Page 81 of Trick Play

Good news?

A possible future in the NHL?

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out while Reid was talking. It was an email from my tutor. I opened it then immediately closed the app. Did I want to know? What if it ruined the night? I wanted to celebrate, and if it was bad news, I wasn’t sure I could get over it.

But if it was good news, then I’d have even more to be grateful for.

“Haley?” I asked.

“Yup?” She appeared over me.

“Can you read this, and if it’s bad, close it.” I handed her my phone.

“And if it’s good?”

“Then you can tell me.”

“And what am I looking at?”

“Oh, my email.”

She tapped on the screen, and I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see her expression.

“Ethan,” she whispered.

Crap. It was bad. I knew it.

I looked at her and waited.

“You got an A, B, and three Cs. Your GPA is a full point over the minimum.”

“No way.” I sat up and took the phone back, reading over the message. She was right. I got an A in History of Photography, a B in Current Events, and Cs in the rest of my classes. I did it.

There was only one person I wanted to tell.

But I hadn’t spoken to her since I helped her load her car with boxes. She and Lauren left two days ago, and I was giving her space to settle in, hoping she would call me first.

I couldn’t wait any longer. She answered on the third ring. “Hi, Ethan.”

“One A, one B, three Cs.”

She gasped. “That’s amazing!”

“Can you believe it?”

“Yes, I can. You worked so hard. You deserve those grades. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks.” I was proud too. I proved to myself I could do it. That I wasn’t my limitations or diagnosis.

“Is that Kennedy?” Haley asked.

I nodded.

“Invite her!” she whisper-yelled.

“Invite me to what?” Kennedy asked.

“I have some other news. We’re going out to celebrate, and she wants me to invite you. As if that wasn’t why I was calling.”