Chapter 6: "Unexpected Recognition"

When I closed my eyes, I wished for it all to end quickly. Amidst the noise of the crowd and the constant boos in my mind, I clung to a voice that always comforted me: the mantra my father used to repeat to me over and over again.

—True courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it.—

With newfound determination, those voices didn't fade, nor did they diminish, but they stopped affecting me the way they once did. I took a deep breath, and with clear resolve, I stepped forward. I gripped the guitar tightly, as if somehow, it could change the outcome I always feared. In my dreams, I couldn't control what I did, but here, in the present, I could change everything.

I strummed the guitar strings, and a soft melody emerged from it. I closed my eyes, still trapped in my nightmare, hearing the boos in my mind. But something changed. That figure I always saw from afar, that version of me that always failed, began to transform. The voice that had once been foreign was now my own. I softly began to sing the song I had practiced over and over in my dreams.

"Well, you done, done me in, you bet I felt it

I tried to be chill, but you're so hot that I melted

I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back"

Author's Note: Song title: "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz.

Jason's POV

As soon as the bell rang, Ethan bolted from the classroom. Something felt off. A strange unease crept into my chest. I almost went after him, but I had other plans. I had to meet a guy at Mingus Park to sell him my camcorder.

I got to the park ten minutes early. What do I do now? I thought, looking around. That's when I noticed a crowd gathering in the distance. What's going on over there? Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to check it out.

As I got closer, a familiar melody filled the air. It was "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"—a pretty decent rendition, to be honest. But what really shocked me was recognizing the singer. —Ethan? The new kid?—

 I couldn't believe it. He played so well, I was surprised he wasn't already famous. Maybe I can make something out of this, I thought, pulling out my camcorder. If I uploaded the video to MeTube, maybe I could make some money off it. Without thinking much, I started recording. The crowd blocked my view a bit, but the music was the important part, and that was getting captured perfectly.

When Ethan finished singing, I noticed something strange—he had kept his eyes closed the entire time.

—Why does he do that?—

I remembered what he had said earlier about his fear of crowds, and it all clicked. Wait... didn't he say he had stage fright?

Just then, I heard a familiar voice from the crowd shouting for another song. I rolled my eyes. —Damn Nate, always messing things up,— I thought, annoyed.

I looked back at Ethan. He was trembling slightly, still with his eyes closed, as if he was fighting against something inside. I couldn't let him go through it alone. Without a second thought, I pushed through the crowd and stood beside him. Just as I was about to say something, the trembling stopped. Ethan, still with his eyes shut, strummed his guitar, and a completely new melody started to flow. I had never heard anything like it. My instincts told me I couldn't miss this. I stepped back to get a better shot, making sure to capture every note and chord with my camcorder.

As the song echoed through the air, the crowd, who moments ago had been shouting and chatting, fell into absolute silence. Someone whispered, in disbelief, —'Is… is that an original?'— as if speaking to the wind. Another responded with excitement, —'Yeah! It's an original!'—Immediately, everyone stood expectantly, mesmerized by Ethan's performance. Not a whisper was heard, as if the world had stopped just to listen to him.

"Well, open up your mind and see like me

Open up your plans and, damn, you're free

Look into your heart and you'll find love, love, love, love"

The song began to fill the air with soft, enveloping chords, creating a sense of serenity that seemed to dispel any tension. Each note flowed like a whisper, inviting everyone to set aside their worries and open their hearts. The warm, sincere lyrics resonated deeply, as if they touched something essential within each person.

"Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing

We're just one big family

And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved

Loved, loved, loved, loved"

As the melody progressed, thoughts about the future, exams, and obligations seemed to fade, as if they were insignificant in the face of the beauty of the moment. The music wrapped them up, creating a space where the only thing that mattered was being present, feeling, and letting go. You could see how the atmosphere changed, as if everyone's energy was being renewed by the liberating simplicity the song offered.

"So I won't hesitate no more, no more

It cannot wait, I'm sure

There's no need to complicate, our time is short

This is our fate, I'm yours"

It was as if the song was reminding everyone that life didn't need to be complicated, that there was room for happiness if they allowed themselves to feel it. Everyone seemed to breathe deeper, lighter, captivated by the power of the music urging them to simply be.

"Open up your mind and see like me

Open up your plans and, damn, you're free

Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours"

"So please don't, please don't, please don't

There's no need to complicate

'Cause our time is short

This is, this is, this is our fate, I'm yours"

When the last note lingered in the air, a reverent silence overtook the crowd. People looked at each other, as if they had just woken from a shared dream—the kind of dream you never want to forget. Ethan, still with his eyes closed, could feel the energy of the audience mingling with his own. In that moment, he knew he had achieved something bigger than he had ever imagined. His heart pounded as he wondered if, finally, he had conquered his stage fright. Cautiously, he began to open his eyes, still caught in the magic of the moment.

As Ethan opened his eyes, the sound of applause and cheers surrounded him. For a moment, he let himself be carried away by the euphoria, feeling a kind of nostalgia, as if he was finally achieving that dream that had always seemed out of reach. But suddenly, something strange happened: a cold, wet sensation ran down his head. Confused, he reached up to his hair and, seeing what had happened, his heart sank. The cheers began to fade, and in their place, laughter erupted. The mocking seemed to amplify around him. A damn bird had pooped on his head. Right at that precise moment!

Jason, realizing what had happened, wasted no time and quickly pulled a cloth from his bag, handing it to Ethan. Without saying a word, he led him away from the crowd. They walked in silence toward a small lake in the park, while Ethan tried to clean the mess in his hair.

—Damn it! —exclaimed Ethan in frustration as he leaned over the water to wash his head—. I can't believe this! I should never have gone up there. Now no one will take me seriously. I'll never be an artist —his voice trembled with disappointment.

Jason looked at him, unsure of what to say. Finally, breaking the silence, he pulled out his video camera and showed Ethan what he had recorded.

—Check this out —Jason said, handing him the camera—. Do you see this guy? This guy is going to be a star. And if you want to be that person, you can't let a bird's crap ruin your moment.

Ethan fell silent, surprised to see himself in the video. Despite everything, he looked... amazing. In a soft voice, he changed the subject.

—Tell me you didn't upload that video, right?

Jason smirked mischievously.

—Of course I did. And it's already getting attention. I even noticed when the bird crapped on you! People are calling you 'Shit Head.'

Ethan cursed under his breath, loud enough for Jason to hear.

—Damn it! —he repeated, this time with a nervous laugh.

Jason couldn't help but laugh, and soon Ethan joined in. They looked at each other and started laughing uncontrollably.

—Well, I looked pretty good... I mean, before the bird incident, right? —Ethan admitted between laughs.

—I think if I edit the video well, it could go viral. Especially the part with the bird. Look, if I slow it down, you can see how... —Jason couldn't finish because Ethan punched him in the arm, still laughing.

—Shut up already! —Ethan said, still smiling.

They kept laughing and joking like lifelong friends, even though they barely knew each other. Neither of them realized that the video, posted as a joke, was about to change their lives forever.

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"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." — Albert Schweitzer