The hit series Normal People by Sally Rooney (and the subsequent Hulu adaptation) explores this relentlessly. Marianne and Connell’s relationship spans years filled with miscommunication, class divides, and unmet expectations. It is a painful, beautiful depiction of how a young girl’s first love can shape her self-esteem for a decade. Notably, the story does not end with a wedding or a breakup; it ends with two people accepting that loving someone might mean letting them go.