Next sub-chapter of my OC slop storyline! Dont read if you know me irl OR dont fw hetslop! Heres the previous chapter & the masterlist
Note: sorry if its kinda whacky written at parts i didnt really get to sit and edit on this chapter for long...
Warnings: requires googling if you dont know baseball player faces from the top of ur head. Joking. Noella Backstory.
wc: 2276 (oops thats longer than i thought)
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“Mateo is gon’ kill me,” Teddy mumbled, forced to skip another round after not being able to play the cards Mateo left behind for him a few minutes ago.
“Well his fault for not being able to keep it in his pants”
Noella snorted at Marco's comment, hiding her mouth behind her deck of cards to conceal her grin.
Glancing up at her younger brother – who in return stared at Noella like someone promptly asked him to solve a complex math equation – her snort turned into a belly laugh, pointing her index at his confused expression.
“You’re so dumb” Noella wheezed out, praying that Laurie didn't plan on keeping this spiel up for much longer. No way in hell Noella was gonna pass up the opportunity to make fun of Andy.
Teddy's eyes were fixed on his cards but even he couldn't keep his grin down at her burst of laughter. Wheezing loudly when she noticed, Noella swerved her already raised pointer at him. Andy slowly turned his head in disbelief. “Tucker, why is she laughing?”
Not being able to contain it anymore, Teddy snorted and squeezed his eyes shut, which made Marky cackle and fold over into the table, which in turn resulted in a whole new wave of laughter bursting out of Noella and soon she couldn't breathe anymore. Drewsy was hiding his eyes behind his hand like this was the stupidest thing he had ever seen, but his quivering shoulders exposed his quiet giggles.
“Alrigth, stop fucking with me. Stop laughing Noella. Stop”
But Noella was still holding her stomach – which was starting to hurt from how hard she laughed at her younger brother. “I can't," she howled, tears swelling up in the corners of her eyes.
“Noella, we gotta tell him” Drew chuckled into his hand that he had finally removed from his eyes.
“But it was so funny!”
“TELL ME WHA– Wait.”
Andy stared at the empty chair next to Noella, the chair that initially belonged to a sweet Laurie – who spent a good amount of time very indiscreetly and rather aggressively typing on her phone right before standing up to get a ‘refill’.
Then his look swerved to Teddy warming up Mateo's seat. Who was also. Clearly on his phone whenever he wasn't murdering Drewsy at the game. Truthfully these two didn't even try to hide their little entanglement. Noella could've done a way better job. She noted to tease Laurie about that later.
Silence settled over the table – Bruce Springsteen hollering about Dancing In the Dark in the back – while everyone held their breaths as the correlation dawned on Andy, his eyes slowly widening. And with a wicked ‘holy shit you got me good’ grin he leaned back in his seat.
“Son of a bitch.”
And as if it was the funniest shit Andy had ever said, Marky and Drew burst out laughing.
Her brother didn't have as strong of a southern drawl as Noella or the rest of the family had but every once in a while it became obvious that he spent his formative years in a small town in buttfuck Texas.
For example when his wingman job turned out to be futile.
Noella took a sip of beer to swallow her chuckle. “Yeahp” she croaked.
“They’ fuckin’” he stated, earning another round of giggles from the two twenty three year old pre-schoolers sitting on their table.
Andy looked at Teddy who solemnly nodded with the slight dip of his chin. “Yeahp” he hastily added in case it wasn't clear.
“And you all knew”
“Yeahp” Marcos and Drew declare in unison, excitedly shoving each other's shoulders because they said it at the same time. Pre-schoolers.
Andy was quiet for a second. Slowly shaking his head, his crooked grin growing wider until he laughed out loud. “Assholes”
“I didn't even know that was a secret,” Marcos admitted, fixing his Rangers cap. The giant T sticking out like a sore thumb in this place.
The Harvest Moon had a bunch of Astros merch hanging around, very proudly supporting their local baseball team, so you'd assume that maybe Marcos Calvo didn't grow up in this area, or he had any other good reason to be a Texas Rangers fan.
You'd be dead wrong. Noella had been friends with Marky since she moved down here seven years ago, so she knew that boy was born and raised in a rich neighbourhood south of Austin, heir to a huge Astros obsessed family. And yet, his favourite team were the Texas Rangers.
He once confessed to her that it started out of spite – to stand in opposition to his dad, which Noella found fair. It wasn't like she loved either of the Texas teams. In fact as long as he supported the Dodgers she could even support his rebellion against the Astros.
Earlier when Marky had rocked up to the bar, his cap proudly on display, Mateo's eyes almost fell out of his head.
“Ya can't pull up with that ‘round here they'll charge you more you dog”
“Worry ‘bout your own team, prince charming” he simply replied, patting Mateo's chest who grinned at the comparison. Noella wasn't sure if that meant they loved each other as of now or if the night was gonna end in a bar fight.
She was still curious to find out.
“Dude nobody thought it was a secret, Andy is just blind as a bat” Drew chirped.
Teddy frowned "Hey bats are way sicker than him”
“Hes more like those blind fishes at the bottom of the ocean” Noella laughed, which got agreeing murmurs from the rest of the boys.
“A blob fish!”
“Shit you right Marky, a blob fish!”
“Bloooobby! Bloooobby!”
Now that she was finally back down here again, Noella realized how much she had missed hanging out with Teddy and his baseball friends. Marcos and Drew were the rare couple of male athletes that Noella actually enjoyed talking to. Very very rare occurrence.
Marcos was American-Dominican, light brown skin and a thin moustache decorating his upper lip. One time, he grew his goatee out and genuinely looked like Willy Adames, a comparison that made her Seattle friends drool whenever she talked about her life with the baseball guys in the south. Yeah they were right to drool. Marky was objectively hot and subjectively funny.
Drew Rose-Robinson – on the field frequently referred to as Rosy by the way – on the other hand didn't really have a good player comparison. Laurie said he reminded her of the Mariners MVP Cal Raleigh but Noella didn't fully see it. He was a broad white guy from Texas. The kind of guy that you'd trust to transport a shit load of corn from one place to the other. Or maybe start a country rock band. The possibilities were endless.
Usually two other guys, Carter and Darron aka the incestious lovechild of Will Smith Baseball x Will Smith Hockey and tall Mookie Bets, would join their bar nights but Carter was out on a hot date and Darron was somewhere in New Mexico for some reason.
Whenever she referred to her “cousins” in South Texas, she usually just meant that group. Sure, Teddy had siblings and yes, she loved them too but they were little kids back in the day.
Xavier – her actual older brother – was already in college by the time they settled down here, which meant Teddy stepped up as the older brother figure, even if he was only one grade above her.
He went to a baseball academy high school in Austin, together with the rest of the micro league and Noella would try to attend every single one of their games, sneaking her own group of teammates to their afterparties, presumably becoming the reason for a million different cross high school relationships.
At least four that she knew of because she was told everything from both sides. Drew would tell her about that girl he was seeing after one of their wins, and that girl would tell Noella about how bad of a kisser he was. Team captain responsibilities to keep her mouth shut of course.
Naturally Teddy and the other boys would come to every single one of their games too, cheering like wild animals from the stands every time she got up to bat. Fun times.
Until the era of ‘Cattlefucker’ started. At the beginning of junior year, she started going out with her ex boyfriend who latched onto her brain like an evil brainrotting disease, which almost cost her her scholarship and in turn her entire softball career. He was the son of a rich cattle farmer – ergo the name – and the only man that ever got above Noella's hotshot mindset. It was disgusting, she had no power over her actions anymore. He was the first guy she ever truly dated.
It wasn't like no man had ever tried to get with her, god knew the entire roster of both of these schools had a thing for her, but Cattlefucker was different.
Not even Teddy could save her from the bad decision of losing her virginity to a cowboy. He was charming, said exactly what she wanted to hear, showered her with love and compliments. Any attempt to push him away was useless, mostly because she didn't want to get rid of him. Sixteen and stupid.
Well turns out Noella was the only one that thought their relationship was real.
After Cattlefucker was through with her – chewed on her until she wasn't useful for his high school status anymore – he spat her out. Accused her of cheating on him with one of the football players, who didn't even deny it because sleeping with THE Noella Johnson was on the entire teams bucket list.
Of course he didn't try to discuss this with her privately, instead, he announced it by drunkenly standing up on the kitchen table at his own houseparty – where they had been celebrating the team of said football players win – and ‘expose’ her in front of her entire friend group. Finishing his speech by thanking everyone for coming to the party.
