There wasn't a cloud in the sky as I laid on the beach next to AJ under the afternoon sun. We were visiting the beach for a couple's vacation and to help grow our relationship.
"Ah gotta hand it to ya, sugarcube," AJ said as the waves crashed on the shore in the background. "This is jist th' kinda thing we needed."
I smiled as I looked toward the sea before turning back to her and answering with soft kiss.
"Listen AJ. I, uh, got something I need to, um, tell you," I said as I felt my face began to flush.
AJ moved closer, placed her hand under my chin and lifted it up to look me in the eyes. I looked into her emerald green eyes as my own began to water. I had a secret I needed to tell her and I was afraid of her reacting negatively to it.
"Lookie here, Dashie," she said lovingly. "Nothin' y'all can say will make me feel any diff'rent about ya."
"Well, *sniff*, I didn't begin feeling, *sniff*, the way I do toward you at, *sniff*, at the sleepover a few months ago," I told her between sobs.
"Whatcha mean, sugarcube?" she asked as her face changed to an expression of concern.
"I, *sniff*, looked at you in just a sexual manner," I said as my crying began to intensify. "Yo-you were cru-crushing on me a-a-and I didn't return th-the feeling. I'm so, so sorry, AJ."
"Awww, sugarcube. Ain't no need ta cry," she said as she held me in her arms. "Ah'm jist happy yer with me. Even if it was jist as friends."
"Really?" I asked as I wiped my eyes.
"Eeyup, and Ah actually wanted ta tell y'all somethin' mahself," she said, pulling back from me.
My feelings being somewhat random at the time, I really began to worry about what she was about say.
"Ah've been crushin' on ya since we first met in 7th grade," she said while shifting to sit up on her heels. "Ah was so happy when y'all decided ta take a chance with me."
My feelings shifted from worry to anticipation as her face began turning red.
"Ah've been thinkin' about this fer years... hoping Ah could ask it someday," said AJ softly. "Rainbow Dash... y'all make me happier than anything else in th' world... and, well, would ya do th' honor of-"
I woke up opening just my left eye as the darkness still filled the hotel room. There was fluttering feeling in my chest as I thought of the dream I just had.
Have my feelings for AJ gotten that strong this quickly? I thought as I rubbed the length of her arm that she wrapped tightly around my midsection. I really should tell her how my original feelings toward her. She's always honest with me and the girls, so I need to return the favor.
I intertwined my fingers with hers when I reached the end of her arm. When I did, AJ began talking in her sleep.
"Dashie, will ya... mmmm" she mumbled softly. "Ah love y'all."
I turned slightly and kissed her on the cheek. "Love you too, AJ. Never let me go," I whispered before rolling back over and pulling her arm tighter around me.
I closed my eyes and as I began to drift off to sleep again I heard AJ whisper something that made my heart skip a beat.
"Mmmm... Ah do."
"Rise an' shine sleepin' beauty!" AJ shouted from the foot of the bed.
"Five more minutes," I groaned as I hid my head under the pillow.
"Oh c'mon, sugarcube," she pleaded. "Ah wanna hit th' beach again b'fore we gotta go back ta Canterlot."
"Alright, fine," I said, still half asleep. "Get dressed for the beach and I'll meet you in the chapel downstairs."
"Chapel?! What in th' hay?" she said in shock. "Are y'all tryin' ta tell me somethin'?"
My eyes shot open after realizing what I had just said. Between my dream and AJ's sleep talking, it's no wonder I was thinking about weddings. Now I had some explaining to do.
"Uhhh, well, funny thing, hehe," I stalled awkwardly. "You see, I had a dream... and you were in it and you may or may not have, ummm... proposed." A weak, uneasy smile crossed my face as I saw AJ's jaw drop.
"Well now... not much to say 'bout that," AJ said quietly and scratched the back of her head. "Y'all have any clue why ya had dream like that?"
I had no answer for her. The only thing I could was able to do was shrug my shoulders as I felt my entire body turn red from embarrassment. I didn't know why I had that dream.
"Sugarcube, Ah'll let ya off th' hook fer now," she said with a sigh. "But Ah'm gonna ask ya ag'in later."
I silently breathed a sigh of relief with that but my body with still flushed from embarrassment.
What in the Hell am I going to tell her? I thought as I watched AJ put her bikini and sarong on.
"Y'all comin'?" she asked after packing the towels in the bag. "Or do ya plan on gawkin' at me all day?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah," I said as I snapped back to reality and got out of bed. I grabbed my bathing suit off the chair and quickly slid it on before stepping into my sandals.
"No shorts today?" AJ asked as we started out the door.
Why am I so distracted by my dream this morning? I wondered as I slipped back in the room to put my jean shorts on. Is it because AJ proposed in the dream and then mumbled 'I do' in her sleep?
I rejoined AJ in the lobby so that we could walk with to the beach holding hands. Unlike yesterday, I didn't run off before the warning sign to keep AJ in the dark with information about the beach.
