R U S S O 18+

R U S S O 29

R U S S O 29

With smooth caresses to her inner thigh and legs, Anastasia laid comfortably on Mateo's bed. He was massaging her legs after their night, knowing he was a bit rough with her. It may have been nearly a day later, but Anastasia could still remember that sticky liquid that rushed out of her, and the thought kept making her legs clench.

However, when she wasn't thinking of the things that were done to her, she was reflecting on what she did wrong. The tension could've been avoided, and Anastasia can admit she was being childish towards Mateo.

It was uncalled for, and when the morning came, she had the chance to express how apologetic she was for the way she treated him. Mateo didn't do anything wrong, so he didn't deserve the constant hanging up, the ignoring him, and the unnecessary attitude. And despite not liking how she acted, he understood why Anastasia reacted the way she did.

"Oh my god, it hasn't loaded yet," Anastasia let out with frustration. She was waiting on her results from her math exam, viewing the screen of Mateo's laptop with it sitting on her chest.

"Give it a second, mami." Mateo said. "Ser paciente," be patient.

She sighed heavily through her nose, reaching out with the fork in her hand to pierce a chocolate-covered strawberry. She hovered the fruit over her mouth before eating it.

The batch was fresh and heavenly, waiting for her when she came upstairs. It was a clear sign, if she needed another, that all aggravation was left in the night before.

"Y'know," Anastasia starts to say before swallowing. "For a long time, I couldn't eat these as a kid."

"¿Por qué?" Mateo asked, massaging her calves. why?

She forks another, staring at it as she says, "My very first cheer coach ridiculed me for it one day during practice. She saw I had a few packed in my lunch box and went off. I couldn't even look at a chocolate-covered strawberry because of how she made me feel about myself. I cried for a week."

"That's fucked up," he mumbles with realization.

She takes a small bite and says, "I know. I nearly gave up cheer because of it."

"What changed your mind?" he asked, looking down at her.

"My love for it exceeded that, and I just switched teams." She moved her fingers to refresh the page on the screen. "It sucked leaving all my friends, but my mental health was more important."

Even though it was a tiny glimpse into her childhood, Mateo liked that she shared a small detail. It was a small window into her vulnerability, something she kept to herself because not many would get why she continued participating in the sport.

Sadly, she had to grow thick skin because that wasn't the only coach throughout the years that addressed bodies in a not-so-nice way. Anastasia had to force herself not to get fixated on her weight and appearance. She found herself slipping a few times, but she pulled herself into knowing what was better for her.

Not everyone had that type of ability and strength.

Cheer gave her a sense of fitting in as a kid because, when she was young, talking to people gave her intense anxiety. She would stare at kids when they would say 'hi' to her and freeze up. She went from being home with her parents to a group of snotty, talkative, loud kids.

It was a shift that she had to learn to adapt to, and knowing that Anastasia was comfortable enough to talk to Mateo about it, made him smile.

He appreciated her desire even more, understanding why she couldn't let it go.