The whole isle was pink and filled with Disney Princess's merchandise, from dolls, coloring books, school supplies, dresses to.... power tools? Dana held the plastic purple saw with one hand and took a quick picture of it with the other hand. Ariel and Moana were making kissy faces on each side of the saw while hearts flew the pink void on the handle. Although this saw could probably barely cut a piece of melted butter, Dana knew her audience would laugh at the idea of Disney Princess saws.

She chuckled to herself as she put the saw on the shelf, her ears hearing a mom and her complaining daughter join her in the isle. It was her least favorite thing, whenever actual kids where around whenever she's doing research for her videos. The parents and children would stare at this random 26 woman who's obviously shopping for herself. She'll wish she could shout at them that she's doing research for a 1:45 long TikTok but that'll probably make her seem even weirder.

Dana thought about it quickly and then decided to grab the saw alongside two new coloring books and head out. She heard the kid whine about wanting to go to the park instead when she accidentally ran into her frustrated mom.

Dana felt her back knock into Minnie Mouse plushies on display. When she opened her eyes again she saw the girl covering her mouth while her mother lay over a bunch of Cinderella and Aurora dresses.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" said Dana and rushed to help the mother stand up. With the help of the little girl, the mother was on her feet laughing in no time. She had thick short brown hair that she pushed back to reveal a gummy smile and a freckled tan skin. Her eyes were black and the little lights in them danced around while she laughed.

"Are you alright?" Dana asked the woman, smiling and looking between the mother and daughter. The girl had silky black hair that she styled in a ponytail and wore a jean jacket with a pink shirt underneath. Her mother was in a dark green sundress and a matching jacket.

"I'm alright," said the woman in a raspy voice that hit a certain part of Dana's brain like a bus.

Suddenly the woman's face came into sharp focus, her hear wide lips, the shape of freckles around the cheekbones, the bits of her dark hair showing through the roots.... "Miriam?"

The woman's face fell for a second before she grinned.

"What's happening?" asked the girl.

"Janet, this is Dana," said the wo- no, Miriam, to the confused girl, "she and i were best friends when we were kids."

Before Dana could know what was happening, she found herself sitting on a bench outside the mall next to Miriam. Miriam had brought the three of them ice creams before her daughter Janet left running to the park facing the mall.

Dana starred into the vanilla ice cream melting into her hand in the summer heat. Her grey sneakers fidgeted nervously next to Miriam's static black Mary Janes.

"How's life treating you?"

"huh?" Dana looked up confused. Miriam smiled a gummy smile and it made Dana flush.

"I'm doing fine, I'm happy," said Dana looking at the melted vanilla in disgust before tossing it into the trash can.. She supposed she had to ask Miriam about her life too. "What about you?"

"I'm fine too," Miriam replied and looked down on her melted strawberry ice cream. "What job do you have nowadays?"

Dana's flushed harder. It's not like she's ashamed of being a "full time content creator" but it's really hard to explain. "It's hard to explain."

Miriam snorted.

"Try me."

"I make videos about various media and upload them to YouTube and TikTok" Dana blurted out and braced herself for the questioning.

"Wow, videos on TikTok... And YouTube," Miriam beamed and Dana deflated she felt mocked. "Fascinating."

"Well they get a lot of views, and i get sponsors too." Dana quickly added, "i make a decent amount."

"You said you make videos on 'various topics', can you give me examples?"

"I made a couple popular videos on Bridgerton, the show and books. And let me think.... I made some about other shows, books and movies. YouTube loves these types of content."

"I'm sure." Said Miriam and played around with her ice cream, "and you make TikTok vidoes too?"

Dana nodded. She didn't want to keep talking about herself, or the TikTok videos she makes ranting about Disney princesses. She looked straight ahead at Janet playing with friends in the park.

"Are you and Blaine together?"

Miriam froze while licking the melted strawberry on her fingers. She threw the ice cream in the trash, pulled a couple of tissues from her hand bag. Dana accepted the one given to her and starred at her former best friend waitingly.

Miriam just sighed and cleaned her fingers. Dana groaned.

"Come on, we have to talk about it," said Dana trying to meet Miriam's eyes, "besides i should be the one still too hurt to wanna bring it up, but I'm not. It's been 10 years and we moved on."

"Yes we're still together," said Miriam still not meeting Dana's eyes. "And this isn't me trying to argue, but you weren't the only one hurt 10 years ago. I'm glad you are emotionally over the whole thing now, but to be honest I'm still not."

Dana felt her eyes sting and looked down at her sneakers, she saw some of Miriam's strawberry ice cream had melted on them. She had to remember to clean them when she gets home, after she cleans her clothes and sticky fingers too. Ice cream in summer, what a dumb idea.

"To be honest I'm not totally over the hurt," admitted Dana, "i mean, the things i said, how we left things on... i think about it from time to time."

"You know that i didn't know it was him in that stupid Luigi costume at the party," said Miriam earnestly and Dana threw her had back laughing and Miriam joined. "I can't believe our friendship was destroyed because i couldn't differentiate between a Mario and a Luigi."

"Because drunk Cinderella and Luigi fucked at my hallowed party, when i told her to go for Mario," said Dana, trying to catch her breathe, "i wasn't even dating Blaine, we had a science project together but it seemed like it meant we were married. Everything seems more serious when you're a teenager."

Miriam smiled and starred at her daughter in the park.

"That stupid hookup changed my life, i had Janet and Blaine and i lost you."

Dana looked at Janet too.

"I'm sorry."

"We were kids," said Miriam.

"I know. I should've been there for you after we found out you were pregnant."

"You were a kid." Miriam repeated and sighed, "so... You make TikToks?"

They snorted together.

"Don't mock me!"

"I'm not! I'm just interested to know more." said Miriam, "what are your most popular videos about?"

"Okay! I make videos discussing Disney Princesses!" Dana half shouted like she was confessing to a murder.

Miriam's smile widened.

"God we were obsessed with the Princesses when we were younger," said Dana recalling movie nights, trips to Disney Land and that cursed party were they dressed as Snow white and Cinderella, "probably the only teens who were."

"I couldn't get Janet to be interested in them," Miriam admitted, "she's more of a play at the park kinda gal."

"Touching grass, how dare she."

"Actually, i think i might've seen some of your little TikToks," said Miriam while looking at Janet.

Dana squinted her eyes.

"What do you mean you've seen my TikToks?"

Miriam still pretended to be too focused on Janet.

"You know, when i search about Disney Princesses, you may show up."

"Oh," said Dana. Of course.

"You mean the videos where i say from which mall do i buy the merchandise?"

"You shouldn't do that by the way," said Miriam while checking her polished nails, "what if you have some type of sicko stalker."

"I think i do have a stalker." replied Dana and snorted when Miriam looked up at her nervously.

"I'm not a stalker!" she protested "okay, i might've decided to check out this mall because i hear you mention it in a lot of your videos but-"

"You follow me on the app, don't you?" laughed Dana.

Miriam didn't try to deny it.

"It's okay, i actually follow on Instagram with my secret private account." Dana admitted since she doesn't have to be the only one looking pathetic now.

"I guess you miss me too." said Miriam and slowly took Dana's hand in hers.

Dana nodded.

"Well, that means we gotta take each other's numbers instead of just stalking."