Girl meets boy. Girl loses boy (usually due to a misunderstanding involving a sprinkler system or a missed flight). Girl runs through an airport in a wedding dress. Girl gets the guy. The credits roll. The end.
She isn't sad because she lost a boy. She's sad because she realized she isn't real. Heroine Disqualified
We love her because most of us have been the "Heroine Disqualified" at some point. We’ve been the one who rehearsed the witty comeback three hours too late. We’ve been the one who thought friendship was a down payment on a future relationship. We’ve been the one who confused proximity with destiny. Girl meets boy
We are raised to believe that rejection is a failure of the plot. If he doesn't love you back, you must not have tried hard enough. You must not have run fast enough to the airport. Girl gets the guy
And that’s why we love her.