The film Booksmart is the definitive text here. Molly and Amy spend the entire movie believing they need a romantic encounter (or a wild party hookup) to validate their high school experience. In the end, the climax is not a kiss; it is the two best friends screaming "I love you" at each other from a moving car. The romantic storyline takes a backseat to the ride-or-die friendship.
The "romantic storyline" is sometimes a distraction from the true love story. In Booksmart , the entire premise is that the two best friends realize they should have been paying attention to each other instead of trying to impress their peers. The climactic moment of the film is not a kiss; it is a screaming match in a bathroom that ends in tearful reconciliation.
The rise of social media has also influenced the way relationships are portrayed in media. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter have created new avenues for storytelling, with many shows and movies incorporating social media as a narrative device. This shift has allowed creators to explore the impact of technology on relationships, highlighting both the benefits and drawbacks of digital communication.