Shaping a Man

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.

With a satisfied sigh, Eliza pulled her phone from her bag and unlocked it, checking her emails. She hadn't had time earlier in the day, and there was only so much she could let slide before she had to catch up.

But then, her eyes froze on the name at the top of the list: Derek.

Her breath hitched, her smile faltering as she opened the email. Her fingers tingled, numb from the sudden wave of anxiety sweeping through her. The email was short, misspelled, angry. A drunken tirade in the middle of the night.

It was about Joey.

Derek knew.

How did Derek know? Her mind raced, her pulse quickening as her fingers hovered over the screen. Derek was threatening Joey. Why couldn't he have just left things alone? Why couldn't he have just taken the break-up like a man? When they had been dating, Derek hadn't come across as a jealous, entitled, vindictive person. This side of him, obviously informed by the amount of liquor that he had consumed, was frightening, unpredictable.

She wanted to put a stop to it right then and there. She knew she could call Derek, call his family, call the police. Derek would tuck tail and run for the hills. All the dick pics he'd texted her, all the dirty talk. That night on their anniversary where things got really spicy and they made that video, the one where she put on a suit and he put on some lingerie and they role played as each other...

Eliza had ammunition. She could make short work of Derek.

But she felt conflicted. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to Joey. She had never had someone in her life that meant as much to her as Joey did. In her heart was the hope of years ahead, a life shared, each day Joey being encouraged, each day Joey filling her with joy, each day Joey becoming more and more of a man. But at the same time, Eliza knew the truth—fighting his own battles was part of becoming that man. She couldn't deny that.

Eliza's protective instincts screamed for her to shield Joey from harm, to step in and handle things. He wasn't ready for this. Derek was older, bigger, angrier. There was no way that Joey was ready for that. Not yet.

But then, a slow realization began to take shape. Both things were true. Joey needed to handle this on his own—but not alone. She was his guide. She was the one who had shaped him, who had made him believe in his worth, and now, it was her responsibility to help him navigate the next steps.

It was her job to help him succeed.

Her eyes drifted back to the trio at the table. Joey was laughing now, his whole demeanor different, more confident. He was soaking up the attention like parched earth drinking in a long-overdue storm. And, at last, he was beginning to bloom. Again Eliza could feel a twinge of protectiveness, something akin to jealousy, but she knew this was the path he had to take. They were helping him. The world was helping him. He was learning how to stand on his own, to take the reins.

And Derek? Derek would be part of his journey, whether Eliza liked it or not. She was shaping Joey into a man. And if Derek wanted to challenge that, he'd regret it.

Her job was to help him succeed. And she would make damn sure he won.

No matter what.