1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 249
pletely wrong about her, it felt good to bask in his words.
Up until now, the whole day had been tainted by suspicion
and doubt, but David’s face shone with admiration for what
she had done. A feeling spread through her, a warmth that
pushed away the cold wind cutting across the ridge.
Then Tally trembled inside, realizing what the feeling
was. It was that same warmth she’d felt talking to Peris after
his operation, or when teachers looked at her with
approval. It was not a feeling she’d ever gotten from an ugly
before. Without large, perfectly shaped eyes, their faces
couldn’t make you feel that way. But the moonlight and the
setting, or maybe just the words he was saying, had somehow
turned David into a pretty. Just for a moment.
But the magic was all based on lies. She didn’t deserve
the look in David’s eyes.
She turned to face the ocean of weeds again. “I bet Shay
wishes she’d never told me about the Smoke.”
“Maybe right now. Maybe for a while,” David said. “But
not forever.”
“But you and she . . .”
“She and I.” He sighed. “Shay changes her mind pretty
quickly, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“The first time she wanted to come to the Smoke was
back in spring. When Croy and the others came.”
“She told me. She chickened out, right?”
David nodded. “I always figured she would. She just