Networking is all good and that, but the key to success in life, especially in middle and high school is having a good wingman, a friend that accompanies and supports you in everything you do. If you ask what is better than a wingman though, the answer would be a wingwoman, not two wingmen.
Just think about it, half of the population is women. There are simply palces men can't enter and things they aren't allowed to do, socially awkward. Even when the circles are not separate there are simply information that men are not privy to or simply information men can't understand or empathize. Having someone of the fairer sex have your back is something noone should ignore.
The problem is, finding this wingwoman. Let me tell you again, you simply can't. Finding someone you can trust with your back is hard enough. But having that someone also trust you with her back is simply a miracle. Not opening yourself fully would just put a wedge between you and the other people. But each time you fully open yourself to someone is a risk. Not anyone can stomach what she finds under another's mask.
Within men, it is hard enough. Tell your pal you have a crush on your mutual friend and he would ask her out before you do. Everything is fair in love and war after all. Give him your secret and wait for the ultimate slip of tongue when he is exceptionally angry to you. But worst of all, know his weakness or witness him getting humiliated and you may never see him again, unless as an enemy. Men simply can't stand being reminded of their worst memories, the memories of being small and weak, after all.
With women, it is a completely different beast. Tell your gal pal you have a crush on your mutual friend, and she will tell her before you do, for better or worse. At least you won't be blindsided, unless she is gay. Still far better than the other alternative. Give her your secret and wait for the ultimate reveal when she is exceptionally happy with you. Besties doesn't count, they share everything after all. But best of all, know her weakness or witness her getting humiliated, and you will be just inseparable. Like men, women simply won't forget who were with them, and who were not when they were at their weakest after all. But their reactions could be completely opposite.
Thus in my opinion, it is always better to have a wingwoman than have a wingman, not that you can't have both. Just don't let them date ever. Of course they would say men and women can't be just friends. Well, they may if they both are not attractive enough. But as long as they are both attractive enough, and most of the time even when they aren't, the sexual tension would always be there. Still manageable if you are worldly wise.
One of the most intelligent person's I have fortune to met was a friend in school of law. He always carried copies of important documents in his suitcase and never let his friends from different circles met.
The first one was more like essentricity. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't see the logic behind carrying a copy of last year's tax slip with you unless you are going to need them within the week.
The second one was more likely a conscious life choice he never admit. The man literally compartmentalized his social life. Each social circle knew a completely different him and none knew the real one except family and maybe a few more serious girlfriends.
I am still thinking he took one of those summer intelligence and national security programs at high school, unless he really is an undercover agent. Not that anyone has a reason to think so, just a wild hypothesis I come up with years after I last saw him.
So, here I was thinking about wingmen and wingwomen while watching Sienna talking Thalia and Naila. As soon as the bell rang she confronted Elsa immediately, apologizing and all. Elsa was just sitting in front of us and they talked whole recess. Desiree was watching and adding her own persecrive too. Next recess she was talking Betty, and at next one Olivia. Finally, next to the last recess she was talking with Naila and Thalia. They were sitting their seats while Desiree sitting her's, watching from her at the other end of the classroom. Almost all the girls inside the classroom were avare of the conversation and either watching from afar or staying close enough to hear while pretending not interested. Boys on the other hand, without exception, either wasn't avare it didn't care.
"So you know everyone's name?" Naila raised an eyebrow whike talking to me behind her crossed arms. "Doen't look like a big deal to me?"
Although I was here to apologize from Tahlia, she was the one interrogating me like a prosecutor. "We have introduced ourselves, like ten times between yesterday and today."
"Well, for his defence, he was only here during one of them yesterday when I dared him to name a few people, thus it was a totally valid thing to assume that he can't. My attorney, Sienna, defended me.
She hold my hand, figuratively, and walk me in the neighborhood to apologize like a good mother hen whole day. But none of them were like Naila were, despite not being one of the ones I have offended.
"Yeah, he was sent to principal's office for whole day after being trashed, I remember."
I think kids though I was at detention whole day due to leaving my bag here. Not something needs correction.
"What about me? Do you know me too?" She asked at last, fixing he eyes on me.
