Fated to My Twin Brother

CHAPTER 12

Hannah's P.O.V

I couldn't shake the weight in the air between Hadzen and me. The hallway felt too long, the silence too loud. His cold stare was like a wall I couldn't climb. I needed to say something, anything, but the words tangled in my throat.

" Hadzen, I— " I began, but his voice cut through mine.

"You don't understand, Hannah," he said, sharper than I'd ever heard him. "You're too easy to fool. Do you even know the danger you put yourself in?"

I flinched. Guilt gnawed at me. I wasn't clueless, but I couldn't deny the truth in his words. "I didn't mean to—"

"That's the problem." His eyes, dark and unforgiving, pinned me to the spot. "You didn't see it coming. You never do."

A flush of frustration heated my cheeks. I hated the feeling of smallness with him, as if I needed to be protected. "I wasn't walking around blindly," I muttered, though I knew it sounded weak. "I thought—"

"You thought," he repeated, his voice hard.

"You think you know how to handle this, but you don't. You trust too easily, Hannah."

I bit my lip, the embarrassment creeping higher. His disappointment hung between us, thick and suffocating. I wished to tell him he was wrong and fight back. Then, words were never audible. I couldn't just keep sitting there and let that guy sexually abuse Sonia. I already ran earlier and the second time was not a choice just to run away from Dr. Leo doing… but on the other hand, H-hadzen is right it's him that did not try to help me earlier. Maybe maybe I will become like Sonia. But how did he know I was there?

Before I could say anything, a voice cut through the tension. "Hannah? Is that you?”

I turned, blinking. Here came this girl, with all smiles and long brown hair, racing towards us. She did look like she had just discovered a treasure long lost.

“Oh my God, is it you?" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around my neck before I had a chance to react. "You're so beautiful! I almost didn't recognize you, but wow, you look amazing! You even have that same serious look as Hadzen."

My brain scrambled to catch up, my body frozen in her arms. Did I know her? I looked over at Hadzen's face. His features had darkened into an unreadable expression. There was something familiar about her.

Where had I seen her before?

Then, it hit me.

She was the girl from that night. The one who kissed Hadzen in his room. *Elisse*.

Looks like they really have something.

The memory flashed in my mind, sharp and unwelcome. I hadn't pieced it together then, but now, standing here with her, it was obvious. This was the girl I tried so hard to forget. I swallowed the realization, kept my face neutral.

"Oh my God, Hannah, we need to catch up!" she bubbled, backing away to take in my appearance. "It's been so long, and look at you! You're even prettier than I remember. You and Hadzen really do look alike. It's kinda spooky!"

Hadzen's jaw clenched, and I could feel the tension rolling off him. He was annoyed, but Elisse—if that was her name—either didn't notice or didn't care.

“And you!" She giggled and moved closer to Hadzen. "You've been hiding from me, haven't you? What's wrong with that?"

Hadzen's cold stare never once wavered from Elisse, his arms crossing over his chest. "I've been busy," he replied lightly.

Elisse didn't skip a beat. She took another step closer to him, the smile on her face so amused. "Busy? You managed the time for me a little while ago, I recall?”

I felt my guts twist. I bit my tongue and listened to how her words seemed to dance around him. I did not react, did not let on how much this unsettled me.

And then she did something that made me freeze in my tracks. She leaned in and kissed him. It was a quick, teasing kiss, but it's enough to send the heart racing. It was like that night all over again—only this time, I could pretend it didn't happen.

Hadzen jerked back, pushing her away. "What the hell, Elisse?" he snapped, his eyes flashing angry.

She laughed at that as if his answer mattered not to her. "Oh, come on, Hadzen. Don't be such a prude." Flicking a strand of her hair back over her shoulder, still radiating with the smile, "I've missed you."

Hadzen looked almost as though he was barely restrained. His fists were clenched at his side. "That's enough. You need to leave.".

Elisse pouted, but there was no real apology in her eyes. She turned back to me, flashing another wide smile. "You look stiff, Hannah. Still shy, huh? But you're just as beautiful as ever."

I forced a small smile, holding in the middle of emotions inside me. I did not know how to feel—was it jealousy? Anger? Confusion? Whatever it was, I swallowed it down, just like that memory of her.

lFine, fine, " Elisse sighed theatrically, finally getting the point. "I'll go. But we must catch up soon, okay? Tea sometime?" She winked at me before turning on her heel and walking away, her loose steps ringing down the hallway.

The silence slammed back between us as soon as she was out of sight. I stared at the floor, feeling embarrassed, unsure what to say, unsure how to process what I had just witnessed.

Hadzen was still standing stiffly beside me, with tense shoulders. He took his time to breathe out deeply, so that his voice was softer now. "Don't you remember her, do you?"

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Don't. but Dylan said something about her. She was "our" childhood friend, is that not?" he said.

Hadzen smiled ironically and looked far away, his eyes distant. "Yeah, something like that."

I nodded, though I still couldn't untangle my thoughts. There was so much I didn't know about Hadzen-so much he kept hidden. And maybe… maybe I wasn't ready to uncover it.