Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Jackson

Practice kicked my ass.

Coach had us running drills like we were training for the NFL Combine, and by the end, sweat was burning my eyes and my legs felt like concrete. I was ready to collapse, find food, and pretend homework didn’t exist.

Then I remembered Mariah had texted me.

Meet after practice.

And just like that, suddenly I wasn’t tired anymore. Or hungry. Or thinking about anything except her.

Which was… new. And kind of terrifying.

I changed fast, tossing my pads in my locker and running a hand through my hair until it didn’t look like I’d stuck my head in a blender. Noah glanced over once, gave me a knowing smirk, but he didn’t say anything.

Small mercies.

By the time I walked outside, the sky was soft orange, the parking lot buzzing with after–school chaos. Kids revving engines they couldn’t legally drive, cheerleaders gossiping loud enough for Mars to hear, football bags slamming into truck beds.

And leaning against my car, arms crossed, hair in a glossy ponytail, sunglasses still on even though the sun was pretty much gone?

Mariah Morales.

Acting like she didn’t just drop a grenade into my brain and walk away.

She straightened when she saw me. “Took you long enough.”

“You know practice ends at four–thirty,” I said. “I didn’t teleport here.”

She shrugged. “Could’ve tried.”

I chuckled under my breath, unlocking the car. “Get in before someone decides to live–stream us.”

She slid in without a word, legs tucked neatly to the side like she owned the passenger seat. Which, honestly, she kind of did this week.

We sat there for a second, windows cracked, warm air drifting in, awkward silence stretching way too long. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel.

“So…” I started.

“So…” she echoed.

God, we sounded like idiots.

1/4

I cleared my throat. “You wanted to talk.”

She twisted toward me, one eyebrow raised. “Wow. Look at you. Emotional vocabulary unlocked.”

“I talk plenty.”

“Sure,” she said. “About football, protein shakes, and who pissed you off that day.”

I cracked a very un–manly smile. “That’s still talking.”

She grinned back–small, quick- and I swear something in my chest did a stupid little flip.

“So,” she said again, but softer this time. Nervous, almost. “Us.”

Yeah, that word was a grenade.

I shifted, staring through the windshield at nothing. “Yeah. That.”

She didn’t push. Just waited. Which was somehow worse.

“It’s weird,” I admitted. “Not bad weird. Just… my brain’s still catching up.”

She leaned back, expression unreadable. “Because I’m Jessa’s best friend.”

“And I’m her brother,” I added. “And my best friend is currently making heart–eyes at her, and everything in my life feels like someone shook the snow globe.”

“So you’re overwhelmed,” she summarized.

“I don’t know yet,” I answered honestly. “But I know I don’t want to stop… whatever this is.”

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