My Little Secret

Applejack paced about the barn nervously, her mind racing even as she effortlessly finished her chores for the day.

"You can't deny it any longer, girl. You've got a thing for Rarity." she thought to herself. In truth, that's what anypony who knew Applejack would've called an "understatement." It was quite obvious from the way she acted around Ponyville's fashionista, especially when there wasn't some more pressing matter to be dealt with, that Applejack was head over hooves in love with the mare called Rarity. And why wouldn't she be? Not only was she beautiful, smart, and extremely charming, she was one of the best friends a pony could ask for; ever-generous, ever-caring, and ever-appreciative of one's good qualities, like Applejack's honesty.

But despite all this, the orange farmpony couldn't bring herself to tell even her own family--forget the object of her affection--of these feelings... although most of the Elements of Harmony already knew somewhat of them. Applejack suspected as much; truthfully, the only ones among them whom she figured might be oblivious were Pinkie, who was oblivious to most things, and Rarity herself.

"What if I tell her and she don't like me back?" Applejack fretted internally. "Or what if I tell her and it freaks her out? Maybe I shouldn't say anything... I'd hate it something awful if I drove a wedge between us. I want her friendship more than..."

She paused her mental train of anguish. The thoughts turned over in her head like flipped coins. Finally, with a sharp breath in and a stamp of her hoof, she found a solution.

"That's it!" she said aloud to an empty barn. "I ain't gonna fret over it no more! Rarity's my good, close friend, and she deserves to know how I feel!"

With these words, she raced away from Sweet Apple Acres in the direction of Ponyville proper. In the direction of her love. Applejack's heart began to race, and she slowly cracked a smile as she thought to herself.

"Today's the day! I'm going to tell Rarity how much I love her!"

The orange mare blazed through Ponyville as fast as she could, her sturdy hooves pounding the ground, blonde mane trailing in the wind from beneath her characteristic hat. But upon reaching Carousel Boutique, she was greeted with a sight that brought her to a full stop: it was closed for the night, sign up, curtains drawn, door locked.

Applejack approached the front step and rapped at the door with a hoof, thinking that Rarity might be in her home above the shop. A good ten minutes passed with no response. She asked some of the other townsfolk milling about nearby if any of them had seen Rarity, but alas, nopony knew where she was.

Applejack sat sullenly on the edge of the dirt road, the sun slowly setting overhead. As the falling of evening matched the drop in her mood, she heard a woosh overhead and detected a set of eyes locked onto her.

"AJ?" came a familiar, raspy coo.

"Howdy, Rainbow Dash." Applejack replied as the Pegasus alighted in front of her. "You have a good day?"

"Alright." she said, using her muzzle to adjust a couple feathers in her wing. "But I can tell something's wrong with yours. You wanna talk?"

"Not really, thanks." said Applejack, who was slowly turning a pebble about in the dirt with her forehoof.

"Aw, geez." Rainbow thought. "Something involving Rarity has her bummed out. That's not good. If I bring it up, she'll probably just deny it... ironic, for a pony who's always honest. Maybe if I bring her along and try to take her mind off it?"

"Well then..." Rainbow Dash began, tentative at first. "how about we go get some drinks, AJ? I was just going to wet the whistle myself, and I could use some company. Now, I know a pony like Twilight would probably say 'alcohol isn't a fix for anypony's problems,' but hey, we both know the value of a buzz between friends, right?" The blue Wonderbolt extended a friendly wing to help her friend off the ground.

Applejack slowly got to her hooves and adjusted her hat. "Sharing a drink called 'loneliness,' are we?"

"It's better than drinking alone." Dash replied with a smile.

And with that, the two mares began a slow walk towards the outskirts of town.