Ace, a girl born without a forefinger on her right hand, grows up in a small town in Ohio. She moves to Cincinnati in her teenage years and befriends Oliver, a quirky boy who loves magic and baseball. They bond over their shared love of baseball, and Ace becomes a skilled player, thanks in part to her unique hand. As they grow closer, they face challenges from Brie, the school's mean queen bee, but Ace stands up for Oliver and earns his admiration.
As they enter their senior year, Oliver and Ace become rivals for a prestigious sports scholarship. However, Oliver wins the scholarship under questionable circumstances, revealing that Brie's father, a recruiter, helped him cheat. Ace feels betrayed and the two friends drift apart.
Years later, Ace has found success as a baseball player, getting into the national women's team, and has found love. She runs into Oliver, who has also become a successful baseball player but had a serious injury that left him paralyzed for a year. He apologizes for his past behavior, and they slowly rebuild their friendship. Eventually, Oliver is by Ace's side as her best man at her wedding.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator, Ace, was born without a forefinger on her right hand.
2. Ace's parents were initially surprised by her condition but loved her regardless.
3. Ace grew up in a small town in Ohio.
4. Ace was good at baseball and could throw a perfect curveball despite her missing finger.
5. Ace was teased by some kids in school, but her classmates were mostly supportive.
6. Ace met a boy named Oliver in school, and they became best friends.
7. Oliver was a talented baseball player and magician.
8. Ace and Oliver's friendship was strong, and they spent a lot of time together.
9. Ace and Oliver went to the same school, but it was a new and bigger school for Ace.
10. Ace was nervous about making friends, but Oliver helped her adjust.
11. Ace and Oliver were often mistaken for a couple, but they didn't mind.
12. Oliver's dad was in and out of jail, and his mom was raising him alone.
13. Ace found out that Oliver was interested in a girl named Brie, who was mean to Ace.
14. Ace was angry when she saw Oliver with Brie, but Oliver said he was giving Brie a chance.
15. The school's baseball team was doing well, and Ace and Oliver were the standout players.
16. Only one of them could get a prestigious sports scholarship, but Ace was happy for Oliver when he won it.
17. However, Ace found out that Oliver had cheated to get the scholarship, and she was furious.
18. Ace and Oliver stopped talking after the incident.
19. Ace saw Oliver on the news a few months later, and he was being hailed as the next big thing.
20. Ace participated in a local fundraising match and led her team to victory.
21. A university scout approached Ace and offered her a sports scholarship.
22. Ace got into the university and had a successful baseball career.
23. Ace met a guy, fell in love, and got married.
24. Ace bumped into Oliver at a coffee shop, and they reunited.
25. Oliver told Ace that he had moved to Japan with Brie but that they had broken up after he had a serious injury.
26. Oliver had worked hard to recover from his injury and was playing baseball again.
27. Oliver apologized to Ace for his past behavior, and they slowly patched things up.
28. Ace forgave Oliver and was happy to have her best friend back.
29. Oliver attended Ace's wedding as her best man.