1269_UgliesFreeBook

UGLIES 423
Town, bright in the clear cold of a November night. “So
you’re finally getting your wish.”
“Yeah. I guess.”
“Tally’s going to be pretty!” Shay said.
Croy ignored her and looked at Tally again. “Thanks for
rescuing me, though. That was some trick you guys pulled
off. I hope that . . .” He shrugged, and shook his head. “See
you later.”
“I hope so.”
Croy stuck the boards together and headed back up
the river.
“This is going to be the best!” Shay said. “I can’t wait for
you to meet all my new friends. And you can finally introduce
me to Peris.”
“Sure.”
They walked down toward Uglyville until they found
themselves in Cleopatra Park. The earth was hard underneath
their feet in the late autumn chill, and they huddled
close against the cold. Tally wore her Smoke-made sweater.
She’d wanted Maddy to keep it for her, but she’d left her
microfiber jacket behind instead. City-made clothes were
too valuable to waste on someone going back to civilization.
“You see, I was already getting popular,” Shay was saying.
“Having a criminal past is the only way into the really
good parties. I mean, no one wants to hear about what
classes you took in ugly school.” She giggled.