Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Jessa

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The door clicked shut behind Noah, and the silence that followed was almost too heavy to breathe in. I stood there for a few seconds, still staring at the space he’d just been standing in. My pulse was hammering against my ribs like it hadn’t quite caught up to the fact that he was gone.

He’d shown up on my porch–my porch–looking like he hadn’t slept in days, saying he wanted to talk. Saying he was sorry. And for a moment, for a stupid, fleeting second, I almost believed him.

Almost.

But then the other part of me, the part that had been picked apart and laughed at and made into a joke, reminded me that believing Noah Carter was dangerous. He had this way of looking at me like I was the only person in the room. And that’s exactly why I couldn’t trust him—because I knew how easily he could make anyone feel like that.

I turned away from the door and walked toward the couch, my body moving on autopilot. The TV was still on. the reality show droning in the background. Some girl on the screen was crying over a guy who didn’t deserve her, and I let out a humorless laugh. Figures. Even the fake people had it rough.

I sank onto the couch, pulling my knees to my chest. Everything he’d said kept replaying in my head. How he’d wanted to apologize. How he hadn’t meant for things to go the way they did. How he was dealing with his own pressure and expectations.

But then I remembered Daniel’s words at the game.

The laughter.

The look on Noah’s face when I realized I was part of a joke.

And the ache in my chest came roaring back.

I hated that a part of me still wanted to believe him. That some stupid, small piece of me wanted to think that maybe Noah actually saw me–not the twin sister of the quarterback, not the invisible girl with curves, not the punchline–but me.

I rubbed my eyes, frustrated with myself. “Get a grip, Jessa,” I muttered under my breath.

1 could practically hear Mariah’s voice in my head: You’re not a side character in your own life, Jess.

Yeah, well, I didn’t feel like the main one either.

My phone buzzed on the cushion beside me. A text from Mariah.

Mariah: You alive or what?

Mariah: Don’t tell me you’re still watching trash TV

18:34 Mon, Oct 13

Chapter 78

Mariah: Also…. Jackson’s late from practice. You good?

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I stared at the screen for a minute before typing back.

Me: Yeah, I’m fine. Just… thinking.

Three dots appeared and disappeared before finally:

Mariah: Uh oh. Dangerous. You want me to come over?

& ‘1

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I almost said yes. I wanted the distraction, the jokes, the sarcastic pep talk. But I also didn’t want to talk about Noah. Not yet.

Me: Nah, I’m okay. I’ll call you later.

I tossed the phone aside and leaned back against the couch. The show had switched scenes–some fancy beach trip now–but I wasn’t really watching. My mind was still spinning, caught between anger and confusion and something else I didn’t want to name.

Because the truth was… when Noah looked at me tonight, it didn’t feel fake.

He stepped into the living room, closing the door behind him with one hand and balancing a large pizza box in the other. “Hey,” he said, setting his phone down and glancing over at me. “You order pizza?”

18:34 Mon, Oct 13

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