Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Jessa

By the time I walked through the front doors of the school, I’d already braced myself.

Not for anything specific – just for the usual background noise of being seen. The glances that lasted a second too long. The smiles that didn’t quite reach people’s eyes. The way conversations dipped when I passed.

I told myself I was imagining it,

I usually was.

Mariah was at my side, talking about something random- a quiz she hadn’t studied for, a TikTok she’d stayed up too late watching — when it happened.

–

Arms slid around my waist.

Firm. Warm. Familiar.

I startled so hard I almost dropped my backpack.

“Good morning,” Noah said, his voice low and easy right by my ear.

My brain short–circuited.

I turned my head, heart suddenly hammering, and there he was – standing behind me like it was the most natural thing in the world, chin tipped down, eyes soft, like this was exactly where he wanted to be.

“Good morning to you,” I said, and then I laughed because my voice came out a little breathless.

This was new.

Not bad–new. Just… new.

Noah wasn’t exactly subtle, but he’d never done this before. Not first thing in the hallway. Not with people watching. Not with his arms wrapped around me like he wasn’t worried about who noticed.

And people definitely noticed.

I felt it immediately

the shift. The attention. The quiet.

Part of me wanted to shrink out of it, instinct kicking in.

Another part of me realized something important.

He wasn’t doing this accidentally..

He wasn’t doing it because he forgot where we were.

He was doing it because he wanted to be clear.

I leaned back into him just a little.

Mariah made a soft, very pointed sound. “Wow. Must be nice.”

Jackson, who had just stepped up to his locker, glanced over and snorted. “You’re just jealous I didn’t do that first.”

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Mariah turned to him slowly, expression unreadable.

Then she stepped forward, hooked her arms around his neck without hesitation, and kissed him.

Not dramatic. Not performative.

Just… confident.

“Nope,” she said when she pulled back. “Not jealous at all.”

Jackson blinked once.

Twice.

Then laughed, hands automatically finding her waist. “Okay, yeah. Fair.”

I felt my cheeks heat up, but I was smiling. Really smiling. The kind that starts in your chest and doesn’t ask permission first.

Noah squeezed me lightly before letting go, his hand lingering at my side just long enough to make my stomach flip.

“You good?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” I said. “Just… surprised.”

He smiled at that. “Figured.”

We started walking toward our lockers together, and it hit me – this wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy.

But it was solid.

And somehow, that meant more.

At my locker, Noah leaned against the one beside mine like he belonged there. Like he’d always belonged there.

“I was thinking,” he said, casual but not careless, “after practice today… you want to go out? Just us.”

My heart skipped.

“Like… out–out?” I asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it anyway.

“Yeah,” he said. “Maybe a movie. Or something.”

I tucked my hair behind my ear, suddenly very aware of my face, my hands, the way my smile felt too big for my

mouth.

“I-“I hesitated, not because I night.

“I know,” he said quickly. “We

“I know,” he said quickly.“‘Want to, but

because this

was all still new territory, it’s asthed m

don’t have to do the whole thing. I just thought-”

“I’d like to hang out with you,” I said, cutting in before he could talk himself down. “I’m just… not really used to dating.”

His expression softened, like that meant something to him. “We don’t have to call it anything you don’t want to.”

I considered that.

“I don’t mind calling it hanging out,” I said slowly. “I actually like that.”

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He nodded. “Okay. Hanging out.”

I smiled again, then added, “What if… instead of the movies… you came over to my house after practice?”

His eyebrows lifted, just a little. Not suspicious. Just surprised.

“Yeah?” he said. “I’d like that.”

Relief loosened something in my chest I hadn’t realized was tight.

“Cool,” I said. “Then… cool.”

We stood there for a second, neither of us moving, like we were both afraid of breaking the moment by doing something wrong.

Then the bell rang.

Reality rushed back in.

“I’ll walk you to class,” he said immediately.

“I know,” I teased, smiling.

He grinned. “Worth asking.”

As we walked, I caught people watching again – but this time, it felt different. Less sharp. Less heavy.

Maybe because I wasn’t alone in it anymore.

At my classroom door, Noah stopped, hands in his pockets like he was holding himself back from doing something impulsive.

“I’ll see you later,” he said. “After practice.”

“I’ll be there,” I replied.

He leaned in, not close enough to make a show of it, but close enough that only I could hear. “I missed you.”

That did something dangerous to my heart.

“I missed you too,” I admitted.

Then he stepped back, gave me one last look – warm, steady, real

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