Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Jessa

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The glow of the TV flickered across the living room, splashing the walls with bursts of color and laugh–track echoes. Some reality show about couples arguing in tropical villas played, but I wasn’t even following the plot anymore. I just needed noise. A distraction. Something, anything, to drown out the thoughts buzzing in my head like angry hornets.

Homework sat untouched on the coffee table, spread open like an accusation. Math problems I didn’t understand. An essay I hadn’t started. Biology notes I’d pretended to review. I told myself I’d get to it later, after just one more episode. But the truth was, I didn’t want to think. Thinking meant replaying everything that had happened in the last few days–Friday night, Saturday in bed, Monday at school, Noah at my locker this morning.

So I sank deeper into the couch cushions and turned the volume up.

For a little while, it worked. I even caught myself laughing at a contestant screaming about how she didn’t “come here to make friends.”

Then the doorbell rang.

I jumped, heart leaping into my throat.

Jackson wasn’t home yet–practice ran late on Mondays. Mom wouldn’t be back from her hospital shift for hours. Which meant it had to be the pizza I’d ordered earlier. I’d thought ahead for once, figuring Jackson would inhale half of it the second he walked in.

I padded barefoot across the living room and yanked the door open with a smile ready.

But it wasn’t the delivery guy.

It was Noah Carter.

I froze, gripping the edge of the door so hard my knuckles went white.

He wasn’t in uniform, wasn’t sweaty from practice, just standing there in a black hoodie and jeans, his hands shoved into his pockets like he had no idea what to do with them. His dark hair was damp, maybe from a shower, and his eyes… God, his eyes were steady, watching me like he was waiting for me to slam the door in his face.

My stomach dropped.

“Jackson’s not here,” I blurted, voice sharp, defensive. It came out more like a warning than information.

Noah’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t move. “I’m not here for Jackson.”

That threw me off balance. I blinked, trying to process. “Then… why are you here?”

His shoulders shifted, like he was bracing himself. “I need to talk to you.”

18:33 Mon, Oct 13

Chapter 70

The words were so simple, but they hung in the air like a dare.

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I should’ve said no. I should’ve shut the door, locked it, gone back to my safe bubble of bad TV and greasy pizza. That was the smart move. The self–preserving move.

Instead, I just stood there, staring at him like an idiot.

• This is the guy who could break you all over again if you let him in.

“Because-” He stopped, exhaled, tried again. “Because I owe you the truth. And an apology.”

I shook my head, backing up half a step. “No. I don’t think so. Whatever you think you need to say, save it. I’m not in the mood for another one of your stupid games, Noah.”

I had two options:

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