And boom, that's how she became known as the school's slut. Fallen from grace. It wasn't like anyone even cared about that cowboy or the cheating. It just gave everyone the perfect excuse to hate Noella. The rest of the football team would harass her on snapchat, beg her to sleep with them too, the girls on her team wouldn't play fair and voted for her to get the captain title removed.
She really fucking hated junior year. Hated everything, hated playing softball with girls who didn't believe that she was innocent and that Cattlefucker used her to get popular. For a second she even considered dropping out of the team.
The micro league boys were the only ones that had her back, them and a few of the girls on the team that she was actually close with, they helped her remember to not throw her talent out the window because of a cowboy.
Teddy told her last summer that, after he found out about the football boys harassing her, he and a few of his baseball buddies actually threatened to beat up every single one of their players until nobody could play anymore and because he was born the size of a truck, they believed him.
Thankfully the story died in her last year, getting replaced by some other local drama and with a few new faces on her team, she actually managed to get back on top of her softball career. And nothing felt sweeter than getting that scholarship to the other side of the country in front of everyone that didn't want her to succeed. Fucking A buddy.
But that rough Junior year of course didn't change how much she loved Munsten and the South. Getting closer with everyone during the micro leagues graduation season, most of her favourite guys still staying somewhere in the area, showing up to her senior year games even if Teddy wasn't in the state anymore.
In her mind, they were more Teddy's friends than hers, however that group were her biggest hype men when she was on the field, cheering little Noella on.
When she graduated and went off to Seattle, they made her promise to come back down as much as she could, especially Drewsy who – sometimes way too evidently – was kind of in love with her. But he knew that she would never see him that way. Christ, even thinking about dating a baseball player felt incestious.
Those were her cousins.
“Blobfish can see you idiots,” Andy barked.
Andy was too young to be part of any of those activities, he was 13 when they moved here, he still had the beautiful life of middle school ahead of him before the drama of high school awaited him. Crazy to think he was having a beer with her right now. Noella's little smelly brother whose favourite sports didn't include balls but dirtbikes and cars.
“You still look like one” she giggled
“Whose fucking turn is it anyway”
Andy looked around the table, blatantly ignoring Noellas insults.
“Yours, blobfish” Teddy chuckled, a rare jab from the peaceful giant.
“Who we callin’ blobfish?”
Laurie appeared behind Teddy, a fresh drink in her hand and a very redfaced Mateo next to her.
“Andy” the table said in unison, Noella cashed in a punch to her shoulder from an excited Marky. “Jinx!”
“Oh you mean because they're slow?” Laurie tilted her head, devilishly grinning down at Andy who chuckled.
“He knows, Laurie, you're free,” Noella smiled.
“Finally,” she sighed with exhaustion, “Now someone scoot”
When the sun beams down on you, making you all sweaty and hot, the best thing to do is to embrace it. And maybe drink some water.
Card Game
Next sub-chapter of my OC slop storyline! Dont read if you know me irl OR dont fw hetslop! Heres the previous chapter & the masterlist
Note: Dual Pov, it changes after "—"
Warnings: semi-public bj, takes a long time to get there though.
wc: 4298
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7:12 pm, Wednesday June 18th, Harvest Moon Sports Bar
“Does Andy not know you and Mateo are hooking up?”
Laurie choked on her Vodka Soda, coughing it out of her airways, not having expected Tucks’ question.
“What do you mean?” she put the straw back into her mouth to wash down the embarrassment of choking on her drink.
The Harvest Moon was packed, once again full of bikers and farmers who really wanted to get drunk on a Wednesday night. And Sports Trivia Night just ended, so the real afterparty just started for all the guests. God this place really is a sports town, no wonder Noella's family turned out that way.
While her group was sitting at one of the tables – playing the heated cardgame Mateo introduced – Laurie was ordering and picking up their first round of drinks, with the help of Noella's cousin Tucks, who she was actually starting to become real friends with, especially after that last camping weekend.
“Why is he trying to set him up with you?”
Tucker Drayton or ‘Teddy’, as Laurie has heard him being referred to, was Aunt Jules oldest son and damn near the quietest of them all but after getting to know him more, Laurie realized that he was a sweety. Except for right now.
She didn't know how to reply to that so she simply shrugged, grabbed a beer bottle and took another sip of her drink before turning around. Teddy let out a low chuckle and followed her to the table, the rest of the bottles under his arm.
That nickname fit him incredibly well actually, he was a huge guy. The first time she saw him – that was when he picked them up from the Houston airport – she immediately told him that he reminded Laurie of a young Mike Trout. Wide neck and a clean fade buzzcut. Even the start of a goatee sprouting on his chin.
Laurie sat down next to Noella and handed her her beer, who eagerly thanked her.
“Whos winning?” Looking around the group of guys entranced by the cards, consisting of Andy, Mateo and Teddy's Micro League – his group of baseball buddies – Laurie leaned forward and nibbled on the straw swimming in her drink.
“Not Marky thats for sure”
“Oh Drewsy Honey, thats what i want you to think”
Noella always called them the Micro League because in reality they weren't even professional baseball players.
Teddy used to play for a Single A team in North Carolina after College but since he got injured at the beginning of the month he'd been left stranded down here, having to miss at least a few months. Great timing for Noella and Laurie, horrible timing for him.
And the guys he was always bringing everywhere were his high school teammates. Today, only two of the usual four were in attendance, Drew and Marcos.
She played some ball with them earlier today, learning that Drewsy Mc HugeMan had a wicked arm and Marky Miss Gigglesworth could steal bases until your head spun. A great group of guys to train with in summer.
But according to Noella's angry scoff, not the best to play cards with.
“Fuckin hell, Markys been snoopin my cards all game, I swear if he gets more points than me im gon’ shove them cards up where he cant see em anymore” she mumbled to Laurie, keeping her voice down as she scanned her deck.
Somehow Laurie wasn't the only one that could hear Noella's profanities, a quiet snicker emerging from the opposite corner of the table that Laurie immediately recognized as Mateos. Her eyes locked on him. Again.
He was relaxed in his chair, legs spread apart underneath the table, wearing a dark blue 2017 World Series Houston Astros shirt that hung tight on his big torso. Deck of cards in his hand.
Laurie had been fighting the urge to stare at him all night, especially since he wasn't wearing a cap this time. His washed hair looked soft to the touch, strands dangling by the side of his face, lightly bouncing every time he turned his head. And he shaved. Not his stache but the poky stubble on his chin and jaw. His skin probably felt smooth and if Laurie was able to do what she wanted, she'd lunge across the table and lick his jawline, smell his hair and put her hands down the front of his jeans. But no.
Not having been able to touch him or even talk to him alone since they arrived around twenty minutes ago was getting to her. Mateo was timid around her, maybe a little bit unsure on how much affection he was allowed to show with Andy still being on his wingman trip. And Laurie wasn't sure either.
She realized she was staring when he locked eyes with her, he had his hand in front of his mouth, scratching the hairs above his upper lip with his thumb, flashing her a hidden grin. With only the corners of his mouth visible, Laurie could feel a tingle travel through her entire body. Twitching a smile back at him, she broke eye contact and continued slurping her vodka soda that had way too little vodka and too much soda. Yummy.
“Boom baby” Drew put down some cards but Mateo shook his head. “Thats not gonna get you much”
“Show what you got then”
It was Mateo's turn but Laurie spaced out when he explained the rules earlier so she didn't really care about what he was putting down. Clearly it was good because Noella laughed and pointed at Drew whose face dropped.
“Whatever, Andy it's your turn,” he mumbled and waved his hand.
“Dont have anything.. Noella” Andy picked up a card from the deck in the middle of the table and now it was Noella's turn, Teddy – who was sitting next to Andy – and Laurie having been skipped since they weren't playing.
Laurie looked at Mateo again, who was back to relaxing, melting into his seat, hands resting on top of each other on his chest. A content smile on his face. It was the first time Laurie had seen him in this context, hanging around friends, jokingly chirping whenever someone played wrong, laughing at every dumb joke that was thrown in the circle. A normal young guy who would probably nudge his knee against hers as a form of quiet teasing if she sat next to him.
The game went on as Laurie pulled out her phone to reread the messages they exchanged when they first sat down at the table.
L: no cap this evening?
M: Thought id treat you with my visible scalp today
L: you really know how to get me going meow
M: I have an extra cap in my car if you get too wild, young lady. Dont make me lock my head up again
M: Dont laugh, Mr Wingman might get the wrong idea
L: i cant believe youd threaten me with your extra car cap
M: ;)
She grinned to herself and turned her phone off again, trying to follow the game happening right next to her. Wait what the hell was going on?
