•soccer imagines•

5• lionel messi

In the midst of my rushing, there was one important thing I forgot to grab. Not my cell phone, not my wallet or I.D., not that small tube of lip gloss I carried everywhere I went, not my phone charger if my boss decided to send me a barrage of emails regarding our latest client.

Nope. It was my wedding ring.

And to most, that wouldn't have been that big of a deal. It was better than misplacing or forgetting your phone behind but for me, Mrs. Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini, it was a big deal because this wasn't the first time this had happened. It was more like the second time this week. The third if you counted the time Leo found my ring on the bathroom sink and just silently slipped it on my finger.

I think he was growing tired of reminding me of the etoile five-row band ring with the intricate diamonds set in platinum. He was tired of reminding me that the ring he had spent a hefty sum of money on always seemed to find its way onto a counter, a stand or inside the brilliant blue box it came in instead of on my finger.

I wasn't used to this. I wasn't used to this at all. Being married was an entirely different lifestyle and one I don't think I was quite ready for because stuffing my hand down into my junky purse seemed ten times harder when there was a rock the size of a planet wrapped around my finger.

Leo had tried to keep it simple. The engagement ring that decorated my finger was simple enough, only having one stone covering the band but the official ring was in an entirely different ballpark. I tried to get used to wearing it but the many stares that accompanied my wearing it and the soft, delighted murmurs of the women who walked past me and seemed to catch the diamonds sparkling just as the light hit them made me a bit self-conscious. I didn't want the attention nor the many pictures that were now floating the internet of me and my hand cowering into secrecy.

Now at dinner, I could feel my husband's silent stares when he glanced down at my bare, unpolished fingernails. Under his gaze, I moved my hands to my lap instead and away from the table.

Dinner with Cesc and Daniella was going well. They were updating us on their life and the pregnancy with every other topic we could think of mixed in between. Cesc broke the temporary silence that fell over us as we began getting into our meal.

"Where's your ring?" He nodded towards my hand, his eyes downcast to where my hands lay in my lap.

Leo took a sip from the glass in front of him before responding before I could do the honors. "She doesn't wear it."

"What?" Cesc questioned, a genuinely confused expression on his face.

Daniella fell into the conversation as well. "Is it the wrong size?"

"Nope. Perfect size. She just doesn't like wearing it. Right?" My husband peered to me sitting next to him. I felt guilty for it all. I knew he enjoyed seeing that ring on my finger even if he had yet to fully come out and say such directly.

"I do like wearing it. It's just..."

Leo's eyes focused in on his former teammate and friend before he offered him a scenario-type question. "Cesc, if you gave Daniella a really nice wedding ring, one you would think she loved and she didn't wear it, would you be upset?"

"For sure."

"Well I'm sure I would have a good reason for not wearing it if I didn't." It was obvious Daniella was trying to defend me as her eyes gazed on me with empathy. What a great friend she was but it wasn't enough to get Leo completely back on my side and it seemed he was dragging them into it as well.

Cesc turned to look at Daniella with his face screwed. "What would be a good reason not to wear your wedding ring?"

"Okay let's not bring them into this. I'm not wearing my wedding ring because I forgot it, okay? I'm not used to wearing it and it's a bit uncomfortable walking around with this flashy thing on my finger all the time."

"So you don't like it?" Leo's voice was calm and the couple across from us awkwardly sat back in their seats and remained quiet.

"I like it. I just...it's huge."

Daniella jumped in then. "It is really big. That thing is gorgeous." She shook her head and took a sip of the drink in front of her.

"Leo, you're raising expectations too high," Cesc grumbled in a joking manner.

"Well not that high because my wife won't even wear it."

"I'm sorry, okay? I can't help it."

"I'm sure she has a good reason." Cesc was jumping in now to defend me but I didn't think I needed much defending. Leo wasn't even upset from the tone he used or the way he looked but I could tell he was at least a bit bothered or disappointed.

"I forget to wear it. I don't like the attention that comes with it," I reiterated.

"So you want a smaller ring?" Daniella proposed.

"No."

"No ring at all?" Cesc spoke this time.

"No! I just...no. I won't forget it anymore. I'll wear it and everything will be fine." I gave a weak smile as if that would solve all problems but I knew that wasn't the solution Leo was looking for. I didn't want him to feel bad for giving me a ring he thought I would love but one instead I felt insecure wearing. It was a gorgeous ring. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen but the attention that came with it? I couldn't handle it.

"You could always just give the ring to me," Cesc winked in Leo's direction which caused him to chuckle.

"Yeah. I'd love to give you a ring, Fabregas."

"I know. Daniella gets a bit jealous though so keep the love low."

Amidst their banter I slid my hand into Leo's lap and without even looking or missing a beat in the conversation, he gave my hand a gentle squeeze between his firm grip before raising my hand up to his lips and placing a delicate kiss to it. He dropped our hands back into his lap but didn't release his hold.

Looking at the man I loved who sat beside me I felt even more guilty for not showing off my love for him. I knew Leo didn't think me wearing a ring represented just how much I loved him but it represented something. It represented our union and having a bare hand...well, that didn't really say the same thing.

Dammnnnn this ones long😳 lucky me i can typ fast😂❤️