Broken Promise

Chapter 1: The Beginning of Us HANNAH POV The warm breeze of San Florentino carried the scent of fresh earth and the faint aroma of coffee from a nearby café. The sun was high, bathing the university grounds in golden light as students rushed past, eager to get to their classes. I stood beneath the shade of a large acacia tree, adjusting my bag on my shoulder as I scanned the crowd for two very familiar faces. "Hannah!" I turned just in time to see Jayden Kyle Guevarra striding towards me, his usual lopsided grin in place. He was effortlessly charming, with his neatly styled dark hair and crisp white shirt rolled up at the sleeves. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine rather than standing in the middle of our university courtyard. "You're late," I teased, raising an eyebrow as he stopped in front of me. "Am I?" He smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I swear, you sound more like a nagging girlfriend than my childhood best friend." I rolled my eyes at his comment. "If I were your girlfriend, you'd be the first one to know." Jayden chuckled, clearly amused, but before he could fire back a response, another voice cut through the noise around us. "You know, not everyone has the luxury of waltzing in late and acting like they own the place." Aiden Kurt Guevarra, Jayden’s twin brother, emerged from the crowd. Unlike Jayden’s relaxed demeanor, Aiden always carried himself with an air of quiet confidence. His sharp features were framed by his slightly tousled hair, and his dark eyes held a piercing intensity that could unsettle just about anyone—except me. "Oh, look who finally decided to show up," Jayden shot back, his smirk widening. "Unlike you, I don’t waste my time flirting with every girl on campus," Aiden replied coolly before shifting his gaze to me. "Hey, Hannah." I smiled at him. "Hey, Aiden. Ready for our first day?" "More than ready. Unlike some people here, I actually care about my studies." Jayden scoffed. "You wound me, brother. Really." Their playful bickering was nothing new. Ever since we were kids, the twins had always been competitive—whether it was sports, academics, or even the smallest things like who could finish their food faster. But lately, I had started to notice something else brewing beneath their usual rivalry. And it had everything to do with me. We made our way to the main building together, maneuvering through the bustling crowd of students. The campus was lively, filled with excited chatter and the occasional shouts from friends reuniting after the break. It felt surreal that we were finally here—college. It wasn’t that long ago when we were just kids running around the Guevarra hacienda, playing hide-and-seek between the mango trees. I sighed, lost in nostalgia, when Jayden nudged me. "Penny for your thoughts?" I blinked and glanced up at him. "I was just thinking about how fast time flies. It feels like yesterday when we were still kids, and now look at us." Aiden, who had been walking slightly ahead of us, slowed his pace to listen. "Yeah, I remember when you used to cry every time you lost in a game." I frowned. "That was only because you two never let me win!" Jayden laughed. "We were just preparing you for the harsh realities of life." "Oh, please. You two were just cruel," I muttered, shaking my head. "But I guess I should thank you. If it weren’t for you guys, I wouldn’t have learned how to fight back." "Exactly," Aiden said, his lips quirking up into a small smile. "You wouldn’t be the Hannah we know now." Something in the way he said it made my heart skip a beat. It was rare for Aiden to openly compliment someone, let alone me. Jayden must have noticed too because his expression shifted ever so slightly, his playful grin faltering just a bit. The tension didn’t last long, though. Jayden, being Jayden, quickly masked whatever he was feeling and threw an arm around my shoulders. "Well, whether we’re kids or adults, one thing remains the same—you’ll always have us." Aiden’s jaw tightened slightly, and he looked away. I felt my stomach twist. I wasn’t blind. I had been noticing the small moments—the way Aiden sometimes lingered a little too long when looking at me, the way Jayden became more possessive when his brother was around. It was subtle, but it was there. And I didn’t know how to feel about it. We reached our classroom, where students were already taking their seats. The professor hadn’t arrived yet, giving us time to settle in. Jayden, as expected, plopped down on the seat beside me, draping himself over his desk like he had already given up on the day. Aiden, on the other hand, sat on my other side, straight-backed and focused, pulling out his notes even though the class hadn’t started. "You're seriously going to review now?" Jayden groaned, glancing at his brother. "Relax a little, Aiden. It’s just the first day." "And