I want to be like Ursula [Discontinued]

1 - The Little Mermaid

Juniper Vale

I kept munching on popcorn while watching my favorite movie, The Little Mermaid, on my laptop. Sundays are my favorite—staying home, watching movies, and avoiding the outside world. People outside always seem so judgmental. It feels like everyone is scrutinizing you, even if they try to deny it. School can be tough for me because of it.

"Juniper! Your friend Linda is here to see you!" I heard my mom call from outside my room. I barely glanced up from my movie, which was reaching the part where Ariel meets Prince Eric for the first time. Prince Eric. He's so charming. Will I ever meet someone like him?

I suddenly felt a jolt as popcorn scattered around my laptop. Linda had barged in, laughing. "Seriously, Lin?" I said, turning to her. She gave me a warm hug. "I missed you. You're so comfy to hug," she said, which made me soften and return the hug.

Linda and I have been best friends since kindergarten. We do everything together—same school, same classes, same clubs. But we have our differences. She's not a fan of The Little Mermaid, calling it a cliché. I, on the other hand, love it. She prefers movies like Brave or Mulan, which show strong, independent women. I see it differently—sometimes I feel like I don't quite fit those ideals.

I wish I could be more like Ariel—elegant and dreamy. I often feel self-conscious about my appearance and wish I could be more like the characters I admire. Linda, though more reserved and bookish, has her own struggles. She's often seen as the stereotypical nerdy girl, but she has a kind heart.

Linda helped me with the popcorn and frowned at the screen. "Seriously, Juni? Don't you get tired of watching this over and over? There are other great animated films. Finding Nemo is fantastic. Or Ponyo—it's by Studio Ghibli, the same studio that made Spirited Away." She said, and I closed the laptop, handing her the popcorn box.

"I appreciate the suggestions, but I'm not interested in fish stories. I want to be like Ariel. She's beautiful, dreamy, and finds love. It's a fairy-tale dream," I said, carried away by the fantasy. Linda sat down next to me, looking unimpressed. "Not really my thing," she said, adjusting her glasses.

"Why do you love Ariel so much? You know the original story didn't end well for her," Linda pointed out, lying down beside me. I shrugged. "I guess I just wish I could be someone else, at least sometimes," I admitted, and she nodded in agreement.

"I get that. I sometimes wish I were braver or stronger," she said with a sigh.

"Then what? Are you going to do parkour like Mulan?" I teased, tickling her. She laughed. "Maybe. It would be cool to have some of that strength and agility," she said, and I smiled. "But it's not always practical. We're supposed to be ladylike, like the princesses," I said, turning to face her. The bed shook slightly as I moved.

"I don't want to be like them. It feels too... ordinary?," she said, searching for the right word. I guessed, "Bland? Cliché?"

She thought for a moment. "More like nondescript," she said. I frowned. Nondescript?

"Nondescript?" I repeated, unsure. "I guess it means there's nothing special about them. They're all quite similar," she explained. I sighed. "I still think they have their charm," I said.

"Well, prove me wrong then," she challenged, with a playful smirk. I raised my hands in surrender. Debates with Linda can be intense—I remember one about turtles and tortoises that left me queasy for a week. I wasn't up for another round.

No way I'm going through that again. Nope. I'm good.