Here's How Kristen Doute and Stassi Schroeder Repaired Their Friendship

Kristen Doute and Stassi Schroeder have officially put their past boy drama behind them, and now the two Vanderpump Rules pals are back to besties status. But, as Kristen explains, it wasn't exactly an easy path to get back to friendship.

"You mean, how did Stassi forgive me?! [Laughs.] I gave Stassi the space that she needed. It took us about a year and a half to even start talking again, and little-by-little I started reaching out," she told AOL. "It made me nervous, but I was willing to accept a rejection if that's the way she wanted to go with it. I didn't want to go with her thinking that I didn't care enough to try. It definitely took some time, and we started talking little-by- little a couple of years ago, eventually when she was able to really get over Jax and not care about him anymore and become self-aware in her own place, she was able to then forgive me. It took time to rebuild that trust, and I tried really hard to prove to her that I was a changed person that she could trust. I'm really grateful that it worked out."

In fact, it took Kristen seeing herself on TV (which she calls "a huge wakeup") and losing several of her friendships for her to want to change her past behavior. "Obviously, during past seasons, people have seen their fair share of meltdowns that I've had, but I think that everything happens for a reason. I'm not proud of all of the decisions that I've made, but I think that it really was for the benefit of all of us when I lost a lot of my friends a couple of years ago, because it put me in a rock bottom place," she said. "I had to take a hard look at myself and become more self-aware. With that, I was able to make healthier changes for myself, which has resulted in getting these friendships back."

Speaking of Jax, Kristen's alleged hook-up with his girlfriend, Brittany Cartwright, has caused quit the stir this season on Vanderpump Rules. Check out the drama every Monday at 9/8c.

Kristen Doesn't Remember Her Night With Brittany Too Well