Invisible To Her Bully Chapter 38

Noah

By the time lunch rolled around, I was running on pure adrenaline and the last half of a lukewarm Monster I’d grabbed from the gas station before school.

The morning had been a blur — teachers droning on about essays, Jackson talking plays every chance he got, and Daniel sulking like someone kicked his puppy — but I wasn’t really listening to any of it.

My head was somewhere else entirely.

Correction:

My head was with someone else entirely.

Jessa Lombardi.

Every time I let my guard down, she was there, replaying in my mind like a highlight reel from last night at Schneider’s Field.

The way the firelight caught in her hair, her laugh carried over the crackle of the bonfire, and those damn eyes of hers when we were alone in the backyard — close enough that one more breath and I would’ve kissed her.

I almost did kiss her.

And then, like the idiot I am, I opened my mouth and said something stupid.

So yeah, this morning was me trying — and failing — to shake off the memory of how she’d looked at me after that. Hurt. Angry.

Like I’d ripped the ground out from under her.

⸻

The lunchroom was packed, trays clattering, the smell of fries and mystery meat hanging in the air. Our table was the usual crew: Jackson, Daniel, and a couple of the guys. Jackson was in the middle of bragging about Friday night’s game plan when I dropped down beside him.

“You good, man? You’ve been weird all day,” Jackson said, giving me a side-eye like he could read my mind.

“Just tired,” I muttered, taking a long swig of my Monster. “Didn’t sleep much.”

He smirked. “Yeah, right. You probably stayed up playing Xbox.”

“Something like that,” I said, shrugging it off. No way was I telling him what was actually on my mind.

Daniel cut in before Jackson could say more, pounding the table for attention. “Bro, did you see me at practice yesterday? I was on fire. Coach better be paying attention if he wants us to crush it Friday night.”

“Daniel,” Jackson said with a flat look, “maybe spend less time talking about yourself and more time actually running the plays right.”

The table snickered, and Daniel scowled. “I do run the plays right. I’m the reason the recruiter’s even coming.”

I barely heard them. My attention had drifted across the cafeteria… to her.

⸻

Jessa was at a table with Mariah, eating lunch quietly while Mariah talked her ear off. She was wearing a simple hoodie, her hair falling around her shoulders in loose waves, but she looked…

God, she looked incredible.

Not in some over-the-top way. Just in a way that made it impossible for me to look anywhere else.

And then she laughed — really laughed — at something Mariah said.

It was soft, barely carrying over the noise of the room, but it hit me like a gut punch.

My chest tightened.

I must’ve been staring too long, because suddenly, she looked up — and our eyes met.

It wasn’t one of those quick, awkward glances you immediately look away from.

This was… different.

The noise around me faded like someone turned down the volume.

It was just me and her, caught in this strange, invisible pull.

Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to say something, even though we were halfway across the room.

I wanted to cross the distance.

I wanted to grab her hand and just be there.

But then Daniel’s obnoxious laugh yanked me back to reality.

“Carter!” he shouted, smacking my arm. “You even listening? Or are you over there daydreaming about the cheer squad again?”

The guys laughed. Jackson shook his head, clearly annoyed.

I shot Daniel a look sharp enough to cut glass. “Maybe if you spent less time running your mouth, you’d actually play better Friday night.”

Jackson burst out laughing. “Oh, man. He got you good.”

Daniel glared at me, muttering something under his breath, but thankfully let it drop.

My focus, though, was gone. I couldn’t stop thinking about Jessa.

⸻

When I saw her stand and sling her bag over her shoulder, slipping out of the cafeteria while Mariah stayed behind chatting, my pulse spiked.

Before I could second-guess myself, I got up. “Be right back,” I muttered to Jackson, not waiting for a response.

I followed her out into the hallway. It was quieter here, the buzz of lunch fading behind me.

Jessa stood near the vending machines, digging through her bag like she’d lost something.

“Hey,” I said, softer than I meant to.

She jumped, spinning around. “Oh. It’s you.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to freak you out.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets. “You disappeared. Thought maybe you weren’t feeling lunch.”

Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “Wasn’t really in the mood.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

I hesitated, then stepped closer, lowering my voice. “You okay? After last night?”

Her gaze flickered, guarded. “I’m fine.”

She didn’t sound fine, but I didn’t push.

Instead, I reached out without thinking, brushing a loose strand of hair back from her face.

She froze, her breath catching.

For a second, the world shrank to just us — the smell of her shampoo, the rise and fall of her chest, her wide, uncertain eyes locked on mine.

“Noah…” she breathed.

And just like that, I was leaning in. Slowly, carefully, like if I moved too fast she’d vanish.

We were so close. I could feel the warmth of her breath against my lips.

Then footsteps and laughter echoed down the hall, shattering the moment.

Jessa jerked back. I stepped away, my hands suddenly feeling useless.

“Guess we should… get back,” I said, clearing my throat like nothing had happened.

“Yeah,” she murmured, her face unreadable.

We walked back separately, a few feet apart, like strangers who hadn’t just almost kissed in the hallway.

⸻

Back at the table, Jackson raised a brow. “Where’d you disappear to?”

“Vending machine,” I lied smoothly, dropping into my seat.

Daniel smirked. “Hope you grabbed me something.”

“Sorry, man,” I said with a crooked grin. “Guess you’ll survive.”

The guys laughed, but my mind wasn’t with them.

Everyone said I liked to show off, and yeah, sometimes that was true.

But Daniel?

Daniel was way worse. Loud, obnoxious, mean for no reason.

As I caught sight of Jessa returning to her table, I knew one thing for sure:

Whatever this was between us, I wasn’t going to let Daniel ruin it.

Even if I had to fight myself to keep from screwing it up first.