1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 227
moment. She suddenly felt naked in the cold night air, as if
Shay could see straight through her lies.
“What?” she managed.
“Guilty. Not just that you told your someone about the
Smoke, but that they might actually come. Now that you’ve
seen the Smoke, you’re not sure if that was such a good
idea.” Shay sighed. “I know it seems weird at first, and it’s a
lot of hard work. But I think you’ll eventually like it.”
Tally looked down, feeling tears welling into her eyes.
“It’s not that. Well, maybe it is. I just don’t know if I
can . . .” Her throat felt too full to speak. If she said another
word, she’d have to tell Shay the truth: that she was a spy,
a traitor sent there to destroy everything around them.
And that Shay was the fool who had led her there.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Shay gathered Tally in her arms, rocking
her gently as Tally began to cry. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean
to unload everything on you at once. But I’ve felt kind of
distant from you since you got here. It feels like you’re not
sure you want to look at me.”
“I should tell you everything.”
“Shhh.” Tally felt Shay’s fingers stroking her hair. “I’m
just glad you’re here.”
Tally let herself cry, burying her face in the scratchy
wool sleeve of her new sweater, feeling Shay’s warmth
against her, and feeling awful about every gesture of kindness
from her friend.
With half her mind, Tally was actually glad she’d come