“I still don't get this game” she sighed and looked into Noella's cards, who immediately shoved them flat against her chest.
“EY, no looking”
“Im not even playing”
“Dont care look into someone else’s cards”
Noella was a very competitive person, Laurie knew that, so she chuckled and stood up.
Some classic country song started playing and she eyed the baseball game on one of the screens close to them. They were still scoreless in the second inning, Houston was up to bat with some guy who seriously needed a trim. And.. ball. Next one. Foulball. Laurie sighed and continued walking behind her friends, exaggerating glancing down into Marcos cards who didn't notice.
“Come, ill explain it to you”
Laurie looked up to Mateo waving her towards him and wandered to the corner between Drewsy and him.
“Alright Cowboy” she said, leaning over to look into his cards. His face was now right next to hers and in the perfect world she would rub her cheek against his, feeling his freshly shaven skin. She wondered if his face was the only thing he shaved.
“‘Right so, don't say out loud what I have please but you see these here” His voice was low, only speaking to her and truthfully, Laurie really didn't care about learning the rules of this game anymore.
“Mhm” She crouched lower, now on the same level as the table and Mateo followed her, lowering his deck of cards so they could both look into them, holding them in his left hand while his right was pulled back, allowing her more space to scoot closer.
He kept talking, explaining the ways of this game but Laurie felt how his right hand wandered to her back, the tips of his fingers ever so slightly scratching her shoulders. A torturous touch, the first since Monday. And perfectly out of Andy's vision.
Her eyes glued to the cards, she inched closer, close enough that nobody could see her hand finding the top of his thigh.
“Mateo your turn” Marcos – who sat opposite – interrupted, Mateo jerked up straight and picked some cards up, before returning to leaning down and showing her his new cards.
There was a roughness in his voice, he cleared his throat and continued telling her about the process of picking up cards for the third time. She rolled her hand deeper into the inside of his thigh and he shifted in his seat. “ – for example I can use those three Laurie stop but that's not enough to get ten points so Laurie so I'm gonna wait another round…”
She nodded and ‘mhm’-ed in between every other word but the only thing that Laurie gathered was how much she wanted him. Clearly just as much as he did. When she removed her hand to stand up and walk back to her chair – new knowledge about the game acquired – she let it fly over his crotch, curious instinct in charge of her decisions. He was hard as a brick.
“Alright now tell us what he has” Andy joked when she sat down and Laurie laughed awkwardly, squeezing her thighs together at the burning feeling between her legs. Fucking hell.
Without intending to, she locked eyes with Teddy sitting across from her, who had an incredibly smug grin plastered on his face. When he ever so slightly wiggled his eyebrows, Laurie sucked on the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from laughing and broke eye contact. What an interesting game of cards.
Noella shouted something into the discussion, Laurie didn't register because when she glanced at Mateo once again she noticed him looking down, presumably typing. The vibration of her phone lying face down on the table confirmed that assumption, her throat dried up and her heart gave out before doing a flip. She slowly grabbed the phone, so as to not draw attention to herself and after a moment, unlocked it.
M: How much longer do I have to pretend
Laurie swallowed and looked up, Mateo's eyes burning into hers.
She returned to the text, still feeling Mateo scan every inch of her. She was wearing a tight tube top, the Mariners logo faintly printed across her chest, it used to be a kids shirt but she cut it up and resowed it with Noella's help. But right now it's like she wasn't wearing anything. Her skin felt like it was on fire.
L: pretend what?
She watched the typing symbol pop up, disappear and pop up again.
M: That i dont want to fuck you right on this table
Quickly turning off the screen, in case someone was watching, Laurie hastily hid her mouth behind her hand, rubbing the lower half of her face. Her cheeks felt burning hot, the ache between her legs even more intense than before and when she looked back up, Mateo's eyes immediately locked with hers. Glazed over with need, he didn't look away.
His face was flushed and she could see his shoulders slowly rise and fall, breathing heavier than before. Unnoticeable if you didn't know what he was thinking about but Laurie knew.
They haven't had sex since that last Friday. Not even on the Ranch. They got caught up in a long discussion about his horses, the history of the Ranch and finding as many cats as possible. Before she knew it the night was up and Mateo shyly confessed that he had forgotten about having to wake up at 3:30 am the next day to prep and drive a few bucking horses to a show in Louisiana.
And Laurie really didn't want him to miss any sleep because of her. So after some quick makeout session in his car that left a sticky spot in her underwear, she climbed back through the guestroom window.
L: weve only been here half an hour
She watched him as he lowered his head to read the message, his hair falling into his face.
M: I have to tell johnny
M: Fuck this wingman shit i already got you
Laurie reread the last message, unsure how to feel about the butterflies aggressively flapping their wings against her thorax.
L: wait
Visibly irritated, Mateo averted his gaze to stare blankly at the game, sucking his teeth which made his jawline and chin pop out. He looked so ridiculously good, Laurie only noticed that Teddy kicked her under the table after the third and strongest kick that landed right on her bruise. She flinched in pain, killing Teddy with a glare who simply nodded towards the card game.
Seemed there was a conversation happening that apparently Laurie was supposed to partake in.
“Hm?” she pressed out, rubbing her shin and trying to keep her face from contorting in misery.
“Oregon? There's Ranching up there too right?” Andy lifted his beer bottle to his lips and Laurie could've strangled him. What the fuck was he on about again. Also whose beer was that, not his thats for sure, he was only 19.
“Yeah…yeah i grew up real close to a sheep farm”
Was that a satisfying answer? She took a sip of her drink.
“Yeah you told me about that! Kinda like Mateo, isn't that funny” Noella put down some card combination and looked at her. It seemed that smug grin was genetic.
She knew of Andy's plan, thinking it was the funniest shit ever when Laurie told her all about it yesterday. Now she was playing into it. Goddamnit Noella.
“Mateo you gotta pull up that pic of you with the shee–”
Andy tried to address Mateo, who interrupted him by standing up, mumbling something about going to take a leak. He didn't even look back.
“Its your turn!” Drew shouted after him.
“Teddy can play for me” was the last thing he said before disappearing around the corner that led towards the toilets. And the secret backdoor.
Laurie removed the straw from her glass and emptied the rest in one go, chewing on some of the crushed ice that found its way past her lips.
“Im gonna get a refill”
—
This was ridiculous. He should've just told Johnny immediately that he and Laurie had something going on. He should've just told him back on Monday at the house.
Him and Johnny go back a long time but it's not like Mateo would classify him as a good friend. More of an old buddy that got him access to a few local house parties over the past years. And helped him tune up his truck. But that was all three years ago.
This situation was stupid. Johnson knew, Tucker knew, shit the other guys were literally there when Laurie and him started making out at the pool table a few weeks ago.
Mateo was leaning next to the door that led him to the back of the building, taking in a deep breath of the fresh evening air while a light breeze made strands of unruly hair tickle his face. That's why he always wore caps. No hair in his face. Pushing it back, he fished out a pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket.
His hands were clampy, shaking as he led one up to his mouth. He desperately needed a distraction. Well, he desperately needed Laurie but she said to ‘wait’.
Cursing, he fixed his crotch, his hard on pressing uncomfortably against his pants. Trying to think of things that would make him forget Laurie's hand on his thigh. Trying not to think about her little quirks that turned him on, the way she always led the straw to her mouth with her tongue, how she started every laugh with a high pitched squeal, how she played with her hair whenever she was thinking about something, how she had no shyness in staring at him but then turning pink whenever he stared back. This wasn't helping.
Where was his lighter?
He tapped down his pockets, shit, realizing he probably left it in his other pair of pants yesterday.
“Are you kidding me..” he grumbled, the unlit cigarette still hanging by the side of his mouth.
Great. He put it back into the pack, mulling over his options. He could get more to drink? Yeah.
And just as he turned to grip the handle of the door, it flung open and Laurie crashed into him.
“Huh–” Catching himself by holding onto her shoulders, they both let out confused grunts. With a silent click, the door fell shut and Laurie blinked up at him.
Not even a heartbeat later, she slung her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to kiss him.
As if he was finally released from his shackles, a moany groan slipped out of Mateo, reciprocating the hungry kiss and shoving her even closer, his hands traversing every spot on her back in desperate groping.
Taking a step forward, he pushed her against the closed door, sighing at the feeling of her tongue appreciatively licking over his bottom lip, he kissed her deeper, as deep as he could, teeth clashing against hers. It was one of those kisses that left him out of breath after a few seconds but if suffocation meant he got to feel her fingers dig into his hair and tug and pull and push while her lips were on his, then god help him, he didn't need air.
