Ep 309: Do Romance Tropes Actually Work in Real Life??
Transcription Details
Client Name: Sounds Fake But Okay Podcast
Date: June, 30, 2024
Speakers in the Audio File
Speaker 1: Sarah
Speaker 2: Kayla
Episode 309: Do Romance Tropes Actually Work in Real Life??
[00:00:00]
SARAH: Hey, what's up? Hello. Welcome to Sounds Fake But Okay, a podcast where an aro-ace girl. I'm Sarah, that's me.
KAYLA: And a bi demisexual girl. That's me, Kayla.
SARAH: Talk about all things to do with love, relationships, sexuality, and pretty much anything else we just don't understand.
KAYLA: On today's episode, Romance Tropes IRL.
BOTH: Sounds Fake But Okay.
SARAH: Welcome back to the pod.
KAYLA: You won't hear that again for a month.
SARAH: Not another month. That's our housekeeping.
KAYLA: And that's a threat.
SARAH: The police are coming for you because you said that you might hear the pod. Actually, please do listen to the pod if you desire to. It's just you won't have anything new.
KAYLA: Yeah, it'll just be that but old.
SARAH: Yes. Exactly. So, this is our last episode before summer break. So, we will be back on August 4th. You will not hear from us all of July, baby.
KAYLA: We won't even exist in July.
(extended silence)
SARAH: No. That was a preview of what it would be like.
KAYLA: Yep. Just to give you a little… so we can all practice together.
SARAH: When I'm editing, I'm going to be sitting there in that silence being like, I want to cut the silence out. I want to cut the silence.
KAYLA: No, no, no, no
SARAH: No, you can't. You have to do it for the bit.
KAYLA: We have to. That was for all of us.
SARAH: Do we have any other housekeeping?
KAYLA: Not that I can think of.
SARAH: My other housekeeping is I want that tattoo artist to message me back on Instagram. Thanks.
KAYLA: What?
SARAH: That's just my housekeeping.
KAYLA: Oh, for you personally?
SARAH: Yeah. They answered me once, but then I asked another question and they haven't answered since.
KAYLA: My personal housekeeping is I need to send a video of all the things I own to the moving company I hired so that they know how many things…
SARAH: My other personal housekeeping is that the entire contents of my desk is still on my floor. Kayla, what are we doing about this week?
KAYLA: This week, we are talking about romance tropes, which we've done before, I looked it up. We talked about... We explained romance tropes in episode 216, which was in May 15, 2022, horrifying, where we just explained romance tropes and gave our reactions to which ones we liked and how we felt about them, in fiction. But this time, we're going to be talking about how we would feel about them if they were happening in real life. This was inspired by... I saw a funny TikTok by... That's not it. That's an ear cleaning video. Do you ever click on a TikTok…
SARAH: Can you send me the ear cleaning video? Yes, that happens to me all the time.
KAYLA: It went away. Sorry.
SARAH: It happens to me all the time. It just doesn't show up. It gives you something else.
KAYLA: I open a link and it just shows up to something else completely. Anyway, this is a TikTok by Emma B Emma, who has only 340 followers, but her video blew up, so happy for her. And it is a POV of if I was the best friend in any romance trope. So, should I play some of it? That could be fun.
SARAH: Okay.
KAYLA: I lost it. Oh, ear cleaning video. I'll send it to you.
SARAH: Thank you.
EMMA B EMMA Audio Playback: I’m just saying I think it’s wonderful that you found two guys–
KAYLA: This is Love Triangle.
EMMA B EMMA Audio Playback: that are completely in love with you but like there’s obviously like a better choice, you know? Okay you really can’t choose. Okay well one of them is blond. Tell me about this new boyfriend. How old is he? Is he– oh. How old? No, no that’s fine. Uh he could be your dad.
KAYLA: That was age gap. Anyway, we don't have to do them all because I don't want to spoil what we'll say, but that's your general idea. It was very funny.
SARAH: Yeah. And then Kayla sent that to me with a vague description, and I did not watch the video but I saw her vague description, and I said, I have an idea. It might be the exact same thing as in that video. And then I said it, and then it was.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: One brain cell.
KAYLA: Yeah. Because I didn't know how to describe it, so I was like, I'll just send the video and vaguely describe it, and we'll get there eventually.
SARAH: And we did. Here we are.
KAYLA: One brain cell stretched across this great United States of ours.
SARAH: Great.
KAYLA: Great as in large perhaps
SARAH: Yes. That I agree on.
KAYLA: Yeah. So, should we start or?
SARAH: Shall we begin?
KAYLA: Yeah. What should we start with?
SARAH: I think we should start with Enemies to Lovers because that is one of my favorite fiction tropes
KAYLA: Same
SARAH: And I know it is also one of yours.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: Hashtag PNP stans.
KAYLA: PNP. Yes. I thought you were trying to say penis in penis.
SARAH: No, not PNP. P and P.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: Pride and prejudice.
KAYLA: Pride in vagina. Anyway.
SARAH: Isn't that just... There's a punch line there about lesbians, but I couldn't quite get to it.
KAYLA: Yeah. We'll get back to you guys in August on that. Okay so, Enemies to Lovers. Have you ever witnessed this in real life? I'm trying to think. I don't think I have.
SARAH: No, I don't think so. I also feel like there are two different levels of enemies to lovers, which is like actual... Well, there's three and one of them doesn't work. So, the lowest level is more of a rivals to lovers situation.
KAYLA: Yes, I agree.
