The Super Jerk Trilogy (Now 3-in-1)

22. Lips Are Movin

{Sarah}

I've officially come to the conclusion that physical therapy sucks. Not only does it make me move in ways that hurt me, but even when I'm not there I have to do it. I guess that's what happens when you've been in a body cast for two months. Not to mention I never thought I'd be glad to get back to school, but I am. There seems to be support from unexpected places. And by that, I mean Kaelie.

   Before the day ends I find her waiting for me near my locker. I don't know if it's an automatic reaction or something left over from the beginning of the year, but I tense up when I get closer. Too late I find I can't do it. I'm nearly there before I turn on my heel and briskly walk the other way.

   "Sarah! Campbell! Wait!" I hear running feet behind me, and just as I turn around, she runs into me. I stagger, but she catches me before I can completely lose my footing. "Careful."

   "Since when have you been concerned about my well-being?" I ask when she's righted me.

   A slight furrow appears in her brow, but other than that, no reaction. "If you'll just hear me out, I can explain."

   "Make it quick, then." I turn around again and keep walking. "I need to get to class."

   Again she jogs to catch up with me. "Listen, I know you don't trust me, and that's fine. You don't have to. But that whole thing with the Red Knight...it's me he's after, not Cam or your friend Watson...at least that's what we think."

   At that I do stop in my tracks, turning towards her. "So it's true then. Cam said something about that too."

   She shrugs. "Yeah. In case you were still in disbelief."

   "I was up until now. How come you're telling me all of this anyway? And why now?"

   "Cam told me he let you in on how I came to be Pink Wildfire." She bites her lip, looking around. Everyone's too busy getting to class to listen. "Not pretty, right?"

   I nod. "He prefaced it by saying 'you probably won't believe this, but...'"

   "That's Cam for you. I wasn't really the model girlfriend towards him either. Considering my super self tried to kill his super self."

   "Some breakup." It's out before I can stop it, and immediately I wish I hadn't said anything.

   A smile flickers across her lips instead. "Yeah. I tend to fly off the handle every once in a while."

   That statement's punctuated by the one-minute bell. And I still have a flight of stairs to traverse.

   "Listen, Kaelie, I have to go." I stumble again as someone bumps me, shooting a who-do-you-think-you-are sort of look at me. "Maybe we should talk about this later?"

   "Right. Yeah. Go ahead." She shrugs again, but I can't help but think of how forlorn she looks standing there all alone.

   All I can do is give her a glance over my shoulder. It's not only strange that she's explaining things to me, but that she doesn't seem to be annoyed by any of it.

"Hey, Campbell. One more thing." She also seems to have adopted Trevor's nickname for me, but I find myself not minding as much as I might have.

   I say nothing, waiting for her to continue.

   "If any other girls like me treat you the way I did, I got your back, okay? No one deserves that, including you."

   I raise an eyebrow. "Really? What changed your mind?"