Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Bethany Jones’ house looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster—utter chaos disguised as a party. This wasn’t just a casual get-together or a friendly hangout. It was a full-blown teenage riot, complete with loud music and reckless energy.

Cars were parked haphazardly on both sides of the street, crookedly squeezed in, blocking mailboxes without a care. The cul-de-sac was scattered with confetti—someone had probably brought it as a joke, but now it stuck to everyone’s shoes, crunching underfoot.

A cluster of freshmen were perched on top of a BMW, snapping selfies like the car belonged to the entire neighborhood.

“Bro,” Jackson muttered as we made our way up the driveway, “the city of Ridgeville is going to have to condemn this place by tomorrow.”

From the backyard came a loud roar, unmistakably the sound of some ridiculous party ritual in progress.

—

We slipped around the side of the house just in time to catch Levi standing shirtless on the diving board, clad only in boxers and socks. The pool beneath him looked dark and uninviting, the cold October air sending ripples across the water’s surface like a silent warning.

The crowd was chanting: “JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!”

“It’s literally thirty-eight degrees,” I whispered, shivering. “He’s going to freeze to death.”

Jackson crossed his arms, smirking, “Natural selection.”

Levi launched himself off the board with a cannonball, screaming before he even hit the water. When he resurfaced, his groan was pure regret.

“WHAT THE—MY ORGANS JUST SHUT DOWN—”

The crowd erupted in cheers as if he’d just won some kind of award.

Someone handed Levi a beer as he crawled out, teeth chattering, and he downed it like it was a life-saving elixir.

Inside, the scene was no less wild.

A group of girls passed around a Hydro Flask filled with vodka, giggling as they took turns sipping. Someone tried to skateboard down the narrow hallway and wiped out spectacularly, crashing into the wall.

Bethany was dancing alone on the kitchen counter, oblivious to the mess, while a crowd hyped her on with cheers and whistles.

—

“High school,” Jackson said dryly. “A proud institution.”

He wasn’t wrong.

This was peak teenage chaos.

In another corner, juniors gathered around a girl holding a can of whipped cream upside down. She tried to spray it into someone’s mouth, but the cold caused the can to sputter violently, shooting whipped cream straight into her eye.

Screams followed.

Laughter.

Three people filmed it all for Snapchat.

I shook my head in disbelief. “Idiots.”

“Accurate,” Jackson agreed. “But entertaining idiots.”

I didn’t reply. My gaze kept drifting toward the street.

Still no sign of her.

Jackson noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

He nudged me gently. “Relax. She’s on her way.”

“I am relaxed.”

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Your face might look calm, but your shoulders are tense like you’re bracing for impact.”

I rolled them back, trying to convince him. “It’s just the cold.”

“Sure,” he said, clearly unconvinced. “Totally.”

Then my phone buzzed.

My breath caught before I even looked.

Not her.

Just some dumb notification.

Still, my chest tightened.

Jackson let out a low whistle. “You’re gone, dude.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I ignored him, eyes fixed on the street again.

Needing a distraction, I finally asked the question I’d been holding back:

“So… you and Mariah.”

Jackson didn’t stiffen.

Instead, he smirked.

“That you know of?”

I stared at him, confused. “What do you mean, ‘that I know of’?”

He shrugged, a mix of nervousness, pride, and guilt in his expression. “Means it wasn’t just the kisses at Benny’s.”

—

My jaw dropped. “What?!”

Chapter 153

“We’ve hung out a few times.”

“Hung out?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Define ‘hung out.’”

He grinned wider. “You know… hung. Out.”

I muttered, “Jesus Christ. You and Mariah?”

“Try to keep up, Carter,” he teased, bumping my shoulder. “You’re not the only one throwing plot twists this year.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Dude, when were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been too busy having mini heart attacks over you and my sister.”

I snorted. “Fair.”

Then he looked at me—really looked.

“Are you… serious about her?” he asked quietly.

I didn’t answer immediately.

But the truth was written all over my face.

Jackson sighed. “Just… don’t hurt her, man.”

“I won’t.”

He nodded once, jaw tight, accepting it reluctantly but honestly.

—

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