Tally bit her lip. 'I don't think I can help them.'
'Well, you just do your best,' Ellie said.
'But I can't. I mean, I promised Shay that I wouldn't tell anyone her plans.'
They were silent for a moment.
Sol sat down, taking one of her hands in his. They felt so warm and strong, almost as wrinkled as a crumbly's from days spent working in his wood shop. Tally realized that she hadn't visited her parents since the week of summer break, when she'd mostly been anxious to get back to hanging out with Shay full-time. But it was good to see them now.
'Tally, we all make promises when we're little. That's part of being an ugly-everything's exciting and intense and important, but you have to grow out of it. After all, you don't owe this girl anything. She's done nothing but cause you trouble.'
Ellie took her other hand. 'And you'll only be helping her, Tally. Who knows where she is now and what's happening to her? I'm surprised you let her run off like that. Don't you know how dangerous it is out there?'
Tally found herself nodding. Looking into Sol's and Ellie's faces, everything seemed so clear. Maybe cooperating with Dr. Cable would really be helping Shay, and would set things back on course for herself. But the thought of Dr. Cable made her wince. 'You should have seen these people. The ones investigating Shay? They look like…'
Sol laughed. 'I guess it would be a bit of a shock at your age, Tally. But of course we old folks know all about Special Circumstances. They may be tough, but they're just doing their jobs, you know. It's a tough world out there.'
Tally sighed. Maybe her reluctance was just because the cruel pretties had scared her so much. 'Have you ever met them? I couldn't believe the way they looked.'
Ellie furrowed her brow. 'Well, I can't say I've actually met one.'
Sol frowned, then broke into a laugh. 'Well, you wouldn't want to meet one, Ellie. And Tally, if you do the right thing now, you probably won't ever meet one again. That sort of business is something we can all do without.'
Tally looked at her father, and for a moment she saw something other than wisdom and confidence in his expression. It was almost too easy the way Sol laughed off Special Circumstances, dismissing everything that went on outside the city.
For the first time in her life, Tally found herself listening to a middle pretty without being completely reassured, a realization that made her dizzy. And she couldn't shake the thought that Sol knew nothing about the outside world Shay had fled to.
Maybe most people just didn't want to know. Tally had been taught all about the Rusties and early history, but at school they never said a single thing about people living outside the cities right now, people like David. Until she'd met Shay, Tally had never thought about it either.
But she couldn't dismiss the whole thing the way her father had.
And she had made Shay a solemn promise. Even if she was just an ugly, a promise was a promise.
'Guys, I'm going to have to think about this.'
For a moment, an awkward silence filled the room. She'd said something they hadn't expected.
Then Ellie laughed and patted her hand. 'Well, of course you do, Tally.'
Sol nodded, back in command. 'We know you'll do the right thing.'
'Sure. But in the meantime,' Tally said, 'maybe I could come home with you?'
Her parents shared another look of surprise.
'I mean, it's really weird being here now. Everyone knows that I…I'm not scheduled for classes anymore, so it would just be like coming home for autumn break, but a little early.'
Sol recovered first, and patted her shoulder. 'Now, Tally, don't you think it would be even stranger for you out in Crumblyville? I mean, there's no other kids out there this time of year.'
'You're much better off here with the other children, darling,' Ellie added. 'You're only a few months older than some of them. And goodness, we don't have your room ready at all!'
'I don't care. Nothing could be worse than this,' Tally said.
'Oh, just order up some more clothes, and get that wallscreen back the way you want it,' Sol said.
'I didn't mean the room-' 'In any case,' Ellie interrupted, 'why make a fuss? This'll all be over in no time. Just have a nice chat with Special Circumstances, tell them everything, and you'll be headed where you really want to be.'
They all looked out the window at the towers of New Pretty Town.
'I guess so.'
'Sweetheart,' Ellie said, patting her leg, 'what other choice do you have?'
During the daytime, she hid in her room.
Going anywhere else was pure torture. The uglies in her own dorm treated her like a walking disease, and anyone else who recognized her sooner or later asked, 'Why aren't you pretty yet?'
It was strange. She'd been an ugly for four years, but a few extra days had brought home to her exactly what the word really meant. Tally peered into her mirror all day, noting every flaw, every deformity. Her thin lips pursed with unhappiness. Her hair grew even frizzier because she kept running her hands through it in frustration. A trio of zits exploded across her forehead, as if marking the days since her sixteenth birthday. Her watery, too-small eyes glared back at her, full of anger.
Only at night could she escape from the tiny room, the nervous stares, her own ugly face.
She fooled the minders and climbed out as usual, but she didn't feel much like any real tricks. There was no one to visit, no one to play a prank on, and the idea of crossing the river was too painful to consider.
She had gotten a new hoverboard, and tricked it up like Shay had taught her, so at least she could fly at night.
But flying didn't feel the same. She was alone, it was getting cold at night, and no matter how fast she flew, Tally was trapped, and she knew it.
The fourth night in ugly exile she took her board up into the greenbelt, staying at the edge of town. She whipped it back and forth past the dark columns of tree trunks, shooting through them at top speed, so fast that her hands and face collected dozens of scratches from the branches blurring by.
After a few hours' flying had worn away some of her anguish, Tally had a happy realization: This was the best she'd ever ridden; she was almost as good as Shay now.
Never once did the board dump her for getting too close to a tree, and her shoes held on to its grippy surface like they were glued there.
She worked up a sweat even in the autumn chill, riding until her legs were tired, her ankles aching, her arms sore from being spread out like wings guiding her through the dark forest. If she rode this hard all night, Tally thought, maybe tomorrow she could sleep the hideous daylight away.
She flew until exhaustion forced her home.
When she crawled back into her room at dawn, someone was waiting there.
'Peris!'
His features burst into a radiant smile, big eyes flashing beautifully in the early light. But when he looked closer, his expression changed. 'What happened to your face, Squint?'
Tally blinked. 'Haven't you heard? They didn't do the-' 'Not that.' Peris reached up and touched her cheek, which smarted under his fingertips.
'You look like you've been juggling cats all night.'
'Oh, yeah.' Tally ran her fingers through her hair, and rummaged through a drawer. She pulled a medspray out, closed her eyes, and squirted herself in the face.
'Ow!' she yelped in the few seconds before the anesthetic kicked in. She sprayed her scratched hands as well. 'Just a little midnight hoverboarding.'
'A little past midnight, don't you think?'