“Hey Mattie” she panted into his mouth when she finally pulled back to catch her breath, allowing him to refill his lungs, his forehead pressed against hers.
“Hey” his voice gave out and he didn't have time to clear his throat before her lips were on his again, on the corner of his mouth, his cheek – the spot where his teenage acne had scarred – and his jaw, nibbling where he shaved his stubble this morning. Mitch had told him to do that and after staring at himself in the mirror for a really long time he agreed. It was getting too long anyway.
His right thigh buried between her legs, pressing against her, giving her the opportunity to softly rock her hips back and forth up his quads.
“I been needing you so bad,” Mateo mumbled under his breath. He slanted his head allowing Laurie to plant open mouth kisses on his neck, her heavy breaths tickling his skin. His hand moved to cup her breast over her tight shirt, squeezing like a stress ball, she huffed out a giggle.
“Why did you agree to that wingman shit”
“Oh Laurie shut up about that” Mateo growled and hooked his finger into the seam of her top, pulling it under Laurie's breasts. Pushing her bikini – more like a tiny flap of fabric – aside, his hand was back to holding onto her now bare tit as if it had his life energy stored in it. Running his thumb over her nipple, he could feel Laurie shudder at the stimulation.
Like a reflex her hand dropped to his crotch, running her palms along the curve of his shaft locked behind layers of jeans and underwear.
“Since when have you been hard?” she teased, looking at him through half lidded eyes, her makeup was a little smeared in the corner of her eyes, he realized.
Instead of confessing the embarrassing truth of ‘the moment you sat down in your chair and scooted forward, making your tits bounce’ he kissed her again. Softly to really get a taste of her, smiling into her mouth when she appreciatively sighed.
Tongue knocking at the seam of his lips, he let her in, the kiss becoming more sloppy again, their tongues rather fucking than dancing and before he knew it, he was the one with the back pressed against the door.
Panting when she pulled back, Mateo watched as she slowly lowered herself, her tits still hanging out of her shirt. “Christ” he absently mumbled at the sight of her looking up at him, her hands working to unbuckle his belt.
“Baby do you want me to make you feel good?”
He threw his head back hitting the metal door, the cherry sweetness of her voice almost making his knees give in. “Please,” he sighed, his hands balled up next to his body, unsure what to do with them.
An absent voice in the back of his head reminded him about the consequences of being caught getting his dick sucked at the back of this bar.
But when she untucked his shirt and pulled it up to kiss his bellybutton, letting her tongue trail down until she hit the edge of his underwear peeking out his jeans, every conscious thought he had vanished.
“Laurie” he whispered, like a prayer to himself, he wasn't sure if she even heard him.
She unbuttoned his jeans, Mateo grabbed the hem of his shirt to stop it from sliding back down and let his head hang to watch her, his other hand running through his hair that fell into his face.
With a grunt she pulled his pants and underwear down to his midthigh, his hard dick springing free and without missing a beat she wrapped her fingers around his base. “Ive been wanting to do this since you came to check on the ponies”
“Yea?”
Without breaking eye contact, she gave him one generous lick along his shaft, making him shudder, his precum bubbling over.
“Yeah big boy. You looked so hot and professional in your little polo shirt,” she whispered back before giving his tip a gentle suck.
“Fuck” he hissed at the sensation, tightening the grip on his shirt and throwing his head back, she added her second hand to stroke him.
Trying not to let a moan slip out, his breathing came out laboured and uneven. His eyes were pressed shut, concentrating on the sound of Laurie blowing him – her little hungry giggles before swirling her tongue over his slit, making his hip buck involuntarily. “Shit..” he choked out.
It didn't take long until he felt his orgasm build up, suppressing any pleasured sounds becoming harder, a whine slipping past him. “Fuck, Laurie im close” He slowly keeled over, his abs contracting.
With a ‘plop’ she removed her lips, looking up at him, still twisting and pumping
“I want you to cum in my mouth”
With that demand she put his dick back on her tongue, and with the next jerk his vision became blurry, exploding into her warm wet mouth, her lips perfectly enclosing him. “Fuckfuck fuck”
His thighs were trembling at the strength of his orgasm, he was still hunched over Laurie, who swallowed and smiled up at him, he could only partially make her out through his hair having fallen into his face.
Letting go of his shirt – that he was clamming onto like a liferaft – he cleared his vision, tucking as many strands as he could behind his ears. “Im–” he started. Not sure how to finish his sentence, still catching his breath, he blinked at Laurie who grabbed his arm to lift herself up from her knees.
“Did you like that?”
What a question. Slowly, he nodded, still shaken up, helping her pull herself up before pulling his pants back up.
“Mhm” he mumbled into her shoulder while tucking his shirt back into his pants and buckling his belt, a grin creeping onto his face that he wasn't gonna get rid of the rest of the night.
Suddenly he remembered what even led them to being secretive in the back of the bar and he groaned in agony.
“Hm?” Laurie looked at him confused. Her cheeks were bright red and she was wearing her top all normal again. Shucks.
“Nothin’ just remembered what we are gon’ have to come back to inside…Your cheeks are so pink you look so cute” he poked her soft burning skin, she squeezed her face together in a grin, making her cheeks even rounder and her dimples carve valleys into her face.
“Okay well…you look like someone just sucked your dick”
“Whatchu on about” he snorted and kissed her cheeks. “Christ you're so beautiful”
“Youre talkin’” she mumbled under her breath before clearing her throat.
“ALRIGHT. We gotta go back its already been five minutes”
“I dont wanna” throwing his arms around her to pull her in for a hug, he took a deep breath, face nuzzled into her neck. If he had to hear another one of Johnny's bad wingman lines he didn't know if he could hold back kicking him in the face.
“Man up big boy. We got some confessing to make”
That made Mateo's head shoot up. “We do?”
“Yeah, I'm sick of pretending. Sick of it. Andy can suck my dick.”
Mitch says it was the mullet that got Mateo the job behind the bar. Yes, when he was 19 he rocked a clean short mullet. Not even he could escape that fate.
Right at the beginning of last year, his tio Manu found out about a job opening at the Harvest Moon Sports Bar. It was for a busser, so he immediately suggested it to Mateo who had been discussing his thoughts about getting a weekend job to save up some extra cash with him.
And so, because not many people were throwing themselves at the job in this small town, it didn't take long for him to get hired. Also the owner is a huge Houston Astros fan. Maybe that helped. A little.
Initially he didn't want to work at a bar, not having enough social stamina to survive speaking to the drunk old farmers or rowdy truckers that frequented the Harvest Moon. But what else was he gonna find? The town museum?
During the first six months he was mostly cleaning dishes or clearing tables, depending on how much was going on. Simple enough for him.
But when they hired his favourite coworker Maureen, back then a 17 year old energetic ginger, Mateo got promoted to be a waiter, getting taught how to mix drinks and work behind the bar. Luckily for him, most of the time everyone just wanted beer, and he knew his beers.
It was also around that time that Mitch cut his mullet right before his 19th birthday and all of a sudden his tips started getting higher. Older women would wink at him when they left, telling the owner how good of a job he did in making their drinks. He especially enjoyed when couples came in and the insecure husbands glared at him.
He loved the compliments he got, specifically from young tourists that just passed through the town to get from Houston to Austin or vice versa. He'd tell them about the Sunstone Ranch while pouring their drinks, flashing cheeky grins when only one of them was looking at him.
He'd drop things like "I work with rodeo horses, lady, trust I know my way around the saddle" or "Usually we charge for riding lessons but I can make exceptions for pretty girls" and then he'd skedaddle to the other side of the bar, leaving his recipient on their feet.
It's not like he hasn't been doing alright before – having the Rancher status coming with a few percs – but this was different. Way different.
The first girl he hooked up with while working at the Harvest Moon started a chain reaction for him that she never even found out about, having left town right afterwards. The story goes that three days after he served that girl who was shortly in town for a job – he never found out what the job was, imagining that she was probably a reporter – she came back. Right before they opened in the afternoon, she demanded to see him.
Her being in her late twenties, he untruthfully told her he was twenty one and agreed to come by her hotel when he finished his shift that night. And so he did. Some shady Motel off of 134.
Not even three days later another girl stayed at the bar until he finished working, promising to give him the time of his life. And two weeks after that came the next encounter, this time two girls.
This went on until summer was over. Frequenting between hotel rooms and the back of his car, his hoe summer was slowly getting to him.