"So what do you want to do first?" I asked as our feet hit the sand. "Swim? Surf? Volleyball?"
"How 'bout we set out th' towels an' strip down first," she replied with loving smile.
"Well, yeah, but I mean after that?" I clarified, returning the smile.
AJ and I laid our towels in nearly the same place as we did yesterday and began making ourselves comfortable.
"Ah was thinkin' we could talk fer a short spell," she said as she slid her bottoms off. "Ya been mighty distracted all mornin'. It ain't like y'all."
I took a deep breath and agreed reluctantly. Of course I made up the excuse that the water was probably too cold as the reason to stay and talk.
"I... well..." I began as I turned my face toward the sand. "I've been keeping a... a secret from you..."
"A secret?!"
"Hear me out. Please," I begged as my breathing began shallowing. "I... I was comfortable keeping this to... myself up until last... last night. I don't know if it was..."
AJ scooted over and threw her left arm around my shoulder and pulled me in tight. I continued to look at the sand as a stray tear rolled down my left cheek.
"Take yer time, sugarcube," AJ said before placing her hat on my head.
"Th-thanks, AJ," I said quietly. "Where was I? Oh, I don't what caused me to... to change my feelings for this secret." I let out a deep breath and finished my confession. "I didn't... always have... romantic feelings for you... since that sleepover right after Camp Everfree."
"Okay, go on," she prodded.
"Up until a couple weeks ago, well, my feelings toward you were that of... of... a..." I needed to pause to keep what little composure I had left. "...a friend... with benefits."
AJ reached up and gently lifted my face. I tried resisting due to the amount of shame I was feeling but she was a little stronger than my neck muscles. By the time she got us face to face my eyes were in tears.
"Look here, Dashie," she said gently. "Hey, up here. In mah eyes. Ah appreciate yer honesty and Ah'll be with ya as long as ya need me ta be. Ah think this here retreat is what made ya change yer mind. B'cause when we cuddled on th' balcony last night, y'all had a look of passion that Ah never seen in ya b'fore."
I wiped my eyes with the back of my left hand as I let what AJ said sink in. "Did I really?"
"Sure did. Ah think that our nudity figuratively knocked down some emotional walls that needed ta be broken," she explained. "Mah feelings have gotten stronger toward ya in th' last two days."
I turned to wrap my arms around her and sniffled a couple times. "So you don't think less of me?" I whispered in her ear.
"Not in th' least."
"Thank you so much, AJ," I told her as my eyes finally began drying up. "I love you so much and you need to hear that more than just when we hang up on the phone."
"Ah love y'all too, Dashie," said AJ as we broke off from each other. "Now let's git ya cleaned up so that we can go have fun. Sound good?"
I smiled and nodded my head as I felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders.
"Y'all wanna go to a fancy-shmancy restaurant?!" AJ asked in disbelief. "Who are ya an' what did ya do with Rainbow Dash?"
"Well, not so much fancy but at least one that the food is delivered to the table," I replied as we carried our rented surfboards back to the rental hut. "Like some Italian place or something?"
"Ah wish Ah woulda had mah phone to record that," she giggled softly.
"Record what?" I asked, confused.
"Y'all suggestin' eating out at an Italian restaurant," she said as she continued giggling.
We turned the surfboards in then went back to our stuff so we could dry off.
I need to set up a shopping trip with Rarity when we get home, said a voice in the back of my head. Wait? Did I just talk myself into hanging with... Rarity?
"Y'all okay?" I heard.
"What? Oh, yeah. Just thinking," I replied.
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" AJ asked me.
"How to beat you on the volleyball court," I lied with a sly grin.
"Oh really? Well ya gotta beat me to th' court first," AJ shouted as she ran off toward the volleyball area, laughing.
I chased after her as the hot sand burned the soles of my feet. I quickly caught up to her and rather than overtaking her, I playfully tackled her before hopping back up and beating her to the court.
"That's th' Dashie Ah know," AJ said when she caught up to me and brushed the sand from between her breasts. "Winnin' by any means necessary. Haha."
"Yeah well... I think I've used up all my mushy moments for the next couple years in the last 24 hours," I laughed as we watched the current players finish their game.
"Ya wanna know somethin'?" she whispered in my ear. "Ah think we could beat these fellers in a 4-on-2 match."
"I know. I think SciTwi could beat them in a 4-on-1 match," I laughed as AJ covered my mouth and tried hushing me. "What? It's true."
"Ah know that but y'all told me yesterday that this was a place to, an' Ah quote, 'strip down, have fun and make friends.' Talking trash is not usually the best way ta make friends," AJ fussed.
"Fine," I moaned before seeing my chance to challenge the current competitors. "Hey! How about a handicap match when you get done with your current game?"
One of the guys asked me who would be on which team before agreeing to getting their butts kicked.
"Alright!" I shouted as fist-bumped AJ. "Two chicks against four guys! This will be one for the record books."
AJ let out a soft giggle before we took the court.
