The Amnesia Glitch Chapter 2

The nurse’s ears practically perked up like an antenna; she wanted to listen but was too scared to be obvious. I felt pinned by his stare and let my gaze wander up to the ceiling. You know, for a hospital, this ceiling was really top-notch. A solid ten out of ten.

"Don't get the wound wet," the nurse instructed, finishing the bandage. "Come back in three days to have it changed."

The man—Caleb—waved a dismissive hand, clearly not listening.

Before the nurse could even shut the door behind her, a figure rushed into the room. He was still shrugging on his coat, the belt of his black trench coat hanging askew at his waist.

Leo.

Leo was five years older than me, with a quiet, steady presence that had always been my anchor. When we lived together, I’d wake up every morning to find toothpaste already squeezed onto my toothbrush and a hand towel folded neatly by the sink, right where I’d reach for it.

I had never seen him look so disheveled, so undone.

I looked up at him, my heart aching, and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his coat. "Take me home, Leo. They said I can go."

He froze for a second. I saw his throat work as he swallowed, and his cool hand hovered over my head, not quite touching me.

"Chloe, I…"

Before he could finish, a slow, deliberate clap echoed from across the room.

Caleb was leaning forward, his face half-shrouded in shadow, his eyes burning with contempt. "How touching. Truly a scene for the ages." He sneered. "After three years of following me around like a goddamn puppy, this is the guy you call your boyfriend?"

The words were so bizarre, so completely nonsensical, that I didn't even know how to react. But before I could stand up, Leo disentangled himself from my arms and strode across the room. He swung, and his fist connected with Caleb's jaw with a sickening crack.

"Caleb Sterling," Leo snarled, his voice dangerously low. "Keep your goddamn mouth shut."

I was stunned. So was Caleb. Leo, my gentle, bookish Leo who never even raised his voice, had just thrown a punch.

I scrambled off the bed and threw my arms around Leo's waist, pulling him back before Caleb could retaliate. I dragged him out of the room, ignoring the furious roar that erupted behind us.

Caleb kicked the heavy metal door, the sound booming down the hallway.

"Chloe! You're choosing him?"

"Goddammit, Chloe, you get your ass back here!"

His voice faded as we reached the elevator. In the passenger seat of Leo's car, I gently took his hand, turning it over in my own. "Does it hurt? Why were you so impulsive? What if you'd broken it?"

In the dim light of the car, Leo didn't answer. He just looked at me for a long moment before leaning in and crushing his lips to mine.

It wasn't like his usual kisses. This was urgent, almost frantic. And underneath it all, there was a profound, aching vulnerability. It was less like a welcome and more like a claim.

I was breathless when he finally pulled back, my face flushed. He looked just as wrecked as I felt. He gently cradled the back of my neck, shifting me into a more comfortable position against the seat.

"Get some sleep," he murmured, his voice thick. "We're almost home."

I was exhausted. The chaos of the hospital, the fight, the raw emotion of seeing Leo again… it had all taken its toll. I didn't even have the energy to question his uncharacteristic behavior. I leaned my head back and let the motion of the car lull me into a daze. My thoughts felt like scrambled eggs.

Just as we were pulling into our neighborhood, a strange sound echoed in my mind—a cascade of chimes, like a slot machine paying out.

【Host! Host! You're finally awake!】

【Progress on the Caleb Sterling objective is at 60%!】

【Victory is within your grasp!】