SARAH: It's not really enemies. The next one up is enemies, but enemies in a way that does not make you morally opposed to each other, like does not mean that you have different morals.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: Because I think the third version is enemies in the sense of fascism versus...
KAYLA: Sure
SARAH: And like turning that into lovers doesn't really work unless one of them is going to change their entire worldview.
KAYLA: Well, I will say. So, I recently read a book called A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch. I think it was the second in a series. So, the first book, it's this girl and a demon. And in the second book, it's her best friend and the enemy demon that they fought in the first book. And in the second book, he loses his memory and also becomes a human. So, then he's all better. So, at first they were enemies because he was the bad guy, but then they were lovers because he forgot who he was and became a better person. So, in that sense...
SARAH: They really said nurture with that one.
KAYLA: Yeah. Actually… okay, I just remembered other parts of the plot, but it's irrelevant to all of this.
SARAH: Great.
KAYLA: But anyway, in that one, he did just change completely his moral stance. And so, then it was okay. But it was interesting because in the book, her friend from the first book was like, “hey, man, that's like our enemy and he fucked over my boyfriend from the first book. How could you be fucking him?”
SARAH: Why are you fucking Voldemort?
KAYLA: And she was like, “no, no, he's different, I swear.” And so, at first, she was really upset. And then she was like, “do you swear he's different?” And she was like, “yeah.” And then they were like, okay.
SARAH: Okay, fine.
KAYLA: It was fine. So, I guess that's one reaction one could have. I don't know if that's the reaction I would have. I don't know.
SARAH: Yeah, because I think if you continue to have opposing worldviews, and you still get together...
KAYLA: I don't know that I can support that.
SARAH: I can't support that.
KAYLA: I'm trying to figure, okay, let's come up with an example.
SARAH: Okay.
KAYLA: And then maybe, and so we can try to put ourselves in it. You know what I mean?
SARAH: Donald Trump.
KAYLA: No.
SARAH: And Bernie Sanders.
KAYLA: I meant someone we would actually be friends with.
SARAH: I'm trying to think of the most right-wing person we could conceivably be friends with.
KAYLA: Okay. I meant like one of the parties would be our friend. They don't have to both be our friend.
SARAH: Oh, AOC.
KAYLA: What are you saying?
SARAH: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
KAYLA: I know who she is. Play with me in the fiction, Sarah.
SARAH: I can't get out of politics. You have to guide me.
KAYLA: Imagine our friend, Miranda.
SARAH: Okay. I have a friend named Miranda. I know Miranda.
KAYLA: Me too. Now Miranda has this coworker who she has hated for so long.
SARAH: I can imagine it because I've heard about the coworkers she hates.
KAYLA: Okay. So, I don't know this coworker, but imagine this coworker…
SARAH: Well, just over the years, there have been a couple.
KAYLA: Sure. There's always somebody.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: So, imagine this coworker and Miranda's always...
SARAH: This coworker is married.
KAYLA: No, they're not. Not in this story. In this story, they're like the same age and they're like kind of hot because of course they are.
SARAH: Okay
KAYLA: But they're really shitty and they stole some credit from Miranda for work that she did.
SARAH: Miranda would never let that slide.
KAYLA: Sarah (BLEEP)
SARAH: No, I'm going to bleep that out.
KAYLA: Then stop being stinky.
SARAH: Kayla just dropped my middle name in the chat.
KAYLA: Can you stop screaming? I'm going through enough right now.
SARAH: The fact that I've accidentally made my middle name into a point of lore is funny because I don't care if people know my middle name.
KAYLA: This episode is never going to get anywhere. Remember when I was like, I don't know that we could make a full episode out of this. And we're clearly going to because you won't play with me.
SARAH: Okay. Okay. Okay...
KAYLA: Okay. This coworker is a real stinker. And we've heard about Miranda complaining about him for years.
SARAH: Why is it a him? Most of the people Miranda works with are women.
KAYLA: Okay. They, whatever. So, they hate this coworker. She…
[00:10:00]
SARAH: Miranda is a she
KAYLA: Miranda hates this coworker. Okay? But recently they go on… to a conference together and they get to know each other a lot better. And we reconcile some differences and Miranda comes back and they're in love now. How do we feel?
SARAH: Uh
KAYLA: That took so long just to get us in the fiction of this fucking trope.
SARAH: And if you don't have a friend named Miranda, I would like you to insert a friend.
KAYLA: Yeah. Insert... We all have a friend who has a coworker they hate.
SARAH: With a name that's not Miranda.
KAYLA: Sure.
SARAH: I would want to know the… I think it's important how intense the… how well founded the hatred was.
KAYLA: Sure
SARAH: Like if they… like you said that they took credit for something that Miranda did.
KAYLA: Yes
SARAH: Did they do that intentionally or did they just kind of let it happen?
KAYLA: That's a good question.
SARAH: Like, was it… was it pointed? Was it directed?
KAYLA: See, and I think that would be part of my reaction is when Miranda comes back and she's like, we're in love now. I feel like those would be my reactions is we… would be like, okay, but remember that one time.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: That they did that. Like, are we like over that now? Like, what are we…
SARAH: Well, I would also say you were at a conference for two days. You're not in love. Calm down.
KAYLA: Okay. Yes. Yes. Obviously.
SARAH: But yeah, I think it depends on the severity of whether it was a true enemyship. How malicious it was. And then I also want to know, like what happened that led to them reconciling.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: You know, like what conversations were had.
KAYLA: I feel like often in an Enemies to Lovers in a fiction, they just like, at first they're just, they do a fuck.
