Soccer/Football Imagines (Part 2)

Luke Shaw [~] Distance

Luke Shaw

For StellaHarding:

Maleen tapped her finger impatiently as she stared at the clock above her desk. It was getting closer to night time and Luke was still not home. Maleen knew that he got out of practice at least four hours ago and he would have texted her that he was going out with the boys if he was going to do that. No text greeted her when she got home to an empty home and no voicemails either. It made Maleen slightly nervous that something had happened.

She wasn't on to usually worry about everything like a worry wart but this was nearly the fifth time she had caught Luke arriving to their shared home several hours after he stated when he would. Maleen didn't want to be an over-controlling girlfriend like the kind she saw on TV and in movies but after the third time it happened, accompanied with Luke brushing off the whole thing, Maleen's thought couldn't help but stray.

She didn't want to admit anything to herself or anyone else for that matter, but she was secretly starting to wonder if Luke was participating in an affair. He most certainly wouldn't have been the first footballer to do such a thing but Maleen knew, or at least told herself, that Luke would never in a million years jeopardize their relationship in such a way.

The front door opened and Maleen stood up. Walking out of the office she had spent the last two hours pacing through, Maleen headed towards the stairs. Already in her pajamas, she started to walk down the stairs and towards the man she love. Luke was in the process of kicking his shoes off when he heard Maleen walking down the stairs. "Hey," he called, walking right past her after she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey," she sighed, closing her eyes as a deep sigh exited her mouth. Opening her eyes once more, Maleen turned around and followed Luke into the kitchen. Leaning on the wall, Maleen watched Luke rifle through the fridge for the leftovers he would undoubtedly heat up and eat before showering and going to bed without so much as a "I love you" sent towards Maleen's way. "Luke?" she called as he started towards the dining room with his heated meal in his hands.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning around, an innocent expression on his face.

"If you don't mind me asking, and I don't want to pry, but uh . . . . why have you been getting home so late recently?" Maleen asked. Luke's eyes widened slightly before he gulped down the food he had been chewing.

"Just some stuff with the boys," he shrugged before walking away and into the dining room, making Maleen start to get angry again.

"Do you care to elaborate on that, Luke?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes in a frown as she stood in front of him at the table. "Or are you just going to walk away like the last twenty times I've asked you to open up and talk to me like a normal couple?"

"What's gotten into you?" Luke questioned, a frown setting on his face as well.

"What's gotten into me?!? What about what's gotten into you, Luke? You show up late to home, you don't talk to me about anything else other than food, and you always push me away when I start to question you about these things, like you're doing right now!"

"Look, it's my life, Maleen. I'm a grown man, I can make my own decisions!"

"I understand that perfectly well, Luke. But, jeez would it kill you if you said "I love you" before you went to bed after not talking to me for basically a whole week!?! Why are you just so distant lately, is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Luke said too quickly for it to be convincing.

"What? Are they talking about transferring you? Is your leg hurting again? What is happening, Luke? I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!? We're a partnership!"

"Whatever that is going on my life that does not occur in this home or out on one of our dates doesn't concern you, Maleen!" Luke said. "I don't need you prying into my life where you don't belong!" Maleen's lip quivered before she marched out of the room and up to their shared bedroom. Slamming the door shut, Maleen slid down the door, tears falling down her face.

Meanwhile, Luke was running his hands through his hair nervously because he knew he really fucked up this time. "Shit, shit, shit," he muttered. "It wasn't my fault that they could never get the placement right," he sighed, pulling the small box out of his pocket. Opening it, he stared down at the platinum band with a beautiful array of multicolored diamonds arranged in an amazing pattern. Deciding that it would be best to face Maleen instead of hiding like a coward, Luke started to make his way upstairs.

Knocking on the door to their shared bedroom, Luke waited for Maleen to respond. "What do you want!?" she shouted angrily, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

"Can I show you why I have been late for the past few days?" Luke asked softly.

"Why do you need to show me? You made it painfully clear that anything that happens in your life while I am not there is none of my business," Maleen spat, making Luke wince.

"Please," Luke pleaded.

"Fine, hand it to me." The door opened slightly and Luke handed Maleen the small box. Maleen opened the box, confused until she caught sight of the ring. The sound of her gasp made Luke open the door. Maleen stared up at Luke, surprise completely obvious on her face. Luke smiled and grabbed the ring from her and got down on one knee.

"Maleen, I know I've been a real dick lately, but will you find it in your heart to forgive me and marry me?" Luke proposed. Maleen could only nod, tears of happiness falling from her eyes.