Late August he got too cocky, too carried away with making the customers happy, his boss found out about it and joked that he should just become a prostitute if he liked sleeping around so much for measly tips.
It was quite the humbling talk and he decided to quit the job the following month. Enough was enough.
Mitch keeps saying that he got fired because he wouldnt stop fucking the customers, but Mateo disagrees. He says he quit because he had enough money and working at a sports bar during the baseball season was incredibly exhausting. And he did start feeling a little bit used, it was a weird time, more often than not getting kicked out of a motel in the middle of the night.
Swearing to abstinence lasted around two months before he got invited to a rodeo afterparty where a girl mistook him for one of the riders. And he wasn't just gonna say no and crush her dreams now was he.
But his fucking around did come to an end after that one. Except in spring but that was a one off. Hes not really good at setting boundaries to be honest.
Next sub-chapter of my OC slop storyline! Dont read if you know me irl OR dont fw hetslop! Heres the previous chapter & the masterlist
Note: Dual Pov, it changes after "—"
Warnings: Last chapter of Start Of A Summer Romance, pretty short and nothing crazy i just find them cute
wc: 1435
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07:45 pm. Sunstone Ranch
The Ranch was huge. Really huge.
When the road switched from relatively seamless and driveable to a shaky dirt path, Mateo revealed that this was already part of the Sunstone Property. And they drove for at least 5 minutes before arriving at the gate.
She was still not feeling swell enough to appreciate the sheep they passed, mad at herself for not having eaten something earlier. She was used to pain – it comes with being a softball player – however there was nothing that made her more irritated than being hungry in a place where she couldn't immediately rid that feeling.
“Alright stay here, ill be right back” Mateo turned off the engine, parked in front of the main building – a few other trucks splattered across the wide dirtland.
Laurie looked at him confused. Was he just gonna leave her here?
“Where are you going?”
“Im getting us something to eat” he smiled and closed the truck door, Laurie immediately regretting her snappy tone. Of course he wasn't just gonna leave her here.
While waiting, Laurie checked her phone, sending a bazillion pictures from the camping trip into the family groupchat, leaving out the sweaty red selfies she and Noella took when they arrived during the midday heat on Saturday.
Sofi – her little sister – replied immediately, apparently bored out of her mind back in Hillsboro, Oregon.
S: Is that the gulf? Woooowwww
She was so cute, Laurie grinned. Even if she was already 14 years old, to Laurie, Sofi was still a little baby that she couldn't live without. Her little boxer.
L: Yess
L: Im at a Ranch right now, im gonna try and find horses
S: Ugh jellus
Laurie silently chuckled and put her phone back into her pocket to open the door and jump out, taking in a deep breath of the humid texan air. A sting of soreness in her thigh making her stumble and groan. What the hell did she do on Friday that prompted this.
After a few minutes of circling the truck and watching the clouds pass over the grassfields, Mateo returned. Two plastic containers, a big bottle of water and a bucket in his arms.
“Are you fine with fried rice? I could only find leftovers from lunch so I warmed it up in the microwave” he held out the container. Laurie couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear.
“Thank you so much… god you're such a blessing”
“No problem, pretty” Mateo cheesed and Laurie finally found out what the bucket was for. He opened the back car door and signaled Laurie to sit down at the edge of the seat, placed the bucket – bottoms up – on the ground opposite of her and sat down. A chair.
Because obviously there was no way he was gonna eat in his truck, his precious truck.
“Bone apple teeth” he said and handed Larie a metal spoon.
“Bone apple teeth to you too, Mattie”
—
“Did you not put on shoes?”
Mateo chuckled at Laurie's flip-flops, she was sitting with her legs crossed over, whipping her foot as she solemnly shoveled down the rice.
“I didn't know where we were going man” she snorted with a mouthful and kicked towards him
“Hey no feet in my food” He leaned back, lifting the container away from her
Chuckling, Laurie shifted around and pulled the skirt fabric that was draped over her legs like a waterfall back up to her knees, unknowingly revealing a giant bruise on her shin that Mateo hadn't been able to see until now.
He stared at it. The skin was ripped, a dark purple streak running straight across her bone.
“Is that from camping?” he asked, very much hoping that was the case. What werewolf did she encounter?
Laurie furrowed her brows in confusion and followed his look, waving her hand to avert his eyes as she realized what he was talking about, “Oh dont worry dont worry thats from– uhh, thats..”
She started stumbling over her words to which Mateo leaned forward and pressed his finger on the spot. There was no explainable reason behind him doing that except it's what he and Mitch always did when the other person had a bruise. Laurie shrieked in pain “OW WHAT THE FUCK”
“Sorry” he grimaced. Maybe not the right move, if you want a girl to like you. He fixed his cap, "How'd that happen?”
Angrily rubbing her shin, Laurie looked up at him
“Technically its your fault”
“Huh”
“Yeah…on Friday night because you were stressing me to meet you”
“Really?”
She shrugged, pressing her lips together not to laugh. “Yeah so I ran into the corner of my bed at full speed. Fuck you dude”
Mateo snorted and put his face in his hand. “Laurie”
“Yeah fuck you dude, made me run around my room and bust my leg. I could've broken it, you know! Career over. I should sue you”
She waved her finger at him aggressively and he couldn't hold back giggling with every new sentence.
“You could've told me I could've patched you up. Or did you not even realize because you were too eager to hop in my truck” he raised an eyebrow.
Laurie scraped the container clean, getting the last bits of food out, and shrugged, not looking at him.
“I might have only realized the next morning”
“Injuries don't distract an athlete, right?”
That made her crack a grin and look back at him
"I've played through worse, I can't disappoint my fans you know”
“You callin me a fan?” Mateo stood up and took the empty container from Laurie's hand, piling it onto his own.
“Oh yes i am”
Due to the truck's elevation, Mateo standing up brought him to eyelevel with her. He slid his free hand under her skirt and rested it on her bare upper thigh, now in thought.
“Johnny said you was walkin’ like you tore a muscle”
Rolling her eyes, Laurie sighed “That guy is so dramatic, I was just sore. Can't I just be a little slow and bad at walking up stairs on one weekend”
She stretched her legs around him and Mateo could feel her quads flex under his hand. He squeezed down almost instinctively.
“So I didn't like– hurt you or anything?” he asked but Laurie only snorted and shook her head
“I don't think you could hurt me. I've had workouts that left me more unwalkable than you did”
He scoffed, secretly relieved that Johnny was just dramatic “Well I do not want to leave you unwalkable now do i?”
“I guess so” she leaned forward and grabbed his shoulder, lifting herself to jump out the truck.
Scratching a mosquito bite on her arm, she walked past him “Now show me these horsies”
…
“OH WHO ARE YOUUU”
Laurie squealed and started petting one of the farm cats, who decided to bask in the evening sun on top of the quad that Mateo normally uses to get to the grazing bucking horses in the further parts of the property.
“Thats Sniper”
“Oh aren't you a cutie, enjoying the sun” Laurie continued in a high pitched voice and Mateo chuckled when Sniper yawned – making Laurie “Aweeeee” even louder.
“He always naps on my quad when I need it the most”
“Well you deserve a good nap dont you, oh dont you” Laurie continued to baby talk to the cat, scratching his chin.
Sniper was a real show off cat, his light brown fur and big blue eyes always making the tourists stop in their tracks. And he never ran off either because that cat loved nothing more than getting attention, Tia Christina always called him ‘Aparatoso’ .
Mateo grabbed him to lift him off the quad, which Sniper did not appreciate – meowing in protest. “Alright buddy go find some place else”
“Mateo im gonna die hes so adorable”
“He a real cutie, ain’t he”
He sat down on the quad, patting the free spot behind him that Laurie climbed onto. “Shit i forgot to take a picture,” she said when Sniper ran off and disappeared inside a shack.
Mateo chuckled and turned on the machine "I'll find him later, then you can make a whole photoshoot”
Laurie sighed happily and slung her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek into his shoulderblade.
The setting sun painted the sky a beautiful colour, its rays drowning Mateo's vision in golden and orange hues, the prickling feeling of heat forming sweat droplets under his cap only to be cooled off by the wind as Mateo started driving through the grassfields.
Next sub-chapter of my OC slop storyline! Dont read if you know me irl OR dont fw hetslop! Heres the previous chapter & the masterlist
Note: Dual Pov, it changes after "—"
Warnings: just a whole lotta yap, nothing to be afraid of
wc: 2280
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Princess had a nail in her hoof. Not very deep but annoying enough that she had an attitude that Mrs. Drayton rightfully felt concerned about.