that’s exactly why I need to prepare. College isn’t high school, Jayden," Aiden replied without looking up. Jayden rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to me. "So, Hannah, any bets on who’s going to drop out first?" I laughed. "None of us. We’re all making it to the end." "Optimistic," Jayden mused before smirking. "But I still say Aiden’s going to burn himself out first." Aiden sighed. "And I say you’re going to fail if you keep this attitude." Their back-and-forth continued, and I found myself smiling as I watched them. Despite their differences, despite their rivalry, they were still brothers at the end of the day. But something told me that this year, things were about to change. And I wasn’t sure if we were ready for it. The moment we stepped inside the lecture hall, the buzz of students settling into their seats filled the air. Some were chatting animatedly about their summer vacations, while others were already glued to their notes, eager to make an impression on the first day. The large room had rows of wooden desks and chairs, arranged in a semi-circle facing the professor’s podium. A faint scent of chalk and old books lingered, blending with the smell of fresh coffee from a group of students who had brought their cups inside. Jayden, being Jayden, immediately scanned the room and grinned when he found the perfect seats. “Over there,” he said, grabbing my wrist and leading me toward the middle row. His grip was firm but gentle, as if it were second nature for him to touch me. I barely had time to react before Aiden’s voice cut through. “Not there.” Jayden turned to him, brows raised. “And why not?” Aiden glanced around the room before settling his gaze on a spot near the window. “That area’s too crowded. If we sit here, we’ll be surrounded by people talking through the entire lecture.” Jayden scoffed. “And that’s a problem because…?” I sighed, already used to their endless arguments. “Guys, it’s just seats. We can sit anywhere.” Jayden smirked at Aiden. “See? Hannah doesn’t care.” Aiden let out a quiet breath before turning to me. “Where do you want to sit?” That made me pause. It was a simple question, but the way he asked it—with his eyes steady on mine, waiting for my answer—made it feel more important than it should. I glanced between the two of them and decided to end their silent battle. “Fine. Let’s sit by the window.” Jayden groaned dramatically. “Hannah, you wound me.” I chuckled as we made our way to the seats Aiden had picked. Jayden dropped himself into the chair next to me with a defeated sigh, while Aiden sat on my other side, placing his notebook on the desk and immediately pulling out a pen. He was always like this—focused, disciplined, and ready to learn. Jayden, on the other hand, leaned back lazily, stretching his arms behind his head. “Alright, since we’re being nerds today,” Jayden muttered, “what’s the bet?” I frowned. “What bet?” Jayden smirked. “Who’s going to c***k under pressure first? You, me, or Mr. Perfect here?” He jerked his thumb toward Aiden. Aiden didn’t even look up. “You.” Jayden gasped in mock offense. “You have so little faith in me.” Aiden finally turned to him. “It’s not about faith. It’s about probability.” I laughed. “Okay, okay. No one is cracking under pressure. We’re all going to survive college just fine.” Jayden nudged my arm. “What if we make it interesting?” I gave him a wary look. “What do you mean?” Jayden’s smirk widened. “Winner gets a prize.” Aiden sighed. “This is childish.” “Oh, come on, Aiden. You used to be fun.” “I still am,” Aiden replied. “I just don’t waste my energy on pointless things.” Jayden turned to me instead. “What do you think, Hannah? Are you in?” I hesitated before grinning. “Fine. But what’s the prize?” Jayden pretended to think. “How about… the winner gets to make the losers do whatever they want?” I chuckled. “That sounds dangerous.” “That’s the point.” Aiden shook his head. “You really haven’t changed.” Jayden shot him a cheeky grin. “And you’re still as predictable as ever.” Before Aiden could reply, the lecture hall doors swung open, and the professor strode in. The murmurs in the room died down as everyone straightened up. I felt Jayden lean slightly closer to me. “Looks like class is about to start. Let’s see who cracks first, sweetheart.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide my smile. Aiden, on the other hand, simply turned his attention to the front, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. As the professor began speaking, I found myself stuck between the two of them. One twin was playful, charismatic, and effortlessly charming. The other was reserved, intense, and sharp. They were opposites in so many ways, yet both of them made my heart race for different reasons. And for the first time, I wondered… How long could we stay like this? How long before everything changed?