These 2 Best Friends Met On Twitter During The Pandemic

Friends may come and go, but best friends are forever. In Elite Daily's Bestie Check series, we're celebrating the stories that make best friendship so special. Whether they grew up together or recently met through an app, this series explores the unique ways BFFs first bonded and how they maintain their strong friendships to this day. Did they hit it off instantly? What was their biggest fight about? Who's better at keeping secrets? If you thought passing the vibe check was hard, only the very best can pass the bestie check.

When Beatriz "Bea" Atienza tweeted about her love of a particular romantic pairing — Malex, for fans of the show — from The CW's series Roswell, New Mexico in April 2020, she had no idea she'd meet her future BFF on Twitter as a result. Yet that's exactly what happened after Alba B. J. responded to Bea's tweet "desperate to find someone" to talk to about the same on-screen couple — even if it meant talking to a stranger.

The self-identifying feminists — who live half a country apart, in two different regions of Spain — were both in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic when they first slid into each other's DMs. While distance could potentially hurt a lot of friendships, it's all Bea and Alba have ever known throughout the course of their year-long relationship — and they love it. They even became pen pals in recent weeks, hand-writing letters to each other whenever they get a chance. In Bea's own words about their letter exchange: "If we weren’t in the Bridgerton mood enough, we are now."

All it took was one tweet about a TV show ship to kickstart their fangirl friendship. Their shared love of books, graphic novels, and other series is how they continued to bond. Though they've yet to meet in real life (which they hope to be able to do this summer), how they view everything outside of fandoms — like love, politics, and family — is why they consider each other besties.

Here's their story:

Alba B. J.

• About Me: Intense fangirl, food and music lover, devoted feminist, and human rights defender.
• Age: 20
• Current Location: I was born, raised, and currently live in Spain — 30 minutes outside Barcelona.
• Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Beatriz "Bea" Atienza

• About Me: Aspiring teacher, chocolate lover, and your local feminist fangirl.
• Age: 20
• Current Location: I live in a town called Aranjuez — about 45 minutes away from Madrid, Spain.
• Zodiac Sign: Hardcore Libra

How did you two meet?

Bea Atienza: I had posted a tweet in Spanish regarding my favorite ship from The CW's Roswell, New Mexico, Malex — aka Michael and Alex, played by Michael Vlamis and Tyler Blackburn, respectively — and Alba replied because, like me, she had never met anyone in the fandom who spoke Spanish before.

Alba B. J.: I was desperate to find someone to talk to about Roswell, New Mexico, and that's how I (thankfully) found Bea. We started talking about the show and other fandoms, and the rest is history.

What was your first impression of each other?

ABJ: That she was another version of me I needed to meet. Where has she been all this time? What an amazing girl!

BA: I thought she was very outgoing and super nice for replying without even knowing me. I hadn’t been a part of fandom Twitter that long and I didn’t realize how people who had never met could connect just like that. It was a nice surprise to see her reply and how nice and passionate about being a fan she was, because it reminded me of myself.

How long have you known each other?

ABJ: Over a year now. April 27, 2021 marked one year since we started talking.

How long have you considered yourselves best friends?

BA: I don’t think there’s a specific moment where we said, “Oh, we’re very close now.” It just kind of flowed.

ABJ: I really can’t say when exactly, but we bonded more over the last few months. Thanks for that, Bridgerton!

What initially sparked your friendship?

BA: I think it was the fact that we were both equally passionate about being fans. There are people who can watch a show or a movie or read a book and not become hardcore invested in it, but we do — it’s an important part of our lives. Bonding over pop culture pieces that you love can join two people as much as any other element or hobby. I didn’t have anyone around who lived the fandom life like that and who I had as many fandoms in common with, so finding Alba was special.

ABJ: Nothing brings two fangirls together like fangirling over the same things.

Do you know if you're astrologically compatible? Do you care?

BA: We’ve never really checked. I love to see Libra-related memes and stuff like that, but I’m not really into serious astrology.

ABJ: I really don’t know, but honestly, I don’t care. I know that we are compatible no matter what our astrology signs suggest.

What did you study in school?

ABJ: I studied cinematic production at school, and I am waiting to finalize it with an internship. While waiting to do so, I am working in a factory where my dad works.