Finding the culprit in her left hind leg took Mateo way longer than it normally should. But blame that on the girl living in this house that loved to put pictures in his head.
After Mateo finally finished patching Princess the Pony up, reporting the issue to the woman of the house and getting his sweet reward (cash), he walked up the driveway on the side of the house.
“Why didn't you repair it before going camping?”
Andy looked up from the giant AC unit laying on the floor, its cover missing, exposing the complicated insides.
He laughed and stood up, dusting his hands off on his jeans.
“My aunt told me it worked, dude. And I came down directly from Austin right before we left i didnt even have time to check. Beginner mistake I know, don't scold me Dad”
Mateo chuckled and crossed his arms. “Well you're lucky nothing else broke”
“I mean the first one was already broken but I knew ‘bout that beforehand”
Andy was not even a year younger than him and still, Mateo felt the urge to sigh real disappointed. But he held back.
“Did you at least check the tires before leaving?” He eyed the camper standing in the garage, the screen door popped out and folded up on the floor next to it.
Andy followed his look. “Obviously, I'm not that dumb. Buuut you see that screen door on the floor?”
Mateo slowly nodded. Yeah, someone forgot to install it.
“We accidentally left the door open without anything in between and then grilled.”
He had to hold back laughing right into Andy’s face. “Shit. I can't even imagine what you guys came back to”
“Dont, god i can still hear the zzzzzZzzzZ haunting me” Andy dramatically pressed his hands on his ears and shook his head. That's when they heard the house door open and moments later, Laurie came round the corner.
She had opened her hair since their last talk, it was now falling down her shoulders, bouncing as she took assertives steps up the driveway towards them, still wearing the same outfit as before. That long flowy flower skirt that reached her flip flops and a tight tank top that showed off her new tanlines.
Without even acknowledging that Mateo was there she circled around them and the AC, continuing towards the garage.
“I think I forgot my bag in the camper, I'm gonna check real quick,” she said over her shoulder.
“Knock yourself out Laurie”
“Yeah,” Mateo added. For no reason. It wasn't his house.
Laurie disappeared in the Camper.
“Thats my sisters friend by the way”
Confused, Mateo turned towards Andy . “Hm?”
“That girl, Laurie. ‘M fairly sure she's also a softball player, I dunno. I only know Noella knows her from Seattle.”
When Mateo didn't reply except slightly tilt his head, he continued.
“I'm tellin’ you this because I clearly just saw how you looked at her walking past you.”
Mateo's stomach dropped. Shit.
“I don't know what you're talkin’ about–”
The sound of Laurie's flip flops squeaking down the Camper stairs interrupted his defense and he pressed his mouth shut.
“Got it!” she held up a small bag, grinning triumphantly and Mateo had to try his best not to copy her excitement.
She stopped before them, Mateo probably looked like he was about to cry and because Laurie loved torturing him, she politely smiled at him – dimples and all.
“How's Princess?”
Christ.
“The Pony?” Dumbass.
He could see Laurie trying not to laugh, keeping her smile oh so polite. Like she didn't scratch a wound into his shoulder the other night while telling him how good his dick felt.
“Yeah, the Pony. That's what you're here for right?”
Like he didn't have his face snug in between her legs until he couldn't breathe anymore.
“Yeah, she's fine. Just a cut in her foot” Kind of. Whatever.
Laurie slowly nodded, swerving her attention to the guy next to them, who was watching closely.
“Oh, Andy by the way I think I'm gonna skip out on the bar tonight, I'm so tired. But you said you were gonna stay till thursday right?”
Bar?
He waved his hand, "That's okay Laurie, no worries, get some rest.”
Mateo noticed that he did not like how casual Johnny said her name. Did he really have to say her name every time he addressed her?
With another nod, Laurie started walking back to the house, going around Mateo – who did not dare to lose more face by turning to watch her.
She took that opportunity to very discreetly run her finger on his lower back as she passed and the goosebumps he got all over his body made his back muscles contract.
Thank god his jeans didnt have much give otherwise Johnny would be in for a surprise.
“Wow you're not good at this”
Mateo groaned out all the air he had been holding in and ran his hand over his face. Fuck this, how did she manage to act so normal.
“Pipe down, Johnny”
His friend laughed “I didn't know you could be awkward, that was so…cute! Dude, i didnt know you could be cute”
Mateo shook his head, horrified “Oh god. Im going now, see ya dude”
“Stop! Don't you want to know more about her, I have insight bro c’mon”
He froze, hiding a grin behind his hand. This could be good.
“Alright..”
“Okay i actually don't know that much but she was very efficient in killing bugs. So that's a green flag. Unless you like bugs. Uhhh what else…she likes exploring and beaches. We couldn't do a lot of walking though, she moved like she had torn a muscle but she said it was nothing. Guess she was right because she's fine again i think”
Oh Jesus Christ. Mateo suddenly felt incredibly guilty. He didn't mean to ruin her camping trip because he was too rough, even if he didn't remember him having done anything that could have actually hurt her.
Andy interrupted his thoughts with a gasp “Wait i have an amazing idea”
Mateo raised his eyebrows.
—
How much longer are these two gonna talk?
Laurie was hiding behind Mateo's parked truck, popping her head out every other moment to see if Mateo was on his way. It was hard to see them, the drive way going past the side of the house but from the right angle she could make out Andy lively throwing his hands around.
Finally Mateo fully emerged from around the corner and Laurie ducked away, crouching down even though the truck was way bigger than her even if she was standing. She could hear him stop on the passenger side and sigh. The vibration of her phone in her crossbody bag suggested that he just sent her a message and she started grinning to herself. Come round the corner boy.
When he didn't seem to move, Laurie pulled her phone out.
M: Youre really bad at hiding
She snorted out loud and when she looked up he was already standing before her.
Mateo was always such a sight to see, he was so big, blocking the sun with his head, Laurie involuntarily giggled when he curled two fingers, signaling her to stand up.
“Get in, you rascal” he rolled his eyes, his voice hiding a chuckle
Laurie climbed up and on the driver's seat with her head first, planning to climb over to her seat but not before Mateo gave her a light tap on the ass making her chuckle again. She couldn't stop giggling and chuckling at every bullshit he did.
“Ive got so much to tell you Seventyfive” he sat down and turned on the engine.
“About what”
“Well first of all–” he leaned over, grabbing Laurie by the back of her head to pull her in, giving her a wet kiss. He didn't give her any time to linger, his tongue moving hungry into her mouth dancing with hers. She leaned in deeper, her hand holding onto the side of his face.
When he pulled back, Laurie was out of breath, quietly giggling as she watched him put his hands on the steering wheel and start driving.
“You are an evil woman you know that right”
She laughed out loud “Of course i do, Mattie”
She didn't need that bag from the camper. She just really wanted to see how Mateo would act in front of her when he had to pretend like they hadn't been having sex regularly the past week. There was truly nothing more exciting than an awkward Mateo.
He gave her a look, shaking his head in disbelief but she saw that little grin that he just couldn't hide.
“I hope you're excited to go to the Harvest Moon again on wednesday”
“Wednesday? Did Andy tell you that? No offense but he kind of freaks me out sometimes”
This time it was Mateo's turn to laugh, eyes fixed on the street.
“Oh you're going to that bar, even if he has to carry you himself, wanna know why?”
“Why”
“Because he made me promise that I'll be there too so that he can wingman me”
Laurie's jaw dropped. No fucking way.
“No fucking way”
Mateo nodded
“Yeah…seems like my poker face ‘s not as good as I thought when it comes to you. That guy thinks i have a huge thing for you”
Laurie's jaw dropped even more, her heart jumping out of her chest, she stifled a shriek.
“Oh well…” she started, unsure how to finish that sentence, floored.
“I mean how could anybody think that” He stretched his arm out and pinched her cheek. He pinched her cheek. He actually just pinched her cheek.
Laurie giggled again, high pitched and overwhelmed, a noise similar to a mouse getting run over. “Yeah how could anyone..” That's as much of a coherent sentence as she could think of.
“Anyway, so that's that. You gon’ tell him? Or are we gon’play along?”
She thought for a moment. “Thats a great question. I don't know.” What a peculiar situation she had found herself in. “Im kind of curious on what he will do”
Mateo snorted and softly slapped his hand on her thigh, “Well i guess ill see ya at the Harvest Moon again”
“Per usual”
She glanced at Mateo – smiling to himself – and the little hickey on his neck that was peaking out behind his hair.
