The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 190

The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback

ONE NIGHT TO SURVIVE

ZANE

I almost made it.

The hallway was quiet, my bedroom only a few steps away, the present tucked safely against my side.

Then Astra’s door opened.

She stepped out just as I reached mine. I shifted the bag behind my back without thinking.

Fuck.

Her gaze followed the movement, dropping to my arm before lifting back to my face with far too much interest.

“What are you doing?”

“Going to my room.”

She tilted her head. “Then why are you hiding your hand?”

“I’m not.”

“You moved it the second you saw me.”

So much for subtle.

I reached for the door handle. Astra started toward me.

“What’s behind your back?”

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

“Zane.”

The warning in my name almost made me smile.

“What?”

“You’re hiding something from me.”

“That sounds like an accusation.”

“It is.”

I turned toward my room. She followed without hesitation.

“Where did you go earlier?”

“Out.”

“I know. I saw you leave.” Her eyes flicked toward the hand still hidden behind me. “You came back with something.”

“Maybe.”

“That looked suspiciously like a bag before you shoved it behind your back.”

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“You seem very interested in what I’m doing today.”

“I’m curious.”

“Dangerous habit.”

Color crept into her cheeks. She hadn’t forgotten I’d caught her watching me leave earlier.

I kept myself between her and the present while reaching for the handle, but she stepped closer before I could escape.

“Can I see it?”

“No.”

“Please?”

The soft way she asked nearly got me.

Nearly.

She tried to lean around me. I shifted to block her. She moved the other way; I followed. A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth when she realized what I was doing.

“You’re seriously not going to let me see?”

“Not a chance.”

“Why?”

“Because some things require patience.”

“I have patience.”

I looked at her.

She lasted two seconds before her smile broke through.

“Okay, maybe not a lot.”

“Exactly.”

I could practically see the questions multiplying behind those blue eyes. If I stayed out here much longer, she was going to figure the whole thing out.

I opened my door.

“Go downstairs, Trouble.”

“But-”

“Tomorrow.”

The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Astra went quiet.

Dammit.

Her eyes narrowed. “What happens tomorrow?”

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“Nothing.”

“You just said-”

“Goodbye, Astra.”

I stepped inside and shut the door before she could interrogate another word out of me.

Her offended voice came through immediately

“Zane!”

A laugh escaped me as I leaned against the wood, the present still safely hidden.

“You are terrible at keeping secrets,” she informed me.

“And yet you still don’t know what it is.”

“Give me five minutes.”

“That confident?”

“Yes.”

I shook my head, already smiling. “Go away.”

She muttered something I couldn’t make out before her footsteps finally moved down the hallway.

Σ

I waited until they faded, then crossed the room and found somewhere she wouldn’t stumble across the present- accidentally or deliberately.

Once I was satisfied, I pulled out my phone.

Mom had been busy.

**Mom:** Cake is ordered.

**Mom: The boys have taken responsibility for balloons.

**Mom:** Everything will be ready tomorrow. Nothing excessive, I promise.

Good.

Another message came through.

**Mom:** She deserves a good birthday after everything that happened.

The humor disappeared.

My eyes drifted toward the bedroom door.

Yeah.

She did.

**Me: Yeah. She does.

Mom sent a heart.

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I put my phone away and glanced at the hiding place.

One night.

That was all I had to survive.

Considering she’d already pulled “tomorrow” out of me in under five minutes, my chances of keeping the rest from her weren’t looking great.

A soft knock sounded against the door.

I turned toward it, already knowing exactly who was on the other side. “What do you want, Trouble?”

“I forgot something.” Astra called through the door.

“In my room?”

There was a pause long enough to make me suspicious. “Yes.”

Bullshit.

I kept the door firmly shut. “And what exactly did you forget in here?”

She took so long answering I could practically hear her inventing something.

“My dignity,” she finally said, voice so sweet a laugh nearly escaped me.

“You lost that years ago.”

“Then maybe it’s been in there this whole time. Can I come look?”

“No.”

Her laughter slipped through the door, pulling a smile from me before I could stop it.

“Fine. Keep your stupid secret.”

“I plan to.”

Her footsteps retreated, but I knew Astra well enough not to believe she’d given up that easily.

After a few seconds I opened the door and stepped into the corridor. She had almost reached the corner, moving with far too much purpose for someone who’d supposedly accepted defeat.

“Astra.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “What?”

“Where are you going?”

“Downstairs.” The tiny smile pulling at her mouth did nothing to convince me.

I leaned against the doorframe. “You’re planning something.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t.”

Her smile grew as she backed toward the corner. “Maybe you should learn to trust me.”

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“I’d have an easier time doing that if you didn’t look so fucking pleased with yourself.”

Astra laughed and disappeared around the corner.

I stayed until the sound of her footsteps carried down the stairs. Only when I was certain she’d actually gone downstairs did I return to my room and lock the door behind me.

Keeping one birthday present hidden from Astra Hawthorne should not have required this much security.

୦

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