SARAH: Yeah. Well, I was going to say next that I feel like that's this… as you said, it's often what they do in the fiction, but that's not Miranda's MO.
KAYLA: I know.
SARAH: So, I'm just wondering, I'm just… like I'm thinking like, what would, you know, the Miranda equivalent. I'm taking the fact that this is Miranda very serious.
KAYLA: You really are. And I… and I guess I did this to myself.
SARAH: You're welcome.
KAYLA: But also… because I feel like, okay, taking, so say leave Miranda. Okay? Goodbye Miranda.
SARAH: I can't leave Miranda. She's in my family's Facebook group.
KAYLA: Okay. Anyway, let's… okay. Saying it goes stereotypically like fiction does, where the people are like rivals, enemies or whatever, and then it's sexual tension, and then they fuck and eventually they fall in love or whatever.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Say we're at the point where our friend comes to us and is like…
SARAH: They were probably drunk when they fucked also. Or they had been drinking.
KAYLA: Or really scared, or so scared.
SARAH: Or they were very scared. They were scared and a little bit drunk and horny.
KAYLA: Or sad.
SARAH: Or sad. Sad and horny.
KAYLA: It was big emotions happening.
SARAH: Exactly. At this conference.
KAYLA: Hey, I never said what kind of conference it was. So, if we're at the point in the story where they're like just fucking, I feel like I and probably you would especially have some questions because this is not something I can relate to of fucking someone I hate.
SARAH: Yes.
KAYLA: Couldn't relate less. At that point… I mean, it's hard because it's like, I don't want to like not be supportive of my friend and just like shun them. But also, I would be like, are we sure we're making the right decisions?
SARAH: I have had friends who have in the context of sex made questionable choices.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: However, the specific instance I'm thinking of, it was very self-aware. They knew they were making questionable choices. And so, I think if the person knows they're being a little crazy.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: Like I think self-awareness goes a long way, but if they're just like completely in it, that's concerning.
KAYLA: Yes. I agree with that because I can think of different situations where I've had friends make choices that I would not personally make in relationships, but they were like fully like, yeah, I know that this is probably going to bite me in the ass later, but like I'm doing this. And then I've also had people that are just so fucking stupid and don't understand the choices they're making. And that is very different.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: So, I feel like maybe that would be my reaction or just level setting of like, you know, this is cuckoo, right?
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Because that's your enemy. And what are we doing here? I also know that I love to hold a grudge. And so, if you tell me you hated this person, then that means I also hated them. And now I'm supposed to like them when you bring them around. It's going to be difficult for me.
SARAH: I would definitely want to see them together. Not necessarily as just straight old… straight out… straight…
KAYLA: Straight.
SARAH: Huh? Not necessarily just as a third wheel, but in a more personal scenario, not a huge group.
KAYLA: Yes
SARAH: Because I want to see how they're interacting with each other.
KAYLA: You need to observe. Yes, that's fair.
SARAH: Scientific observation.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: What's next?
KAYLA: Um, let's see.
SARAH: Do you want me to look up tropes?
KAYLA: Yeah, I guess. Oh, what about friends to lovers?
SARAH: I think that one, there's a, there's always a dangerous tipping point in a friends to lovers scenario, especially if you're close friends.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: But I think if it's a friends to lovers scenario, like, you know that you like each other. You know that you have chemistry in a platonic way.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: Like you know that you work well together. So, I think it's always a safer bet. It's just making the leap to it becoming not just platonic is scary because if you fuck it up, you could fuck up the friendship slash friend group slash entire dynamic.
KAYLA: Yes
SARAH: And also, if you get together and it doesn't work out, then you could also fuck up an entire friendship, friend group, friend dynamic.
KAYLA: Which I feel is often the drama in the fiction with friends to lovers versus people being like, no, we can't. The friendship.
SARAH: The friendship
KAYLA: Um, I will say I have, uh, recently witnessed a friends to lovers arc, in my real life. And it was a secret. The relationship was a secret at first because they like didn't want everyone like looking at them and gossiping and whatnot. But I was in the sacred circle and I got to know about it.
SARAH: The inner sanctum.
KAYLA: Yeah. And I will tell you my genuine reaction was so excited because this… I also found out around the time I got laid off and I was so, so sad and everything in my life was falling apart and my friend was like, okay, I have something to tell you that's going to make you feel better. And I was like, uh?
SARAH: Did you see it coming?
KAYLA: Yes
SARAH: Was it something that you were like, you had been hoping it would happen for a while?
KAYLA: Yes. It had been something that we had all like joked, been joking about for a long time. But like, I didn't think about it enough to think that it could be real. And then it was, and I was like, uh, we've been right all along. It was very exciting.
SARAH: What a slay, what a slay
KAYLA: So genuinely, I know what my reaction was and it was very excited because I love tea. I guess if it wasn't a secret, maybe I would have been slightly less excited because I also love a secret, but.
SARAH: How about fake dating? How often does this happen in your life?
KAYLA: Yeah, I can't. This is also such a good one.
SARAH: If someone... okay, if one of my friends told me they were fake dating someone…
KAYLA: I would go along.
SARAH: I would be like, okay, babe.
KAYLA: No, I would fully go… Like, I'm not going to yuck that. I love that.
SARAH: I would be like, I support this. I see where it's going and I support it.
KAYLA: And I'll be here watching. Yeah. I can't imagine this scenario unless the person that they were fake dating, like, sucked.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Like, I can't… because there's also some like fake dating enemies to lovers that you can do with like, oh, it's my enemy, but like, we have to be doing this or whatever. Wasn't that…
SARAH: For some reason
KAYLA: That's kind of… I haven't watched it, but Anyone But You with the Sydney Sweeney movie.
