The Blind Bandit (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 44: Feelings Understood. A Broken Soul

"Wait, wait, wait! Let me get this straight...when you contacted me to help you shop for a new dress, I thought this would be a great chance for us to spend some time together...but instead I'm helping you get ready for a date!? With that idiotic, gluttonous oaf!?" Leticia nearly shouted as she held up one the dress options while she started at the Blind Bandit with a near appalled look. Sarafina remained to be calm and she took time to feel the dress out. Ignoring the eyes of some of the other shoppers who were looking at their direction.

Sarafina gave a carefree shrug and said, "It's not a date Leticia. Toriko felt bad about lying to me and going off on his own and he simply wants to make it up to me. Mmm, this feels a little tight." While that sounded reasonable, Leticia didn't buy it one bit. 'Make it up to her, my ass...this is a date!' She thought angrily to herself. The green-eyed woman helped her former teacher out of the dress as she said, "If Toriko wanted to make it up to then he would've offered up something different. Taking you out for dinner spells out that this is a date! ...And I can not believe I'm helping you get ready for it."

"This isn't a date, I promise. We're just going to eat and head on back home, no more, no less. Besides, Toriko wouldn't waste his time on something so trivial." Sarafina said. Leticia grit her teeth and mumbled something under her breath as she helped Sarafina into a new outfit. While she was disapproving this, there wasn't anything she could say or do about it. If this is what her best friend wanted then all can she can do for her is grin and bear it. Leticia just hoped that nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING- comes out from this.

"Well, fine. If you want to go with him as a way to forgive him, then I can't stop you. But I forbid this to take a romantic turn." Leticia said in a firm voice. Sarafina almost laughed at that. If this was any other time she would view Leticia to be a bit overprotective. However, Sarafina couldn't find anything humorous about this. She knows full well that she has feelings for the Glutton of the Four Heavenly Kings, try as she might to deny them. She did share Leticia's thoughts, however. She hoped that nothing comes out of this. That this wasn't a date. That nothing would get complicated than things already were.

Wanting to change the subject, Sarafina asked, "So, how are things going along with Coco? Sunny had told me that he's doing his training with a young wild cat." Leticia's face flared up and sputtered out a few incoherent words as she said, "Wh-wh-wh-what?! I-I...uh, I-." "I'm glad that the two are becoming good friends that you're willing to help him get stronger." Sarafina smiled widely.

"I'm not helping him! And we're not friends, not by a long shot! I just happened to come across him during my travels and when he told me that he was training to enter the Gourmet World I thought I could use him as an excuse to further my training that's it." Leticia said, her face was beet red. "As if I would help him." Sarafina just laughed as they continued with their day.

Later on that night, it was time for the "date" to begin. Sarafina stood out in front of the restaurant Toriko told her about and waiting for him. Despite claiming this wasn't what Leticia thought she was, Sarafina was still a bit nervous about this. She placed her hand over heart and tried to calm herself down. She was worried if she looked okay. From how Leticia put it, she looked beautiful. Her hair was let loose, wore silver teardrop earrings, a white lace choker, and a silver off-shoulder, short-sleeve high low cocktail dress. Of course, all without shoes.

Once she was calm enough, Sarafina let out a breath and moved her head slowly from side to side, scanning the crowd for Toriko. Not noticing the many men staring at her. Single men were gazing at her with great interest. Men, already with dates, turned their heads to get a glance at the tall, gorgeous lady much to the annoyance of their dates. One of these single men straighten his suit and tie and began walking towards the young woman.