What It’s Like Having Spencer Pratt Pseudo-Stalk You On Twitter

It started like most great friendships do — on Twitter. It was the day of The Hills' 10-year anniversary. I had been assigned a few stories to cover the occasion (because who isn't still low-key obsessed with the show?). In my diligent research, I started following the former stars on their respective social media platforms: Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and such. Then I discovered Spencer Pratt 2.0., The Social Media Guru. Seriously, have you guys seen his snaps? They're hilarious...even awkward. They give a true glimpse of his real life. A life that can be summed up in this order: espresso, burritos, Heidi Montag, Jujutsu, selfies with restaurant staff, gossip magazines, and his flesh-colored beard. So basically, it's amazing. Naturally, I headed to Twitter next. I favorited a few tweets that made me giggle, like the one below.

Then, a few weeks ago, I wrote this story about the best interview, ever — between Pop Culture Died in 2009 and everyone's favorite OG reality show villain, Pratt. (Chad from The Bachelor is currently in the No. 1 spot, for obvious reasons. Pratt knows this as well. )

Then, Pratt retweeted it. Then, I wrote a story about the celebrities you should be following on Snapchat if you know what's up. Of course, I had to add Pratt to the lineup. His account is the gift that keeps on giving. Pratt retweeted that, too. I felt a faux kinship brewing. Interacting with semi-famous people on Twitter is just part of the gig.

But then it happened. Pratt, a budding mastermind of social media interactions, tweeted back at me, with no context, "u angel." (I am, btw, accurate tweet.)

I responded because, duh. Then, Pratt again. I was feeling meta AF.

I indulged, thinking: did I just become part of The Hills?

A few days later, I tweeted a link to my story about another loved and feared man on my Twitter interaction wish list, Kanye West. I thought surely I was off Pratt's radar by now. But no! Pratt is loyal. Did I learn nothing from his relationship with Montag?! He was quick to throw it a quick favorite.

If Pratt reading about my love of West on my Twitter feed isn't the most 2016 moment to occur thus far, I don't know what is. But then I noticed I wasn't the only one. Pratt is a savvy guy and has been tweeting, favoriting, and responding to dozens of journalists including those at Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed, and Vanity Fair. He has a little repartee going with everyone who's ever written about him. Even The New York Times' social media manager wrote a piece, "Ceremonies of Air: On Spencer Pratt's Twitter," about his unique and enigmatic presence on social media. Basically, Pratt is back y'all. And he has Twitter and Snapchat to thank for it.

And me. He can thank me.