Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Jessa

For once, walking into school didn’t feel like stepping onto a battlefield.

The air was different lighter, somehow. Maybe it was because Marlah and I were still laughing about yesterday at Benny’s. Or maybe because for once, the stares didn’t make my stomach twist.

People were still whispering, sure. Phones still larzzed. But after everything that had gone down the drama, the kiss, the online mess–it all just felt… small..

I wasn’t hiding anymore.

Mariah and I made our way down the hall toward our lockers, coffee cups in hand. She looked amazing, as usual

hair shiny, eyes bright, confidence practically glowing off her. I was proud of her. Proud of both of us, honestly.

We’d survived a storm, and somehow, we’d come out the other side stronger.

Jackson walked up the hall from the other direction, his backpack slung over one shoulder, his usual swagger in place. A few people glanced at him, then at Mariah, like they were waiting for confirmation of what everyone had seen at Benny’s.

i

They got it.

As he passed by us, he brushed his hand along Mariah’s arm just the lightest touch, but the look they shared said everything. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she ducked her head, trying to hide the smile that betrayed her.

I couldn’t help laughing. “You’re so gone for him.”

“Shut up,” she said, trying not to grin. “You think anyone noticed?”

“Half the hallway just melted,” I teased. “You two might as well get matching shirts.”

She rolled her eyes, but her blush only deepened.

I spun my combination and pulled open my locker. For once, the steady hurn of voices didn’t sound like gossip. It just sounded like normal noise.

I could handle normal.

Then, of course, Daniel had to ruin it.

“Wow,” his voice drawled behind us. “Would you look at this?”

I closed my eyes for half a second, already feeling the mood shift.

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He was leaning against the lockers across from us, arms crossed, smirk locked in for his big moment.

ike he’d been waiting

“My boys have apparently decided to start some kind of loser outreach program,” he said loudly enough for half the hallway to hear. “First, Noah hooks up with the chunky Lombardi twin, and now Jackson’s playing tongue hockey with the string bean Morales? What’s next? We all volunteer at the Island of Misfit Toys?”

A few people snickered. Most didn’t. But that didn’t stop him- Daniel thrived on his own noise.

“I mean seriously,” he went on, pretending to look around, “Did I miss a memo or something? Since when do popular people settle for-”

“Careful,” I said, slamming my locker door hard enough to make him flinch.

The hallway went quiet.

I turned toward him slowly, every ounce of fake confidence I’d been pretending to have over the years suddenly replaced with something real- anger, sure, but also calm. Steady.

“You think you’re not a loser, Daniel?” I asked, stepping closer.

He tilted his head, that smug grin still in place. “Pretty sure I’m not the one who gets winded walking up stairs.”

I ignored the jab. “Funny,” I said. “Because I remember a time when you were the biggest loser in third grade. Remember that? You used to eat your own boogers at lunch. You cried when someone called you ‘Snot Rocket.“”

That earned a few surprised laughs from the people nearby. Daniel’s face flushed.

“Yeah,” I said, smiling now. “You’d sit at the corner table, wiping your nose on your sleeve, pretending it was cool. Everyone made fun of you.”

He scowled. “I outgrew that.”

“Right,”

“I said, stepping closer until I was standing just in front of him. “You outgrew eating your boogers. But you never outgrew being disgusting.”

Before I could think twice, I drove my knee hard right into his crotch.

People started clapping.

It started with Mariah–sharp, slow claps, her grin wide. Then Jackson, from a few lockers down, joined in. Then Noah. Then half the hallway.

I just stood there, heat rushing to my face–part adrenaline, part disbelief as the noise rolled through the crowd. Daniel straightened up slowly, glaring, but even he knew he’d lost.

He muttered something under his breath and stalked off, still holding his groin. A few people called after him, mocking applause chasing him down the hall.

Noah came up next, grinning like he’d just watched the best scene in a movie. “You good?”

I nodded, finally letting out a laugh. “Yeah. Actually, I’m great.”

–

He smiled, and for a second, it felt like the whole world had narrowed to just that him, the warmth in his eyes, and the sense that maybe I wasn’t invisible anymore. Not because of him, or Jackson, or Mariah. But because I finally stood up for myself.

The bell rang, scattering everyone toward their classes, but the energy lingered. I could feel it following me down the hall – whispers, laughter, high–fives.

“Guess you‘

you’re trending again,” Mariah teased as we walked to first period.

“Good,” I said, smirking, “Maybe this time it’s for the right reason.”

She bumped my shoulder. “Oh, it’s definitely for the right reason. You kneed Daniel Young in the balls in front of half the junior class. You’re basically a legend now.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Great. I’ve peaked.”

“Hey,” she said with a grin. “If you’re gonna peak, do it in style.”

When we reached our classroom, I caught sight of Noah down the hall with Jackson. They were both watching us – Noah with that quiet smile that made my stomach flutter, and Jackson trying not to laugh as another student mimed Daniel’s high–pitched yelp.

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Chapter 114

I grinned back and turned to Mariah. “Guess this week’s gonna be interesting.”

She smirked. “You have no idea.”

And for the first time in a long time, I actually couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

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