A Teacher's Role

Eliza stood just outside the cafeteria, her fingers brushing the cold, metal doorframe as she watched the scene unfold before her. The sound of chatter, clinking trays, and the faint hum of a conversation she couldn't quite hear filled the air, but her attention was completely focused on one table.

Joey.

He didn’t notice her at first, as he sat with a friend—someone she didn't recognize, another of his crew. There was so much about Joey's world that Eliza didn’t know, and yet, standing there, just watching him, filled her with a strange, bubbling feeling deep inside. It was as though every part of her vibrated with joy. He was perfect. He was the dream she'd always hoped for, even when she hadn’t known she was looking for it.

She couldn't help the way her heart fluttered at the sight of him, his tousled hair falling across his forehead, the way he leaned back in his seat, exuding a newfound confidence, without even realizing it. Eliza wondered how much of this confidence was coming from him, organically growing from his life experiences, and how much was due to her intervention. She might not ever know, but it didn't change the fact that seeing it made her feel like her life had meaning, purpose.

Two girls walked into the cafeteria, leaving the restrooms together as young ladies their age often did, unmistakable with their air of importance and drive. It was Madison Ashford, the valedictorian, and her friend Aynsley Cho, another top-tier student. Eliza knew both girls well; sharp, ambitious, each of them poised for great things.

As they approached Joey's table, her eyes locked on them. They sat down next to him. One took the seat to his left; the other, to his right.

Eliza’s mouth curled into a soft smile, watching as the two girls leaned toward Joey, their voices soft but animated. This was unexpected. They were friendly. And yet, there was something else. It wasn't just the casual proximity. It was the touches; the subtle brushes of hands, the way their fingers lingered on his arm or shoulder as they spoke.

Eliza felt a flash of something - pride? Jealousy? Maybe a little of both. But mostly, she knew, this... this closeness, this attention, they weren't just girls messing around. They were seeing what Eliza had seen in him all along. He was becoming the man she was helping him to be. And the more others saw it, the more they recognized his potential, the more Eliza knew her influence, her guidance, was beginning to pay off.

She wasn't going to just help him be a man; she was going to help him rise.

She smiled to herself, proud of how far Joey had come. He was starting to believe in himself. He was starting to see himself the way the world saw him. The way Eliza saw him. And this—this moment, this group of girls vying for his attention—was just more proof that her efforts were working. She'd known it would happen eventually. Joey had so much to offer. The world was beginning to catch on.

But what were their intentions?

Eliza didn't doubt Aynsley or Madison's abilities. They were clearly smart. Madison and Aysnley were both model students. Now it seems they had finally caught on to the fact that Joey wasn't just another boy. They saw the potential in him that she had. They wanted to be a part of his life.

Good. They were two of the most revered women in his class. If they paid Joey that kind of attention, others would take notice. They could help Joey on his path to manhood. But they could just as easily distract him.

The truth was that she didn't know their intentions. All she knew was that they were inserting themselves into Joey's life. It was her responsibility to ensure his success. She had already wasted so much of her life on silly distractions, before she realized her true purpose. Now she had to work twice as hard to catch up. That's why she had to spend so much time planning out her new 'lesson plans.' Her plans were still so new, there was still so much about Joey she had to learn.

Madison and Aynsley weren't just two girls with crushes. They were variables, free radicals in her grand plans to make Joey a man.

They would have to be assessed.

The bell rang, and students began to trudge out of the cafeteria. Eliza kept her face calm. A placid smile as she nodded to passing students. No need for any of them to suspect her. She didn't want anyone to notice her. Not until Madison and Aysnley walked by hurrying off to their next class while her precious Joey stayed to talk to his little buddies.

Perfect.

Eliza put on her sternest face as she stepped in front of the girls.

"I need to see you two in my office now." Eliza said.

"But Miss Matthews we have to get to-" Madison started, before Eliza cut her off.

"I said, my office. Now." Eliza said, before seeing the crestfallen looks on the girls' faces. "I'll write you note. Now come."

Eliza turned and started walking, not waiting to see what the two women did. She didn't have to. Soon she could hear their designer heels clacking on the tiles beneath them.

Eliza was going to make sure these girls had what it took to be with _the _Joey Granger. Sure, they didn't have the experience that she did, they couldn't do for Joey the things she could. But that was her job. To teach. Whether it was students or disciples of the glorious Joey Granger, teaching was Eliza Matthews' specialty.

She smiled.