Invisible To Her Bully (Jessa and Noah) novel Chapter 26

Jessa

I don’t remember how I got here.

One second, I was in Daniel’s living room, surrounded by dozens of staring eyes, my heart splintering as the words poured out of me. The next, I was outside, running barefoot down the street, mascara streaking my cheeks and lungs burning.

Now, I’m curled up on Mariah’s bed, clutching one of her pillows so tightly it feels like it’s the only thing keeping me from flying apart completely.

The room smells like her vanilla-scented candles, soft and warm, but it does nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.

I can still see them—Noah’s stunned face, Jackson’s disbelief, Daniel’s uncomfortable shuffle like he couldn’t wait to look away.

I can still hear the silence after my outburst, the way the entire party stopped, everyone staring like I was some spectacle.

And worst of all, I can still feel it.

The way my heart cracked open when Noah didn’t say a single damn word in my defense.

“Breathe, Jessa.”

Mariah’s voice is gentle but firm. She’s kneeling beside the bed, her dark curls falling over her shoulder as she watches me carefully. She’s been rubbing circles on my back ever since she dragged me up here from the car, but the sobs keep coming anyway.

I hate myself for crying like this. I hate that I’m so weak.

But I can’t stop.

“I—I made a fool of myself,” I choke out between hiccups. “In front of everyone.”

Mariah’s eyes flash with anger. “No. You told the truth. Big difference.”

I shake my head violently, tears spilling all over again. “They were laughing at me, Mariah. All of them. Even Jackson just… stood there.” My throat tightens until it hurts to swallow. “I’m so tired of being the joke.”

Mariah takes my hands, forcing me to look at her. “Listen to me. You are not a joke.”

“Yes, I am!” The words rip from my chest, jagged and sharp. “I’m the fat girl, Mariah. The embarrassing sister. The one who never fits in no matter what she does. That’s all anyone ever sees when they look at me.”

Mariah’s eyes soften, but her grip stays strong. “That’s because they’re idiots. They don’t see how amazing you are.”

My laugh is hollow and bitter. “Amazing? Do you know what Noah said to me earlier? That I ‘clean up well.’ Like he was shocked that I could look decent for once. Do you know how humiliating that is?”

Mariah’s jaw tightens. “I swear, if I ever get my hands on him—”

“It doesn’t matter,” I cut in, my voice breaking. “He was probably just trying to be nice, anyway. Because the truth is, I’ll never be beautiful. I’ll never be the kind of girl a guy like Noah actually wants.”

I pull away from her and pace across the room, my bare feet silent against the carpet. My reflection catches in her mirror, and I want to smash it to pieces.

The new hair.

The cute outfit.

The makeup Mariah carefully applied earlier like she was painting armor on me.

None of it mattered.

“Why did I even bother trying tonight?” I whisper. “Why did I think I could walk into that party and be… someone else?”

Mariah rises to her feet, standing in front of me like a shield. “Because you can be someone else, Jessa. You already are. You’ve been hiding for so long you don’t even realize how strong you are underneath all that fear.”

“I don’t feel strong.” My voice cracks, and my throat burns. “I feel broken.”

Mariah’s eyes glisten, but she doesn’t cry. She’s always been the strong one between us. “You’re allowed to feel broken sometimes. But you’re not going to stay that way. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Her words sink in, but my heart is still too raw to fully believe them.

“Mariah,” I whisper, my chest aching. “Why did I have to be… this girl? The one everyone makes fun of? Why couldn’t I have been like Jackson—confident, loved, perfect? Why couldn’t I have been… enough?”

Jackson steps into my space, his face red with fury. “I swear, if she’s hurt because of you—”

“This isn’t just about me!” I snap back, though guilt slices through me at the same time. “You were standing right there, Jackson. You heard Daniel earlier, talking about how he hoped she wouldn’t come. You heard the guys laughing when she walked in. You think that didn’t get to her?”

Jackson falters, his jaw tightening. “She’s my sister. I’m supposed to protect her.”

“Then maybe you should’ve started before tonight,” I bite out.

The second the words leave my mouth, I regret them. Jackson’s fist clenches, and for a moment I think he’s going to hit me. Instead, he spins away with a curse, kicking at the grass.

“I just need to know where she is,” he mutters.

“I’ll find her,” I say immediately. My voice is hoarse, but my resolve is sharp as glass. “I need to explain. To… to fix this.”

Daniel scoffs. “Fix it? She just told you in front of the entire party that you broke her, man. How the hell are you supposed to fix that?”

My chest feels like it’s caving in. Because Daniel’s right.

I don’t know how to fix it.

All I know is that if I lose Jessa completely, I’ll never forgive myself.

“I have to try,” I whisper.

Without waiting for Jackson’s reply, I grab my keys and take off toward my truck.

The night swallows me whole, but for the first time, I don’t care where I end up.

I just know I have to find her.

Before Jackson finds me.