BA: I’m almost finished with my third year in college. I’m studying to be a preschool and primary school teacher.

Have you ever lived together?

ABJ: Unfortunately, we haven’t met in person — but I think living with Bea would be marvelous since we’re so alike. I feel we would be on the same page about how the housekeeping would work and everything. I’d love to be roommates for some time with her, honestly.

How often do you text/call/FaceTime each other?

ABJ: We talk practically every day and we try to FaceTime, but sometimes it’s difficult to combine agendas. But we’re messaging, sending each other memes and fandom-related stuff all the time.

BA: We text and send audios to each other daily. FaceTiming is harder because we’re both quite busy during the week, and during the weekends either she’s out or I’m out. We’ve seen some movies together, though.

What was the last thing you texted about?

BA: My dilemma regarding my WhatsApp background. I currently have this beautiful shot of Jonathan Bailey (Anthony in Bridgerton) with a bunch of flowers, but I found a really cute pic of Shadow and Bone's Kaz and Inej that I also love, and I know Alba's the one who can help me.

ABJ: About Kate and Anthony, the main couple of the second season of Bridgerton, and the book I'm currently reading: Here the Whole Time by Vitor Martins.

What’s one TV show you both agree on?

BA: I can’t really choose one, because we generally think the same: Teen Wolf, Roswell, New Mexico, Bridgerton, and Shadow and Bone.

What's your favorite underrated thing about each other?

BA: Her style! I’ve seen many pictures of her outfits and I love her fashion — it’s casual, but cute and modern, and I envy that in a good way.

ABJ: The way we understand each other perfectly. Even from the beginning of our friendship, we have always understood each other, no matter the subject, the situation, or the "problem."

What is your favorite memory together?

BA: Either the time we watched Pride and Prejudice (2005) together — because Alba had never seen it and I’m a super fan — or when I sent her a Red, White & Royal Blue book pin and we started our letter exchange. (We’re pen pals, too!)

ABJ: It’s not one, per se — it’s the way I can always count on Bea. No matter the issue, fan stuff, important stuff, happy/sad stuff, she’s always there for me.

What’s one random memory you have of each other?

BA: It’s not really a memory we had together, but it has always stuck with me that Alba told me that when she watched Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, she started crying in the first five minutes and didn’t stop until the end of the movie.

ABJ: Maybe the way our friendship started, because I would have never thought that sending Bea that DM would have created this one-of-a-kind bond.

Which one of you is better at keeping secrets?

ABJ: I’d have to say it's a tie, because we’re both really good at keeping secrets.

BA: I’d say we’re both quite good at it. I’d never betray anyone’s trust, and I know she wouldn’t, either.

What was your biggest fight about?

BA: We've never really had a fight, hehe.

ABJ: We have never fought. Yay, friendship!

Was there ever a time when you considered not being friends?

BA: Nope.

ABJ: Honestly, no — more like the opposite. I want to be more friends, if that makes any sense. She’s such an amazing person, and we connect and understand each other so well, I still feel we could be closer.

What’s one word you’d use to describe your friendship?

BA: Serendipitous — finding something that makes you happy by chance.

ABJ: I’d go with fascinating. Every day with Bea is so beautiful and exciting.

Why do you think your friendship works?

BA: I don’t think we have a relationship like one you can have with someone you’re with every day, so of course the deeper bonds of physical contact have not arisen yet, but I think we work because we’re so similar in many aspects of life. It’s not just that we like the same TV shows, but also that we see love, family relationships, politics, etc. in very similar ways as well. We deal with certain situations in the same way and that makes me feel connected to her.

ABJ: We really understand each other and we are always there. We’re almost the same person. We feel and like things the same way. The same way we are there to fangirl over everything, we're there when more serious and mature events happen, too.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from each other?

ABJ: That it's always OK to be yourself. No matter how intense or "too much" you are, there will always be someone who will understand you and share that intensity with you.

BA: I don’t think I would’ve let myself get immersed in fandom Twitter and met some other incredible people if it wasn’t for Alba. Getting to connect with other people who love what I love is a huge part of my life — if I hadn’t met her, I may have never found the community I have found.