Flirt salad...Yummy,Yummy!

What on Equestria was that word?

What was that word that described that horrific emotion that all strived not to encounter? What was that dreaded feeling one got when they tried to harvest honey from a random wasp's nest and realize that Wasps did not make honey? The feeling when leap off a diving board more than fifty feet over the surface? When you add too much sugar to a recipe for cookies? When you stretch too hard in the morning?

Oh yes. Regret.

It's what you're feeling now, as you travel across the dirt roads of uptown ponyville and past the unsuspecting ponies around you. It's dug itself into your heart and it won't get out, because it was your idea to travel out here and do what you felt you had to do. You're regretting what might happen when you finally do it; the reactions you could get from it.

Now you're approaching the castle, towering over you like a judgemental teacher or a looming vulture, if vultures were made out of crystals. A swallow rolls down your throat but you don't hesitate to trot up the steps of the castle and push your way inside the royal building. From there, you pause in the lobby and nervously tap your hoof on the floor. A mare wanders into the room with her coat almost the color of periwinkle, and you recognize the familiar hairstyle with relief...not to mention the lack of wings.

One of your best friends, Starlight Glimmer, halts before you with a ghrin you wish that you had. "You're actually here to do it, huh? I thought you'd chicken out."

"Well, I didn't." You say through clenched teeth and inhale before sighing. "She's in the library?"

"When is she not?" Starlight asks you teasingly, which starts to fuel your usual fires of annoyance. "I still can't believe you want to date ."

"SHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSH!" You frantically waves your hooves in front of her and look towards the opening of the hallway. No peeking eyes await you, thankfully. "Geez, You wanna ask her while you're at it?"

She giggles but apologizingly nods. "Sorry, Sorry! I'll be on my best behavior! Promise."

You ignore her and slowly start towards the hallway, but regret hits you again; it formulates a whole bunch of scenarios, especially the likely one. It shows your crush laughing in your face and explaining that she's a princess and you're... Well, not royalty. Luckily for you, Starlight notices your hesitation.

"Go on! You didn't come this far to give up!" Starlight inches closer. "I can push you in, y'know."

"Thanks, Pal. But I think I'll be fine. Just wish me luck..." Were your famous last words. Then, you carried yourself down the hallway with determination and fixed your worried expression. There was no turning back for you now, because you were entering the library.

Just as you expected, Princess Twilight Sparkle was inside and wrapped up in a book.

Your eyes widened the same as they always had as she took notice of you. The beauty had her mane in a stylish sort of ponytail(the irony of it all), and it had stripes of red violet and pretty much the best shade of purple known. Her coat was just as purple as fresh grapes, which was perfect just as the rest of her. Your heart skipped a beat when you caught sight of her dark magenta colored orbs; hypnotizing circles that looked straight back at you.

"Hi!" Twilight swiftly picked up a bookmark from...somewhere, and placed it on the current pay of her book. She stood up just as you finally dragged yourself over to the alicorn. "Wasn't expecting to see you today! How ya been?"

"Er...Fine!" You told her with a slightly squeaky voice, before you coughed. "I'm fine. I see you're fine too! Not fine as in good looking, which you are but...uh...you look okay."

"Eh, I feel okay. Just me relaxing in front of a few new book series I got!" Twilight explained, holding up a book for you to see. Something called 'Maze Runner', not that you would really remember it to begin with. "While Spike deals with an egg incident that may or not have occurred in bedroom..."

"Egg incident?"

"You're better off not knowing, Trust me." She nervously chuckled about it while starting to hover above the ground with the aid of her wings. She was obviously about to put the book back on the shelf. "Anything you needed? Or was this just a friendly visit?"

This was it: the moment of truth. You could feel your heart as if it were some kind of sugar fueled hummingbird in your chest, banging against your lungs spastically. "Uh...Well...it's kinda both."

"Both? Oh do elaborate!"

"Alright...So, there's this question that I was going to ask you for the longest time..." You managed to spit out. Only about a thousand more letters to go. " not like, years or anything...just a few months! Yep, just a few months."

Twilight pushed aside two specific books in an attempt to put hers back in place. "...So? What's the question?"

"The question? Oh right! The question. The question is...It's... Would you like to, by any chance...go eat somewhere nice later on?"

"I couldn't hear you. Can you say that a little louder?"

"*sigh*...Would you like to go out to dinner later on?"

"Finally!" Twilight pushed the book the book in neatly and proudly looked at the organized rows. "You were saying?"

Exasperatedly, you speak just a bit louder. "Do you want to go out somewhere and eat later?"

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof and shrugged. "I dunno. I have tons of food here, so I'd be fine at home."

So it was going to be one of those talks, huh? You could hopefully handle the suspense. "Well, suppose that...somepony was willing to buy you food? Just to...begin to show you how ...perfect you are?"

"It sounds like a nice gesture." The Princess declared with a smirk. That smirk, unlike most days, gave you a strange sense of dread. "But I have no idea who'd be willing to do that for little old me?"

"...you know I'm asking you out, don't you?"

"100%."

"And it was Starlight who tipped you off?"

"Right again."

You sighed hopelessly and started to make an embarrassed beeline for the door, not bothering to look behind yourself. "Well...Bye. I'm off to kill my former friend."

"Alright. You can pick me up aaaat...7:23? I'll have the rest of the books reorganized with this new algorithm I made up by then!"

"Sure thing." Before you could fully exit the room, the meaning of the words hit you like a swat from a manticore. You turned around to see the Alicorn smiling at you calmly, as if she hadn't said a word. But you literally heard them seconds ago. "Waaaaaaaaait...Are you saying that you actually want to...?"

Twilight nodded almost enthusiastically, which meant she was excited to some level about the whole thing herself. That multiplied your shock infinitely. "Even though it doesn't really matter...Why did you think I wouldn't say yes?"

"Heh heh...For starters, you're a royal magic weilder. Who happens to be an alicorn." You nervously smile, ears folding back against your head. The fact that she agreed to the date is still shocking. "And I'm just...Me. Were two opposites in a way, right?"

"Right. But opposites attract, something that should be proven when we go that resturaunt you were referencing." She turned her head ever so slightly and delivered an impressive, sultry wink free of shipping charges. Your eyeballs pretty much fell out of their sockets at that. "Besides, I've gotten along with you for nearly a year so far...and may or not have found you just a little bit cute. This will hardly be different, unless you're the kind of pony who counts better as different."

"I always took you for that kinda pony! Heh heh! And I promise you will not regret this night at all!" You promised her happily and turned to make your way out of the library with a polite farewell. As soon as you came into the hallway, your eyes took in the sight of Starlight Glimmer giving you a very innocent grin.

"So, did she say yes?"

"I still hate you." You smirked softly, raising your hoof towards her. She bumped her hoof with yours casually. "And I owe you the best thank you gift ever."