The New Queen

“The struggle is half the story” Khorkina told her. “I think you’re going to be great in Rio. Just keep going and keep the positive attitude” Anna faked a little smile.
“I’ll try”
“Since everyone has to do this…I think you are the next Khorkina”
Lovely, Anna thought.
…
“Anna is starting to scare me” Vika said. “She’s been acting down lately”
“Give her a break” Aliya said. “She had a terrible competition”
“it was two weeks ago, Aliya!” Vika exclaimed. “I was depressed about a competition for about a day or so and then I got over it”
“Anna is not you, Vika” Aliya said. “Her journey is much longer and stressed out. Three world championships, she’s going to struggle a lot more then we did”
“I just don’t want her to be so...”
“Like you were?”
“Yeah” Vika said. “I struggled a lot mentally ad I hated it” she explained. “I want Anna to have a better experience with the Olympics”
Aliya shrugged. “Let her get in a good place”
…
Anna was still pretty depressed even weeks and weeks after the American Cup. She just couldn’t get over the pressure she was feeling and she definitely couldn’t talk to anyone about it. No one would understand her because she was crazy. She wanted this to all be over.
The only thing that made her happy was talking to Pavel and her siblings.
…
Pavel put his arms around Anna and pulled her closer. She kissed the top of her head. “You’re so great” he said. He kissed her forehead. “Can you not wait for Euros?” he asked.
“Don’t even get me started” it was still a few months away but that was their next goal. Their training was leading up to worlds. “I need a vacation”
“I’ll take you on a vacation after worlds” he said. “Where do you want to go?” Anna smiled.
“I don’t know”
“You said you love South Africa” she couldn’t stop smiling. “We’re going to South Africa after worlds for a week. Just you and me” the door opened and Maria came in.
“Curfew” Maria said. “Vika’s looking for you Anna and Aliya is on a rampage”
“Ok, got it” Pavel kissed Anna on the lips and left. “I’ll see you for breakfast”
Maria hugged Anna. “I don’t know why you’re dating him”
“IM not dating him”
‘You practically are” she said. “I mean you guys hang out all the time—have you guys had sex?”
“NO!” Anna exclaimed. Maria was suspicious. “Well I wanted to but it didn’t go that far” Maia was shocked. “Long story short I felt like we were going in that direction but It wasn’t. I want to have sex with him, though”
“Please don’t, wait for someone worth your time” Maria put her things down.
“He’s not worth my time?”
“I think you can do better” Anna
…
“So we have Tom Daley on the show tonight everyone!” the hosts of the Good Morning America welcomed the 21 year old bronze medalist to the set. “Hello Tom, how are you?”
“Fantastic. It’s such a lovely day” Tom said.
They discussed a few things about his life and his training and talking about Rio already.
“Let’s talk personal life—do you have anyone in your life at this moment?” Tom turned extremely red.
“No actually” he said. “I wish I could have something juicy to tell you all”
“Well that’s ok”
“Actually there’s this girl I really want to meet” Tom said.
“Who is she?”
“She’s a gymnast, Anna Zabrikova. She’s like the biggest gymnast right now going into Rio and she’s like the one to watch. I really want to meet her”
“Ooh”
“I’ve like admired her for a year now and she has no idea who I am. It’s kind of pathetic”
“Aww, watch in ten years you’re going to be married to her with like three kids” Tom laughed.
Tom and Anna wouldn’t meet until later that year.