She looked me in the eyes and moaned.
I smiled back exuberantly, too exuberantly, a move I regretted a millisecond later.You shoulda played it cooler.
You shoulda been coquettish,I thought to myself.
Instagram @charleeatkins
We were both half-naked and dripping in sweat.
I imagined her perspiration smelling like salted caramel ice cream and feminism.
She MUST be a Scorpio.
Instagram @charleeatkins
Together we own the universe….
She isCharlee from SoulCycle.
Ive girl-crushed on Charlee for about two years (its lasted longer than my recent ex-boyfriend).
I take her class whenever I can, and sit as close to her as possible.
Instagram @charleeatkins
Shes also a crossbreed of Zoe Saldana and a litter of purring sex kittens.
She literally seduces you into cycling your guts out.
Now, I too commence class with my long layers falling heavy in my face.
Instagram @charleeatkins
I dont think Jonah Hill appreciated it when he sat next to me, but who cares, right?
We do the best with what we have, and I have Charlee plus a frizz-free Keratin treatment.
Shes mysterious, autonomous and semi-detachedwhich makes me like her even more.
Its also why, after a dozen or so classes, I still havent introduced myself to her.
Part of me wants to keep chasing that attentionit makes me ride harder and stronger each time.
Confession: Charlee is not my first girl-crush at SoulCycle.
Im an OG rider who has been going for eight years.
Back then, my body was a work in progress, and I was mostly fine with it.
My fascination with Stacey, however, got me obsessed with indoor cycling.
Unlike hard-to-get Charlee, Stacey would engage with my quiet flirtations.
Stacey would come to my bike and turn it up six notches.
After a few months, my body was smaller, tighter, and I barely realized Id been exercising.
Ive held on to that standard of fitness ever since.
After a few years, Stacey became too popular.
But I learned that a girl-crush at the gym is motivating.
Would the crush + challenge = success equation work with a male instructor?
I dont think so.
Ive always believed that having worshipful-like feelings towards women is healthy.
I dont have any girlfriends who I dont deeply admire for one reason or another.
And the whole What Would Gwyneth Do thing?
Its smarter than it sounds.
When my book came out, my fear of public speaking paralyzed me at readings and signings.
At my future events, Id channel these women (What would Erica Jong do?
), and that saved me.
But back to that moan.
After I dismounted my bike, I realized Christy Turlington was perched directly behind me.
Was Charlee looking at her, not me?!
I dismissed the thought immediately.
I went homeand came back the next dayknowing she gave ME that rose.
Because if SoulCycle teaches you anything, its that our mind is our strongest muscle.
