PH
The “start” of a relationship isn't always a single objective date.
One partner might count from the first date.
Another might count from the first kiss, the exclusivity conversation, or the day they officially used the boyfriend/girlfriend label.
Relationship researchers recognize that romantic relationships often develop through transitions rather than beginning at one universally defined moment.
This becomes especially complicated when friendships gradually turn romantic.
Two people can therefore tell slightly different versions of how their own relationship began without either person necessarily being wrong.
Romantic timelines are sometimes constructed afterward rather than clearly marked while they're happening.
© Journal of Social and Personal Relationships