The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Chapter 109

ZANE

The fever had hit me hard sometime before dawn. My body burned from the inside out, every muscle aching, my head pounding like someone was driving nails into my skull.

I’d been alone in my room for hours.

Mom had stopped by earlier to check on me, brushing my hair back and telling me to rest, but she had meetings she couldn’t miss.

The staff had quietly brought breakfast and lunch.

I’d waved both away.

The thought of food made my stomach turn.

My phone kept vibrating on the nightstand, teammates asking where I was, random messages from girls-but I was too exhausted to care.

Hours later, another wave hit.

I barely made it to the bathroom before dropping to my knees in front of the toilet.

My stomach twisted violently but nothing came up.

There was nothing left.

My whole body shook with the effort.

Then I felt it.

A hand rubbing slow circles across my back.

A familiar scent cut through the stale air.

Strawberries.

Warmth.

Her.

A voice I knew better than my own whispered softly.

“It’s okay… I’m here.”

I turned my head, vision blurry from the fever.

There she was.

My Trouble.

Astra knelt beside me on the cold bathroom floor, her hand still moving steadily across my back, her blue eyes filled with

worry.

Her hair had fallen loose around her shoulders.

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Chapter 109

She looked completely out of place in my bathroom.

And somehow exactly where she belonged.

I stared at her for a long moment, too exhausted to hide anything.

“Trouble…”

The word scraped out of my throat.

She didn’t pull away.

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She just kept rubbing my back, calm and steady, like she was determined to hold me together through sheer stubbornness.

For the first time all day, the misery eased.

Just a little.

After what felt like forever, she spoke.

“Come on. Let’s get you back to bed.”

I was too weak to argue.

Astra slipped an arm around my waist and helped me to my feet.

She was tiny compared to me, but somehow managed anyway.

I was careful not to lean too heavily on her.

The last thing I needed was crushing the girl trying to save me.

She flushed the toilet and guided me back toward the bedroom.

My face ended up buried in the crook of her neck.

I breathed her in and the nausea seemed to ease.

When we reached the bed, I didn’t let go.

My arms stayed wrapped around her.

“Zane…” she said softly. “Let go.”

I tightened my hold.

Just a little.

“I’m coming right back,” she promised. “I swear.”

Reluctantly, I loosened my grip and collapsed onto the mattress,

She tucked the blanket around me with surprising care before disappearing from the room.

When she returned, she had a damp cloth, medicine, and a glass of water.

She sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the cloth against my forehead.

“Here,” she whispered, helping me sit up enough to take the pills. “This should help.”

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Chapter 109

I swallowed them without complaint.

That alone should’ve told her how bad I felt.

She stayed beside me, changing the cloth whenever it grew warm.

After a while, she pressed the back of her hand to my forehead and frowned.

“The fever isn’t going down,” she muttered. “Zane… have you eaten anything today?”

A weak laugh escaped me before turning into a cough.

“Food?” I rasped. “Fuck that. The only thing I’m hungry for is you, Trouble.”

Astra froze and color rushed into her cheeks.

“You have a fever and you’re still saying things like that,” she mumbled.

I smirked.

Or at least I tried to.

She shook her head.

“I’m making you something light.”

Before I could argue, she was already gone.

When she returned, she carried a tray with chicken broth and crackers.

Unfortunately, I felt worse.

The room tilted every time I moved.

My body burned.

My stomach hated me.

Astra set the tray aside and moved closer.

“Come on. Sit up.”

She slipped an arm behind my back and helped me against the headboard.

The effort alone made me dizzy.

“I’ll feed you,” she blurted suddenly.

Her cheeks immediately turned pink.

I stared at her.

Astra looked horrified by her own words.

“You’re too weak to do it yourself right now,” she added quickly.

She looked so damn beautiful like this, all flushed cheeks and quiet concern.

Taking care of me when she had every reason not to.

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12:09 Fri, Jul 3

Chapter 109

I opened my mouth and let her feed me.

The warm broth slid down my throat.

The first thing all day that didn’t make me want to throw up.

She fed me slowly, one spoonful at a time.

Patient and careful, and every time our eyes met, she looked away first.

That shouldn’t have pleased me as much as it did.

I didn’t say anything.

I just watched her.

Every careful spoonful.

Every quiet reminder to eat.

Every small frown whenever she thought the fever was getting worse.

And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t hate being weak.

Not when it meant she was this close.

After a while, my eyelids started to feel heavy.

The fever was still there, still burning but she made it easier to ignore.

That alone should’ve worried me.

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