True Beauty

Rudrani's POV:

My head, face, and body were aching badly. I met resistance when I tried to open my eyes. But somehow I managed to get them open. I looked around once. I saw doctors and a nurse. That meant I was in a hospital.

"Maa," I tried to say.

The nurse came over to me. "Rudrani, are you ok?"

I nodded. The last thing I remembered was that idiot attacking me with acid for rejecting his love. Acid? Am I okay? I tried to touch my face, but the nurse stopped me as I had an IV attached to my hand.

"I want to see my face," I said to the nurse in very low voice.

"Rudrani, your face is bandaged. You underwent 12 surgeries after the acid attack," the nurse said, shocking me.

"The bandages will be removed in a week. You can see your face then. Be brave," she said and left.

A week later, my bandages were removed. The doctor asked me if I would like to see my face.

"NOOO!" I said, terrified of what I saw in my reflection.

No, that's not me. Not me. Not me. I said to myself, even though deep down, I knew it was me and, from now on, I would have to live with that face.

I remembered my high school days, when I had won Ms. Beautiful Smile. My friends used to say I had the most beautiful smile, one that could easily steal anyone's heart. I just smiled at their praise. I didn't want to steal anyone's heart. I just wanted to focus on my dreams and life. But now, along with my beauty, my dreams had faded. How could I go out with this face? How could I show my this face to everyone around me?

I cried uncontrollably for 3 months. What did I do to deserve this? How could that pervert change my life so completely in less than a second? At the end of those 3 months, I was discharged and came home. Mom and my younger sister, Ushasri, consoled me. But my dad, who never liked me as he hated all girls, started scolding me.

"That's why I said not to send her to college. Education is not for girls. I told you to have her married and settled at 14. But you didn't listen to me. Now no one will marry her. She will become our permanent burden. Becoming a doctor isn't easy. Your daughter will never become a doctor," Dad said to Mom, insulting me.

Becoming a doctor was my dream. I had worked hard every day just to achieve it. But now all my dreams were shattered.

Nooooooo!

It shouldn't happen like this. It was my life, and I was the master of my own destiny. Why should I give up when I had done nothing wrong? Why should I let that idiot win by losing sight of myself? I decided to rise up. And not just once. I decided to rise up every time people made me fall. I was not a quitter. I was a winner. Yes, I was a winner.

"Mom, starting tomorrow I'm going back to college to resume my studies," I said.

My mom looked at me in shock.

"There's no need for you to go anywhere! Just stay at home and learn household chores. If you get work as a maid in a few houses, you won't become a burden to us," Dad said.

"Dad, I've never been a burden to you. I've always studied under a scholarship. Even now, I will continue to study under my scholarship. Let me become a doctor. Then I will be able to support our family," I said to Dad.

"You've ruined our family's reputation. If you go out again, we won't be able to live. If you take one step outside, I will never allow you in our home again," Dad said.

"Dad, it's not my fault that someone attacked me with acid. Why are you saying that I ruined our reputation?" I asked.

Dad grabbed my hand and took me into the hall. He switched on some news channel. They were reporting on me and the incident. They were saying that I loved that man and had cheated on him after a year-long relationship. So he attacked me with acid. A few politicians and other influential people were saying that girls provoked boys with their clothing, smiles, and actions.

What the hell? How could they say that? I never loved that man. I refused him, and as revenge, he attacked me with acid. I'll never understand why people say such thigs. Is it wrong for a girl to smile? Smiling and wearing dresses that make you feel beautiful is not wrong, and it doesn't mean we're trying to attract boys. I pity these people who are not mature enough to understand that a girl is also a human and has the same rights as men to follow her heart and live as she wants.

I decided to return to college to fight back. Why should I be silent in the face of these comments? It would only make them believe they were true.

"Now I really want to go to college, Dad. I want to answer their criticism with my success," I said and left room before he could respond.

Rudrani's POV:

I went to college the next day. As I stepped onto the campus, I remembered the old days, when my friends used to surround me as soon as I arrived. After all, I was so good at my studies that I had made a good number of friends.

