Teuta Bridges.

The name alone bloomed a flutter on his heart. Usually, Limbo would feel embarrassed by it, but it has been so for a while now, and so he came to terms about being a Goddamn pussy about that girl.

Pussy, indeed. He cannot even find in himself to be direct with her. Where Limbo Fitzgerald, the cocky basketball player, went? He is a disgrace.

It has not even been too long since they met. Teuta is friends with Adam Krylov, a Russian oligarch's son in his class. Limbo never cared too much for him, as he always feared that maniacal glint in his eye that would emerge sometimes.

Though he feared, Limbo was also quite grateful, since Adam sponsors Teuta's visits to the Academy's library, and it was there where they meet.

Basketball player or otherwise, he is also quite academically gifted, and he places quite a bit of effort and pride on his grades. He comes from a long and respected line of legal professionals, who instilled upon him both respect for the profession and a strong sense of justice. He wants to become a great lawyer, and he wants it through his own merits. Alas, study he must.

It was easy to cross paths with one another when they went so often to the same enclosed space, and it was not too difficult to find things in common to say to one another since academic subjects were quite efficient in breaking the ice. He enjoyed their conversations and looked forward to them during his day.

Fortunately for him, despite earnest attempts, Adam could not attend every studying session due to his own insanely demanding routine, and Luka was more interested in physical activities over anything else, so the pair of friends could grow closer and closer without interference.

Sooner rather than later, however, their high school careers would be over. He would remain in New Sieg and study Law, while her parents were moving across the country and pressed for her to follow them.

As the days passed, he grew desperate and wondered whether he should say anything or just let it go. His nagging doubt, in turn, made him drink much more when he was with her on parties, and it was more and more likely for him to make a mess out of himself.

Last night was Homecoming, a night that would usually involve alcohol consumption heavier than usual, and compounded by the affectionately dubbed "Teuta Factor", he had drunk way past his limits. Unsurprisingly, she was right, the next morning was absolute hell for Limbo.

His head was pounding when he woke up, the sunlight flowing through his window adding to the sensitivity. He groaned loudly as he rolled over, looking over at the clock on his bedside table to see that it was almost noon, which meant he was almost late for basketball practice.

Limbo really considered calling in sick, but he knew the coach would chew him out if he did not come in for the second time in a month. So, he trudged out of bed to start getting ready, his mind desperately working to figure out what happened the night before.

He was grateful for the medicine and water he found next to his clock, but was not exactly sure how they got there. His sister would not be so kind, and his parents could not even dream that he drank, much less that he drank enough to be hungover.

However, he knew that, if he did not focus on what he was supposed to do this morning, he will not get anything done, so he pushed his thoughts aside and made his way to the Academy.


Despite its rather rocky start, the day was not in any way unusual for Limbo when he arrived, blessedly in time, for his basketball practice. It was a typical, slow Saturday, meant exclusively as a power move by their coach and to remind them not to rest on their laurels or something.

It was the Homecoming game. It was meant to be an easy win. Everyone knows, including the visitors. There was no need in furthering the point.

Valerie had shown him the kindness of driving him to and from the Academy, since she had a paper coming up and had to go to the library anyways. He asked his sister who had brought him back home, but she was of no help to him with remembering the night before, since she had her own social entanglements to take care of.

He was left to his own devices to find out what happened, he concluded when he saw himself out of leads. That was until one of his teammates finally gave him all of the pieces of the puzzle as they showered after practice.

The jock had a grin plastered on his face, due to Limbo's terribly slow reaction times throughout the morning. He concluded, fairly, that their captain was hungover, and was happy to share all his other assumptions.

"Fitzgerald! How the hell did you survive the night? Did that girl take your drunk ass home?" The player asked, chuckling at Limbo's sunken eyes.

"What girl?" The other replied, furrowing his brow.

"The one you kissed? You were all over her before she dragged you out." he shrugged, seeing Limbo's confused expression. "That girl that hangs around Weird Adam. Teuta something, I don't know her last name."

That was when it all came back to him. The dancing, the flirting, the touching, the kissing. He remembered it all now. His eyes widened in realization as he stood there, wondering how much, if at all, she remembered from his over-the-top confession, because he sure as hell remembered confessing his love for her last night.

"Yeah, I guess she must have taken me home." He chuckled, shaking his head to play it cool.

"Are you guys like, a thing? Because if not, there's plenty of takers for her." The boy replied, wiggling his eyebrows in a weirdly suggestive way.

"That's… That's something I'm going have to ask her about." Limbo replied, finishing to dress himself in a hurry. "Speaking of, I'm going to find her right now, so I wouldn't hold your breath on being next in line to win her over."

With that, Limbo turned on his toes running to the library, with the intention of finding his sister. Fortunately for him, he almost hit her on his way out of the gym.

"Hey! Where are you going in such a rush?!" She demanded.

"Hey, sis. Do you know if Teuta still works at Harry & Keith?" The brunet asks the college student in a hushed voice.

"Shouldn't you be the one to know that, Dingus?" Valerie replied, narrowing her eyes at his question only to get a huff of annoyance in return. "Yes, she works there, but you better hurry up, lover boy! Someone might take your chance before you get there!"

Limbo was out the front gate after waving goodbye, and rushing towards the café a few blocks over. He had no idea whether she had a shift or not, or even if she was still there, but it was the best place to catch her. He did not fancy a train ride to the suburbs to check on her parents' home first.

Luckily for him, as soon as he opens the front door to the charming little café, there she was. Teuta was sitting at the counter, looking bored out of her mind and slightly exhausted as she stared off into space.

The basketball player took a deep breath before walking towards her, a sheepish smile plastered on his face as he did. She finally looked over at him once he got close enough to catch her attention, her eyes widening when she saw it was him.

"Limbo! How are you feeling today?" The girl asked, feeling her heart flutter lightly at the way he was smiling at her.

"I'm feeling better now, not so good this morning, though." He laughed nervously, trying to keep his cool as he leaned against the counter. "I… Uh, I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for taking care of my drunk ass last night. I really appreciate it."

"You remember that?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I did not think you'd remember anything from last night."

"Oh, I remember everything." Limbo replied as her moderately amused expression persisted. "And that's why I'm here. I mean, if I was too much of a burden to you, then I'm sorry, I'll back off, but you never really said how you felt about me."

"I told you that it was a conversation for when you were sober." Teuta responded smiling, rolling her eyes slightly as her heart raced.

"Which we both are right now." He points out.

"And?"

"And… And, I want to say that I do actually feel that way. I want to prove it to you by taking you out on a date, a real date. Also, I want to make up for you taking care of me." He stated with a self-assurance that he did not actually felt, his gaze meeting hers as she listened to his words very intently.

She leaned on the counter from the other side to be closer to him. "I guess we could give it a go."

"Really? You'll go on a date with me?" The boy replied, almost in disbelief at her words. "Can you make it tonight? Maybe after you get off work, we could go to the movies or something…"

The café waitress held up a finger to his lips. "Limbo?"

He looked deep into her eyes. "Yeah?"

"That sounds great. Pick me up here at seven." She said, leaning over the counter to kiss his cheek gently before making her way out of sight and into the back room.

A shame Teuta did not turn around to see Limbo with a grin and blush spread across his face.