Rachel & Whitney's Double Date May Make You See 'The Bachelor' Competition In A New Way

Even though members of Bachelor Nation are fond of the slogan, "I'm not here to make friends," that doesn't mean bonds don't form in the mansion. And no, not the ones between the contestants and the person handing out the roses. Rachel Lindsay's double date with Whitney Fransway will remind fans just how genuine Bachelor friendships can be. While both ladies competed for Nick Viall's heart last season (and ultimately didn't get that final rose), that doesn't mean they're not still winners — just in a different way. They've each gone on to find love in other places, as Rachel's recent Instagram makes clear.

In the caption of a photo shared on Wednesday, Rachel wrote,

"Funny the path life takes you...We met in a limo the first night looking for the same thing from the same person. Little did we know we would eventually find the same thing, from different people all while still holding on to each other in the same place. Love you @whitneyfransway #realfriends #timingiseverything #miamimen"

The sweet snapshot shows Whitney and her boyfriend Raul, alongside Rachel and her fiancé, Bachelorette winner, Bryan Abasolo. Sure, some Bachelor friendships may fizzle out, but it's clear these women are still pals that made it through the ABC competition with a friendship in tact. And coincidentally, they both wound up with men from Miami.

However, that's not the case for all previous contestants. The Season 13 Bachelorette lead previously tweeted about some friend-related drama, or at least alluded to it. Back in September, Rachel wrote, "These Bachelor friendships are fickle and fleeting...#loyalty."

Naturally, Twitter demanded answers, but never quite got them. The only thing that was clarified, thanks to a response from Wells Adams, was that Rachel was not referencing everyone's favorite dolphin-shark, Alexis Waters.

Knowing just how "fickle and fleeting" those friendships can be, it makes Rachel's photo with Whitney all the more special. While Rachel's caption definitely gets sentimental, the latter keeps things lighthearted. Along with the same photo, Whitney wrote on Instagram, "Most come for the sunshine, we came for the men."

Even with the different tones in their captions, one thing is clear: Whitney and Rachel have found happiness beyond Nick's season of The Bachelor. Considering there were 30 women competing for just one rose, the odds of winning were slim anyway, which makes it all the better that they left with friendships instead.

And in case you were wondering, Whitney's not the only member of Bachelor Nation still in Rachel's life. Just last month, she shared another double date photo featuring Bachelor In Paradise success story, Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk. The caption read, "A doll, a bird, a fire ball & a Colombian walk into a restaurant..." Plus, her hashtag #ifthesewallscouldtalk may raise fans' eyebrows and make them wish they were a fly on those walls.

It's worth noting that Raven and Rachel made it to the final three on Nick's season, so they were competing right down to the very end. That means Rachel's description of her bond with Whitney also applies here: "Little did we know we would eventually find the same thing, from different people all while still holding on to each other in the same place." Raven and Adam may not be engaged like Rachel and Bryan (at least not yet), but they've been going strong ever since they came home from Mexico.

While fans may think this TV series is all about finding love, these photos of Bachelor bonds prove love comes in many forms. Sure, that may sound corny to some, but friendships — especially between strong women — are a powerful thing. And they're just as, if not more, important than romance any day.