Two 'Pump Rules' Enemies Low-Key Became Friends & Somehow We All Missed It

Most animals tend to keep to their own kinds, but nature is full of surprising or symbiotic relationships — like the birds that sit on the back of hippos and eat the bugs that get on them, or the dogs and lions that are raised together and become best friends despite the fact that, under regular circumstances, one would definitely eat the other? Vanderpump Rules now has their own version of that, because two women who were flat-out enemies are now not. Kristen and Ariana are friends on Vanderpump Rules, and yes, everyone is just as surprised as you are.

When Ariana became a full-time cast member on Vanderpump Rules, Kristen was ready to wage an all-out war because she was convinced that Ariana was hooking up with Kristen's ex, Tom Sandoval, while she and Tom were still together. And if you're a fan of Vanderpump Rules, you know that Kristen with an idea is like a dog with a bone. Right now, Kristen is dead set on bringing down James, but back then, Kristen had FBI levels of focus in trying to prove that Tom was a cheater, both with Ariana and that Anne Marie woman from Miami who she (or producers) flew to SUR to confront Tom on camera. (Tom has denied all of Kristen's cheating accusations).

Kristen pretty much made herself a pariah in those years because everyone had to choose if they were Team Tom or Team Kristen, and it was a lot — Kristen was fired from SUR, she was told never to return, and for a long time, she had to put all the pieces back together by herself. Meanwhile, Ariana's father passed away unexpectedly and she had to simultaneously deal with that combined with the drama of being new on a reality show and Kristen's no-holds-barred campaign to take her down. If there are two women in the whole world that should not get along, they are Kristen and Ariana.

But now, up is down, forwards is backwards, black is white, and Ariana and Kristen are actually friends. It took until Season 7 of Vanderpump Rules, but the crew's most recent trip to Mexico had these two kissing on the dance floor of the club and having a great time. "My friendship with Kristen slowly developed over time," Ariana explained. "It didn't happen overnight. It's like planting a garden. You plant a seed. You water it sometimes. You're not really paying attention to it. And then all of a sudden, you go outside and you have zucchini!"

It seemingly came out of nowhere, but Ariana and Kristen have been on trips together and at the same parties with the rest of the group. Unbeknownst to the rest of us, though, they were actually enjoying each other's company and not just tolerating each other because they're contractually obligated to be in the same room. Choosing to move forward is very mature of them, and realistic — neither of them is looking to leave Vanderpump Rules right now, and the show has enough drama without them. So it's either put up or shut up, and Ariana and Kristen have opted to embrace being friends rather than holding onto a grudge and staying enemies.