The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 135

Chapter 135

ASTRA

Coach Benson’s whistle sliced through the chatter, sharp enough to make half the class flinch.

“Listen up!”

Silence fell instantly.

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He jabbed a finger toward the two vivid flags planted at opposite ends of the field. “One objective: steal the enemy flag and get it back to your base. Cross that white line into their territory, and you’re fair game.”

Tyler’s hand shot up. “What if we get tagged?”

“You freeze. Right there.” Coach didn’t even glance at him. “Teammates free you by tagging your shoulder. Speed beats strength so use your heads.”

A ripple of grins spread across the grass.

“Three minutes. Make it count.”

Teams splintered immediately. I found myself in a tight circle with Noah, Emily, Ava, Ben, and a couple of track juniors. Noah dropped into a

crouch, sketching quick lines in the dirt with his finger.

“Defenders and runners. We ne

both.”

“I’m fast.” Ava said.

One of the juniors nodded. “Same.”

Noah looked straight at me. “Astra. You’re president for a reason. You think before you charge.”

A few snickers broke out. I folded my arms, heat rising in my cheeks.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is one.” He jerked his chin toward the left side of the field. “Their strongest are probably barreling straight down the middle. We make the center look weak. Hide two runners along the tree line instead-fake ’em out.”

I met his eyes. “They chase the obvious. We slip in from the side.”

Noah’s grin flashed wide. Exactly.”

The whistle shrieked again. “Positions!”

My pulse kicked up as I jogged toward the left flank, low and alert. Across the halfway line, Zane stood loose among his team, hands in his pockets, saying nothing while the others buzzed around him. His gaze cut straight through the chaos.

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I jerked my eyes away, but the weight of it lingered on my skin.

Coach’s whistle pierced the air. “Three… two… one… GO!”

The field detonated.

Sneakers tore across grass. Shouts exploded from every direction. Noah’s voice cut through the noise..”Left side!” and I sprinted low with Ava toward the trees while Ben and the juniors charged the center exactly as planned.

Zane barely moved at first. He just watched, hands on his hips, scanning the chaos like a predator picking apart a herd. Then his head turned.

Our eyes locked.

The corner of his mouth curved.

“No…” I muttered under my breath.

Ava shot me a look. “What?”

“Nothing.”

But it wasn’t nothing. Zane pointed toward the center, voice carrying. “They’re faking it. Left side…now!”

Three of his players broke away and stormed straight for us.

Ava groaned. “He read us!”

The chase turned feral. One junior slipped past. Another got tagged almost instantly and froze mid-stride with a theatrical groan. I darted between two defenders, heart hammering, eyes locked on their flag.

Almost….

A shadow slid into my path.

Zane.

Arms folded, completely at ease, like he’d been waiting for me all along.

“Took you long enough, Trouble.”

I skidded to a halt, breath ragged. “You cheated.”

He laughed, the sound so annoyingly warm. “I thought before I moved. Sound familiar?”

I narrowed my eyes. “I said that to Noah.”

“Loud enough for half the field to hear.” His gaze stayed glued to mine, looking amused.

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Behind him, Maya’s arms were crossed tight, irritation flashing across her face. “Zane! Stop talking to her!”

Without breaking eye contact, he called back lazily, “Mind your fuckin’ business.”

Maya’s glare sharpened, but Zane didn’t spare her a glance.

The world around us blurred-more whistles, more shouts, more bodies freezing in place-but we stayed locked in our own bubble. For one suspended second, the game didn’t exist.

Then Zane’s grin turned wicked. He spread his arms slightly. “Come on. Let’s see if your strategy’s as good as your mouth.”

My competitive fire ignited. “Oh, you’re going to regret that.”

I exploded right. He matched me instantly, cutting off the angle. I feinted left-he shifted-then I doubled back hard. Surprise flickered across his face for the first time.

I slipped past.

“Emily!” I yelled. “Now!”

Emily burst from behind the tackling dummies like a bullet, streaking for the flag while every defender’s focus stayed glued to me.

Too late for them.

She snatched it.

“Run!” Noah roared.

My team surged forward, forming a living wall around her as she tore back across the grass. I spun to cut off Tyler, tagging his shoulder just as he tried to slip past.

He froze with dramatic flair. “Criminal!”

“Rules are rules.” I smirked.

Behind us, Emily was almost home-until Maya launched after her like a missile. Fast. Terrifyingly fast. glanced back, pace faltering.

“Emily….don’t look back!”

Too late. Maya’s hand shot out.

Tag.

Emily froze yards from victory, flag limp in her grip.

Groans rolled across the field.

Maya reached for the prize with a smirk-only for a blur to shoot past me.

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