OUT OF STEP

SONG 2 — OUT OF STEP [VERSE 1] Friday night high street, shutters crashing down CCTV blinking red, bus crawling through the town An argument outside the Spar, laughter by the pub Rain catching streetlights, everybody in a rush Hundred faces moving past, I recognise a few Nod at someone from my year, no clue what they do We know the names, trace the shapes, leave the rest a blur Walking right beside you, but I’m miles from where you were [CHORUS] I'm standing in the centre, close enough to hear them breathe Everybody's shouting loud, nobody's talking to me Not invisible exactly, just somewhere slightly left Right inside the circle and completely out of step [VERSE 2] Sat at crowded tables, waiting for the gap to speak Sentence fully loaded, then the conversation peaks Somebody changes subject, everyone piles on I laugh half a second late, missing what went wrong So I started reading rooms like people read the news Who's having a bad day? Who's faking through the bruise? Who wants the honest answer? Who wants "Yeah, same here"? You learn the sleight of hand to make yourself disappear [VERSE 3] Nobody meant it malicious, that's the hardest pill People carry heavy weights they keep invisible Don't have to hate the company to feel outside the door Sometimes the room is warm and you're still freezing on the floor [BRIDGE] Then one night somebody dropped my name Not shouted. Not needing a favour. Just— “Iawn, mate.” And waited. [CHORUS — CHANGED] I'm not outside the circle. Not tonight, not here. Don't need the whole room turning, one person is enough to hear Let the faces blur around me, let the traffic carry on Done trying to vanish just to prove I don't belong [OUTRO] Being seen isn't being watched. It's just somebody pulling up a chair.