[Intro] [Acoustic guitar intro, quick strumming] [Drums join, simple but driving beat] [Verse 1] Felt the air get thin, a sudden, cold snap in the breeze Just as I turned the corner, my hands fumbling with my keys There you were, laughing loud, a familiar curve, a knowing grin But the eyes that met mine, held a stranger’s warmth within And a hand that once was mine, now resting on a different sleeve My old ghost on your shoulder, I couldn't make myself believe [Chorus] Oh, the ache, the bitter burn, a fire in my chest takes hold To see you bright and shining, with another hand to hold Every laugh, a whisper of a future I won't know Every glance, a searing wound, watching your happiness grow With another hand to hold, another story to unfold [Verse 2] I walked on past, pretending not to see, not to feel the sting But my mind was a broken record, the same old melody it would sing Remembering the days we planned, the futures we once drew Now they're painted with new colors, a canvas fresh and new He’s got the smile I loved, the way you tilt your head when you confide And I'm just standing here, with nothing left to hide but my wounded pride [Chorus] Oh, the ache, the bitter burn, a fire in my chest takes hold To see you bright and shining, with another hand to hold Every laugh, a whisper of a future I won't know Every glance, a searing wound, watching your happiness grow With another hand to hold, another story to unfold [Bridge] And I thought I’d made my peace, buried feelings deep below the ground But one glimpse, one casual moment, and every single fear was found It's not that I wish you ill, no, not a single bitter thought It's just the cruel reminder of the battles that I fought And lost, it seems, to someone else, a cleaner slate, a brighter start Leaving me here to pick the pieces of a fractured heart [Chorus] Oh, the ache, the bitter burn, a fire in my chest takes hold To see you bright and shining, with another hand to hold Every laugh, a whisper of a future I won't know Every glance, a searing wound, watching your happiness grow With another hand to hold, another story to unfold [Outro] [Music softens slightly, vocals become more reflective] Another hand… a new embrace I turn away, and leave this place [Guitar fades out with a final, slightly dissonant strum]
