1269_UgliesFreeBook

276 Scott Westerfeld
Tally looked into his eyes and saw that his face was glowing
again—touching her in that pretty way she’d felt before.
“That’s why you’re beautiful, Tally.”
The words made her dizzy for a moment, like the
falling feeling of looking into a new pretty’s eyes. “Me?”
“Yes.”
She laughed, shaking her head clear. “What, with my
thin lips and my eyes too close together?”
“Tally . . .”
“And my frizzy hair and squashed-down nose?”
“Don’t say that.” His fingers brushed her cheeks where the
scratches were almost healed, and ran fleetingly across her lips.
She knew how callused his fingertips were, as hard and rough
as wood. But somehow their caress felt soft and tentative.
“That’s the worst thing they do to you, to any of you.
Whatever those brain lesions are all about, the worst damage
is done before they even pick up the knife: You’re all
brainwashed into believing you’re ugly.”
“We are. Everyone is.”
“So you think I’m ugly?”
She looked away. “It’s a pointless question. It’s not about
individuals.”
“Yes it is, Tally. Absolutely.”
“I mean, no one can really be . . . you see, biologically,
there’re certain things we all—” The words choked off. “You
really think I’m beautiful?”
“Yes.”