How did Maria keep losing her textbook? It's so simple! All you have to do is put the prop back on the props table when you're done with it. Yet, here was Kata going to the props closet to find another textbook because this time when Maria lost the actual prop, no one could seem to find it.

Kata sighed as she opened the heavy door leading into the storage space. Wait, shouldn't the door have been locked? Kata didn't recall getting the keys from Mr. Benj. Plus the light was on. Kata looked cautiously around the closet and immediately saw why.

Mr. Benj was sitting in the corner of the closet on an orange bucket, shoulders bouncing up and down. Kata could hear a sob come out of him every once in a while, but he seemed like he was trying to be perfectly silent. Kata stepped quietly around the mess on the floor.

"Mr. Benj?" she asked quietly. The teacher didn't turn around. Kata felt worry rising within her. What could she do for Mr. Benj? She couldn't just leave him crying by himself. "Mr. Benj, do you want me to go get someone?" Still nothing. Kata didn't know what to do. She crept out of the props closet then broke into a sprint as soon as she hit the hallway. If she didn't know what to do, she would find someone who did.

Kata raced into the cafeteria to find Mr. Faist, who was standing next to another man who was shorter than he was and was wearing a My Chemical Romance shirt under a hunter green jacket. Kata smiled slightly but was too distracted by the fact that Mr. Benj, one of the only adults in the world she trusted, was crying in a closet by himself to appreciate another fan of her favorite band.

Kata hurried over to Mr. Faist. "It's Mr. Benj." she rushed. "He's in the props closet and he's really upset." Both men took one look at each other and dashed off to the back hallway, Kata only a step behind them.

Both Mr. Faist and his acquaintance burst into the small storage space and ran over to Mr. Benj. Kata didn't know who the newcomer was, but he seemed to know Mr. Benj pretty well as he helped Mr. Faist talk him down. The newcomer said something to Mr. Benj that Kata couldn't make out and then pointed to her. Mr. Benj looked at Kata and mouthed a silent "thank you." Mr. Faist then said something to Mr. Benj and took his face in his hands. He crouched down to kiss him, and when both men hugged Mr. Benj, Kata could see that he was smiling.

Mr. Benj walked over to Kata. "Um, I'm sorry you had to see me like that," he said awkwardly, but Kata waved him off.

"Everyone cries. There's no shame in it." You should listen to that advice yourself. said one part of Kata's brain. Oh shut up. she told it.

"Is this one of your students?" asked the man whom Kata didn't know. Mr. Benj nodded.

"Kata," she said, sticking her hand out for the man to shake. "I love your shirt." she continued, breaking into a smile.

"Yeah?" the man asked with a smile of his own. "You like MyChem?"

"Are you kidding? I freaking love them! They're the best!" Then Kata, realizing she was unleashing her inner fangirl on someone she didn't know quickly sputtered: "I mean um, yes. Yeah, I- uh I like them." The man laughed.

"You have good taste in music, kid." Kata smiled wider. "I'm Mikey by the way."

"Cool like Mikey Way?" Mikey Way was the bassist for My Chemical Romance, and Kata thought it was awesome that the man in front of her shared his same name.

"Yeah! It's pretty rad don't you think? Mikey fuckin' Way!" Mikey immediately covered his mouth and gasped, realizing he cussed in front of a teenager in a school building, but Kata simply laughed.

"It's fine, nothing I haven't heard before." Mikey smiled.

"Toro, are all your kids this cool?" Mikey asked, calling Mr. Benj Toro not because it annoyed him, like Mr. Faist, but because of Ray Toro, who was also a member of MCR. Kata had a vague recollection of Toro being Mr. Benj's last name. Why couldn't she be Kata Iero or something? Then they would just need a Gerard in the room and they would be all set with all the members of the band. Plus Kata Iero would be way cooler than Kata Adams.

Mr. Benj looked like he wanted to be mad, but he was clearly failing so he just laughed. "Kata is pretty cool." Kata beamed at the compliment. Suddenly an idea struck her. She waited until Mr. Benj left to go help do a soundcheck then explained her idea to both Mikey and Mr. Faist. They both loved it.

The three decided that Kata would inform the rest of the company while they were in the classroom right before the show.

***

"Could I have everyone's attention?" Kata said loudly, but everyone just kept talking. "Y'all!" she snapped.

"Hey everyone shut up and listen to Kata!" Zoe yelled. Kata flashed a grateful smile at her, and Zoe gave her a thumbs up. Kata began telling everyone what she planned to do, asking Carson and Alex for some extra help with it. Everyone loved her idea and they all ended up cheering at the end of her explanation.

***

"Okay, I know you all wanted to hear the great Benjamin Toro talk, but too bad." came Mikey's teasing voice over the speakers after convincing Carmen and Jake to give the microphone to him instead of their teacher. He handed the mic to Mr. Faist.

"We're actually going to hand it over to a few members of the company now because they have something they would like to say."

Kata, Alex, and Carson walked onto the stage. Kata saw her dad in the small parent audience and smiled a little bit. Mr. Faist handed the mic over to her. "Hi guys, I'm Kata and I'm the stage manager for this production." She handed the mic down the line.

"I'm Alex, and I'm playing Gabriella." She handed the mic over too.

"And I'm Carson, I'll be playing Troy." He paused and looked over to Kata who nodded at him. "We want to share a message to this audience, and more importantly to our amazing teacher Mr. Benj, that comes from our entire company." He gave the microphone back to Alex.

"Mr. Benj is one of the most amazing teachers on this planet. He not only teaches us about theatre, but he's there for us no matter what. He cares about his students and I don't think he has any idea what that means to most of us."

"Alex and I eat lunch with him every day." Kata continued.

"I visit him every morning." Carson chimed in.

"And he never once disregards our opinions or asks us to leave. He makes us feel like we matter, and we want to do the same for him." Alex finished.

"Mr. Benj, you have made a family for us, a place that we feel is home, and that means the world to us." That means the world to me.

"So on behalf of the entire company, we would like to dedicate this show to you."

"You're our family Mr. Benj, and we love you. You can choose your friends, and you can choose your family. We choose you." Kata finished.

None of the company saw Mr. Benj shed a silent tear in the back of the cafeteria. No one knew the feeling of happiness he got in his chest when Kata spoke those last words. You're our family Mr. Benj, and we love you.

No one heard him whisper under his breath. "I love you guys too."

***

A/N: This chapter is a great example of an author totally not pushing her own obsessions onto her characters...OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT MCR IS AMAZING.

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter, and thank you so much for reading! If you did like it, please consider leaving a vote/comment!

Love,
Sunny