SARAH: I… yeah, that sounds… it sounds like it could be correct
KAYLA: It was… like they were like exes or like had kind of dated or something. They were enemies, but then they fake dated. And then I assume they fell in love. I didn't watch it.
SARAH: Exes to lovers.
KAYLA: Exes to lovers. Here's the thing…
SARAH: It depends why they broke up.
KAYLA: Yes, because I know… I was talking about romance tropes with someone recently, we were talking about like redemptive arcs in stories and they were like, I fucking hate them. Like if a character fucks up and then they still like… and they break up or like it doesn't work out and they still end up together.
SARAH: I hope they rot.
KAYLA: No, literally. And I was… at first, I was like, I agree with that. But then I read a really good book where the guy was a piece of shit at first, but then like turned his life around and then it all ended up fine and they were in love. And I was like, oh, it was like kind of good and like nuanced to read. But in real life, once again, I hold a grudge.
SARAH: Yeah. I have written exes to lovers before because it's just spicy.
KAYLA: I have witnessed it in close proximity and it's complicated.
SARAH: It's complicated. I think it all really just depends on how long were you together? How serious was the relationship? And why did you break up? If it's the sort of thing where it's like, you break up all the time and get back together. No, fuck off.
KAYLA: I don't like that.
SARAH: No, no, no, no, no. That's not healthy. But if it's like we dated for a while, we broke up, we were broken up for a while and now we're going to try and date each other again.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: That can be totally fine.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: And that can be good because you had time to grow apart from each other.
KAYLA: Especially if it's like a stage of life issue or just like, I feel like so often breakups aren't necessarily because you don't want to be with the person anymore. Like it's not about the person, it's about the circumstances.
[00:20:00]
SARAH: Right person, wrong time, wrong place.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: So that I can deal with. But that's another one where in real life it's like, I'm going to have some questions. I'm not going to immediately be like, yes. But fake dating, I think I would love to experience that in real life. I would love nothing more than to experience that in real life. God, that would be so joyful.
SARAH: And like often it starts as like a small thing.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: And then of course it snowballs.
KAYLA: Yeah. Well, at first, it's like I need a date to this wedding
SARAH: I need a date for this thing because my aunt is going to give me so much shit if I show up alone. But now I've told my entire family that we've been in a year long relationship and they want me to bring you to the Christmas.
KAYLA: In the book I read about the demon and the witch, the first book of the series, she accidentally summoned a demon because she was really bad at magic. And then her family was like, who's this man? And she couldn't tell her family that she had accidentally summoned a demon. So, she said, that's my boyfriend.
SARAH: Mm-hmm
KAYLA: It was crazy.
SARAH: I read something recently where it was a fake dating situation, except the other person didn't know about it.
KAYLA: Oh, no. What does that even mean?
SARAH: The situation was in their workplace. Someone was hitting on them and they wanted it to stop. So, they said, oh, I have… like, I'm dating someone.
KAYLA: Ah
SARAH: But they kept pushing. So, they were like, oh, it's this person.
KAYLA: Oh, no.
SARAH: But then the ruse, it kept going. And then the coworkers got to the point where it was like, ha ha, I don't believe that that person exists. And it's like, well, they exist.
KAYLA: They just don't know about it.
SARAH: They just don't know that I have been calling them my partner for five months.
KAYLA: Uh oh, uh oh.
SARAH: It was good.
KAYLA: I feel like the most realistic or the closest people get to fake dating in real life, and this really isn't close at all, is that when people will have their friends dress up as a fuck boy and take pictures with them and put it on their Snapchat to make guys jealous. Have you seen this trend?
SARAH: God, allos are so weird.
KAYLA: It is weird. But it's also… it’s funny because a girl will have her friend who's also a girl put on a baseball cap with the hair forward so it looks like floppy guy bangs.
SARAH: Do people buy it?
KAYLA: I don't know. I don't know. It's mostly just funny because then they'll pose with the picture with just the guy's arm or whatever. So, they're trying to make another guy jealous, whatever. I also saw a funny one.
SARAH: Healthy.
KAYLA: Yeah, yeah. I saw a funny video recently of this group of girls, and they had one token boyfriend that was always with the group. And all of them just used him to take Snapchats of his arms or legs to make guys jealous.
SARAH: That's funny.
KAYLA: Yeah, it's all very allo and fucked up, but it's funny. And I feel like that's the closest to fake dating IRL I've seen.
SARAH: Yeah. Forbidden love.
KAYLA: Okay, I was just thinking about this one. This I have also seen in close proximity. It's not very fun.
SARAH: Yeah, it seems…
KAYLA: It's like not… from the outside, at least in the one situation I've seen. Not very, like, sexy. Kind of just very, like, a lot of emotions and it being complicated.
SARAH: Yeah, I feel like on the surface, it's like, ooh, sexy, forbidden. But that only really works if it's kind of like a surface level thing that's keeping you apart.
KAYLA: And let's all remember the most famous forbidden love.
SARAH: They kill themselves.
KAYLA: Where they both end up dead. So, it's like, you know.
SARAH: Also, they weren’t teenagers.
KAYLA: Yeah. Actually, this makes me think of a couple example. I've only, like, seen one example up close, but I've heard of a lot of examples. I feel like maybe it was someone we knew in college that had been secretly dating her boyfriend for like eight years because they were different religions. And like somehow neither of their parents knew that that is.