“You think they're playing a Milwaukee game again?” Laurie chuckled, very much aware of his thumb mindlessly drawing circles into the cotton fabric of her skirt.
“Theyre definitely gonna play the Houston game, as far as i know”
“Oh, that's cool too”
“Altuve is back which I'm excited about, he's so good. Yakno I saw him hit a grand slam live last year”
Laurie pursed her lips, impressed “Do you go to games regularly?”
“To Astros games? With my dad sometimes. Been to two this season” He removed his hand from her thigh to take a corner but it found its place right back immediately.
“What about you? You live in Seattle right now right? How's that?”
“I go to as many Mariners games as I can afford. Actually more than I can afford but.”
Mateo chuckled and squeezed her thigh, Laurie relaxed into her seat.
Suddenly her stomach quietly growled as if on purpose, and she realized she actually hadn't eaten anything since they arrived at noon.
“But there's nothing better than Minor League games” she continued, ignoring her hunger.
“Yes! I just wanted to say that! D’ya know the Space Cowboys?” Mateo excitedly looked at her.
“Theyre in Sugarland right? I love that name..Sugarland Space Cowboys..”
“Yea, they Mitch and mines go to team, i’ont even know how often we been to Sugarland at this point”
Laurie laughed, ignoring her stomach growling again.
“When I was like seven, eight, they opened a new ballpark around ten minutes from where we lived and that's kind of how I got into baseball. The Hillsborough Hops” God she loved that team.
“Sweet, i dont think ive heard of them…What's their affiliate team?”
“Diamondbacks, it's only High A but I've gotten to play a few middle school softball tournaments in that stadium”
This time Mateo jutted out his bottom lip in awe, “God you're cool”
Laurie waved her hand dismissively, trying not to let the concept of Mateo calling her ‘cool’ get to her. Failing, she grinned. Until a new, stronger wave of hunger stung around her insides and the jittery feeling she got from talking about baseball with Mateo was suddenly gone.
“Guess so” she coughed, praying that they were in fact on the way to go get dinner.
Laurie looked out the window, long fields of nothingness and a bland sky passed by them, the clouds orange from the late afternoon sun.
Where the hell were they going?
“Where are we driving to, actually?”
“I uhh i didnt really think ‘bout that so i just took the route to the Ranch”
Just her luck.
“Well good to know” She was also tired from not getting any normal sleep in that camper last night. Holy shit, she did not plan this out.
“I thought you'd like to see horses,” he added, shyly. Laurie sighed.
“I was actually hoping we could get something to eat but yeah sure” That sounded so mean.
“But I'd love to see the horses” she smiled, half smiled.
“Dont worry, I gotchu” Mateo smiled back, full smile.
Text Messages between Mateo and Laurie while Laurie was camping in Galveston. Giving your number to Mateo just means non stop horse pictures. Also spoiler for the next chapter at the end heh dont mind.. dont mind...
Next sub-chapter of my OC slop storyline! Dont read if you know me irl OR dont fw hetslop! Heres the previous chapter & the masterlist
Note: nothing to note
Warnings: mentions of..sex..no way! But nothing too crazy just more banter and new characters and yapping and baseball
wc: 2126
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Monday, June 16th. Noellas House.
They came back this morning. How they expected to survive three nights in a hot sweaty camper with not one but two broken air conditioners – Laurie could laugh. To be fair, the second one broke yesterday afternoon but still. Not even Noella's brother Andy could fix it back up on the spot, so they had no choice but to drive back a day early.
She thought about texting Mateo about their change of plans – but the frequent horse pictures she got throughout the day suggested he was busy. And she didn't want to disturb a cowboy's hard work. Also her body was still sore from Friday. Laurie publicly blamed it on the swimming (even though she almost exclusively tanned)
…
“NOEELLAAAAAA! CAN YA GET THA DOAAAR!”
Someone had rung the door bell, resulting in two excited dogs barking loudly and Aunt Jules screaming down into the living room where Noella and Laurie had been wallowing around, thinking about their softball team's changes for next season.
“WHOS IT?” Noella screamed back up, while Laurie trotted towards the door.
The dogs kept barking through whatever Aunt Jules yelled back down, “Princess aint — — – swell so ah called — – —nch boy — – a small — –up!!”
“Babe, Slugger! Shush it!” Noella jumped up to calm down the dogs and with that Laurie opened the door, greeted by Mateo's face. Eyebrows shooting up in surprise – apparently equally as shocked as Laurie.
“ — Hello??” Laurie blurted. What was he doing here? She looked at Noella who was still wrestling with the dogs.
“Its? Mateo?” she mouthed, Noella's lips formed a silent “o”
“Uhhh” Mateo took a step back and looked around, like he had to make sure he was at the right house. When he confirmed that he did not unintentionally drive to the camping site near Gavelstone he lowered his voice and leaned back in “You said you'd only be back tomorrow?”
“We overestimated our survival skills”
“Oh..”
Laurie stared at him, waiting for him to explain his appearance but he simply took his cap off and fixed his hair, his eyes fighting hard to stay off her cleavage. She couldn't blame him, her tanlines were really good.
She chuckled. "Usually now it's your turn to tell me what you're doing here”
He got red and put the cap back on. Laurie noticed the backpack hanging from his shoulder.
“Oh sorry, uh Mrs. Drayton– Where is she actually? She called me t–”
“If it isn't Tony Flowers!” Andy walked up behind him and Laurie had to give everything not to burst out laughing at the colour leaving Mateo's face. Noella's younger brother had decided to stay down here for a few days to fix the camper and the Honda. “Feel like i havent seen you in years bro”
“Johnny! Yeah since– since spring i think, whatssuuuup!” Mateo dapped him up, composing himself after the different run of emotions he had gone through in the past minute.
Andy was a few inches taller than him and way lankier. He wasn't as blonde as Noella and definitely not as pretty but his curly mid length hair gave him something. Obviously nothing next to Mateo.
She watched them smalltalk until Andy noticed her standing in the doorframe.
“Oh shit, hey Laurie, have you met my boy here yet?” he grinned and slapped Mateo's shoulder, who in return looked like a lost dog
“Tony Flowers?”
Andy laughed and shook his head “Technically Mateo, but that doesn't roll from the tongue as much as Tony Flowers”
She could assure him, it did.
“I bet”
After a moment, Andy cleared his throat “Alright, gotta get back to it, Laurie, that camper is kind of killing me” He turned to Mateo “Bro, I swear we sweat to death last night. Weak fuckin’ filters”
Mateo chuckled, but Laurie noticed him furrowing his brows for a split second.
When Andy walked back to the garage, Mateo was quiet, looking after him in thought, Laurie took that chance to scan him up and down.
He was wearing a dark polo t-shirt with the Sunstone Ranch logo on his right chest, neatly tucked into his light jeans. He looked professional. Laurie still hadn't figured out why he was here.
“I thought only you and Johnson went camping?” he finally looked at her, eyebrows curiously twitching
With a grin she leaned on the doorframe, crossing her arms in front of her chest
“Why would we do that”
She watched his face closely, how a slight frown tucked on the corner of his mouth, how his eyes narrowed in thought.
“MATEO” The woman of the hour finally shouted, making both of them flinch.
“‘M sorry for keepin’ you waitin’, ah had an important call to take…” Mrs. Drayton brightly smiled between Laurie and him “But ah see my nieces friends been keepin’ you entertained.”
Mrs. Drayton – aka. Aunt Jules – was a great woman. An overly enthusiastic Artist Slash Creative Personality who loved her kids almost as much as she loved her animals. She worked as a Jewellery artist and had a shop in town, usually spending most of her day there – preparing packages for online purchases and whatnot.
Her trinkets were so beautiful. On Laurie's first day here Mrs. Drayton gifted her a keychain in the form of a scorpion and ever since then she loved her. But Noellas aunt didn't need to know about Laurie and Mateo.
Mateo cleared his throat, “No worries ma'am, yea, she's a delight”
Catching his eye, Laurie gave him a wink and his ears turned red again.
“SO! I told you the issue on the phone, right?” Aunt Jules bracelets jingled when she put her arm on his shoulder to turn him around. His eyes lingering on Laurie for a second too long before looking at the older woman.
“Mhm…Yeah Mrs. Drayton…The pony.”
…
“You think I can get sum tonight?”
Laurie scratched a mosquito bite on the side of her thigh and joined Noella on the couch, who snorted at her question.
“No, I'm dead serious. He's right there!”
Noella snorted louder, petting Slugger – the mutt.
“Dude my whole family is here”
“No, I don't mean here! Like…maybe get some dinner with him again and then..i dont know”
She thought about it. Dinner would be nice.
