Graduated With Love

Chapter 18

I know she didn't do it because if she had done it, then she would never think twice before admitting her mistakes. Since the lab was unfit for use currently, we asked the students to go back and we took theory classes instead of practical.

Tears kept flowing down her cheeks through out the class and she didn't talk to anyone after the incident. When I went back home she wasn't at home too. I was getting worried. Fortunately when I dialed her number, she was already at our door. "Nidhi..."
"I didn't do it Chiru. It wasn't my mistake. She dropped it on her own and accused me. I didn't do it. me"
She hugged me and cried like a kid.
"I know you didn't. It's ok. That chemical wasn't even costly. Forget it."
"You trust me right?"
"Of course Nidhi. I know you will never do such things. Now be a good girl and freshen up. I'll take you out for Ice-cream"

I tried to console her in every possible way so I can get her back to normal. Fortunately by the end of the day she was smiling at my stupid jokes. Next day went quiet normally in lab and since we had physical chemistry lab. I was in the lab so there was no chances of any mistakes.

But the very next day when she was in organic lab doing her gravimetric experiments, there was a blast during mixing of chemicals. The beaker in her hand was broken into pieces and chemicals were on her right hand.

Thank god she was wearing all the safety gears while performing the experiment else the chemicals would have damaged her skin entirely. She was still wincing in pain when I held her hands carefully.
"I think her wounds needs to be treated. Chiranth, please take her to clinic near by. I'll get someone to clean the mess. Students please behave with responsibility when you're inside the lab. You're risking someone else's life too."
Our HOD spoke.
Next I took her to clinic after immediate first aid. She was crying badly because of the burn.

"Chemical burns need time to heal. There may be possibility that she might get fever because of shock. So I'll suggest you to give her tablets after dinner. There's an ointment that you need to apply till the burns heal. Try to avoid water and moisture on the wound. It might cause allergic reactions. As per food, don't give her anything that can trigger allergies. If anything please feel free to contact."
The skin specialist we visited informed after treating her wounds. I thanked him and took her home directly after that and asked Harshith to collect my things from college and drop it at home. He was also worried about her wounds but I told him she will be fine soon. I let her rest and prepared dinner.

"Chiru.... I don't know if you know this or not. But I think its better if you know. Somehow the students now know about your marriage with Nidhi. I have seen some students gossiping about it. Did she talk about it with you?"
Harshit told me when we sat down with our coffee.
"No she didn't. Actually I had no idea about all these. I thought everything was normal"
"I think there's a possibility that students were making stupid comments on you and her, may be this is the reason why she didn't want to talk about your marriage in college. I think you should talk to her when things comes back to normal"
"Thank you so much for letting me know and I'll talk to her after sometime"
"Fine then, I'll leave. Take care"

He left and I sat back and started thinking about past two three days. No wonder she wasn't interested in going to college and this has clear relations with the accidents in lab. Nidhi can never be so careless in lab, I have seen her for an year or so now.

"Chiru"
She called me when she woke up after her nap.
"Nidhi... You need something?"
I asked as I was worried.
"You won't blame me right?
"Why would I?"
"It wasn't my mistake"
"You remember what exactly happened?"
"I was supposed to prepare dilute sulphuric acid. So I had kept the acid and water in my work space after measuring. I went to fetch filter paper and when I came back one of the beaker was empty and other was hot. As soon as I held it, it blasted in my hands. I didn't do anything Chiru. Please trust me. I don't know how all of these happened"
"Ok. I trust you. Freshen up a little bit. But don't let water come in contact to wounds. You need rest, I'll get you something to eat. Then you take medicines and sleep."
She was struggling with her hair so I braided it and helped with her shirt buttons, so she can freshen up.

Once she finished changing to comfortable clothes, I fed her some food and made her have the medicines and applied ointment on her wounds. As the doctor had informed she got fever at night. So I was awake all night as she couldn't sleep. Finally she slept for sometime and I was tired too.

Next day I applied for a leave as both of us were not in a position to attend classes. Her friend Priyanka visited her when she got to know about all the things and stayed with her till she slept.

"I didn't know those dirty minded people will stoop so low to satisfy their ego"
She didn't mind cursing in front of me.
"That means you know about all these?"
"I kind of guessed after what happened in classroom that day. They were calling her names thinking that she was cheating on her husband with you for grades"
"So that's how all of them got to know about our marriage?"
"I had no options but to reveal. If not they would have kept calling her characterless"
"But how did all these happen?"
"Probably you weren't in college that day. Someone started talking about you and Nidhu. Then the rumor spread like wild fire. She came back home as she couldn't handle all the nonsense. Rest of it.. You know it"
"You should have informed me"
"If only your wife let me sir. She strictly ordered not to speak a word with you"
"I don't know what should I do with this girl... Why can't she let me handle these things?"
"She has grown up in such environment sir. Taking blames and problems on her own was once her lifestyle. Her father always complained about each and everything related to her. That made her weak and whenever there's a mistake she happens to take the blame on her own rather than let it be."
"But this time it wasn't even a mistake. Marrying someone can't be a crime. So whatever nonsenses happened in past few days is just because she married me?"
I couldn't believe something of this sort would happen in reality...

"Exactly the point I'm still not able to understand. Just because she married someone whom the entire college wanted, now she is a villain and she is hearing all these nonsenses"
She was visibly upset because of everything.
"Whatever it is... I don't want her to suffer because of this silly issues. I'll look into it and thank you for letting me know."
"Anything for her sir. Its been long since I have seen her being happy in her life. I don't want someone to ruin it. Take care of her sir. I'll get going"
"Should I drop you or something?"
"It's ok sir. I'm meeting Samay later. He'll drop me home."
"Take care"
I sent her off and came back to our room. My wife was still sleeping.

You should have told me all these Nidhi. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there when you needed me the most.

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it"