SARAH: That is… Anyway, I just had to bleep that out because Kayla was telling a story about someone that actually I know.
KAYLA: Sorry, my bad.
SARAH: But, yes, it was a situation where they were different religions and they knew that their parents would not be supportive of them dating someone of another religion. And so, they kept their relationship secret for years, even though they both lived at home with their parents.
KAYLA: Which is so impressive, really. Here's my thing, because, yes, this is a story I heard from you, from people you know. From my perspective as the person hearing the story, I'm, like, loving this. If I was any closer to the situation, I would be like, I want no part in this.
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: Because then everyone's going to be, like, kind even if their relationship is going great, everyone's going to be kind of upset the whole time.
SARAH: Yeah, and also, like, if you know their parents, then you have to keep up the ruse and you have to lie to their parents, too.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: And like if they're going, like, I heard stories through the grapevine of, like, sneaking into each other's house, like, legitimately. Like, and it's like, well, someone has to be your alibi. And like that's going to be your close friends. I don't want to have to deal with that.
KAYLA: Yes, on the close friends, it is a heavy burden to then also have that secret. So then, yeah, if you ever see the parents, you have to, like, not say certain things. Which, like, it sucks because I don't think that religion should keep people apart, you know? So, it's, like, I don't really have a solution.
SARAH: Especially if the two people in question themselves aren't really very religious.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: It's just, like, that's what they were raised as.
KAYLA: Yeah. So, it's, like, it's tough because I'm, like, I don't think your love should be forbidden. But I also understand why it's a secret. So, I don't think you should just, like, break up. But also, like, I don't know what to tell you to do, you know?
SARAH: Right.
KAYLA: I don't have those experiences. I don't know what to say to that.
SARAH: Stuck together, like, trapped in an elevator.
KAYLA: Love that.
SARAH: I think it's fun and exciting. I would love to get, like, the texts as it's happening.
KAYLA: Ooh, yes. I mean, yeah, I wouldn't want anyone to be stuck in an elevator, I guess. Because that's, like, scary. But, like, a snowstorm where you have ample amount of food and water?
SARAH: I don't know if I've ever said this on the podcast before, but the elevator in my building that I live in has a little placard that says something to the effect of, you know, if this elevator, you know, loses power, loses connection, don't worry, there is little chance of it falling uncontrollably or running out of air.
KAYLA: It does not say that.
SARAH: It does.
KAYLA: Why?
SARAH: To which I say I wasn't worried about that until I read this placard.
KAYLA: Why would they say that?
SARAH: There's also another placard below that's, like, emergency instructions, but that one is, like, mostly, like, rubbed off. So, like, really the only placard is the one that's like, don't worry, you won't fall uncontrollably or run out of air. And I'm like, well, now that's in my head.
KAYLA: I mean, they're right. From what I understand, it is actually quite difficult for an elevator to plummet. There's, like, a lot of fail-safes. But they didn't have to say that.
SARAH: It's only five stories total, and I'm never on the top one. I would only fall at the most two stories.
KAYLA: But they really didn't have to say that.
SARAH: They didn't have to do that.
KAYLA: Anyway, stuck together, as long as everyone is safe.
SARAH: Mm-hmm. And I think as long as when the relationship emerges, you're not already, like, married.
KAYLA: Are married. Yes
SARAH: Because you were together in a perhaps traumatic scenario and that may bring you together, and that may bond you, but you don't know them know them. So as long as you take that as, like, a very silly first date,
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: I think it's okay.
KAYLA: Yes, I agree. We have to be realistic, but I do think it's a fun way to start dating. Or to become no longer enemies with someone.
SARAH: Yes.
KAYLA: Because that… if I had an IRL enemies to lovers situation, and that was, like, the inciting incident, I feel like I could understand that one. Of, like, okay, like, you spent a lot of time with this person.
SARAH: Trauma.
KAYLA: You probably talked a lot about a lot of things. Maybe you, like, understood your differences. That one I could be like, okay, I can see how we're no longer enemies now. We've, like, worked some things out.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Again, still suspicious, but
SARAH: I think that's what I was thinking of when you were talking about the enemies to lovers conference, which is a conference for enemies to lovers.
KAYLA: Okay, that's, and then they lock everyone in a room for a weekend. And when they come out, we see if they're still enemies. Now that's a reality show.
SARAH: That's why I mentioned being drunk. Because I feel like drinking lowers your inhibitions. You're more likely to say things. You might duke it out, but you can… you might duke it out, but that, it can lead you to a point where you understand each other. Yeah?
KAYLA: Okay, get this. New Netflix reality dating show called Enemies to Lovers. And it's however many pairs of enemies and lovers. And they go into a hotel.
SARAH: Enemies and lovers? No, just enemies.
KAYLA: Oh, sorry.
SARAH: Enemies with sexual tension.
KAYLA: Yes, thank you. Several pairs of enemies with sexual tension. And they lock them in a room for a weekend. And then whoever emerges as lovers wins. That's it.
SARAH: I feel like there's a lot of ways to cheat that system. If there's prize money, they could absolutely work together.
KAYLA: Yeah. Maybe they don't know. Okay, they don't know.
SARAH: But maybe them working together to fake it leads them to action.
KAYLA: Fake dating.
SARAH: Fake dating.
KAYLA: Because they're fake lovers and then… Okay, no, here's the thing, we could only ever have one season of the show, okay?
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: Because then future seasons…
SARAH: They wouldn't know.
KAYLA: So, it's one season, like Jury Duty. One season.
