The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

ASTRA

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The Gridiron was already buzzing by the time I started my shift on Sunday afternoon. The lunch crowd had thinned, but the early dinner rush was picking up, families, groups of friends, and a few Harrington students still celebrating the win.

I moved between tables with my notepad, smiling politely, taking orders, and trying my best to stay focused. The short black skirt still felt too tight, the white polo a little too snug across my chest, but I was getting used to the constant movement. My feet already ached, but the tips were decent, and that was what mattered.

I was refilling water at Table 7 when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“Astra!”

I turned, and my face instantly lit up.

Jason stood near the entrance, waving with that easy, charming smile. He looked good, casual jeans, a dark hoodie, violet eyes bright even from across the room. He’d told me yesterday he’d try to stop by, and seeing a friendly face in the middle of all this chaos made my shoulders relax.

I waved back, unable to hide my smile. “Hey! You came!”

He grinned and found a booth in my section. I quickly finished with my current table and headed over to him, notepad in hand.

“Hi,” I said, a little breathless. “I can’t believe you actually showed up.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he replied, leaning back in the booth, eyes warm. “You look great in the uniform, by the way. Very official.”

My cheeks heated. “Stop. It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s cute,” he corrected with a soft laugh. “So… how’s your first real shift going, President?”

“Chaotic,” I admitted, laughing quietly, “But not terrible. The tips are helping. What can I get you?”

He ordered a burger basket and a Coke, still smiling at me like I was the best part of his day. I wrote it down, feeling lighter than I had all afternoon.

“I’ll get that right out,” I said, tucking the notepad away.

As I turned to leave, Jason gently caught my wrist just for a second.

“Hey,” he said softly. “If it gets too much, just let me know. I can hang around until your shift ends if you want company on the way home.”

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Chapter 25

islushed harder. “Thank you. Really. I’H be okay.”

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I hurried off to put in his order, heart doing little flips. Jason was so… nice, safe and easy to talk to.

Unlike a certain someone who made my pulse race for all the wrong reasons.

I spent the next twenty minutes rushing between tables, smiling through the soreness in my legs and the occasional crude comment from a group of guys. Every time I passed Jason’s booth, he’d give me a little encouraging smile or a thumbs up, which helped more than he probably knew.

“You don’t get to let other men touch you…”

I shook the thought away.

He didn’t own me.

No matter how much he tried to act like he did.

It was finally my lunch break. I slipped out to the small staff area behind the restaurant, a quiet corner with a couple of benches under a shady tree. I sat down with my small sketchpad, the one I carried everywhere, and let my pencil move freely.

I was drawing a scene from *Jujutsu Kaisen, Gojo in that signature blindfold, mid–fight, with exaggerated dramatic lines. My fingers moved fast, the familiar comfort of drawing calming my nerves after the chaotic day.

“Wow… you drew this?”

I jumped at the voice.

Jason stood a few feet away, holding two cans of soda, eyes wide as he stared at my sketchpad.

I blushed hard, quickly closing it halfway. “It’s nothing. Just doodling.”

“Nothing?” He sat beside me on the bench, clearly impressed. “Astra, that’s insane. You’re extremely talented. The lines, the shading… it looks like it came straight from a professionalmanga.”

My cheeks burned hotter. “I just really like anime and manhwa. It’s a hobby.”

He handed me one of the sodas, still staring at the half–closed pad. “Can I see more?”

I hesitated, then shyly opened it again. He flipped through slowly, eyes lighting up at every page.

“You’re crazy good,” he said. “Seriously. Have you thought about doing this as a career? Like becoming a manhwa artist or illustrator?”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “I wish. But… I want to study something more stable in college. Business or accounting maybe. Something that can actually make money. I need to be practical,”

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Chapter 25-

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fasun frowned: “Why? You clearly have a gift. You could do digital art, webtoons, even animation. You don’t have to give that up.”

I shrugged, not wanting to explain the real reason, Mom’s endless medical bills and my too large

debts.

“It’s just… safer this way,” I said vaguely

He didn’t push, but I could tell he wanted to.

We fell into easy conversation after that. Turns out Jason was a huge manga fan too.

“I watched *Takopi’s Original Sin* because a friend recommended it,” he said, grimacing. “That was disturbing as hell.”

I laughed. “I loved it! The twists were insane.”

“You’ve lost your goddamn mind, woman,” he teased, nudging my shoulder. “That shit was traumatizing.”

We spent the rest of my break talking about our favorites, me gushing about *Jujutsu Kaisen*, *Demon Slayer*, and my secret guilty pleasure of reading BL manhwa. Jason preferred classic shonen and sports manga. The conversation flowed so naturally I almost forgot I was at work.

Eventually I checked the time and sighed. “I should get back. My break’s almost over.”

Jason stood with me. “Thanks for letting me crash your lunch. You made my day.”

I smiled shyly. “Thanks for coming. It was nice having someone normal to talk to.”

As we walked back toward the restaurant entrance, I teased lightly, “By the way… looking at your car and the way you dress, you’re definitely from a rich home, pretty boy. Am I wrong?”

Jason smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes this time.

“Yeah… we lived in London before this. My dad got transferred to work at one of the Ashton company branches here. So here we are.”

I nodded, sensing there was more to the story, but I didn’t push.

“Must be nice,” I said softly.

He shrugged. “It has its moments.”

We walked back inside The Gridiron together. The lunch rush was still going strong, the air thick with the smell of burgers and fried food. I was about to head back to my section when my eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting alone in a corner booth.

Zane.

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11:35 am

Chapter 24 – Se

He was slouched casually, phone in hand, scrolling. Even in simple clothes, a black fitted t–shirt that stretched across his broad chest and strong biceps, and dark jeans, he looked ridiculously handsome. The small silver hoop earring in his left ear caught the light every time he moved his head. His hair was still slightly messy, and the way the shirt clung to his ripped arms and shoulders made my mouth go dry.

I stiffened instantly.

Jason noticed right away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just… saw someone I know.”

Jason glanced in Zane’s direction but didn’t push. He gave me a small nod and headed to an empty booth.

I tried to focus. I attended to two other tables first, refilling drinks, taking a new order, smiling through the nerves before I had no choice but to go to Zane’s booth.

My heart was pounding as I stopped in front of him, notepad ready.

He looked up slowly.

And God… up close he was even more devastating. The black t–shirt hugged every hard line of muscle. His biceps flexed slightly as he set his phone down. That silver earring glinted under the lights. His green eyes dragged over me, from my ponytail down to the short black skirt and back up again slowly and deliberately.

I scolded myself internally. *Stop gawking, Astra. He’s an asshole. A cruel, arrogant asshole.*

But my stupid body didn’t listen. Heat crawled up my neck.

Zane’s jaw ticked. His voice came out low and rough.

“What’s that boy doing here?”

I blinked. “What?”

He gestured with his chin toward Jason’s booth, eyes narrowing. “Pretty boy over there. Following you again?”

I frowned, gripping my notepad tighter. “It’s a bar, Zane. He’s here to eat. Like everyone else.”

Zane leaned back in the booth, arms spreading across the backrest, making his biceps and chest look even bigger. His gaze stayed locked on me, dark and intense.

“Will he coming here a lot now that you work here?” he asked, voice deceptively calm.

I swallowed. “He’s my friend. And it’s none of your business.”

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11:35 am P P P P

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