Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Jackson

I knew something was off the second Coach didn’t start practice by yelling.

That alone was unsettling.

We were lined up on the field, helmets under our arms, the air sharp and cold in that early–fall way that meant Friday nights were going to start hurting again, and Coach was just… standing there. Arms crossed. Looking at us like he was deciding which one of us he wanted to psychologically destroy first.

That’s never a good sign.

“Alright,” he finally said. “Bring it in.”

We jogged closer.

I caught Noah’s eye. He lifted an eyebrow like, what now? I shrugged.

Coach waited until everyone was quiet.

“Friday,” he said, “we’re playing Westbrook.”

A few guys groaned. A few muttered.

Westbrook was good. Not unbeatable, but good.

Then Coach added, “They’ve got a new linebacker.”

The way he said it made my stomach tighten.

“He transferred in two weeks ago,” Coach continued. “Name’s Daniel Price.”

The field went silent.

Not normal football silent.

Not we’re–listening silent.

More like oh, hell silent.

I felt my jaw lock.

Noah’s head snapped up so fast it was almost comical.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” someone muttered behind me.

Coach wasn’t smiling.

“Yes,” he said flatly. “That Daniel.”

Great.

Just… fantastic.

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Chapter 208

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I could already feel the tension spreading through the team like a virus.

Daniel.

The guy who used to wear our jersey.

The guy who thought bullying was a personality trait.

The guy who got himself kicked off the team because he couldn’t stop being an asshole.

And now he was coming back.

Not as one of us.

As an opponent.

I looked over at Noah. His expression had gone cold in that very specific way it did when he was trying not to punch something.

Coach clapped his hands once. “I don’t care about your personal feelings. He’s on their roster. He’s not our problem anymore. He’s just another player to block.”

Easier said than done.

“Practice,” Coach barked. “Let’s move.”

Nobody said much while we ran drills.

But you could feel it.

Every missed step. Every late tackle. Every too–hard shove.

Daniel’s name was hanging over us like a storm cloud.

During a water break, Shane leaned toward me. “So… that’s gonna be weird, right?”

“Understatement of the century,” I muttered.

Chris wiped his face with his jersey. “Dude, he’s going to be insufferable.”

“He already was,” Noah said flatly.

I glanced at him. “You okay?”

He nodded. Too quickly. “Yeah.”

He wasn’t.

And we both knew why.

This wasn’t about football.

This was about Jessa.

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Daniel didn’t just leave behind a locker.

He left behind a mess.

And now he was coming back with a whole new uniform and a whole new excuse to be a problem.

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I didn’t tell Jessa that day.

Not because she wouldn’t find out.

But because I wanted one more normal evening before the universe tried to light something on fire again.

But Mariah figured it out anyway.

She always does.

We were sitting in my car after practice when she said, “Something’s up.”

I glanced at her. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re gripping the steering wheel like it owes you money.”

I sighed. “We’re playing Westbrook on Friday.”

“Okay… and?”

“And Daniel transferred there.”

She went very still.

“…Oh.”

“Yeah.”

She blew out a breath. “So he’s really not done, is he?”

“Nope.”

She turned in her seat to face me. “Is Jessa okay?”

“She doesn’t know yet.”

“She’s going to.”

“I know.”

Mariah was quiet for a second, then said, “You’re going to be unbearable this week.”

I snorted. “I’m always unbearable.”

“No,” she said. “This is protective Jackson unbearable.”

I didn’t deny it.

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Chapter 208

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The next day, the hallway buzz started.

Someone always finds out.

By lunch, it was everywhere.

“Did you hear Daniel’s playing for Westbrook now?”

“Friday’s game is going to be insane.”

“Isn’t that the guy who got kicked off Ridgeville?”

“Yeah, the one who bullied Lombardi’s sister.”

I watched Jessa across the cafeteria.

She was laughing at something Mariah said, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

She’d heard.

Of course she had.

Noah sat next to her, close enough that his arm kept brushing hers. Every time it did, she relaxed a little.

Good.

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