Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 128

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Practice had chewed us up and spit us out. The locker room reeked of sweat, wet turf, and muscle rub, the kind of smell that got into your skin no matter how hard you showered. Guys were peeling off pads, joking, throwing towels, but the energy was different tonight–edgy, quiet in places where it usually wasn’t.

I sat on the bench, elbows on my knees, staring down at my taped hands. Another long week. Another storm of noise we didn’t ask for.

Jackson dropped down next to me with a groan, helmet dangling from his fingers. “That last set was brutal.”

“Coach isn’t letting up,” I muttered.

“He’s pissed,” Jackson said. “We’ve been giving him reasons to be.”

I glanced up. “You mean me.”

He didn’t deny it. “You, me, Daniel… all of us, really. The whole thing at the party. The social–media crap afterward. He’s catching heat from the athletic director, and that means we get it worse.”

I dragged a towel over my face. “Guess I can’t blame him.”

Jackson leaned back against the lockers, letting his head thud softly against the metal. “We used to just play ball, man. No drama. No stupid rumors. No one filming every damn thing we do.”

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “Now everything’s a highlight reel or a headline.”

He looked at me then–really looked. “You and my sister… that’s still happening?”

I froze for a second. “You got a problem with that?”

Jackson sighed. “I told you before–it’s weird. But not in a bad way anymore. Just… different. I’m trying, man. She deserves someone who gives a damn about her.”

“I do.”

“I know.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Just don’t let it mess up what you’re working for. You’re a lock for state scholarships if you keep your head straight. Coach keeps telling recruiters you’ve got discipline. Prove him right.”

That one stung

ng a little–not because he was wrong, but because I’d been hearing that word a lot lately. Discipline. Like I was always one second away from losing it.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll try.”

He gave me a small grin. “Try harder.”

I grabbed my duffel and stood, and he followed. Most of the guys were already gone, just a few stragglers showering or scrolling their phones.

Outside, the air was cool, the sky streaked orange and purple. It felt like the whole town was slowing down while

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my mind refused to.

Jackson nudged my shoulder as we crossed the lot. “Hey, you’re good, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He smirked. “Liar.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Go home, Lombardi.”

He tossed a salute over his shoulder and headed for his truck. I watched his taillights fade toward the main road, then turned toward mine, parked a few rows over.

The lot was mostly empty now. Just a few cars and the hum of the stadium lights cooling down.

I was maybe ten feet from my truck when I heard it.

“Yo, Carter.”

I didn’t need to turn to know the voice.

Daniel.

I clenched my jaw and kept walking.

“Come on, man, don’t ignore me.”

Still walking.

He stepped into my path, blocking me. “You got a minute?”

I exhaled sharply. “Make it fast.”

He had that smirk–the one that used to make teachers sigh and girls roll their eyes. “Just curious, dude. You and Jessa Lombardi? For real?”

“Yeah,” I said. “For real.”

He gave a low whistle, shaking his head like I’d just told him the dumbest thing he’d ever heard. “Man, I don’t get you. Lombardi’s sister? You so hard up for pussy you decided to scrape the bottom of the barrel?”

The words hit harder than they should’ve. Maybe because he said it like it was fact, like she was something disposable.

My bag hit the ground with a dull thud. “You wanna try that again?”

Daniel lifted his hands, smirking wider. “I’m just saying, bro. You could have anyone. Literally anyone. But you go for the girl everybody used to clown on? Doesn’t make sense.”

TH

“Maybe it doesn’t have to,” I said.

But he was warming up now, pacing a few feet back and forth like he was building steam. “You don’t get how this works, Carter. You’ve got scouts watching you. Recruiters calling Coach. You keep this up, you’re gonna tank

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hapter 128

my mind refused to.

Jackson nudged my shoulder as we crossed the lot. “Hey, you’re good, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He smirked. “Liar.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Go home, Lombardi.”

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He tossed a salute over his shoulder and headed for his truck. I watched his taillights fade toward the main road, then turned toward mine, parked a few rows over.

The lot was mostly empty now. Just a few cars and the hum of the stadium lights cooling down.

I was maybe ten feet from my truck when I heard it.

“Yo, Carter.”

I didn’t need to turn to know the voice.

Daniel.

I clenched my jaw and kept walking.

“Come on, man, don’t ignore me.”

Still walking

He stepped into my path, blocking me. “You got a minute?”

1 exhaled sharply. “Make it fast.”

He had that smirk–the one that used to make teachers sigh and girls roll their eyes. “Just curious, dude. You and Jessa Lombardi? For real?”

“Yeah,” I said. “For real.”

He gave a low whistle, shaking his head like I’d just told him the dumbest thing he’d ever heard. “Man, I don’t get you. Lombardi’s sister? You so hard up for pussy you decided to scrape the bottom of the barrel?”

The words hit harder than they should’ve. Maybe because he said it like it was fact, like she was something disposable.

My bag hit the ground with a dull thud. “You wanna try that again?”

Daniel lifted his hands, smirking wider. “I’m just saying, bro. You could have anyone. Literally anyone. But you go for the girl everybody used to clown on? Doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to,” I said.

But he was warming up now, pacing a few feet back and forth like he was building steam. “You don’t get how this works, Carter. You’ve got scouts watching you. Recruiters calling Coach. You keep this up, you’re gonna tank

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your own stock. Football’s not just talent–it’s brand. You think a college program wants their poster boy dating the chubby twin with all the baggage?”

“shut up.

He ignored me. “Hell, half the team’s still laughing about you going soft. You think they’re gonna respect you in the locker room when you’re holding hands with the punchline?”

“Shut. Up.”

