The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

ASTRA

Thursday One day before the big home game

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The football field was buzzing with activity after school. The cheer squad was practicing their halftime routine on one side, while my committee team had taken over the other end near the bleachers. Banners, boxes of glow sticks, and crates of water and Gatorade were scattered everywhere.

Elizabeth was coordinating with the cheer coaches. Priya and Chloe were sorting through design proofs on a laptop. Jason had volunteered to help with the heavy lifting and was currently steadying a tall ladder for me.

I climbed up carefully, a large black–and–gold banner rolled under my arm. My white Harrington polo was already sticking to my back from the afternoon heat, and my navy skirt kept riding up my thighs no matter how much I tugged it down. Sweat trickled down my temples as I reached up to hook the banner onto the railing above the student section.

Maya stood a few feet away with her cheer squad, arms crossed, watching me like I was a bug she wanted to squash.

“Careful up there, Hawthorne,” she called out sweetly. “Wouldn’t want you to break the ladder. Or yourself.”

A few of the football guys who were hanging around laughed. Tyler whistled. “Yeah, careful, Pres. That thing might not hold all that weight.”

My cheeks burned, but I kept working, fingers fumbling with the hooks.

Maya wasn’t done.

“Seriously though,” she continued, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, “I’m surprised they let you do this. Don’t they have, like, actual athletes on the committee? Or at least people who can climb a ladder without turning it into a circus act?”

More snickers from the players,

I bit my lip hard, focusing on securing the banner. My arms were shaking from holding myself up.

Priya snapped, “Maya, don’t you have flips to practice or something?”

Elizabeth added sharply, “We’re trying to work here.”

Jason glared at the group. “Ignore them, Astra. You’re doing great.”

I finally got the banner hooked and started climbing down slowly, legs trembling. The ladder

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wobbled

“Watch out….” Jason started.

Too late.

The ladder shifted and my foot slipped.

I screamed as I fell backward.

For one terrifying second, I was weightless…

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Then a large, strong arm wrapped around my waist, catching me mid–air and pulling me flush against a hard chest.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I was breathing fast, glasses slightly crooked, body pressed against someone solid and warm.

I looked up.

Zane.

He was holding me like I weighed nothing, one arm banded around my lower back, the other steadying the ladder. His green eyes bored into mine, intense and unreadable.

For a split second, the entire field went quiet.

My face flushed deep red. I was suddenly hyper–aware of how soft and curvy I felt against his hard body, how my breasts were pressed against his chest, how his hand was splayed possessively across my waist.

“Th–thank you,” I whispered, voice shaky.

Before he could say anything, Maya came rushing over, practically shoving herself between us.

“Baby!” she cried, wrapping her arms around Zane’s bicep like she was the one who almost fell. “Are you okay? Oh my god, you caught her so fast. Wow, you’re so strong.” She looked at me with fake concern, “Careful there, fatty. Wouldn’t want Zane to hurt his throwing arm saving you. His hand better not be strained.”

She said it with a sweet smile, but the word “fatty” landed like a slap.

A few of the guys laughed again,

Tears burned behind my eyes. I quickly stepped out of their way, wrapping my own around my stomach like I could hide my body,

Jason was there instantly, gently wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

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Chapter 17.

“You good?” he asked softly, glaring at Maya.

Maya rolled her eyes. “What? I’m just saying. She should be more careful.”

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Zane didn’t say a word. He just stared at me, jaw tight, that same unreadable look in his eyes.

I bit my lip hard, refusing to cry in front of all of them.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, voice thick. “Thank you… again.”

Then I turned and walked away quickly.

“You good?” Jason asked softly, his arm still around my shoulders as we walked back to the

committee table.

Maya’s fake laugh echoed behind us, followed by more whispers from the cheer squad.

I nodded quickly, forcing my hands to stop shaking as I pretended to organize the stack of papers. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

The rest of the afternoon was a whirlwind of actual work.

We spent the next few hours coordinating everything. Elizabeth and I finalized the student section layout and confirmed the extra water and Gatorade order with the athletic department. Priya showed us her new banner designs on her laptop and we voted on the best ones. Chloe double- checked the equipment list while Jason and a couple of other volunteers helped move heavy crates of supplies closer to the field.

The cheerleaders practiced their halftime routine nearby, occasionally shooting dirty looks our way, but we stayed focused.

By the time the sun started setting, we were all exhausted but satisfied.

Priya stretched her arms above her head. “Okay, I think we’re actually ready for tomorrow. The glow stick distribution plan looks solid.”

Elizabeth smiled at all of us, “Great job, team. First official event together and we didn’t kill each other.”

We all laughed even Chloe, who was usually quiet.

Jason grinned. “So… what are we wearing tomorrow? Full school spirit mode?”

