Love Denied Vol.1 Of The Love Trials Trilogy

Chapter 18 "Embarrassment!"

(Minori's POV)

Another waiter took our orders, and a few minutes later...our food was brought out.

We had started eating at once, and I kept glancing at Ricky. I couldn't help but feel that he had an intimate connection with Tori. Of course I knew the rumors about Tori being...well...deviant.

And that she liked fooling around with men, period.

There was a sharp pang that coiled at the pit of my stomach...till it was hard to ignore.

"Minori? Is something wrong with your food?" Tori asked with a concerned tone in my voice.

I had not noticed that I was glaring at my food, or that I had even stopped eating at that!

"Ah, no, it's not the food... The foods great!" I said as I enthusiastically began to dig into my food again.

"Hmmm..." Tori started with a curious glint in her eyes, "Hey, Ricky?"

"Yes?" Ricky answered after he had swallowed a spoonful of menudo.

"Can you take a bathroom break right now." Tori inquired but for some reason it sounded more like an order.

Ricky gulped audibly.

"Yeah sure." Ricky said quickly as he wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood to leave.

Before he left, he threw a glance from Tori to me, then a smirk appeared on his face before he headed to the bathroom.

"Ah, what was that for?" I asked idiotically.

"Oh, well, I guessed that Jamie would be calling soon, and I really don't have the stomach for their lovey-dovey talk." Tori stated casually.

I nodded as though I understood but I couldn't help a frown from forming on my lips.

"Of course I also wanted to talk to you alone." Tori added suddenly.

My eyes probably widened at that!

"So what had you down before?" Tori asked, her voice kind.

"Oh... It's nothing, just something silly really!" I said trying to wave it off.

"I think I deserve to know at least the cause, so that I don't make a blunder on our next date?" Tori asked softly, her mention of a second date making butterflies in my stomach.

"Ah..." I blushed red before I blurted out, "Is Arianna your lover?!"

Tori blinked in surprise.

"Umm... Well," Tori started, "no."

"Oh." I said embarrassed.

"Wow, don't tell me you actually thought Arianna was my lover?!" Tori suddenly exclaimed as she bursted into tears of laughter.

I sunk lower into my seat.

"Want my advice?" Tori asked after she'd stopped laughing, but didn't wait for my answer, "Don't ever let Arianna catch drift of that, she'd probably murder me."

I was startled by the serious tone in her voice.

"Your not serious, right?" I asked wearily.

"Nope, Arianna is more than capable of killing anyone who even suggests that." Tori said solemn manner, "I should know, she almost killed me a few times in the past."

No way!

"But that is in the past, I hope." Tori stated her cheerful face appearing again as if she'd never said anything before. "Anything else your worried about?"

"Ah, I get this weird feeling that there's something between Ricky and you..." I said letting it fade into a mumble.

"Oh, that...hmmm...well, Ricky is a distant cousin of mine, and me and his sister are best friends. I guess that would connect us in some way." Tori said with a faint smile.

I blushed even harder.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry for say such a stupid thing!" I said wanting to hide my face.

"Hey you guys! Sorry for that! Jamie just texted, and I have to go see her at Minsky's now, something over some troubles that might get in the way of our wedding." Ricky said when he got to the table.

He and Tori exchanged sharp looks.

"So you guys are already planning your wedding?" I asked surprised, "Aren't you guys still in high school?"

Ricky gave me a goofy smile, "Nah, I'm nineteen, and Jamie is eighteen, she'll be nineteen in two months." He answered with a wink as he took out some dollars from his wallet.

"No, leave that to me, after all, you're practically family." Tori said stopping his hand from laying the money on the table with her own hand.

"Thanks, Tori." He said flashing a tight smile at her.

"It's no problem, you just go meet your fiancée." Tori said with a sad smile.

"Bye, Minori, it was a pleasure meeting you!" Ricky said as he waved his goodbye to us before heading outside.

"Well, lets finish our food now." Tori said calmly but her eyes showed me otherwise.

Her eyes seemed tight with worry and a hint of sadness showed through.

I sighed before I started eating.

When we'd gotten to know each other more, I was going to ask her what made her into such a sad person.