, surprised. He had taken him here so he would be deterred from leaving home.

"Han. Its better than nothing. Thoda saaf safai karni padegi bas."

No matter how much Kattu tried to cajole him to go back, Dhawal did not relent and they finally ended up talking to the owner with a verbal agreement for rent. Dhawal was shocked to know that he needed to pay a month's rent in advance! And that too was almost half his salary! He had literally no money on him but after explaining the situation to the owner who was thankfully an understanding person, they paid some advance and got some cleaning supplies, preparing to shift in.