The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

ASTRA

“Damn,” Elizabeth muttered beside me as she adjusted the stack of blue rally towels in her arms. “The tension between Zane and Ryan is still insane.”

I tore my eyes away from the clipboard in my hands and looked toward the field again.

Zane stood near the fifty-yard line with the Harrington team, helmet tucked under one arm, dark hair messy from warmups. Even from here, I could see the sharpness in his posture, the way his shoulders stayed tense like he was one wrong word away from violence.

Then my gaze drifted to the opposite side of the field.

Ryan Sinclair.

Westbridge’s quarterback captain.

Tall.

Blond.

Broad shoulders stretching under his white-and-green jersey. He had that same arrogant confidence most football stars seemed born with, moving across the field like he already owned the game before it started.

The home crowd absolutely adored him too.

Girls screamed every time he jogged past the stands.

He waved once with a smug grin and the entire student section practically lost their minds.

I blinked slowly.

“…Okay, wow.”

Priya immediately turned toward me with betrayal in her eyes. “Excuse me?”,

“What?” I said defensively. “I have functioning eyeballs. He’s objectively attractive.”

Chloe snorted so loudly she nearly dropped the glow sticks she was sorting.

I quickly looked away, cheeks warming slightly.

“What’s the tension about?” I asked Elizabeth, trying to sound casual.

Priya, who was sorting through glow stick packets nearby, cut in before Elizabeth could answer.

“Oh, it’s legendary,” she said, eyes sparkling with gossip. “Last year during the away game here, Zane and Ryan got into a massive fight on the field after a play. No one really knows what started it, some say Ryan talked shit about Zane’s parents. others say it was about a girl. But they beat the hell out of each other. Zane broke Ryan’s nose. It was so bad they had to stop the game for a few minutes. Both teams almost rioted.”

Chloe nodded quietly from where she was organizing water bottles. “It was brutal. They’ve hated each other since freshman year.”

I glanced back at the field.

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Zane was in the middle of a drill, arm cocked back, looking every bit the untouchable captain. Powerful. Focused. Dangerous.

Then I looked away again, heart fluttering uncomfortably.

Stop thinking about him.”

I forced myself to focus on the work in front of me.

“Alright,” I said, clearing my throat and turning back to the committee. “Let’s finish setting up the student section before the stands get too full. Elizabeth, you’re on banner placement. Priya, make sure the glow sticks and face paint stations are ready. Chloe, double-check the concession coordination. Jason, can you help with the heavy lifting for the extra coolers?”

Jason grinned at me, already rolling up his sleeves. “On it, President.”

We all got to work. The energy in the visitor stands was electric but chaotic, students pouring in, music blasting from the speakers, the smell of hot dogs and popcorn filling the air. I moved between tasks, checking off items on my list, making sure everything was in place for a strong away game atmosphere.

Even while working, I could feel the weight of eyes on me from the field.

Zane’s eyes.

But I didn’t look back.

Not once.

The referee’s whistle eventually cut through the noise.

Both teams gathered at their sidelines. The national anthem played. The crowd roared as the players took the field for the

coin toss.

The game was starting.

The moment the whistle blew, the stadium exploded.

The sound hit me all at once, screaming crowds, blaring music, stomping feet shaking the bleachers beneath us. Blue-and- silver Harrington students waved rally towels wildly from the visitor section while the Westbridge side screamed back just as loud.

I stood near the visitor sideline with my committee, clipboard clutched tightly in my hands. We had seats reserved in the front row of the visitor stands close enough to coordinate everything but far enough from the field that we wouldn’t get trampled. Elizabeth was on my left, Priya bouncing excitedly beside her, Chloe quietly organizing extra towels, and Jason standing protectively near me with a box of glow sticks.

And honestly?

It was kind of exhilarating.

I wasn’t a huge sports fan. I’d never had time for games before between school, deliveries, hospital visits, and trying to survive, football had always felt like something that belonged to other people.

But now?

Now I was actually watching.

And God.

I finally understood why people got obsessed with this.

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Chapter 44

The stadium lights blazed overhead, reflecting against helmets and polished turf. The marching bands screamed from opposite sides of the field. The air smelled like cold grass, popcorn, sweat, and adrenaline.

The crowd roared like a living thing. And when Harrington’s offense took the field, my eyes locked onto one jersey immediately.

Number 7.

Zane.

The second the ball snapped, everything changed.

Zane moved fast, faster than anyone else on the field. One second he was stepping back, eyes scanning the defense, and the next his arm launched forward with terrifying precision.

The football spiraled perfectly through the air.

Touchdown.

The Harrington side erupted.

“Oh my God!” Priya screamed beside me, almost spilling her drink everywhere. “THAT MAN IS SO HOT IT’S UNFAIR!”

I stared as Zane jogged backward with his teammates swarming him, helmet tucked under one arm now while the crowd roared his name.

ASHTON! ASHTON! ASHTON!

Heat curled strangely in my stomach.

Because he looked….

happy.

Not cruel.

Not mocking.

Not terrifying.

Just alive.

And somehow that version of him was even more dangerous.

Westbridge answered hard during the next drive.

Ryan Sinclair was good.

Really good.

He moved differently than Zane, smoother, cockier, constantly playing to the crowd. Every completed pass had the home stands screaming louder. Every touchdown celebration looked designed specifically to make girls faint.

And annoyingly?

It worked.

“Oh he’s definitely a menace.” Chloe admitted while chewing popcorn.

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Chapter 44

Priya gasped dramatically. “Traitor.”

“I said what I said.”

I looked toward the field again just as Ryan threw another perfect pass downfield.

The home crowd exploded.

Ryan turned toward the stands with that smug grin again, lifting both arms while Westbridge screamed his name.

The rivalry between them was obvious every single snap. They glared at each other across the line of scrimmage like they wanted to kill each other.

It was intense.

Exhilarating.

I found myself leaning forward, breath caught in my throat every time Zane dropped back. I wasn’t supposed to care this much. I wasn’t even supposed to be watching him.

But I couldn’t look away.

By halftime, the score was nearly tied.

The stadium buzzed with energy while both teams headed toward their locker rooms. Cheerleaders rushed onto the field for performances while committee members scrambled to restock drinks and organize halftime supplies.

“Okay!” Elizabeth clapped her hands quickly. “Water runs. Let’s move before the second half starts.”

Immediately everyone split into motion.

Jason and a few committee members started hauling coolers while Priya handed out sports drinks. Chloe disappeared toward concessions.