Invisible To Her Bully

e

Years

one who always has your back, someone who gets you without explana

every way. Jackson was tall, lean, athletic, and could make friends with just about anyone. I

d a million friends. I had Jackson. He wa

to keep food on the table, so most of the time it was just

d, dragging my feet as he tosse

to throw the ball around," he said, his brown eyes

." I plopped do

d tossed me a granola bar. "Here

boost. "Yes!

, he straightened up, glancing at th

ad dark, messy brown hair and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. The kind of

e said t

This is my t

My mouth moved faster than my brain. "Wow...

turned pink.

rry, she doesn't hav

. pretty," I tried, wis

it while we toss the ball

't play?"

Jackson could answer.

ow, she'd probably knock h

drifting toward Noah as he and Jackson tossed the ball. He wasn't just cute-

on clapped him on the back

taught me some stu

friends too, like me and

rothers. I don't reall

. Me and Jackson do everything together. He

just shrugged. Noah nodded sli

didn't realize

onth

the movies, Jax!" I

see the new Marvel movie.

t you and Noah wa

metimes I wanna do stuff without you

re than I wan

and Noah walked in

up

r shoes on," J

ing too?"

at work. I'm

. "We're the same age! Y

utes older," Ja

he's definitely ac

, but I froze halfway up the s

ch a brat. Wish she di

he knife that cut deep

forget. "Jax, can we get

s. "Do you really ne

ists. "Yes. I l

couple of bills. "Get

k line, and that's wh

to be eating,"

ow laugh. "Sometimes it's emb

y punch. My own twin-my best

urn," a girl behi

head. "Chan

ned. "Yo

. "I think I lost

riah. We're in the same class, rig

ea

e you supposed

uperher

with me instead. There's a new

ecide, Jackson a

o long?" Jackson deman

"Hi. Jessa and I are se

"Fine. Meet us i

eared, Mariah tugged

You need

st time at my brother

d, I thought. And he's

Year

wasn't the chubby little girl anymore-I had curves. Breasts too

like us need to cover up. L

es. Clothes that swallowed me whole. It

?" Jackson asked one morni

comfor

He rolled his

im. He doesn't understand what

ts started before I e

cus is i

rought the wh

came from-Jackson and Noah, flanked b

oah snorted. "They on

up,

d. "Told you i

at ass," Noah added, sendi

g I couldn't hear. But t

were shaking. I tugged the handle, but i

d he

burst open-and trash bags tumbled

one read: Got yo

ghter around us

d at Jackson and Noah, who had p

o dress like a hobo? Why n

ed. "Relax. It

at him. "She's

nly walked aw

t one second, I wished I could trade places. T

sen

Beep

rm clock. Senior year. My

starting quarterback and golden boy of our high school. The sister hi

idn't survive the year. Now at eighteen, he's tall, broad-s

an't st

e's Jackson's best friend. The b

, tank top, oversized button-up. The layers

e Jackson sees me. Befo

ay. Anoth