Windsor's POV
The moment had arrived.
The Gilded Equinox stretched before me like an executioner's blade, sharp and unavoidable. This was the night Pauline had warned me about from my first week here. The night when playing neutral became impossible, when every student had to declare their allegiance or face the consequences alone.
For days, I had become a ghost in my own life. I slipped between classes like smoke, barely speaking during my café shifts. Logan appeared at every opportunity with that dazzling smile and sweet compliments that felt like honey-coated traps. Gideon lurked in corners, tossing cryptic remarks my way with that infuriating smirk. Weston stalked the halls like a predator, snarling at anyone who dared approach me. And Zion maintained his cold distance.
All except that terrible moment when he tore down every barrier I had built, only to demand something that left me hollow inside.
