Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 13

Jessa

The second Noah’s words left his mouth, it felt like the whole room tilted.

“Still a big girl, though.”

They weren’t even the worst words I’ve ever heard. People have called me names before, tossed casual insults like they were confetti. But coming from him, with that crooked smirk and his voice just loud enough for half the room to hear, it burned.

I wanted to shrink, to melt into the floorboards and vanish. My hands tugged at the hem of my shirt, wishing for the safety of my oversized hoodie, wishing I’d never let Mariah talk me into this stupid top.

This was supposed to be my night. My chance to finally feel… different. Maybe even beautiful.

But of course, Noah Carter had to open his mouth and remind me exactly who I was.

The invisible twin. The awkward one. The “big girl.”

Jackson didn’t help either. His face had gone all stiff, protective and annoyed. “You really shouldn’t be wearing that, Jess,” he’d said, like I was some kid who didn’t understand the world. Then, in typical Jackson fashion, he’d gotten distracted by his friends calling his name and wandered off, leaving me standing there in pieces.

Mariah was the only thing keeping me from walking out the door and never looking back. She slipped her arm through mine, pulling me close. “Forget them,” she said, her voice sharp and fierce in my ear. “You look amazing, Jessa. Don’t let anyone ruin this night, especially not Noah.”

I tried to smile for her, but it felt brittle, fake. “Easy for you to say.”

“No, it’s not.” She turned me so we were face-to-face. “I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong somewhere. But here’s the thing—you do belong here. You’ve been hiding for so long, you’ve convinced yourself you don’t deserve to take up space. That ends tonight.”

Her words lodged in my chest, painful and comforting all at once.

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But my reflection from earlier flashed in my mind—the way I’d actually felt pretty for half a second, like maybe I could pull this off. And now, Noah’s voice was layered over it, cutting through that fragile hope like a blade.

Still a big girl.

“Let’s just get a drink,” Mariah said gently, steering me toward the kitchen. “One cup of punch and you’ll feel a little better.”

I let her guide me, my throat tight. People were everywhere—laughing, dancing, shouting over the music. I caught glimpses of myself in windows and mirrors as we passed, and every time, my stomach knotted.

Everyone else looked like they belonged here.

And then there was me.

By the time we reached the kitchen, my pulse was racing. Mariah poured me a cup of punch and pressed it into my hand. I took a shaky sip, the sweet taste doing nothing to settle my nerves.

“You’re doing great,” Mariah said, squeezing my arm. “Just breathe. We’ll find a spot to hang out where it’s not so crowded.”

I nodded, though my eyes couldn’t help drifting across the room.

And that’s when I saw him.

Noah was laughing with Daniel and a few of the football guys, his head tipped back, his smile easy and confident. He looked completely at home, like he was built for this kind of chaos.

And then, as if he could feel me watching, his eyes slid across the room—straight to me.

My breath caught.

“Maybe,” I said quietly, though I didn’t really believe it.

Because the way Noah looked at me sometimes didn’t feel like teasing. It felt like… something else. Something I couldn’t name.

Still, his words from earlier echoed in my head, heavy and cruel. Still a big girl.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to go home, crawl into bed, and never come out again. But then I remembered how hard I’d tried tonight—the hours of getting ready, the way I’d dared to hope this party could be different.

If I left now, it would prove Noah right. It would prove everyone right.

I straightened my shoulders, though my hands were shaking.

“Forget him,” Mariah said firmly, like she could read my mind. “You’re here for you. No one else.”

I nodded, trying to swallow down the lump in my throat.

Maybe she was right. Maybe I couldn’t control what Noah said or what Jackson thought. But I could control how much power I gave their words.

Even if it was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

Across the room, Noah laughed again, surrounded by his friends. He looked completely untouched by everything swirling in my head, like this was just another night to him.

But when his gaze slid back to me, something in his smirk faltered.

And for one dizzying second, I wondered if maybe—just maybe—I wasn’t as invisible to him as I thought.