He grinned like he’d just scored a point. “There it is. Hit a nerve, didn’t I? You’re trying so hard to play hero, but we both know it’s guilt. You used to make fun of her too, man. Don’t look at me like you didn’t.”

My chest tightened. The truth in that one line stung more than anything else he’d said.

“Yeah,” he went on, “I remember. Freshman year, right? You and Jackson laughing at the nickname someone gave her. You think that girl forgot that?”

I took a step toward him, fists curling at my sides. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said. “You’re trying to fix your image. Make yourself look like the nice guy who grew a conscience. But this “he waved a hand in the air, “-this thing with her? It’s not gonna last. You’ll wake up one day and realize you tanked everything you worked for because you couldn’t keep it in your pants.

The rage came hot and fast. “You’re a piece of shit, you know that?”

Daniel laughed again, but there was a flicker of unease in it. “Yeah, well, at least I know who I am. You’re the one confused about it.”

“Get out of my way.”

He didn’t move. “You think Jackson’s okay with this? You think the team respects it? They don’t, man. They’re talking behind your back. You’re losing them.”

He saw it. Smirked. “See? You’re starting to get it. Reputation’s everything. You’ve got one shot at this, Carter. So don’t care how many pancakes you stack on the field if they think you’re drama off of it. And that’s what

I walked past him without another word. My pulse was pounding so loud I could barely hear the gravel crunching under my boots.

I threw my bag in the passenger seat of the truck and just stood there for a minute, gripping the doorframe, breathing hard.

Everything Daniel said kept looping through my head like static.

I started the engine, the rumble echoing through the empty lot. My hands tightened on the wheel as I looked back toward the dark field–the one place I still felt like I belonged,

“The look look.”

Mariah snorted. “You mean the one where a guy actually sees your sister as more than the snarky kid who hides in oversized hoodies? Yeah, that’s called progress.”

I shot her a glare, but she didn’t flinch.

“You know,” she went on, her voice softening just a bit, “she’s not invisible anymore. She’s starting to let people see her. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”

I shifted my jaw, uncomfortable with how right she sounded. “Maybe. But Noah? He’s–he’s not supposed to be part of that equation.”

“Would you rather it be Daniel?” she said lightly, but the second the name left her mouth, my jaw locked.

Mariah lifted both hands, feigning innocence. “Hey, just saying. Between Daniel and Noah, I think the universe picked the lesser of two idiots.”

I groaned. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Mariah leaned a shoulder against the locker beside me, her voice softer now. “Look, Jackson. You’ve spent your whole life looking out for Jessa. It’s who you are. But she’s growing up. You can’t protect her from everything or everyone.”

I looked away, staring at the scuffed tile floor. “Yeah, well, doesn’t mean I have to like it.‘

“No,” she said, “but maybe you can try to understand it.”

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There was something in her tone that made me glance back at her. Her expression wasn’t teasing anymore–it was calm, honest, a little bit knowing.

“You’re not losing her,” Mariah said quietly. “She’s just… finding herself. And maybe Noah’s a small part of that.”

For a second, I didn’t have anything to say. Because she was right, and I hated that she was right.

I exhaled hard, running a hand through my hair again. “You’re way too calm about all this.”

“I’m trying to balance the crazy,” she said with a grin. “One of us has to be the voice of reason.”

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“Since when are you the voice of reason?”

She shrugged. “Since you decided to make ‘glare and brood‘ your main form of communication.”

That earned her another half–laugh from me.

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She tilted her head, smirking a little. “And for the record, you’re not exactly subtle when you’re jealous.”

[froze. “Jealous?”

“Yeah.” Her smirk deepened. “Of Noah. You act like he’s taking something from you instead of realizing your sister finally has someone who treats her like she matters.”

I opened my mouth, ready to deny it, but the words didn’t come out. Because maybe, deep down, she was right again. Maybe it wasn’t just protectiveness–maybe it was the idea of someone stepping into the space I’d always reserved for watching out for Jessa.

Mariah must’ve seen something flicker across my face because she softened, bumping her shoulder into mine lightly. “Hey. You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

I let out a small laugh. “You give me way too much credit.”

“I give you just enough.” She hesitated, then added in a lower voice, “Besides… you’ve got other things to think about.”

“Like what?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Like the fact that I really liked making out with you last night.

That derailed every thought in my head. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh,” she teased, grinning when I blinked at her. “You’re a hell of a kisser, Lombardi. Kind of hard to focus on deep emotional wisdom when that’s still fresh in my mind.”

“Guess I’m good at multitasking,” I said, recovering with a smirk

Mariah chuckled, low and soft. “So modest.”

“Just honest.”

“Mm–hmm,” she hummed, clearly enjoying how flustered I was getting

Before I could think of a comeback, movement down the hall caught her attention. Noah was walking back toward the lockers, his bag slung over one shoulder, that easy smirk on his face that made me want to wipe it off half the time.

Mariah noticed too and gave me a teasing smile. “Well, speaking of your favorite person…”

“Don’t start,” I warned.

She laughed. “I’m not. Just… reminding you to breathe. Again.

“I’m breathing.” I said, though I probably wasn’t convincing.

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She took a small step back, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Good. Then I’ll let moment.”

I rolled my eyes, but she was already smiling as she started to walk away.

“See you later, Jackson,” she said, glancing back once.

“Yeah,” I said, trying not to let it sound like I actually didn’t want her to go. “See you, Mariah.”

She

gave me a quick grin and turned the corner just as Noal reached me.

your bromance

I exhaled a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and leaned back against the lockers again.

This day was already too complicated my best friend and my sister might be a thing, and the girl I definitely didn’t plan on liking kept making me smile when I should be losing my mind.

And somehow, I had a feeling it was only going to get messier from here.

Chapter 127