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?"
Out the window, the sun was just beginning to turn the towers of New Pretty Town pink.
Cat-vomit pink. She looked at Peris, exhausted and confused. "How long have you been here?"
He shifted uncomfortably in her window chair. "Long enough."
"Sorry. I didn't know you were coming."
He raised his eyebrows in beautiful anguish. "Of course I came. The moment I figured out where you were, I came."
Tally turned away, unlacing her grippy shoes as she collected herself. She'd felt so abandoned since her birthday, it had never occurred to her that Peris would want to see her, especially not here in Uglyville.
But here he was, worried, anxious, lovely.
"It's good to see you," she said, feeling tears come into her eyes. They were red and puffy most of the time these days.
He beamed up at her. "You too."
The thought of what she must look like was too much. Tally collapsed onto the bed, covering her face with her hands and sobbing. Peris sat next to her and held her for a while as she cried, then wiped her nose and sat her up. "Look at you, Tally Youngblood."
She shook her head. "Please don't."
"You're an absolute mess."