[00:30:00]
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: And they go in and they don't know the object is to fall in love. The shtick is just like, ha ha, you're stuck in here with your enemy and you have to work your way out or whatever.
SARAH: Yeah. They're like, it's an escape room, but actually there's no escaping.
KAYLA: Yes. Exactly. I feel like we did something, you know?
SARAH: Okay, I'm down with it. Best friends brother or sister. That one's dangerous.
KAYLA: That one can get sketchy.
SARAH: With friends to lovers, you could run the risk of fucking up a friendship. But with a sibling's best friend, you are bringing both friends and family into it. And if you don't give a fuck about your family, then sure.
KAYLA: Whatever
SARAH: But also, if you don't give a fuck about your family, why are you into your sibling's friend? Because you probably don't have shared value, you know?
KAYLA: Yes. Here's my problem with best friends, whoever, and why I don't read it. It's because I feel like often the trope is best friend's brother.
SARAH: Mm-hmm. Best friend's brother is the one for me
KAYLA: Exactly
SARAH: BFB, BFB.
KAYLA: Anyway, and the trope in these books is often that the brother is super overprotective and also significantly older than the girl. So, then there's also kind of a weird age gap.
SARAH: He’s always two years older, he plays on the soccer team.
KAYLA: Yes. And he's not… okay, here's the one that I see all the time, okay? Two years older, soccer team. Brother is super overprotective. So is the best friend and is like, you can't date anyone, you're too young. But also, I won't date you, but there's sexual tension, but maybe now we are dating. But oh, your brother, okay?
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: And I just… I can't be dealing with that, the overprotective men. I just can't be doing that.
SARAH: Yeah, I feel like that trope can work if done well. But I am not often drawn to that. I'm not drawn to the trope just by virtue of it being that trope.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: And I think in real life, even less so.
KAYLA: Yeah, in real life, I think it would be a similar thing of forbidden lovers, is I would be like, I don't know that I want to get into this with you.
SARAH: I think it could also be a situation of family friends, lifelong friends
KAYLA: Yes
SARAH: Which is kind of another version of the friends to lovers trope.
KAYLA: Yeah. Now I can get aligned more
SARAH: Which I think it feels a little different.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: Yes, if you are also friends with this person, but if it's just your sibling's best friend that you see in passing when they come over to your house or whatever, that one's a little bit more like, I guess my reaction would be like, is this person really worth the risk you are taking of fucking up your sibling relationships? Are you sure about this? Because… I also think it's significantly different the older you get. In high school, I guess it's difficult because high school is lower stakes because it's like, we're just teenagers. But also, people are stupider, so you can fuck up more.
SARAH: Yes
KAYLA: When you're older, it's like, I trust everyone to be an adult more. But also, if you fuck up now, that could set your relationship with your sibling for the rest of your life because now things are just getting cemented. So overall, I think I don't like it in real life.
SARAH: Also, when you're older, if there's an age gap, it's less weird.
KAYLA: Yes, that's less weird.
SARAH: I've seen it happen to, not in real life, but in fiction, where it's like they've known each other for a long time, but it's not until they get older that they're able to view this person as someone. And so, they need that time separating it before it can become a thing.
KAYLA: Yeah
SARAH: And I just… how often is that? I mean, I guess that could definitely be happening in real life, but I'm wary of it.
KAYLA: Yeah, to me, it seems more likely that it would be a family-friends situation, which in that case, you would all basically be friends.
SARAH: Yeah. This one, actually, I thought of myself. Well, kind of. This is going to be our last one.
KAYLA: Okay.
SARAH: Arranged marriage. Because this is common in the real world.
KAYLA: It is.
SARAH: And I think it just depends. First of all, is the person being arranged into the marriage consenting to being in this arranged marriage?
KAYLA: I think that determines it 100%, because there is a huge difference between being forced into an arranged marriage and electing and saying, hey, I would like for someone to arrange me.
SARAH: Right.
KAYLA: If it is by force, I want nothing to do with that.
SARAH: Yes.
KAYLA: Because that sucks. If it's elective, I don't give a fuck.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Marriage is weird already. And it's like a very weird government, financial, basically business contract.
SARAH: Right
KAYLA: So, it's like, yeah, man, if you just want to get arranged, I don't… okay, great. Like it doesn't have to be some big love whatever thing.
SARAH: Yeah. And I've heard of situations where people haven't arranged marriage and then they like really do fall in love with their person or like they… even if they don't like fall in love, like they have a really strong relationship and bond with each other that even if they weren't… even if for some reason they just got magically divorced, they would still want to be in each other's lives. Like that sort of thing.
KAYLA: Yeah. The thing is in fiction, I could get down with, it was a forced arranged marriage and now we're in love for like the drama of it.
SARAH: Yeah. But in real life…
KAYLA: I want no part of that in real life. Like I would read about it in fiction for the understanding, I guess. But like, I don't want, I don't want that.
SARAH: I would be saying, sitting this person down and saying, do you have Stockholm syndrome? What is happening?
KAYLA: Yeah. The hard thing about that though, is if it's a forced arranged marriage, I'm assuming that there's probably not a very easy way out of it.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: So, it's like, I feel like their blossoming feelings for the person are probably not like my main concern with the situation, but yeah.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: That one is just, that's a very complicated one.
SARAH: In fiction, like there's a situation that works where it's both people are forced in, neither of them want to do it. They start out as enemies, enemy, combine the tropes. Let's combine the tropes.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: They have to pretend they're actually in love. Fake dating. And then because they're married and they go to an event, everyone, they just get them one hotel room, just one bed.
