The Slut Survival Guide

Secret #6: High Heels. 'Nuff said.

Track practice was all I had now that I really understood. The feel of the asphalt track beneath my feet felt more right than anything had these past few days. I had never been more excited to tie my running shoes and just sprint like hell.

The sun was shining down on me, forcing me to sweat more than I normally would. I could feel my leg muscles contracting almost painfully; it had been a while since I had last pushed myself to run this fast and hard.

As I did my fourth lap about one meter behind the fastest runner on the team, Lucy Klein, I saw the lacrosse team practicing on the field near the track. A few guys on the team were looking at me, and it was making a little self-conscious. I tried to focus on my pace, attempting to catch up with Lucy. I inched nearer and nearer to her as I heard the track coach call out, "One more lap!"

I crossed the four-lap mark and started my fifth. Lucy was speeding up effortlessly, and I was struggling to catch up with her. She had the skinniest legs; it was as if her parents had designed her for running. I had come in before her a few times during practice, but Lucy usually won. The girls' track team, though, relied on me and Lucy to do the winning. I would usually run the 800 and the sprints and Lucy would do distance. She was in better shape than I was.

Thirty meters left and I was right on Lucy's heels. I felt my side searing with pain, but I ignored it. Her long legs were striding their way to the ending point. I narrowed my eyes and scrunched up my face in pain. Ten meters. I took a deep breath and sped up. I was running right by Lucy. She didn't look over at me once as I crossed the finish line before her.

I slowed to a stop and looked back at the end mark. When I came to a stop, I collapsed on the track. Coach called out, "Good work, Tanya! Nice pace, Lucy."

I smiled up at the sky. "Hey, Luce," I yelled.

"What's up, winner?" she asked, holding out a hand to help me sit up.

"Hand me my water, please?" I requested, grabbing her hand and heaving myself up. She handed it to me and I drank it in great splashes, water running down my face and onto my shirt.

"Nice work, by the way. You should try a distance race next time," she said, taking large gulps from her own water and sitting next to me on the track.

I shook my head. "I'm no distance runner," I said.

"I really think you could be," she insisted.

I stood up and looked back at the lacrosse boys. They were heading off the field. Their practice ended at the same as ours. "I don't know. I'll think about it," I said, walking toward the locker rooms. "See you next time, Luce."

"Bye," she called out to me.

I jogged back to the school and climbed the stairs to the locker room. As I was changing, I looked at myself in the mirror. My legs were toned from all that running, and I stood on tip-toe to accentuate the muscles. I bobbed up and down, watching my muscles move as I stood on up and came back down.

"...Yeah, I would do her."

I heard a male voice coming through the vent. I looked up. It had to be from the male locker room. I paused and held my breath, wanting to hear more.

"Tim did," a different voice said.

I heard the first male voice laugh and yell, "Go Tim."

"I'm gonna talk to her, maybe," said the second voice.

"Do it. She'll probably go for it. Tim said it didn't take much."

"I would never expect that from Tanya though."

I gasped a little when I heard my name. I had never really been talked about before. I stopped bobbing up and down and sat down on one of the locker room benches, taking silent sips from my water bottle.

"Yeah, didn't she get into Yale?" The voice coughed, and then continued. "Well, maybe she's going crazy before she starts studying like a bitch."

Their voices became muffled, and I couldn't make out anything else they were saying as they walked away.

My heart was beating quickly. Who were these guys? Which one of them wanted to "do" me? And why the fuck did Tim even say that he "did" me?

I began undoing my running shoes and changed back into my normal clothing. I walked up to the mirror, foundation in hand. Leaning my forehead against the mirror, I exhaled, long and hard. The glass fogged in front of me.