Pages 52-101

These next couple of chapters are about Shay's and Tally's adventure to the ruins and the interesting discoveries made there. To get to the Rusty Ruins, the two had to get through white water, hike, and spend a lot of time in search for them. When they get there they explored the area and played around a little bit but then Shay became serious. She went to the top of a hill and lit a safety sparkler, then later explained to Tally she was signaling for David, a secret runaway whom she couldn't tell anyone about. This was the way things continued for a while: going to the ruins, using the light to call David, and the two enjoying their last few months together while still ugly. It was when the time for their operation was coming closer that Shay expressed her feelings to Tally and admitted wanting to stay the way she was and not being like everyone else. They got into an argument about it and did not speak for a week. Then Shay told Tally that she was leaving the city and wanted to discover a life outside of being told how she was supposed to look and knew of a place where her dream was possible. She gave Tally a coded message as to where she was going in case she ever wanted to come find her and left the city a day before her scheduled change. But, Tally was looking forward to her operation no matter what her friend had thought about it and couldn't wait to spend all her time with her best friend, Peris, once again. So at the end of the chapter Tally is waiting at the hospital for the change of her life when she is told there is a problem with her operation, leaving her confused and depressed.