KAYLA: Because they're married. And one of them is the sibling’s best friend.
SARAH: We've done it.
KAYLA: We've done it. Yeah. In fiction I could read it and not die, but in real life…
SARAH: In real life… yeah, in real life I’m just concerned
KAYLA: I would be upset and concerned for my friend.
SARAH: Yeah. I did just think of one more, just one bed. Sleep on the floor.
KAYLA: Yeah. I… because… so the just one bed was in the video that I played originally. And the reaction the girl did like in the skit was like, oh, there was one bed. So, he slept on the couch. Right? And it's like, oh, well, there was no couch. Oh, so you like made a pillow wall, right? Oh, you, oh no, you fucked. Okay.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: Which I feel like would be the natural… I mean, it's hard because if I heard about this in real life, I know about the one bed trope. So, my initial reaction would be tainted by like my excitement for the one bed
SARAH: For the one bed trope. Yeah.
KAYLA: But taking myself out of that, I do think my initial reaction would be like, okay, like you're adults. You can share a bed, I don’t know, like…
SARAH: Yeah, exactly. I also like the just one bed trope where they don't fuck at all. But they just like end up like cuddling subconsciously and then they wake up and they're like, Oh no…
KAYLA: Oh, no
SARAH: That's always a classic, but yeah, just someone can sleep on the floor. I don't care.
KAYLA: Yeah. There's definitely ways around the one bed that the fiction chooses to ignore, which I love.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: But in real life I would be like, there were other options if you're that upset about it.
SARAH: That's all.
KAYLA: That's it.
SARAH: Tropes in real life can be fun, but there's a reason that they're fiction fiction.
KAYLA: Yes.
SARAH: And that's all I have to say on the matter.
KAYLA: I would say… yes. I think all of the tropes could work or happen.
SARAH: Yeah. Some under more extenuating circumstances than others.
KAYLA: Yes. I think often what you do not see in the books is that the stress that the friends and the people in the background are going through during the tropes.
SARAH: Yes. And when I say, you know, I've said it before that I… my dream job is to be a side character in someone else's fan fiction.
KAYLA: Mm-hmm
SARAH: I don't want to be the side character dealing with the negative fallout of the tropes. I want to be a side character in like a meet cute, you know?
KAYLA: Yes. Question.
SARAH: Yeah.
KAYLA: You were a side character in My Friends to Lovers with Dean.
SARAH: Uh-huh
KAYLA: How did you find that experience?
SARAH: I don't remember.
KAYLA: Okay, great.
SARAH: I mean, how long were you friends before you started dating? Like you knew each… it was more of like an acquaintances.
KAYLA: Yes, it was more… yes, you're right. It was more acquaintances to lovers because when we became… started becoming friends, that's when we like started talking as the kids say.
SARAH: Yeah
KAYLA: So, I suppose there was not much instance of a pure friendship. So never mind.
SARAH: Ha ha ha ha ha. Kayla.
KAYLA: Yes.
[00:40:00]
SARAH: What is our poll this very week? It has got to last us for a month, so it has going to be good.
KAYLA: Okay. What is the best and worst romance trope for… to happen in real life?
SARAH: In real life. Yeah, I think that's good. Kayla…
KAYLA: Who will actually put up the poll this week? Who's to say?
SARAH: Who’s to say? You could put it up anytime in the next month.
KAYLA: Let's try the whole month.
SARAH: That was the one thing that Twitter had going for it. Which was that you could just post the poll and it would stay there forever.
KAYLA: I know. R.I.P.
SARAH: R.I.P. My friend the other day got flagged for using the word cis on Twitter because that's considered a hate speech.
KAYLA: Of course, it is. Why not?
SARAH: Anyway, Kayla, what is your beef and your juice for this week?
KAYLA: My beef is that I have two large pimples on my back. And they're the kind that are deep in there and painful.
SARAH: Oh, no
KAYLA: They're also both in the area where my bra goes.
SARAH: Oh no, that's probably why you got them.
KAYLA: Probably because someone rewears her bras. Because obviously I'm not washing it every single time. I don't have a trillion bras. Anyway, I had to go into work today. So, I had to wear a bra. Boo. And it hurted. And so now I have pimple patches on my back. Which I very flexibly was able to put on by myself.
SARAH: You did it yourself? Wow.
KAYLA: I did. Thank you.
SARAH: I'm so proud of you.
KAYLA: It was really hard. That's my beef. My juice is I got ice cream at work today. We had a picnic at work today.
SARAH: Wow
KAYLA: And there was a cookie ice cream truck. And so, I got ice cream and a cookie.
SARAH: That's exciting.
KAYLA: It was very good. And also, I started watching Only Murders in the Building, finally. And it is a very good program. Wouldn't you believe it?
SARAH: I have, I believe, only seen the first two seasons.
KAYLA: Well, I'm watching season one. And it's a good time. Very silly time. Thank you
SARAH: I love that for you.
KAYLA: Thank you.
SARAH: My beef is I have a meeting at 8am tomorrow.
KAYLA: Oh my
SARAH: It was almost… it was almost at 730.
KAYLA: Quit. It's not worth it.
SARAH: My juice is I am going home for the 4th of July.
KAYLA: Woooo
SARAH: I'm seeing a concert with my cousin. We're going to see AJR.
KAYLA: I don't know what that is.
SARAH: You know the, I'm ready, Uuuiii, from like 10 years ago?
KAYLA: No, because you just basically clipped out the entire time.
