Maya made a promise to herself that night. She promised that she would work harder than ever before. She would practice every single day until her fingers were perfect. She would learn the most difficult pieces of music. And one day, she would prove to everyone that a blind girl could become a great pianist.
The dream seemed impossible, but Maya did not care. She had something that many other musicians did not have: a deep love for music that came from her heart. And she believed that love would be enough to make her dream come true.
After the concert ended, most people left the big hall quickly, but Maya did not want to leave yet. She asked Sam if they could stay a little longer. Sam was tired, but he could see how happy Maya was, so he agreed to wait.
Maya wanted to go closer to the stage. She had never been so close to a real grand piano before. The piano at the community center was very different from the beautiful instrument she had heard tonight. Maya dreamed of touching the keys of a grand piano just once in her life.
"Can we go down there?" Maya asked Sam, pointing toward the stage.
"I don't know if we're allowed," Sam said, "but I guess we can try."
They walked down the stairs toward the front of the hall. There were still some people near the stage area. Some were workers who were cleaning up, and others were friends and family of the pianist. Maya could hear them talking and laughing.
Maya and Sam reached the edge of the stage. Maya could smell the wood of the piano and hear the small sounds it made as it cooled down after being played for two hours. She put her hand out carefully, trying to feel if she could touch the edge of the stage.
"Excuse me," said a deep voice behind them. "What are you doing here?"
Maya and Sam turned around. A tall man in an expensive black suit was standing there. Maya could not see him, but she could tell from his voice that he was not happy.
Sam recognized him right away. It was Victor Holbrook, the famous pianist who had just finished performing.