1269_UgliesFreeBook

18 Scott Westerfeld
Her ugly nickname sounded strange coming from a
pretty. Of course, it would be even weirder to call him
Nose, as she used to about a hundred times a day. She swallowed.
“Why didn’t you write me?”
“I tried. But it just felt bogus. I’m so different now.”
“But we’re . . .” She pointed at her scar.
“Take a look, Tally.” He held out his own hand.
The skin of his palm was smooth and unblemished. It
was a hand that said: I don’t have to work very hard, and I’m
too clever to have accidents.
The scar that they had made together was gone.
“They took it away.”
“Of course they did, Squint. All my skin’s new.”
Tally blinked. She hadn’t thought of that.
He shook his head. “You’re such a kid still.”
“Elevator requested,” said the elevator. “Up or down?”
Tally jumped at the machine voice.
“Hold, please,” Peris said calmly.
Tally swallowed and closed her hand into a fist. “But
they didn’t change your blood. We shared that, no matter
what.”
Peris finally looked directly at her face, not flinching as
she had feared he would. He smiled beautifully. “No, they
didn’t. New skin, big deal. And in three months we can
laugh about this. Unless . . .”
“Unless what?” She looked up into his big brown eyes,
so full of concern.