Priya clapped. “Black and gold everything! I’m wearing the new spirit jersey with the gold face paint.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Same. We should all match as much as possible so the student section looks unified.”

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Tought for a second. “I have a black Harrington hoodie and gold accessories. That work?”

“Perfect,” Jason said, bumping my shoulder lightly. “We’re gonna look good out there.”

We stood there for a moment, tired but buzzing with excitement.

“Tomorrow’s going to be huge,” I said softly, a real smile tugging at my lips. “I really hope we win.”

“We will,” Priya declared confidently. “Especially with our new President running things.”

Warmth spread through my chest. For the first time in forever, I felt like I was part of something.

We packed up the last of the supplies as the field lights flickered on and said our goodbyes to each other.

Jason fell into step beside me as we headed toward the parking lot exit.

“You brought the scooter today?” he asked, surprised but smiling.

I nodded, patting the handlebars. “Yeah. I prefer this. It’s… quieter.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I get it. Anything’s better than riding with Ashton, I suppose.”

I let out a small laugh. “Pretty much.”

We kept walking in comfortable silence for a bit. Then a familiar black car drove past us slowly.

Maya was in the passenger seat, laughing loudly at something, her hand resting on Zane’s thigh. Zane didn’t even glance our way.

Jason’s jaw tightened. “What’s their deal with you, anyway? It’s been nonstop since I got here.”

I sighed, gripping the scooter handles tighter. “It’s been like this since middle school. Zane decided I was an easy target… and everyone just follows his lead. Maya especially, they love bulling the fatty‘ I guess.”

Jason was quiet for a moment. Then he stopped walking and turned to face me,

“Hey,” he said gently. “You’re not a fatty. You’re really curvy… and honestly? That’s exactly my type.”

His cheeks flushed bright red the second the words left his mouth. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking adorably embarrassed.

I felt my own face heat up. “Thank you,” I whispered, a shy smile breaking through. “That… means à lot.”

He smiled back, soft and sincere. “Just ignore them, Astra. You’re doing amazing. Seriously.”

We stood there for a second under the parking lot lights, both a little flustered, before he cleared

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Chapter 17

his throat.

“I should let you get home. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” I said, still smiling, “See you tomorrow.”

He waved as I kicked the scooter to life and rode off into the cooling evening air.

For the first time in a long while, the future didn’t feel completely terrifying.

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“How was school today, Lu?” I whispered, gently stroking Lucas’s hair as he lay in bed.

He was already halfway asleep, eyelids heavy. Mason had passed out the second his head hit the pillow. I’d gotten home just after eight, and thankfully Elira had been understanding about the late prep for tomorrow’s game.

“Fun…” Lucas mumbled, nuzzling closer to my hand. “You’re the best nanny ever…”

A soft smile tugged at my lips. Within minutes, his breathing evened out. I stayed a little longer, just watching them both sleep, then quietly slipped out of the room.

Thirst hit me hard on the way to my bedroom. I turned and headed downstairs toward the kitchen, my socked feet silent on the floor.

I was a few feet away when I heard voices.

Low and tense.

I stopped.

“…what did you expect?” Elira’s voice was sharp, cold. “Walking around with your tits high and your ass up like that. Did you really expect a man like him to look the other way?”

My stomach dropped.

I crept closer and peeked around the corner.

A young maid, maybe twenty–two or twenty–three, stood in the kitchen, clutching the torn front of her uniform to her chest. Her eyes were red and swollen, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head frantically.

“Please, Mrs. Ashton… I didn’t,”

“Get out of my sight,” Elira snapped. “And clean yourself up before anyone sees you.”

The maid nodded quickly, still sobbing, and rushed out of the kitchen. She passed right by me without noticing, mascara streaking her cheeks.

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stood frozen in the hallway, heart pounding.

Elira let out a long, shaky sigh.

Then, in a voice so quiet l’almost missed it, she whispered to herself

“I am powerful… I am strong… I am beautiful…”

Her back was to me and her shoulders trembled.

She was crying.

[ hesitated for only a second before stepping into the kitchen.

‘Ma’am…? Is everything okay?”

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Elira stiffened instantly. She wiped her eyes quickly before turning around, the perfect elegant mask sliding back into place.

‘Astra,” she said, smiling smoothly. “How long have you been standing there?”

My heart raced. “Just got here, ma’am,” I lied.

She studied me for a beat too long, then nodded. “I’m fine, dear. How was school today? The preparations for tomorrow’s game going well?”

[ nodded slowly. “Yes… everything’s ready.”

Elira’s smile stayed fixed, but her eyes flicked over me, slowly, deliberately, taking in my body from head to toe. Something unreadable passed through her gaze.

“Astra,” she said suddenly, voice dropping into a serious tone. “Do me a favor…”

She stepped closer, still looking at me in that strange, assessing way.