But today no one noticed me. Sorry, that's not exactly true. Everyone noticed me, but they ignored my presence. The friends who had once been so close to me avoided my scarfed face. I hated to hide behind this scarf, but I had to to avoid the looks.

With these thoughts, I went to my class. The lecturer arrived and looked at me.

"Rudrani, how are you? When were you discharged?"

"A few days back, Madam. I'm fine now," I said.

"Good, meet me after class. I will give you notes on what you missed. I'm happy that you had the courage to come back to college and didn't give up on your dreams."

"Thank you, madam," I said and focused on the class, ignoring the pitying and disgusted looks. I hated when people gave me such sympathetic looks.

I collected the notes from my lecturer and was going to the canteen for lunch. But I was suddenly surrounded by the media.

"Excuse me, madam, we are from the press," they said.

Before I could say anything, they continued their questioning.

"Ms. Rudrani, this is the first time you've been on campus in many months. How are you feeling?"

"Rudrani, is it true that you had an affair with the man who attacked you?"

"Is it true that you've had many affairs?"

"How can you return to college after everything that’s happened?"

"He said he is ready to marry you now. Will you accept his proposal?"

My head was spinning with their questions. What was this? Why were they so interested in my opinion only after they had broadcasted false news to the whole nation!? For a second, I felt like running away, like crying. But, no. Why should I run away when I've done nothing wrong? I was going to stand strong. And I would answer all their questions without blinking an eye.

"Ok, I will answer all your questions, but please calm down and ask me one at time," I said in a gentle tone.

"Ms. Rudrani, this is the first time you've been on campus in many months. How are you feeling?"

"Feeling? I'm feeling great that I've been blessed with the courage to face even the worst in my life. I've returned to study, and I will excel at any cost. God only gives problems to those who have the capacity to face them. This happened to me because God knew I could handle it and still chase my dreams with dedication," I replied with a strong feeling of determination.

The reporters stopped for a second and just looked at me, wondering if I was from another planet. I was happy I had that effect on them.

One reporter cleared his throat and asked, "Rudrani, is it true that you had an affair with the man who attacked you?"

"Is it true that you've had many affairs?" another person added. This was enough to spark my anger at this false propaganda.

"May I ask who gave you this information? How can you report such things without even confirming them? You people give so many speeches about women's empowerment, yet you did not once think that this information might be incorrect or wrong? I can't believe that in the 21st century, the press still lacks the ability to sniff out a lie. No! I've had no affairs, not with the man who attacked me nor with anyone else. As the media, you have a very important role in society. Please gather all the facts before you report on something. Don't spread rumours about girls and how they are abused or raped, especially not as an 'exclusive story,' just to increase your ratings."

The guilt in their eyes lasted only a few seconds.

Immediately after, one reporter asked, "He said he is ready to marry you now. Will you accept his proposal?"

"What nonsense is that? When I refused his marriage proposal, he attacked me! How can you expect me to marry such a person? I will file a case against him. Please convey this message to him too. I know how much you people love to mediate between strangers. I will definitely fight to see him punished," I said, looking into the reporter's eyes. I smirked internally at the effect of my words on his face.

"How can you return to college after everything that’s happened?" asked a female reporter.

"How can I not? I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I hide at home when the culprit is roaming free? I'm a girl with big dreams. I have many goals I wish to achieve. I can't just sit and wait for someone else to fulfil them, especially not because of some incident caused by some insane person through no mistake of my own. I am here to make my dreams come true. And I would like you to spread the news that no matter who you are and what has happened, we all need to follow our dreams. Nothing and no one can stop me. Not even you. Now please excuse me. I have a class to attend."

I left the crowd, keeping my head high. I had nothing to be ashamed off. I removed my scarf and wiped away a lone tear. Then I went to my class, ignoring the looks that I received from the students there. I knew it was a long journey I was about to take and I would come across many more of these looks in the future, so I needed to be strong and unshaken. For me and my dreams.

I took a deep breath and went to class. I was ready to face the world. I was capable of achieving my goals. Yes, I could do it. I was not going to ask 'why me?' I was gonna show them who I truly was.