One of my MC's is engaged. He meets my other MC and ends up 'liking' her and acts upon it [Only realising what he's gotten himself into after] but he's engaged to his best friend who he supposes he loves. Is it realistic that he acts on his feelings for my MC? Despite being engaged for 2 years? By the way, he is a teenager = Hormones? Thanks
Of course it is realistic, happens all the time. It's called cheating. If I ever get my hands on that... Ugh, I'll rip her throat out!
Is it realistic that a teenager has been engaged for 2 years? To me I wouldn't say so. Engagements seem to happen in the early 20s now. But being in love with someone and having a fling with someone you have a small interest in is common in literature. Very common.
Sounds unrealistic in terms of human teens defo yes xD But this MC is from another world which children are brought up differently hence they have more maturity. Since he comes from another world, I've just ignored the whole age thing on engagements as different world = Different culture But thanks for the feedback anyway. Is it bad that it's common..seeing you put quite an emphasis on it..
No not bad at all. The reason things are common is that it works. Have you ever seen Fatal Attraction. MC is in love, meets antagnoist and has a fling. He realises he has made a mistake and wants to end it. Result is a really great film. Circle of Friends is a book by Irish author Maeve Binchy. One of the characters is in a stable relationship with the MC, he is tricked into a fling with another seductive character. He realises what he has done and its too late. etc. Its common but that doesn't mean bad. If done correctly it makes for good reading.
age doesn't matter... he's a guy!... and that happens all the time... [even with a few gals!] which is why it's such a cliched plot element in stories/novels/movies/tv series...
Um - yes. As others noted, happens all the time. Think of how many engagements end without marriage. Many of those either ended because of another person, or another person entered the scene before the engagement was "really" over. It's the basic idea behind a huge chunk of romance novels. Hormones need not be involved either. Love alone is enough to do it. A couple questions to consider: Maybe the first MC realizes the "engagement" is a childish dream, and though me "supposes" he loves his fiancee, he feels a different sort of love for the new character? Maybe the first love was the hormonal one? Or, as you suggest, maybe the MC is sowing oats? "..Is it bad that it's common...." Well, neither good nor bad - depending on the circumstances. I've known of someone who "got engaged" to an abusive partner. Needless to say, there was much gladness among this person's friends when a new lover was found and the engagement broken. Engagement is the "final test" before marriage. Not everyone passes. On the other hand, some people are just cheating dogs! Just some thoughts. -Frank
Even people in the most stable of circumstances make stupid decisions based on hormones. So, sure it would be very much possible and believable. The key is to get the reader to understand why the character made that decision. Like mammamaia said, it is a cliched plot element so if you use it, you better create a compelling reason why. Even in good relationships, people may not be getting everything they need from that relationship and seek it elsewhere. Cheating is not always about the physical aspect. A cheater may be getting something emotional from the illicit affair. So, to make it work, you need to explore the 'why'.
in re it being 'bad' keep in mind that humans are not born married, or monogamous... both concepts are merely societal constructs intended to allow some to control others...
Yes, it sounds realistic. If you ever saw R. Kelly's video, Trapped in the Closet, they are cheating up a chain, which is almost confusing for me to understand, but some of the characters were supposed to get married, but since one cheated, I'm not sure if the wedding was off. But from your point of view, having a character falling in love with someone whose engaged is realistic, because it happens all the time.
Be that as it may it ISs in my opinion bad to say to someone that you will be monogamous and then engage in extra marital affairs behind their back. Its dishonesty. However it may indeed be a different thing when someone acknowledges that they don't like being attached to someone, and the couple have an "open relationship".
Well you're very correct that most people get married in their 20's and 30's, however, that does not mean that a character in a story needs to adhere to this social rule. Is he breaking the rules? If he is, we need to see his motive and what other's think of it. Is this generally accepted with friends/family? I had a girlfriend in high school that had all sorts of plans on getting married, and considered us engaged, until I realized she was serious. So it's not all crazy for teenagers to desire marrage, but we need to see why and what other's think about it. To answer your original questions, no I don't think this sounds unreasonable, if the reader is given proper justification.
Your plot line is fine. It's the most common story in the world, being constantly revised by new cheaters. But I wouldn't put it down to hormones. People feel a connection: it's a human reaction, so it's noble. Lying isn't, but falling for someone is. If you call it 'hormones' then you're 'cheating' yourself out of a great area for exploration.
I was engaged at 17, married at 19 and have been very happily married these last 13.5 years. Just saying.
People who are exceptions to a norm always make for more interesting characters, so never worry about if they're normal enough.
You say "is this realistic" then say: So honestly, does it really matter? Free yourself. Your world is totally imaginary and love is not something any human being will ever understand. Good luck
