Invisible To Her Bully Chapter 46

Jessa

The hallway was still buzzing like a kicked beehive when Mariah strutted back to our lockers. She looked way too pleased with herself, like she’d just conquered a small country and didn’t even break a sweat doing it.

I raised an eyebrow, closing my locker door with a soft click. “Okay… what was that all about?”

Mariah leaned casually against the locker beside mine, flipping her hair over her shoulder like she was starring in some teen drama. “Oh, nothing,” she said, voice dripping with fake innocence. “Just… you know, clearing the air.”

I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes. “Mariah…”

She smirked, the corners of her mouth tilting up in that smug little way that drove me crazy. “Relax, Jess. Sometimes people need to hear the truth. And trust me, it felt really good saying it.”

I shook my head, half amused, half terrified. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, I totally did.” Her grin widened. “And honestly? Your brother needed to be knocked down a peg or two. The way he just stands there while his friends trash talk you? Nope. Not on my watch.”

My stomach twisted. I glanced past her, over to where Jackson and his group were gathered near their lockers. The guys were practically doubled over, laughing and elbowing each other like they’d just witnessed the funniest thing in the world.

Jackson stood in the middle of them, his face a deep shade of red. Even from here, I could tell he was swearing under his breath.

“Wow,” I muttered. “You really gave it to him, didn’t you?”

Mariah gave a little shrug, unapologetic. “Maybe.”

“Mariah…” I said again, trying to sound stern, but honestly? A tiny part of me wanted to laugh. It wasn’t often that someone threw Jackson off his golden-boy game like that.

But then my gaze shifted.

Right beside Jackson was Noah.

He wasn’t laughing like the rest of them. In fact, he wasn’t even looking at Jackson. He was just… standing there, leaning against his locker with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his expression strangely tense.

Almost like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

Then, as if he felt me watching, his head turned.

For a brief second, our eyes locked.

The hallway noise seemed to fade into the background, and it was just me and him, caught in this weird, silent moment I couldn’t quite explain.

There was something in his eyes — something heavy and unsettled. It wasn’t anger exactly, or even sadness, but… worry. Frustration.

And then, just as quickly, he looked away.

Like he couldn’t stand to hold my gaze.

My heart gave a small, confused flutter. Noah wasn’t exactly the most predictable guy, but lately, his behavior had been all over the place. Hot and cold. Push and pull. One second, he was teasing me like old times, and the next, it was like I didn’t even exist.

“What’s wrong with him?” I muttered under my breath, still staring at his profile.

Mariah followed my line of sight, then snorted. “Who, Noah?”

“Yeah.”

She made a face. “Please. Probably just brooding over football. You know how those guys are — one bad practice and it’s the end of the world.”

“Maybe,” I said slowly, though I wasn’t convinced. There was something different in the way he looked just now, something more personal than just being mad about a play.

Mariah bumped my shoulder lightly, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Don’t waste your energy worrying about him. Tonight, let’s hang out after school, just us. We’ll get smoothies or something and talk about literally anything that isn’t football or stupid boys.”

I gave her a weak smile. “Deal.”

Still, as we headed toward our first class, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back over my shoulder.

Jackson was still being teased mercilessly by the guys, clearly flustered. Daniel was doubled over with laughter, and a few others were making exaggerated kissy faces at him. Typical.

But Noah?

He was silent, watching them with a look I couldn’t quite read — and when he caught me looking again, he turned away, his jaw tightening.