( The real world )
As soon as Leo logged out of Terra Nova Online, his heart started to beat faster at the thought of having to confront Amanda and picking up the conversation the two were having the last time they were together.
To avoid this fate, he quickly dashed into the bathroom and changed into his work clothes, intending to head out to work early by himself and coming up with a detailed excuse for his early departure later.
However, the moment he exited the bathroom, he was greeted by Amanda, who was standing directly in front of him at the bathroom door, wearing a big smile.
"Good Morning! Someone's up early today-" she said as Leo chuckled awkwardly.
"Good morning…. I got ready early so that Luke doesn't scold me" Leo said, lying nervously as Amanda bit her lip slightly and adjusted his red robe collar.
" You haven't even dried up properly after washing your face, there is water trickling down your neck to your chest….." she said sensually as she tried to tease Leo by running her finger down his neck.
Gulping, Leo tried to calm down his racing heart as his face made a very weird expression.
"Pfft. Hahaha, move silly, I need to get ready as well" Amanda said, enjoying Leo's reaction to her teasing thoroughly as Leo awkwardly moved to the side for Amanda to enter.
Once she had gone inside, Leo released a deep sigh and fixed his gaze on the exit door of their apartment, located across the hallway, with a determined look.
"This woman will be the death of me…. Better run away before she comes back out" Leo thought as he began making his way down the hall, when Luke opened the door to his room at the very worst timing.
"Oh? Ready already…." He commented looking at Leo, as Leo was forced to stop dead in his tracks.
"Good Morning brother, yes I'm ready early today" Leo said, as Luke nodded his head and looked towards the door to Amanda's room which was also wide open.
"Amanda?" He asked vigilantly as Leo pointed silently towards the bathroom.
Luke nodded, letting out a soft sigh as he said "I've been meaning to talk to you in private for a while now, but never get the chance, good thing I got it today"
'Uh-Oh' thought Leo, as he nervously gulped down some saliva.
"What do you want to talk about brother?" He asked, as Luke immediately uttered the words that Leo wanted to hear the least.
"It's about Terra Nova Online…." He began as instantly dread settled in every cell of Leo's body.
"I've done some of my own research within the game and I think we should both meet up tomorrow and go to the MP exchange store tomorrow.
First and foremost let's make a call to mother, talk to her after a long time and then let's set a deadline to collect as much MP as we can to give her the best ticket we can.
You're in the capital already right?" Luke asked as Leo felt his voice being stuck inside his throat.
"Yes, yes I'm inside the capitol" Leo said, as Luke nodded his head and placed a hand over Leo's shoulder.
"You didn't make it to the third round of preliminaries, did you?" He said compassionately as Leo shivered at the question.
"N-no, I didn't make it, how did you know?" Leo lied as Luke smiled kindly and ruffled his hair.
"I was there in the stands watching the entire thing you dummy, you think I wouldn't have recognised my younger brother if he walked out there?" Luke said, as he laughed and tried to make the atmosphere lighter.
"It's okay, chill out, having progressed to the second round is also not bad. There will be more of these things in the future" Luke said, trying to encourage Leo as by the time the two brothers had this conversation, Amanda too came out of the bathroom.
"Oh? Good morning Luke. What are you two talking about?" Asked Amanda after walking out of the bathroom as she felt curious on what the two brothers were chatting about and why Leo appeared so stiff.
"Nothing, me and Leo are going to spend some time together within the game tomorrow, aren't you going to reach Stronghaven as well?" Luke told Amanda, whose eyes sparkled at the question.
"Of Course I'm going to come and it's perfect that you got a hold of Leo... I'm going to the central market to buy stuff, meet me there before the scrap metal selling shop, okay?" Amanda said, as Leo's worst nightmare finally came true.
Not just Luke, but he was supposed to meet Amanda now as well as the two took turns to instruct Leo on where to meet them and how they would spend their day together.
'Screwed…I'm screwed' thought Leo, as he nodded and agreed to all their plans, having no idea as to how he would follow through with them later.
************
( Meanwhile, back on Earth, The Skyshard residence )
*Hum* *Hum* *Melodious Singing*
Elena sang a song happily as she cooked dinner at the Skyshard residence.
Ever since Luke and Leo left Earth, things had only become progressively worse for her.
She had to lie to the neighbors about Luke and Leo having died at their job, rather than informing them that they had left Earth, as if the jealous people around her found out that Luke and Leo escaped this hell hole, they were more likely to pin their frustration for being stuck on this planet on Elena.
Thankfully, with them pitying Elena for having lost her children, they did not bother her much as survival conditions became much harder than before.
Whatever semblance of government that was left before the first arc ship departed, crumbled within a month of its departure as military outposts were overrun and government stores that sold food and supplies were raided.
Thankfully, the boys had stashed enough food and rations for Elena to survive for a while in these conditions as finding new rations in this world now was next to impossible unless one joined street gangs that had taken control of the food supply.
*Door Opens*
*Creaks*
*Door closes shut*
"I'm home–" a manly voice said as Elena who was cooking dinner smiled, replying "Welcome home-"