The closest they ever came to a “storyline” was year seven. A crisis of the mundane. He felt unseen. She felt smothered. For two weeks, they ate dinner in a chilly silence, sleeping on opposite edges of the bed like two people on separate life rafts.

Beyond the initial spark, storylines often focus on the maintenance of long-term bonds. Popular frameworks used to sustain these relationships include:

We are wired for connection. From the earliest campfire tales to the latest binge-worthy series, romantic storylines have served as our culture’s mirror, fantasy, and cautionary tale rolled into one. But let’s be honest: we’ve all rolled our eyes at the “love at first sight” trope that defies logic or the dramatic breakup that could have been solved with a single text message.