The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 31

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10:21 Fri, Jul 3

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

ASTRA

I couldn’t breathe properly for the rest of the Science Lab.

Every time Zane’s fingers brushed my knee under the table, my entire body locked up harder.

The worst part?

It wasn’t just fear anymore.

And I hated myself for that.

The second the bell rang, I shot up from my seat so fast my chair nearly toppled backward.

I shoved my books into my bag with shaky hands, refusing to look at him even though I could feel his stare burning into the side of my face.

“Running away already, Trash-tra?” His low voice slid over me like dark silk.

I ignored him and zipped my bag, heart pounding.

But before I could take a single step, his hand landed on the desk beside mine, not touching me, but close enough to trap me in place. His broad frame leaned over my shoulder, caging me without even trying.

“Look at me,” he murmured, voice so quiet only I could hear it.

I hated how my body reacted. The way my pulse spiked. The way heat crawled up my neck and the way a tiny, sick part of me actually wanted to obey.

So I didn’t.

I kept my eyes glued to my bag and whispered, “You’re insane.”

A low, amused chuckle brushed against my ear.

“Maybe,” he said softly. “But you liked it.”

My face burned instantly.

“I did not.”

“Liar.”

The word was barely a breath, but it hit me like a spark against dry grass.

I finally snapped my head up and met his eyes, bright green, intense, and far too close. For a second, the rest of the classroom disappeared. There was only him and the cruel curve of his mouth and the way he looked at me like he could see every shameful thought I was trying to hide.

My breath caught.

Zane’s gaze dropped to my lips for half a second before flicking back up. His smirk deepened, slow and dangerous.

“Keep lying to yourself, Trash-tra,” he whispered. “We both know the truth.”

Then he straightened up, giving me just enough space to breathe again.

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1

10:21 Fri, Jul 3

Chapter 31

I didn’t wait another second.

I clutched my bag to my chest and practically ran out of the science lab, legs shaky, cheeks flaming, and his dark chuckle following me all the way into the hallway.

My thigh still burned where his hand had rested.

And no matter how hard I tried to forget it….

I couldn’t.

Even though he’d only rested it there, not moving higher, not doing anything truly terrible it felt like he’d branded me. could still feel the imprint of his fingers, the way my pulse had raced against his palm like it was trying to betray me.

“Why didn’t I slap his hand away?*

“Why did I just sit there and let him?”

I hugged my books tighter to my chest as I hurried down the hallway, cheeks still flaming. Every step reminded me of how my leg had trembled under his touch. How my breathing had gone all weird. How I’d had to bite the inside of my cheek so wouldn’t make a sound.

I hated him.

I hated him.

So why was my body still buzzing like it had been electrocuted?

“Astra! Wait up!”

Jason’s voice cut through the noise of the hallway. I turned and saw him jogging toward me, that easy, kind smile on his face. The same smile that usually made my chest feel lighter.

Today it made me feel guilty.

“Hey,” he said, falling into step beside me. “You okay? You look… flushed.”

“I’m fine,” I lied quickly, forcing a smile. “Just hot in the lab, dissection stuff and Frogs are gross.”

He laughed softly, but his violet eyes studied me a little too closely. “Yeah, that must’ve been fun.”

Fun.

The word almost made me laugh in a broken way.

Jason had no idea. No one did.

We walked together toward the cafeteria, him talking about some manga he’d finished last night, me nodding along and trying my best to seem normal. But my mind kept replaying the lab. Zane’s breath on my ear. The low, mocking tone of his voice. The weight of his hand on my thigh like he had every right to put it there.

Like I belonged to him.

I shivered even though it wasn’t cold.

“You sure you’re okay?” Jason asked again, gentler this time. He reached out and lightly touched my arm. “You’ve been quiet.”

“I’m okay,” I said, squeezing his hand for a second before letting go. “Just tired. Long weekend with work and… everything.”

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Chapter 31

He nodded, understanding flickering across his face.

The cafeteria was louder than usual when we walked in. Groups of students were clustered together, whispering excitedly. phones out. It wasn’t the normal lunchtime chaos. Something was clearly going on.

“What’s happening?” I asked, frowning as I looked around. “Why is everyone acting weird?”

Jason glanced at the clusters of people, then back at me with a small, surprised smile. “Oh, you didn’t hear?”

“Hear what?”

He leaned in a little, voice low. “Zane Ashton dumped Maya this morning. Right in the parking lot in front of everyone Told her it was over and walked away like she was nothing.”

My eyes went wide. My mouth actually fell open.

“What?”

Zane and Maya had been together for as long as I could remember. She was always hanging off his arm, calling him “baby posting pictures of them like they were royalty. They were “that” couple. The golden, untouchable one.

“What happened?” I whispered before I could stop myself.

Jason shrugged. “No one knows for sure but I heard it was brutal.”

I pushed the thought away hard. I didn’t care. I shouldn’t care. Whatever game Zane was playing had nothing to do with me.

We got in line for food, and I tried to focus on picking something that wouldn’t make me feel even sicker. Jason was still chatting easily beside me, making me smile despite everything. We grabbed our trays, chicken pasta for him, a simple salad and fruit for me and started heading back toward an empty table near the windows

That’s when I saw them.

Maya and her crew were walking straight toward us, Maya in the lead with red-rimmed eyes and pure venom on her face. I immediately tried to step aside, pressing closer to Jason to give them plenty of space.

But Maya didn’t veer.

She shoulder-checked me hard, her body slamming into mine with deliberate force. I stumbled, tray wobbling in my hands.

“Get out of the way, fatty,” she hissed, loud enough for the tables around us to hear.

Before I could steady myself, she shoved me again, harder.

My tray flew out of my hands.

Time seemed to slow.

The entire cafeteria went dead silent.

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