The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 149

14:51 Mon, Jul 20

Chapter 149

Chapter 149

ASTRA

The twins were practically vibrating with excitement as we stepped out of the mansion.

I held their hands tightly, one on each side, smiling despite the exhaustion still clinging to my bones.

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“Okay, rules,” I said as we walked down the long driveway toward the first houses along the road. “We stay together. We say thank you. And no eating candy until we get back home so I can check it.”

Lucas gasped like I expected. “But what if there’s a chocolate emergency?”

“There won’t be,” I laughed.

Mason nodded seriously. “I read that most candy is safe if you inspect it properly.”

“Of course you did,” I teased, squeezing his hand.

The first house was just a short walk away, a beautiful mansion with glowing jack-o’-lanterns lining the path and soft orange lights twinkling in the trees. The door opened before we even knocked, revealing a smiling older woman holding a big bowl of candy.

“Trick or treat!” the twins shouted in unison.

She laughed warmly. “Well, don’t you two look adorable! What are you supposed to be?”

“I’m a superhero!” Lucas declared, striking a fierce pose with his cape fluttering. “The Mighty Lucas!”

“And I’m a wizard,” Mason said, tipping his hat with a little bow.

She dropped generous handfuls of candy into their bags. “You both look wonderful. Happy Halloween!”

“Thank you!” they chorused, beaming.

We continued down the street, the cool evening air nipping at my cheeks. Luças chattered nonstop about every decoration he saw, while Mason pointed out “scientifically accurate” spiderweb designs.

At the third house, an elderly man with wild silver hair stood before us, dressed in a deep burgundy velvet tailcoat, black top hat, and white gloves. He held an elegant silver cane topped with a crystal sphere, and his curled mustache twitched as he studied the twins.

“Trick or treat!” the twins yelled again.

The old man’s expression grew gravely serious. “Candy?” He tapped his chin. “I’m terribly sorry… I don’t give sweets to ordinary children.”

Lucas’s face fell.

Then the man’s voice boomed grandly. “But I do give them… to extraordinary children.”

Lucas beamed. “I knew it!”

“But first…”The man raised a gloved finger. “A trick.”

With a graceful flick of his wrist, he plucked an ordinary orange autumn leaf from the air, blew gently across it, and the leaf burst into a shower of shimmering golden sparks. The sparks swirled around the twins like tiny fireflies before gathering in his palm. They folded in on themselves and became a perfect white dove.

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14:51 Mon, Jul 20 JT.

Chapter 149

The bird flapped once, then settled peacefully on the man’s shoulder.

Neither twin breathed. I didn’t either.

“Happy Halloween,” the old man said with a warm smile. He reached behind the dove and somehow produced three king- sized chocolate bars from thin air.

Lucas looked ready to faint. “YOU CAN MAKE CHOCOLATE?”

The man laughed, a rich, delighted sound. “A magician never reveals his secrets, my dear boy.” He handed each twin a bar and offered one to me as well.

The man winked at me. “A little sleight of hand. I used to perform on stage, you know. The Great Marvolo.”

I smiled, genuinely charmed. “Well, Great Marvolo, you’ve made their night.”

He laughed and finally filled their bags with candy. “Off you go, little magicians. The night is young!”

As we walked back toward the sidewalk, Lucas clutched his chocolate to his chest.”Astra, did you see that? Real magic!”

Mason nodded, eyes wide. “It was an illusion, but still very impressive.”

I laughed, squeezing their hands. “You two are going to have the best stories to tell tomorrow.”

The estate was alive with lights and laughter. For a few precious hours, I let myself forget everything else

Tonight, I was just Astra, walking hand-in-hand with two excited little boys under a Halloween moon.

And for now… that was enough.

The next hour passed in a joyful blur of glowing pumpkins, cheerful neighbors, and constant cries of “Trick or treat!”

Every house tried to outdo the last. One family had turned their front yard into a full pirate ship with a talking skeleton captain. Another used a fog machine to send little ghosts drifting across the lawn, At one mansion, a woman dressed as a fairy sprinkled biodegradable glitter over the kids’ candy bags “for extra Halloween magic.”

By the tenth house, both candy bags were noticeably heavier.

“Astra…” Lucas puffed out. “My arm is getting muscles.”

I eyed the bulging bag swinging from his hand. “That’s called carrying five pounds of chocolate.”

He considered it for a second. “Still worth it!”

We kept going, house after house, until the bags grew so full they had to take turns carrying them. Lucas insisted he wasn’t tired. “I’m just… conserving superhero energy.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I am!”

Mason yawned so widely his wizard hat nearly slipped over his eyes. “I appear to be running out of energy.”

Lucas immediately yawned too. “I am not copying him.”

The streetlights flickered on as the evening deepened. Lucas’s cape dragged slightly behind him now, and Mason’s steps had lost their earlier bounce. Both boys were still smiling, but they were running on pure sugar and stubbornness.

I glanced at my watch. 7:02 p.m.

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14:51 Mon, Jul 20 JT.

Chapter 149

“I think,” I said gently, “that’s enough Halloween for one night.”

For a moment they were silent and I braced for protests.

Instead, Lucas sighed. “…Okay.”

Mason nodded right away. “I agree.”

I blinked. No arguments?

“You two really are tired.”

“We’re not,” Lucas said, already fighting another yawn. “We’re simply… walking slower.”

“A very scientific observation,” Mason murmured sleepily.

I giggled. “Come on then.”

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Each boy slipped a small hand into mine, and we started the walk home beneath the glowing streetlights, their heavy candy bags bumping softly against their legs.

By the time the Ashton mansion came into view, warm light spilled from every window and the front door stood open. Elira was in the foyer, holding a large bowl of candy while two tiny witches accepted handfuls with delighted squeals.

“Happy Halloween!” she called after them, then looked up. “There are my boys!”

“Mooom!”

Lucas and Mason broke into the slowest, most exhausted run two eight-year-olds carrying mountains of candy could manage. They crashed into her with proud grins.

“Look!” Lucas thrust his bag forward. “Look how much we got!”

“And we met a magician,” Mason added.

“A real one!” Lucas insisted. “He turned a leaf into a dove!”

“And made chocolate appear!”

They talked over each other so fast the words blurred together. Elira laughed, trying to keep up.

“It sounds like you had the most wonderful evening.”

“We did!”

Lucas finally spotted the enormous bowl of candy beside her. His eyes widened with fresh hope.

Elira caught the look and burst out laughing. “No, mister. That bowl is for the other children.”

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