The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 156

10:15 Sat, Jul 25

Chapter 156

Chapter 156

ASTRA

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My eyelids felt impossibly heavy.

I struggled to open them, but they barely moved. A second attempt. Then a third. At last they parted, a dull ache pulsing behind my eyes as though someone had poured sand beneath my lids.

Where…

The thought fractured before it finished.

Moonlight filtered through thin curtains, turning the air silver and soft. Wooden floorboards stretched out beneath the bed, worn smooth in places, shadowed in others. Nothing looked familiar. The mattress under me was too firm. The air smelled faintly of dust, and like closed rooms that hadn’t been aired in weeks.

Not Harrington.

The realization landed like a sack of stones in my stomach.

I pushed myself up. The mattress complained under my weight, a low groan that seemed too loud in the dark

room.

My heart answered it with a hard kick against my ribs.

I swung my legs over the side and the second my bare feet touched the floor, the strength drained out of them. I caught the edge of the bed hard, fingers digging into the sheet, my breath coming short.

What’s going on?

Pieces surfaced in jagged flashes. The party, the cat and….then the clown.

Had I been kidnapped?

No, no, no, It had to be some kind of sick prank from some of the students.

I forced myself upright, one palm sliding along the wall for balance. Every floorboard announced me. Creak. Creak. Creak. My pulse slammed harder with each one. The door waited at the far end of the short room. My fingers closed around the cold metal knob and twisted.

Nothing.

I tried again but it was locked.

“No…” The sound scraped out of me, thin and useless. “Please. Let me out.”

Silence swallowed the plea.

Then, distant but clear: footsteps.

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10:15 Sat, Jul 25

Chapter 156

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Slow, even and drawing closer with no hurry at all.

I backed away until my calves hit the bed frame. The handle turned with a soft metallic click. The door swung inward on a whisper of hinges. Hallway light spilled across the threshold, and the clown stepped through it.

Same painted smile. Same empty eyes above it.

He carried a small tray. One glass of water and a plate with food that I didn’t care to examine.

“Stay back.” My voice shook so badly the words barely held shape. “Who are you? What do you want?”

He didn’t answer, instead he crossed the room as if I were furniture, set the tray carefully on the bedside table I hadn’t noticed before, and straightened.

Still nothing. No threat. No explanation. Just the soft clink of glass against wood and the weight of his silence filling every corner of the room until it felt harder to breathe.

Then he lifted one gloved hand and pointed to the glass.

“Drink.”

The single word scraped through the silence.

My eyes darted to the water. What if it was drugged? What if it was poisoned?

I shook my head so hard my hair slapped my cheeks. “N-no.”

He didn’t react.

“I said…” My voice trembled. “Who are you? What do you want from me?”

His expression never changed.

“Drink.”

My gaze flicked to the open doorway. “I… I’m just going to leave.” I took one cautious step. “I don’t know what you want, but I don’t have any money. If this is some kind of Halloween prank, it’s not funny anymore.” Another step. “I just want to go home.”

The moment I took a step towards the doorway, he stepped sideways and blocked it.

My heart lurched into my throat. “Please…”

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then: “Drink.”

Tears blurred my vision. “Please let me go. I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

He reached for the glass.

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10:15 Sat, Jul 25

Chapter 156

Panic exploded through me and I lunged for the doorway.

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Strong fingers closed around my wrist immediately and before I could even cry out, he yanked me backward. The world spun, and I hit the mattress with a startled gasp.

The glass sloshed violently, water splashing over his gloved hand and onto the wooden floor.

He was beside the bed in an instant and slid one arm behind my shoulders, lifting me slightly. The rim of the glass rested against my lips.

“You need to drink.”

My entire body shook and fresh tears streamed down my face.

Slowly, I parted my lips.

The first cool drop touched my tongue. Relief hit so suddenly it almost hurt. I hadn’t realised how desperately thirsty I was.

I swallowed. Then again and again.

Before I knew it, I was drinking in hurried swallows, emptying the glass until the last drop was gone..

He slowly pulled the glass away.

Only then did I realise I’d wrapped both hands around it at some point. My eyes followed it instinctively, almost disappointed to see it leave.

He set the empty glass back onto the tray with a soft clink, then picked up the plate.

A sandwich, fresh bread, ham, cheese, and a slice of tomato.

He held it toward me.

“Eat.”

I stared at it, my stomach twisting. The last thing I wanted was food. I needed answers. I needed my phone. I needed my mom.

“I-I’m not hungry.”

He didn’t move.

“Eat.”

His voice wasn’t louder. If anything, it was quieter and that somehow made it creepier.

My trembling fingers reached out and took the sandwich. I hesitated before taking a cautious bite.

It tasted… normal. Soft bread. Fresh vegetables. Nothing strange or bitter. Nothing that hinted at tampering

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Chapter 156

Within minutes, it was gone.

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He waited until I finished every last bite before taking the plate from my hands.

Without a single word, he turned toward the door, carrying the tray.

And fear crashed into me.

“W-wait!”

He kept walking.

I scrambled off the bed so quickly my knees almost buckled. “What do you want from me?” I cried. “My family doesn’t have any money!”

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