I know when I see a trap question, and this was definitely one. She didn't ask if I know her name or not. She asked if I knew her. Say no, and she would ask if she is not important enough to remember the name of. Say yes, and and she would act like you are a freak, or worse creep. Mean girl in the making, but not there yet. Thank God most of them loose the attitude after puberty, or humanity would have gone extinct a few thousand years ago. Thus, I didt he same thing I did with Sienna, take offence to throw her off.
"I don't know you but I know of you, and not from yesterday. I knew of you even before that. You are Naila Steel, a skilled all state voleyball player. I have seen you a few times in Trevor Scott, I go there for basketball training. I think you are playing with the Academy." I combined a few facts from memory with lots of bluff in between.
"You? Basketball?" She eyed me from head to toe twice with an unbelieving attitude which I just shrugged. She was right to be sceptical. I was not going to play basketball for at least two more years, not with this height. Alas, Her mood still took a one-eighty. "Well, you indeed know of me. But I am not playing for ASC." 'Not yet, huh?'
Multipurpose basketball and volleyball court of the city was one of the most popular places to hang out if you are into sports. Kids from all ages went there to watch others train or play. The court was open to all visitors, thus it was the facto place to go to check out athletic boys and girls. Thinking now, it was probably the cause of the early puberty and older boyfriends of these girls. The place had plenty of dark alcoves after all.
"Anyway, I really would like to see you play so when the season opens just give a heads up. I bet most of the classroom would want to come to support you too." I swear I saw her nose rise into the air in real time. I also swear I saw a jealous glint in Thalia's eyes for a moment.
"Now back to the topic. I really am sorry Thalia to make you uncomfortable. We were just fooling around. In fact I know of you too. I use the field around the city arena for running regularly and I see you there sometimes. You are into atletism, track and field, right? I saw you with ACS uniform too."
"Yeah" She stammered. Right at that moment the bell rang for the last course.
"Anyways, nice to meet you two. Now we must back to our seats. See you." I said curtly and left with Sienna. But there was a new problem, Sienna was eyeing me suspiciously right now.
"Shoot!" I said without wasting time.
"Really? Did you really need my help with this after all? You have handled yourself pretty well out there. I thought the girl would eat us alive untill you take charge. Are you sure you are not into them, player? Basketball was it? You didn't look like the athletic type to me." 'Yeah, I think I showed off a little too much.'
"Look I know what it looked like but it is not like that."
"Really? Like what? Flirting for example? Because it looked pretty much like that to me."
"I swear I was not flirting, or at least trying to flirt. Just look at me. Who would flirt with me anyway? I am dark skinned, short, and gawky." I could easily see that she was not believing my sincerity. Thus I just raised the odds.
"Okay, I told the truth but not all of it. I know of those two, but I also know of half of the class too. Edna is the daughter of the vice principal, Frank is a little chess prodigy and his father is the principal or TS high school. Eugine's mother is a teacher and works in the same school. Matt's father is in the police force. There, you have it. This is my little secret."
This time she was dumbfounded. I hope it didn't come out like a creep. I added the information of three boys in there after all.
"Wait how do you know these things." She asked after collecting herself briefly. Gears were turning in her head right now. "Are you sure you are not some kind of spy? Do you know of me too?"
Yeah that was the real question. What is done once can be done twice. What is done to someone, can be done to another. That's why I should have treaded lightly. But I have already bulldozed. Not a big problem anyway.
"You see I just know of a lot of people. But no time right now. The second bell is almost upon us. I swear I will tell you after school if you still want to hear. If you are taking the school bus I can tell you tomorrow, or anytime you want. Just believe me for now. Deal?"
School buses were private in this state. They were not like the yellow ones in the other places. They were white, luxurious, and didn't follow a route. They just took you right on front of your house and leave at the same palce. Thus they were pretty expensive. They were the reason I was walking to school after all.
I am pretty sure she believed me, or at least gave me the benefit of doubt. Then she raised her hand and asked.
"Pinky promise?"
'Damn pinky promise? Really? Even seeing my 12 old self in the mirror didn't hit me like this. Alas, when in Rome...'
Thus I raised my hand and did something I didn't do in decades. Cross my pinky with someone else.
"OK!" I said. "Deal, pinky promise."
I believe, if my skin was fairier, I would have been red like a lobster at that moment. I still don't know if I can do something as cringe as this one ever again.