Days of Our Lives | Meta: What good is a romance without a basis of trust?

"Don't go pulling a Philip Kiriakis on me, all right?"

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why I so immensely dislike the Jan’s baby storyline that defines Shelle’s senior year of high school – especially since the plot and relationship angst are quite similar to those at the heart of my IY fandom opus, Fleeting. They share similar characteristics: the girl’s sexual insecurity, the guy’s seemingly-noble secret-keeping, and the betrayal and angst that occur when they start to push each other.

So why is one so near and dear to my heart, while the other makes my heart hurt?

( Meta: What good is a romance without a basis of trust? )