imbalance | trent alexander-arnold¹

eight.

denial n 2 deep

After a long day of shopping and sight-seeing out in Liverpool, Wynter came back home with Peyton and the kids since they were staying over until they were heading back to San Francisco. Claire and Reed, on the other hand, opted to go and stay at a hotel. If Wynter was being honest, she was thrilled that she could finally have a girl that she could vent her boy problems to as well as some receiving advice in the process. As much as she adored her teammates, sometimes she simply needed those sisterly convos.

It was late at night and while Milo and Iris were upstairs asleep, the french player sat on the adjacent couch across from her sister-in-law who held her one-year-old close to her chest.

"Wait, so let me get this straight," Peyton finally spoke after Wynter explained everything to her. "When you came here Trent didn't like you because he was jealous of you, then you guys sorted it out with each other and became friends but since you gave the idea of you and Kylian, he hasn't reached out to you since Wednesday."

She nodded, her legs folded below her. "Exactly, and normally after we have a home match, we hang out at mine or his place or we at least talk on the phone but he didn't even suggest anything. Like, I didn't say anything wrong in the locker room, so I don't know what his deal is."

"Maybe it's the fact that one of the players that he was against practically spent the whole summer with you and he found out that you two dated. Plus, you two are also going to be spending the international break with each other so. . ."

"But that's the thing, we didn't date!" Wynter exclaimed, frowning.

"Oh really," Peyton raised an eyebrow as she leaned back into the couch with Dylan in her arms. "Just because you two didn't label it as dating doesn't mean that you two didn't date. I have so many pictures of you two that say otherwise."

"Pictures that are obviously taken out of context because that's not what was or is going. It honestly doesn't even matter anymore. It's in the past now. We've passed that stage a long time ago."

"No, no we didn't," Peyton muttered, causing the french girl to send her a glare. "What?"

"Anyway, even if Ky and I were in that situation before, how is any of that Trent's problem? There's nothing to get upset over. I get we're international teammates and stuff like that but that's the same with Paul, Anto, Mendy, Hugo and the rest of the team," she spoke in a defensive tone.

"Winnie, I don't know if you noticed but during the World Cup, a lot of fans shipped you too, like a lot. And it wasn't even just that, there are a whole bunch of pictures of you and Kylian in Russia and I can't lie, they're cute," Peyton smiled as she grabbed her phone from the coffee table.

Wynter sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. "Yeah, I know but—"

"Here look, you sent that to me."

She reluctantly removed her hands from her face and grabbed her in-law's phone, glancing at the photo that appeared on the phone screen. The image displayed the two french players at the World Cup final after France won, surely taken by Wynter's mom. After all the players received their medals, the pair were attached to the hip during the whole award ceremony until they left the stadium. The picture showcased Wynter grinning brightly as she gripped onto the gold medal that hung around her neck while Kylian placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

As much as Wynter wanted to express her true emotions, she knew that she wouldn't hear the end of it from Peyton. Her facial expression remained neutral as she handed the phone back. She shrugged, clasping her hands together. "Wow, amazing. What's the point you're trying to make?"