Her friend turned her head to look at Laurie , “You think he's free tonight?”
“I dont know…i can ask him”
“Alrigh’ if you go, I'm gonna call it an early night. God I'm so beat.” Noella yawned and turned on the TV to indulge in some of that american pastime.
That reminded Laurie.
“Did you see, Oregon U lost yesterday” she was referring to the CWS – the College Baseball World Series. It started last week but Laurie and Noella haven't had time to catch a game yet
“Yeah, Maze reposted on her story. Brutal. Girl, your states getting f-u-c-k-e-d”
Maze – Mave Dvorak – was a teammate of theirs. Supposedly spending her summer in Florida right now, probably not sweating to death in a broken camper.
“It's really not my season, man.” Laurie mumbled, watching Noella sit up straight as Ohtani got called up to bat.
…
“Tony Flowers?”
Mateo flinched and looked over his shoulder, only to snort and return his attention back to Princess. The pony.
“Dont call me that”
“Thats a beautiful nickname what are you talkin’ about”
Laurie leaned on the stable post, her arms crossed.
“Its so old, I don't even know why Johnny still calls me that”
“Dude, his name is Andy and you call him Johnny”
“Well Johnson's your friend, so he's Johnny. He's the youngest.”
Laurie giggled at how insane he sounded. “Why not just call him Andy?”
Mateo scoffed, like that was the dumbest thing he's ever heard. Man what. Laurie furrowed her brows, why did Noella get to have a nickname and Laurie was just Laurie. I also want a nickname from him
“I also want a nickname,” she declared.
He stood up to look at her, tilting his head in thought making her breath stock in her throat for a second
“Whats your full name?”
“Laurel Fran Woods”
“Your middle name is Fran?” amusement in his voice, but Laurie was used to that reaction.
“You got a problem?”
“No no, I like that name. It's cheeky” he quickly nodded
Cheeky. Cheeky?
Thinking out loud, he began “Hm. Woody is lame. That's probably what everyone in your team calls you anyway… Woodchuck …Forest…Ranger…wait this is not easy on the go…”
“They call me Woodsy actually. Woodsy Seventyfive” Laurie corrected.
“Woodsy Seventyfive…i like that. That's hot”
Laurie's smile grew, the little flutter in her heart making her stomach jump.
“Thanks,” she cheesed.
“Woodsy Seventyfive…woodsy seve– that sounds like a really fast car” he smiled, and Laurie snorted. The most 10 year old boy answer he could have thought of.
“Dont call me a car, buddy”
“Dont call me buddy, Woodsy”
“Ill call you whatever I want, cowboy”
He closed his mouth, grinning. Then he shrugged and kneeled back down next to Princess. His shoulders shaking as he chuckled.
She watched them stretch the fabric of his polo. His shoulders. The same shoulders she could be digging her fingers into tonight.
“How was camping, by the way?” he looked for something in his backpack
Laurie smiled to herself and petted Babe – the other tall mutt that just curiously walked up to her legs. Yes, he was named after Babe Ruth, this was a baseball household after all.
“Interesting. We went to Galveston on Saturday so that was my first time seeing the gulf”
“True you're from the westcoast…did you get on the pier?”
“Yeah, even though i could barely walk”
“Why?” he chuckled and petted Princess. Funny.
When she didn't reply he looked at her, grimacing as he realized.
“Hm? Oh! Sorry about that” His ears red.
“Anyways, it was nice until nighttime”
“Mhm oh no” Mateo wasn't really doing anything with Princess except pet her. Right now a bit faster than before. Maybe that's just what Cowboys do to heal horses.
“Yeah, Tucks forgot to install the screen door, so you can only imagine the mosquito pest we had to kill before sleeping.”
“Huh how many gu– people were on that trip?” a simple throw away question of course.
“Like…seven. Tucks friends brought their own camper but Noella, Andy, Tucks and me were in one”
Mateo looked over his shoulder, the same look from before on his face, like he was trying his hardest to hide something. Laurie pretended to play clueless at his jealousy.
“And none of them thought about installing a screen door?”
“Nope, just a bunch of dumb baseball players” Now that she thought about it, everyone except Andy was in some shape or form an athlete. Kind of stupid really.
“Unbelievable” he huffed. “You know who would've remembered?”
Laurie kneeled down to give Babe a nuzzle. “Who?”
Rolling his eyes like he couldn't believe she was even asking “Me obviously”
Laurie laughed. “I doubt it” What a fun game.
He turned around, offended.
“Of course I would've! Laurie you went camping with a bunch of jocks, you have to double check everything”
“No i think you would've forgotten” Another nuzzle for Babe.
“I would've installed the screen door, cooked, driven the camper, christ I would've probably managed to fix the AC right there” he counted off, angrily waving his hand towards the garage.
Laurie smiled and scratched behind Babe's floppy ears.
“No you wouldn't have"
“Why?” he asked flatly. Laurie stood up and walked up to him, bending at the waist until her mouth was near his ear. He swallowed.
“Because baby i would’ve been fucking you in that camper all day long until you forgot your name”
She lingered near his ear for another moment, watching him clench his jaw.
“I see” Mateo finally mumbled and she giggled at his shyness before standing back upright and taking a few steps back. What her initial plan for this conversation was had completely slipped her mind. Dinner?
“Oh i completely forgot to ask” she clapped her forehead jokingly and put on a sweet smile
“Are you free after this?”
Mateo was still frozen, the red from his ears now having wandered to his cheeks. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it.
“I— I.. Yeah” he nodded “Yeah im free” he nodded faster.
“Alright, because I need to do some stretches, I'm still sore right here” she gripped her thigh and massaged it. Maybe a little overkill but who said she couldn't have her fun tormenting this guy.
He intensely followed her movement.
“Stretches?”
Enthusiastically nodding she turned around to get back inside the house, stopping halfway for one last thing.
Locations relevant to the Cowpoke Slop Story. Will be updated with logos and such as i gradually keep expanding my Illustrator skills.
Please refer to the maps
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Annenberg, TX
35 minutes south of the Sunstone Ranch. Small town that Mateo and his family live in. Mitch and Mateo live like a few minutes apart from each other.
Munsten, TX
20 minutes north from Annenberg and 15 minutes south from the Ranch. Noella's home town since she was 15 years old. Mateo has to drive through Munsten every time he gets to the Ranch.
The Harvest Moon Sports Bar
15 minutes south of the Ranch, so Mateo regularly goes there when he can end early but doesnt wanna go home. Likes staring blankly at Baseball games. Laurie and Mateo met each other here early June.
Mateo used to work here on the weekends when he was 19. Still friends with the other barkeepers (mostly Maureen)
Laurie and Noella go there pretty regularly because it's like a 20 minute walk from their house.
Sunstone Ranch - Greatest Ranch Southeast Texas
The Ranch that Mateo works at, from his moms side of the family. Her grandmother founded it as a Bullriding school in the late 60s. Named after her daughter - Mateo's grandmother Elizabeth Núñez Cruz - the Ranch used to be called 'Liza Escuela de Monta de Toros' until sometime in the 80s it got reworked to what it is now known as The Sunstone Ranch, a bronco farm that focuses on training and breeding horses for the Rodeo.
The property is huge, they also raise sheep and chicken. The sheep are for Mutton Bustin’, a sport similar to bull riding but for kids – usually ages 4–7 and under 55 lbs – where they attempt to ride a sheep for a few seconds.
Rodeo Roundup Club Bar
The tourist club. A little bit over an hour away from Sunstone Ranch and 40 minutes away from Mateos House in town. Situated in the tourist area, Mateo & Mitch love rocking up to that place, listening to live bands, watching the linedancers, playing Pool with passerby bikers, many stories have originated from here. Also Coreys “21st” birthday party.
There's also a mechanical bull.
Club in Austin …idk the name yet
In the middle of July, Noella, Laurie & Mateo get invited for a night out in Austin with accommodations at Noella's friend Jenna's apartment. Hilarity ensues when the gang goes clubbing, run into strangers, get crunk & feel the nightlife.
Lakebrook High School
Noellas High school, close to Austin. Their Softball team is called the “Lakebrook Stallions”
Seattle University
Noella and Lauries College. Their softball team is called “Seattle Comets”. They also have a hockey team. Do with that information what you will.
The Hail Mary Club
When Mateos friends from Middleschool travel down from Houston to the next big city close to Sunstone Ranch, this is the Club they visit. Around an hour and a half away from the ranch. Corey's first time story unfolds here and in that town.