Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 110

hapter 110

Chapter 110

Jackson

:

Z 4༡

E55 vouchers

Benny’s was packed like it always was on Sundays – football guys crammed into booths, someone’s little brother running between tables, the smell of syrup and burnt coffee in the air.

It was exactly the kind of normal I needed.

Noah sat across from me, pushing scrambled eggs around his plate, his baseball cap pulled low like he could hide from the world. I didn’t blame him. If I saw one more post, one more comment, I might throw my phone through the diner window.

“Dude,” I said, leaning back in the booth. “We should just delete our socials and move to Canada.”

Noah snorted. “You hate the cold.”

“Fine. Florida. Whatever. Somewhere without cell service.”

He cracked a small grin, which felt like a win. We’d spent half the night talking about everything and nothing – the fight, our parents, the team. Things still felt heavy between us, but at least we weren’t avoiding each other.

The bell above the diner door jingled, and I barely glanced up — until I heard a familiar laugh.

Mariah.

And Jessa.

The place got weirdly quiet as people noticed them — or, more accurately, noticed her. Jessa kept her chin up, pretending she didn’t see the way heads turned or phones lifted.

I swore under my breath. They should’ve stayed home.

Noah glanced toward the door. “Guess hiding isn’t her style.”

“Guess not,” I muttered, sliding out of the booth before I even thought about it.

Mariah caught sight of me almost instantly dangerous smile that usually meant trouble.

“Hey, Lombardi,” she said.

like she’d been looking for me. She smiled, that confident,

“Hey yourself,” I said slowly, trying to figure out what she was doing here. “Didn’t expect to—”

She didn’t let me finish.

Before I could blink, Mariah stepped right up to me, grabbed my shirt collar, and kissed me.

Right there.

17:57 Mon, Oct 20

Chapter 110

In the middle of Benny’s.

In front of half the damn senior class.

:

The place went dead silent. Forks clattered against plates. Someone gasped cheerleaders by the counter.

–

a

(4)

E55 vouchers

pretty sure it was one of the

–

—

Noah leaned over the booth toward her, muttering something that made her laugh and the tension in my shoulders finally loosened.

17:57 Mon, Oct 20

Chapter 110

Mariah nudged me with her elbow. “See? Worked like a charm.”

I shook my head, still dazed. “You’re insane.”

49

55 vouchers

“Maybe.” She sipped from her to–go coffee like she hadn’t just detonated a social bomb in the middle of the diner. “But admit it – it was a good plan.”

“Good?” I said, half–laughing, half–exasperated. “You just made sure everyone in school thinks we’re a thing now,”

Her grin turned softer. “And is that such a bad thing?”

That shut me up fast.

The noise in the diner picked back up — whispers, laughter, phones snapping pictures mattered anymore.

Because for the first time in a long time, I didn’t care what people were saying.

Mariah Morales had just kissed me in front of everyone, and I’d kissed her right back.

And damn if that didn’t feel pretty good.

but none of it

AD