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The rain was pouring down at the height of the night, but it didn't seem to faze the thousands of spectators, who had waited their lives to see Post Malone perform.
It was easier to see the chaos from above and, among the thousands euphoric fans in the audience, one boy caught the singer's eye.
The boy was in the front row, squeezed between the railing and the crowd. And although he looked weak, he was trying as hard as he could to be strong, as he held up a poster that, for some miraculous reason, withstood the rain.
"Let me play STAY". The poster said.
Post admired the boy's persistence. He performed the whole show with his eyes always returning to the same spot, so he wouldn't lose sight of the boy. Just as the boy didn't lose his resilience to be noticed by Post, wearing a black New York cap and a black coat that protected him from the heavy rain.
Post waited for the right moment in the show to call the boy on stage. He sang in a guttural voice and danced with his artistic animal spirit, enchanting everyone in the audience. Until he finally fulfilled the boy's request. The moment was Stay's turn.
The boy made his way to the stage on shaky legs and with his heart beating fast. He stumbled a few steps on the way up, because his eyes were only directed upwards. Post Malone shone like a star from the top of the stage, with all the spotlights on him.
The boy thought he would be blown away. Up there, the wind was stronger and colder. But Post held him steady.
The boy's first reaction was to hug him as soon as he arrived. The rain created a fantastic atmosphere, as if it isolated just the two of them from the rest of the world. He didn't want to let go, but Post's hand gripped his shoulder, giving him the confidence he needed.
"What's your name?" Post asked, looking him in the eye.
"Daniel." The boy replied, fascinated to finally be standing next to him.
"All right everyone, make some noise for Daniel," Post Malone said into the microphone to the audience.
The crowd celebrated as Post picked up a guitar and handed it to him with his bare hands. Daniel sat down on a stool that some producer had placed behind him.
"Give me a taste. Just a little taste," Post said as he lit a cigarette.
Daniel played a short piece. Although he missed a few notes, Post was satisfied and told the band to continue.
Daniel put into practice what he had learned with all his effort over the last 14 months. It seemed like a dream when Post started singing, looking into his eyes, creating a bond of trust.
At first, Daniel couldn't believe what was happening, but he soon got the hang of it. The audience followed the harmony, singing along in the pouring rain. Before he knew it, the stage was his too and playing to over 100,000 people wasn't so scary.
Post Malone sang Stay like never before. Although his voice was very hoarse, Post's voice was soft, capable of giving the toughest man goosebumps, like the song of an angel. He perfectly mastered the passages between the lowest and highest notes. And like never before, he put emotion from the depths of his soul into Daniel's guitar instrumental.
The song took longer to finish than it usually does, but Daniel was sure it was because he was enjoying the moment. The audience loved the performance and cheered when the instrumental ended just after the last verse.
I'm here, but don't count on me to stay
Post finished. Daniel played the last five lowest notes in sequence. And then the silence was filled by the clapping and shouting of the crowd, which mixed with the continuous sound of the rain.
The work was done. His soul had been washed clean. Daniel felt his whole body warm up from the cold and damp.
Post Malone thanked him.
Daniel didn't think twice about it, once he'd put the guitar away, and ran to hug Post again. He wanted to hug him forever, with his face buried in his soft neck, deep down, smelling the soft perfume almost stale, and the scruffy beard scratching his cheek. But up there on stage, all he could do was smile and say thank you.
"Thank you, Daniel. You made a great performance". Post thanked him humbly, for the last time, his blue eyes shining.
"It was all for you, thank you very much. I love you." Daniel said almost without strength and with a hoarse voice, but he was sure Post heard him.
Daniel walked back towards the stairs, hearing the cheers of the crowd. Just as he was grateful, he wanted to spend more time with Post. He made his way back to his place between the railings with the raindrops hiding his tears.
It all seemed like a dream now, but it had happened.
"It's true". Daniel repeated it to himself several times.
It's true.
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⢿⣿⡿⣿⠿⢿⠿⣟⠿⡿⠿⡿⣿⡿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣾⡟⡯⣝⢧⡟⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠯⣟⡼⢣⡏⢼⡳⢯⣿⣿⣽⣿⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⢿⡻⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠣⠄⢤⢡⣟⡧⡽⣻⣯⣿⢿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣷⣿⣯⣟⡷⣬⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⢷⡦⠕⣺⣻⡡⢿⠹⠿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣿⣾⣝⣮⣻⣼⣿⡿⠿⢓⣾⣳⣯⣷⣷⡿⣏⠒⠄⠀⠉⠓⠿⣿⣿⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⠋⡓⠀⡙⢻⠟⣻⡟⡀⢀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠌⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⣿
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⢵⣐⠄⡐⣾⡟⣔⢳⡪⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠓⠀⠀⡐⠀⠀⡉⠴⣌⠼⣙
⣿⣿⢿⣳⣿⣟⣧⣉⣎⣿⡿⣶⡼⢣⡛⣾⣧⡻⢌⠉⠛⠉⣡⠂⠀⠀⠱⡄⢠⡙⠼⣬⢷⣸
⣯⢱⣎⣽⡾⣟⣿⢿⣿⣿⡿⣷⣳⣯⣷⣿⣿⣟⡠⢈⠀⢂⢰⢋⡰⢠⢃⡜⢦⣟⣾⣯⢷⣏
⣞⣷⣽⣿⣹⣟⣾⣟⣿⢾⣿⣻⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣅⠮⣁⠆⠯⣔⢧⣊⣜⣯⢿⣏⣿⣻⢚
⣿⣯⣿⢿⣵⢾⣿⢾⣽⣿⣯⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠭⡓⠥⣚⠱⣎⠻⣞⠿⡙⣎⣿⣿⣷⢫
⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣯⣿⣿⡽⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⣿⣿⡯⣷⡱⣇⡬⡓⣌⠺⢸⡏⡽⣼⣿⣿⣿⠿
⣿⣿⣽⣿⣿⣟⣾⣿⣿⣽⣟⣿⣿⣿⣽⣿⣟⣿⣣⢓⣯⡵⣱⣏⣎⡝⢣⣘⢰⣻⣿⣿⣿⣜