Kayla and Tracy

“Kids,” Suzie said under her slightly strained breath. “Just getting back
into the swing of school. The oldest one is in junior high, so she’s
getting at that stage with boys and all that.”

“Yeah, I feel ya.” Kayla liked talking to Suzie. It killed the time, and
besides, it was nice to talk to an ordinary person around her age.

“How’s your friend Tracy? Is she still at NYU?”

“Yeah, managing to do absolutely nothing as usual,” Kayla strained to say
as the first computer programmed hill had her going up a bit of an incline.

“Remember, do the talk test!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Jeez, for a chick, you can be so macho at times.”

“Yeah, I take my cues from those ‘roid freaks over there,” Kayla said,
pointing out a particular bound man doing free weight curls a couple dozen
feet from where they jogged. “So how’s the baby? Is he still doing that
web site for school? I swear, one of these days…”

Kayla noticed her friend staring at her arms, then checking out her form.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing,” Suzie said. “Wait, that’s a lie. I mean, I know you got
your boobs done…”

“And it’s worth every damn penny thanks!”

“…and I was just wondering, comparing your arms to those guys. I mean,
if you got a little bit of lipo done, it’s OK, ya know?”

“Well, a little bit around the belly,” Kayla said, “but I got another
secret to success.”

“What is it?”

“Just stop by my locker after you’re done on the treadmill. I’ll be in the
back row over by where the saunas are.”

“You sure about this,” Suzie said as she furrowed her brow, struggling to
keep on the treadmill. “I mean, I don’t want to be around anything illegal
or anything or..”