Tally apologizes for saying David’s name during their kiss, but Zane slowly remembers that David was the name of the person who was supposed to escort him and the others to Smoke in their ugly days. Tally remembers that Shay knew David but that she (Tally) only met him at Smoke. She remembers their romance but cannot remember what happened to him. Zane stops Tally from eating and gives her calorie-purgers, a form of metabolism booster that removes excess calories, explaining that hunger and other excitement clear the mind. Zane pushes the pills on Tally, explaining that he needs her “bubbly” (61). Tally takes them and feels “as if a thin film of plastic between her and the rest of the world were being peeled away” (62). Tally, with new clarity, explains that the Smokies hid out in the Ruins after the Specials attacked their camp. Tally struggles to remember why she returned to the city.

Zane tells her that something is wrong with most pretties because they cannot remember things that happened when they were ugly. He tells Tally that excitement, as well as retelling old stories, helps preserve memories. He confesses that Tally helped keep him sharp, and the two of them kiss again.