Some stories don’t stay on the page or the screen. They slip into our language, influence our playlists and sneak into our conversations with friends as if they’re real people. Fictional characters have an uncanny way of crossing that invisible line, making us laugh, cry, argue and even question our own choices. We may know they aren’t real, but our reactions to them very much are. (We could hear you yelling at the TV last night, by the way)
That’s why every time a big cultural moment arrives, the internet erupts. Just look at The Summer I turned Pretty. With season 3 out and eight episodes deep, the world has split into warring camps of Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah, as though Belly’s romantic dilemma were happening in our group chats. Twitter threads have turned into essays and our concern only grows our for close and personal friend, Conrad Fisher (we see you and we love you, Connie baby). TikToks and reels are dissecting every glance and touch and fans are fighting like the outcome will somehow alter real life.
The truth is, psychologists have long studied this phenomenon. We form what are called “parasocial relationships”, one-sided bonds with fictional characters that can feel startlingly similar to our bonds with actual friends or partners. When a character falls in love, the brain lights up as though we’re experiencing it ourselves. That’s why you blush when Mr. Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth. When they face heartbreak, we ache along with them. Stories act like emotional rehearsal rooms, giving us safe spaces to feel things we might not be ready to face in our own lives.
But beyond science, there’s something interesting about how characters imprint on us. We adopt their language, mimic their outfits, borrow their playlists and even use their lessons as quiet guides. A monologue from Gilmore Girls might resurface in a wedding vow: a character’s downfall might sharpen our instincts about red flags. In their own way, fictional people prepare us for real-world choices. Unless they overtake your life and you can’t function when there’s a plot twist. In that case, go touch some grass.
So if you’re spiralling over Belly’s decisions in The Summer I turned Pretty, you’re far from alone. Stories are sticky. They remind us of who we are, what we want and what we fear. Sometimes the characters aren’t just characters; they’re mirrors, amplifiers or even warnings.
And maybe it’s fine to care too much. After all, the line between real life and fiction has always been blurrier than we admit. The only real question is — are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
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