Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 276

Chapter 276

Noah

By lunchtime I was officially convinced something was going on.

Not in a dramatic “my girlfriend is secretly a spy” way.

But definitely in a “something is rattling around in her head and she’s not telling me yet” way.

I spotted Jessa the second I walked into the cafeteria.

She was already sitting at our usual table with Mariah, her tray untouched in front of her.

Her laptop was open.

Again.

She had been doing that a lot lately.

Research mode.

The same look she got when she was trying to solve a problem she hadn’t figured out yet.

Mariah was talking.

Jessa was nodding.

But she wasn’t really listening.

I could tell.

After five months together, you learn the difference between someone hearing you and someone pretending to.

I slid into the seat beside her.

“Morning.”

She jumped a little.

Not dramatically.

But enough that it made my eyebrows lift.

“Hey,” she said quickly.

Mariah smirked from across the table.

“You snuck up on her.”

“I walked normally,” I said.

“That’s your version of sneaking.”

I glanced at Jessa’s screen.

Scholarship websites.

Financial aid.

College forums.

Yeah.

Definitely research mode.

I bumped her shoulder lightly.

“You planning to become an expert in college economics?”

She quickly shut the laptop.

“Just looking at stuff.”

“That’s the most vague answer I’ve ever heard.”

She smiled, but it was a little tight.

“College is expensive.”

“That it is.”

I leaned back in my chair.

Jackson dropped into the seat across from me a second later with Shane behind him.

Jackson looked between the two of us.

Then at Jessa.

Then back at me.

Which immediately made me suspicious.

“What?” I said.

“Nothing,” Jackson said.

“You looked.”

“I didn’t look.”

“You definitely looked.”

Shane snorted.

“You two fight like an old married couple.”

Mariah pointed at them.

“Don’t encourage them.”

Jackson grabbed a fry off her tray.

“I’m always encouraged.”

Jessa laughed quietly beside me.

That part at least felt normal.

But something about her energy still felt.., off.

Not sad.

Not distant.

Just… distracted.

Like part of her brain was somewhere else entirely.

I leaned closer to her.

“You okay?”

She nodded immediately.

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Mariah glanced between us and smirked.

“Oh my God, he’s doing the worried boyfriend thing.”

“I’m not worried,” I said.

“See?” I said.

“I want to see that.”

“I promise I’ll explain soon.”

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