SARAH: Okay. Well, they've got bobs and bangers.
KAYLA: Okay, great.
SARAH: Anyway, yeah, that's what I've got for you.
KAYLA: Okay Hi, it's Kayla from the future. Can you believe? I know you like only ever get Sarah from the future, but here we are. I wanted to come back to the past to give a big thank you to Leila and Alice of Australia, because I have received more Australian buttons, to which I have decided that Australia does in fact have the best buttons. But yeah, I just wanted to say thank you and huge shout out because I know mailing things from Australia to America is probably very much so not fun. But me and my button collection very much appreciate it. And if the rest of you are wondering, Leila sent me very beautiful aspec colored buttons and Alice created a custom decorated button for me that looks like a cow and it says, take good care of your cows on it. And it's very gorgina. So, thank you and I love you so much. Goodbye.
SARAH: We also have social media thing.
KAYLA: Did you know?
SARAH: Did you know? I hardly knew. You can visit our social media. Maybe check for a poll every day. Maybe you'll find one. Maybe you won't.
KAYLA: Who knows?
SARAH: @soundsfakepod. We also have a Patreon. Patreon.com/soundsfakepod if you want to give us money for some reason. We have a new $2 patron. It's Kara Swan. Thanks Kara Swan. Kara Swan is taking Kara us.
KAYLA: Mm-mm. Mm-mm. No, no.
SARAH: Hehe
KAYLA: Kara didn't deserve that. They gave us $2. Okay. They didn't deserve that.
SARAH: They didn't deserve that? I'm sorry. Our $5 patrons who we are promoting this week are Tall Darryl, Tom S…
KAYLA: Tall?
SARAH: Tall Darryl, Tom S, Tanner Shioshita, and Vishakh.
KAYLA: Do you think Short Darryl will ever come around and donate?
SARAH: I don't know. It's a good question. Our $10 patrons who are promoting this week are Martin Chiesl who would like to promote his podcast Everyone’s Special and No One Is, Parker who would like to promote being a silly little guy. Purple Hayes who would like to promote their friends podcast, The Host Club, Barefoot Backpacker who would like to promote their YouTube channel rtwbarefoot. And you know what? We'll stop there, baby. Our other $10 patrons are SongOStorm, Val, Alyson, Ani, Arcnes, Benjamin Ybarra, Bones, Celina Dobson, David Harris, Derick & Carissa, Elle Bitter, my Aunt Jeannie, Kayla’s dad, and Maff. Our $15 patrons are Ace who would like to promote the writer Crystal Scherer, Andrew Hillum who would like to promote the Invisible Spectrum podcast, Dia Chappell who would like… Oh, I was talking into the side of my mic. Hope it sounded okay.
KAYLA: It's just the patrons
SARAH: Uh, don't speak about our patrons like that. I know people…
KAYLA: That wasn't meant for them to hear.
SARAH: People listen to this podcast just for the patron read.
KAYLA: Just for the patron read. You're right. I'm so sorry.
SARAH: Everyone was fast forwarding through the entire God-forsaken podcast to get to this moment.
KAYLA: I'm so sorry.
SARAH: No one has ever skipped the patron read.
KAYLA: And they shouldn't because sometimes there's a special treat at the very end of the episode like last week.
SARAH: Because there is content.
KAYLA: Was it last week?
SARAH: The content never ends. It was last week. The content never ends on SFBO
KAYLA: It never ends. You never know.
SARAH: Except for… it's ending for a month. And then it's going to come back.
KAYLA: But then it'll come back. And then… yeah.
SARAH: Anyway, where was I?
KAYLA: But also, I haven't seen anyone comment on the bonus content at the end of last week's episode, which I find very offensive.
SARAH: I already forgot what it was.
KAYLA: It was the voicemail you left me.
SARAH: Oh, yeah.
KAYLA: Yeah.
SARAH: Andrew Hillum who would like to promote the Invisible Spectrum podcast, Dia Chappell who would like to promote Twitch.tv/MelodyDia, Hector Murillo who would like to promote friends that are supportive, constructive, and help you grow as a better person, Nathaniel White who would like to promote NathanielJWhiteDesigns.com, Kayla’s Aunt Nina who would like to promote katemaggartart.com, Phoenix Leodinh who would like to promote the Trevor Project because they like their research looking at the intersection of trans and ace youth and they want to see more of it.
KAYLA: Slay
SARAH: Hell yeah. And Schnell who would like to promote accepting that everyone is different and that's awesome. Our $20 patrons are Dr. Jacki who would like to promote being Dr. Jacki and having a doctorate. A doctor.
KAYLA: Having a doctor.
SARAH: Is it a doctor… Is a doctorate? Like a PhD?
KAYLA: I think a doctorate. I want to say that's correct.
SARAH: It’s not an MD?
KAYLA: No, Jacki does not have an MD.
SARAH: Right.
KAYLA: As far as I know, I guess maybe.
SARAH: And also, Dragonfly and my mom who would like to promote my mom's birthday. It's my mom's birthday soon.
KAYLA: Julie
SARAH: Everybody tell Julie happy birthday.
KAYLA: Yay, Julie.
SARAH: Thanks for listening. Tune in not next Sunday. Not the Sunday after that. Not the Sunday after that. Not the Sunday after that. But the Sunday after that on August 4th for more of us in your ears. Enjoy your break.
KAYLA: And until then, please spend July taking good care of your cows.
SARAH: Keep them cool. I hear it's supposed to be hot many places.
KAYLA: Yeah. Yeah
[END OF TRANSCRIPT]