“Ugh! So stupid!!”
I roared and flipped over my table, scattering dozens of weather plans across the floor. A glass shattered and spilled orange juice all over the documents, but I walked past them in my rampage and slammed a hoof onto the counter top.
“You had it!” I shrieked, “You bucking had it!”
Only I could screw something up this badly. Only I could prance down to Twilight's house on Hearts and Hooves Day and throw a box of chocolates in her face! Only I could make something so stupidly simple as visiting a friend a total catastrophe!
I collapsed onto my haunches and buried my face in my hooves. My cheeks were wet and my eyes were stinging—from the orange juice, I think, because I certainly wasn't crying on top of everything else! “Ugh! How'm I ever gonna explain this?”
Knock, knock, knock.
My ears perked up. Was somepony knocking on my door? Who the heck would—My heart froze.
Oh, no...
“Rainbow Dash?” A melodic voice called across the house. “Are you home?”
Oh, no... Oh-no-oh-no-oh-no-oh-no-oh-no-oh—
“It's me, Twilight!”
Oh, great...
I briefly considered ignoring her, but how could I? Twilight was my best friend! More than that, she was my... my...
I shook my head. She was my best friend—that's it. My best friend, whom I'd just thrown chocolates at.
My best friend who made my heart pound like a hammer every time she so much as smiled at me.
My best friend who never called me stupid, no matter what I did.
My best friend who made even the most boring of lectures kinda fun.
My best friend who always dropped everything to help me.
My best friend who had the sweetest flank this side of Equestria.
“C-come in!” I said, trying to sound calmer than I actually was. Instead, I sounded like I was about to barf.
Perfect start, Dash; great job!
The door opened and a smiling Twilight stepped through, flicking her wings a few times to shake the snow off of them. Tucked under one of them was a large, red, heart-shaped box that only added to my grief.
“Hey, Twi,” I muttered as she shut the door. “What's up?”
She smiled as she walked up to me. “I don't know, Rainbow,” she said with a hint of laughter. “What is—woah!”
I followed her gaze to the kitchen, and the mess I'd left inside it. Orange stained papers littered the floor under the flipped table. I cringed; she must've thought I was a total slob.
Perfect...
“Sorry about the mess...” I mumbled—more to the floor than to Twilight.
She gave me a concerned look. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I answered. “Just... doin' some Weather Team stuff.”
Twilight's eyebrow raised. “You left the library in quite a fuss this morning, you know,” she said. The heart-shaped box floated into my vision and settled by my forehooves “And you left these behind...”
I sighed and tapped the box. It was still full—she hadn't even opened it! I'd waited in line for three hours at Bon Bon's shop to get those!
A lavender wing wrapped itself around my shoulders and pulled me close to Twilight. She smiled softly. “Can I ask you something, Rainbow?”
My stomach twisted in knots. My heart pounded furiously. I had a pretty good idea what she was going to say, and I didn't want to be around to hear it. I was gonna look like an even bigger, sappier idiot than I did earlier!
No. No, I can't keep running away from this! I swallowed and nodded to her.
The smile never left her face. “Okay,” she said cheerfully. “Were these—“ she shook the box with her magic—“meant for me?”
My ears pinned themselves to the sides of my skull. I wanted to say yes, but my tongue felt like it weighed a ton—I couldn't even open my mouth! My hooves were shaking so much that I thought I was about to have a panic attack.
I nodded.
Twilight chuckled. Her wing tightened around me and I was pulled against her body. “And... Was there maybe something you wanted to say when you gave me them?”
Was it getting hotter? I felt like I could fry an egg on my cheeks. She knew—there was no way she didn't. And I wasn't getting out of this. I closed my eyes and nodded again.
“And what was it you wanted to say?” She chortled and I did a double-take.
Is... Is she teasing me?
Twilight looked at me with a smile so profound, I could see it in her eyes. There were no hidden intentions or falsities hidden in her expression—she really was excited today. It was then that I realized just what her visit meant, and it was then that I felt more courage than I'd felt in months come flooding back into my body.
I took a deep breath and pointlessly tried to dispel the heat in my cheeks by rubbing a hoof on them. “I... well...”
Twilight leaned forward and pressed her forehead into mine, flooding my sight with her gorgeous amethyst eyes. “Yes?”
I was going to say it! After months of running scared from any room she walked into and secretly wishing she'd just tackle me to the ground so I wouldn't have to do it, I was finally going to say it! I looked back into her eyes and smiled right back at her. “Do... Do you maybe wanna... Would you be my special somepony for Hearts and Hooves Day?”
If Twilight squeezed me any tighter, I swear I would have melded to her wing. “Just for Hearts and Hooves Day?” she teased.
Whatever heat had managed to dissipate from my cheeks quickly came back with a vengeance. “W-well maybe not just—“ Suddenly, I couldn't speak—and it wasn't because I'd chickened out like all the other times I'd tried. No, Twilight had finally closed what little distance there remained between us while I was talking.
I gasped in surprise as our lips met. Twilight's forehooves darted up and seized control of my head, pulling me closer and ensuring I couldn't get away—not that I wanted to, that is. We stayed like that for a few moments, just enjoying the closeness and each other's warmth. It was probably the best feeling I'd ever had—at least ten times more awesome than I'd imagined it would be!
Eventually, Twilight pulled back and simply held me under her wing. She smiled and gently nuzzled my cheek. “I'd love to, Rainbow.”
Actually, Hearts and Hooves Day is a pretty okay holiday.