She could hear the waves, and she smelled the amazing salt-sea air as she sat under the hot summer sun.  Ashley was finally on her vacation with her best friends, Matt and Ariel.  They were so glad school was over with and they could finally relax and have fun.  Everything was almost perfect to Ashley…Almost.  She loved Matt, not just as her best friend, but much more than that.  Only if he knew, if he actually felt the same way.  Ashley could not stop thinking about him.  She looked over at Ariel, remembering she was still next to her.
“Hey, Ashley put this sunscreen on my back?”  Ariel asked.  Ashley nodded.  “Yeah.”  She muttered.  Ashley took the sunscreen and started rubbing it on Ariel’s back.  “Thanks.” Ariel said.  She looked at Ashley and saw that something was wrong.  “Is everything okay?”  Ariel asked.  Ashley faked a pathetic smile and said, “Yeah, I’m fine.” Even though she wasn’t real sure she was.  Ariel shook her head.  “Suure, it’s about Matt again, isn’t it?  Why don’t you just talk to him?  He might feel the same way.”  She said.
Ashley shook her head.  “There is no way he’d feel the same way.  He probably still likes that Brittney chick anyway.”  She said.  Ariel laughed. “Brittney?  Are you kidding?  They broke up months ago, and she annoys the crap outta him now!”  She laughed again, and Ashley let out a small giggle.  “Okay, yeah true…but I doubt he feels that way for me.”  Ashley said.  “Well honey, you never know ‘til you try.”  Ariel said.  None of them continued to talk, when they noticed Matt walking across the beach towards them.  “What are you shorties talking about?” He asked.  “Nothing!”  Ashley lied.  Ariel smiled and looked at Matt.  “Just all these gorgeous guys on the beach.”  She said.  “Ohhh, am I one of them?” Matt teased.  Ashley blushed.  Of course he is. “In your dreams!” Ariel teased.  Ashley stood up and looked at the water.  “Well, I’m going out to the water…y’all wanna come with?”  she asked.  Ariel glanced up at Ashley, then back at Matt.  “Yeah, in a few. I wanna have a little chat with Matt first, go ahead we’ll be out there in a minute.”  She said.  Ashley said “Okay.”  And started walking away.
Ariel waited until Ashley was far enough, to where she couldn’t hear their conversation, then looked at Matt.  “Matt, you need to tell her how you feel.”  She said.  Matt looked down and shook his head.  “I ca-“  he started.  “NO.  No more ‘I can’ts’. Just tell her.  Please?”  Ariel begged.  “Why does it matter?”  Matt asked, still looking down.  “She…-“ she started.  “What?” Matt asked.  Ariel sighed and said, “Matt, Ashley loves you.  She is trying so hard to hide that she’s been an emotional wreck, and she won’t even tell you, because she thinks you don’t feel the same way.”  Ariel said.  Matt looked up, was it true?  Did she really love him?  “A-are you serious?”  he asked.  Ariel nodded.  “Yes Matt.”  Matt looked over at Ashley and took a long breath.  “Okay, I’ll tell her.”  He said.  “Okay, I will sit over here, in the sun while you go talk to her.
Matt started walking towards Ashley’s direction to talk to her.  Matt stopped in the water, a couple feet behind Ashley.  She looked so beautiful standing, and looking down in the water. He figured that she was probably looking for shells…He found that a bit silly, but oh, how much he loved her.  He just stood for a moment and looked at her.   Ashley turned to see him and jumped.  “Oh, Matty, y-you scared me.”  Ashley said.  Matt chuckled a little. “Sorry.”  Ashley looked at him for a long moment. “Hey Matt, can we talk?”  she asked.  Matt nodded.  “Uh, sure.  What’s up?”  he asked. 
Ashley started talking, “Okay, well you have been my best friend since like the second grade, you and Ariel both.  And that’s probably all you will ever think of me, as your best friend, but I just need you to know…I think of you as much more than that. Matt, I’m in love with you…I always have been, and probably always will…”  Ashley noticed Matt staring at her, and stopped talking.  Why was he looking at her like this?  Does he not love her back?  Did she say something wrong?  “Wait- why are you looking at me like that?”  she asked.  Matt didn’t say a word.  Instead, he just kept looking at her. Ashley sighed.  “Matt if you don’t feel that way about me, I understa-“ before she could say anything else, Matt pulled Ashley closer to him and kissed her.  Ashley looked up at Matt, she was a little surprised.  “Did you just kiss me?”  Ashley whispered.  “I think I did.”  Matt said, before he kissed her again.  “I love you Ashley.”  he whispered.