If you like romantic comedy, chances are you’re already familiar with the “meet cute” premise. That’s when the hero and heroine meet for the first time, usually in an unorthodox, comedic, or awkward fashion. They’re attracted to one another. Eventually, they fall in love.
But it’s almost always dislike at first sight.
Maybe they have preconceived ideas about each other. Maybe they’ve made assumptions that later prove wrong. Or maybe their dislike is borne out of circumstance. Whatever the case, it’s important to throw the two main characters together, establish conflict, and get those sparks flying right away.
For example, let’s say our hero and heroine are both lawyers. They spot a discarded lamp on the curb and reach for it at the same time. A tug-of-war ensues, each claiming they saw the lamp first and each equally determined to take it home. She refuses to relinquish it; so he demands a compromise – one week she gets the lamp, the next week, it’s his.
“You mean you want a lamp custody agreement?” she says, and lets out an incredulous laugh. “You’re insane.”
“I want that lamp.”
“Too bad. You snooze, you lose.” She clutches the lamp tighter and eyes him suspiciously. “Why do you want this old lamp so much, anyway? Is it a priceless antique? Is there a kilo of cocaine stashed inside? What?”
“That lamp was my grandmother’s. It was put on the curb by mistake. So technically, it’s mine, and-” he glowers “-I’m not leaving without it.”
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
In another scenario, maybe our main characters are reporters from competing newspapers, in town to score an exclusive interview with a rock star. There’s a blizzard, the roads and airports are shut down, and the hotel where the rock star is staying is booked solid. The two are forced to share the only remaining hotel room – a single, of course.
“You can have the sofa,” she says breezily as she pauses with her suitcase inside the hotel room.
He brushes past her to the bedroom and throws his duffel bag in the middle of the bed. “Sorry, I don’t think so. I’ve been up since the ass-crack of dawn and I need some sleep.” He grabs a pillow and a blanket from the foot of the bed and tosses them at her. “Here you go. That love seat looks pretty comfortable. Sweet dreams, babes.”
Furious, she drops her suitcase. “You’re supposed to be a gentleman! You’re supposed to take the sofa and let me have the bed!”
“Well, then, I’m not much of a gentleman, I guess.” His smile is slow and sexy and completely unrepentant. “But, hey – I’m more than willing to share.”
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Or maybe our heroine likes strappy, stylish stiletto heels. She trips over the hero’s laptop bag in Starbucks, breaks her leg, and ends up in traction for two weeks. Because she’s sidelined, she can’t lead her advertising team’s pitch for a major new account, and it goes to another agency.
“This is all your fault!” she rails at him when he comes to the hospital to see her. “You and your stupid laptop bag! I lost the Higgins account because of you.”
He looks around and sets the flowers on a table. “Hey – don’t blame me. If you weren’t wearing those Ziggy Stardust platform shoes, you wouldn’t be in the hospital right now, would you?”
She glares at him. “I loathe you. You’ve ruined my life. Go away.”
“Sure. If that’s what you want.” He pauses. “You probably won’t want to congratulate me, then.”
“Congratulate you?” she snaps. “Whatever for?”
He raises his brow. “I guess you didn’t hear. The agency loved my pitch. I won the Higgins account. Great, huh?”
Ah, love. Ain’t it grand?
