Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 282

Chapter 282

Mariah

By the time last period ended, I was already done with the day.

Not because anything bad happened.

That was the weird part.

Nothing had happened.

No whispers.

No looks.

No random girl trying to start something just because she was bored.

Just… normal school.

Which should’ve felt good.

And it did.

Mostly.

But it also left this strange empty space where the chaos used to be.

Like my brain didn’t quite know what to do without it.

I leaned against my locker, shoving my books into my bag, when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.

Jackson.

Of course.

He was coming down the hallway with Noah, the two of them talking about something I didn’t care enough to pay attention to.

What I did notice?

The way Jackson’s eyes found me without even trying.

Like it was automatic.

Like I was just… where he looked now.

I pretended not to notice.

Because obviously I’m not giving him that satisfaction.

But I did.

Notice.

He stopped in front of me, one shoulder leaning casually against the locker next to mine.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Noah gave me a quick nod before glancing down the hall.

“I gotta grab something from my locker. I’ll meet you outside.”

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Jackson nodded.

And just like that, he was gone.

Leaving us.

Alone.

I zipped my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

“You survived another day of being Ridgeville’s main character,” I said.

He smirked slightly.

“Barely.”

“Tragic.”

“You were really hoping I’d fall apart, weren’t you?”

“Obviously.”

I shut my locker and turned to face him fully.

“How are you though?”

His expression shifted just slightly.

“Good.”

“Just good?”

“Yeah.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“That sounded like a half–truth.”

“It was a full truth.”

“Uh huh.”

He bumped my shoulder lightly.

“I’m good.”

I held his gaze for a second longer.

Then nodded.

“Okay.”

Because the truth was…

Things were good.

For once.

And I didn’t feel like poking at that too hard.

We started walking toward the exit together, the hallway buzzing with after–school noise around us.

Students everywhere.

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Chapter 282

Lockers slamming.

Someone yelling about practice.

Normal.

Jackson glanced at me.

“What are you doing after school?”

“Homework,” I said immediately.

He made a face.

“That sounds terrible.”

“It is.”

“Cancel it.”

“Absolutely not.”

He grinned.

“Come on.”

“I actually have to pass my classes, unlike you.”

“Hey, I pass.”

“Barely.”

“Still counts.”

We pushed through the front doors and into the cool air outside.

The sky was that late afternoon gray that meant winter wasn’t quite done with us yet.

Noah was leaning against Jackson’s car, scrolling through his phone.

He looked up as we approached.

“You two ready?”

“Yeah,” Jackson said.

Then he looked at me again.

“You sure you don’t want to do something later?”

I hesitated.

Not because I didn’t want to.

Because I did.

But also…

There was that weird quiet again.

That space where everything had calmed down.

And suddenly I had a thought.

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“Actually…” I said slowly.

Both of them looked at me.

“What?” Jackson asked.

I shifted my bag on my shoulder.

“My mom’s making dinner tonight.”

“Okay…” he said cautiously.

“You should come over.”

The words came out casual.

Like it wasn’t a big deal.

Like I hadn’t just invited my boyfriend into my house for an actual dinner like some kind of normal, functional relationship.

Jackson blinked.

“Dinner?”

“Yeah.”

“With your mom there?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, Jackson. My mother lives in the house.”

Noah snorted.

“I’d pay to see that.”

“Shut up,” Jackson muttered, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at his mouth.

I crossed my arms.

“What? Are you scared?”

“Of your mom?”

“Yes.”

He scoffed.

“I’m not scared.”

“Then come over.”

He hesitated for half a second.

And that’s when I knew I had him.

“…What time?” he asked.

I smirked.

“Six.”

He nodded once.