"I Was Hoping You'd Say It First"(Response Song)

Was Hoping You'd Say It First Tony Sanchez *Response to "My Best Friend" by Sarah Chase Written by 12Gauge858 Spoken Intro) *(Soft Rhodes... distant rain... warm vinyl crackle... breath before speaking.)* You know... It's funny... Everybody thought we were becoming best friends... I was trying... Not to become the man... Who loved his best friend. --- ## Verse 1 You'd tuck that loose strand back behind your ear While telling me some story I'd already memorized I'd nod like I was listening to every single word Truth was... I was getting lost inside your eyes You'd steal fries right off my plate Then grin before I'd fake complain Never knew those little moments Would tattoo forever on my brain I learned your silence had a language Your smile wore different shades of blue Everybody kept saying... *"She's your best friend..."* I was already seeing the woman... I'd someday give my last name to. --- ## Pre-Chorus Every goodbye... Stayed five seconds longer... Neither one of us... Wanted to be first... To walk away. --- ## Chorus **I was hoping you'd say it first...** Before my heart outran my pride 'Cause losing you to one confession... Was a chance I couldn't survive You were every laugh I carried home Every prayer I never rehearsed Girl... I've been loving you... Since we were only... Supposed to be best friends. **I was hoping you'd say it first.** --- ## Verse 2 You'd fall asleep halfway through a movie Head leaning quiet against my shoulder I'd stop breathing... Just to keep from waking you. Every birthday candle you blew out I'd waste mine wishing for the same thing Never for money... Never for luck... Just one day... To hear you call me yours. You'd tell me... *"One day some girl's gonna be lucky."* I'd laugh... While quietly breaking... Because you never knew... I was praying... You were talking about yourself. --- ## Pre-Chorus Some feelings... Don't make a sound... Until they're too heavy... To carry around. --- ## Chorus **I was hoping you'd say it first...** Before forever slipped away 'Cause every time you smiled at me... My heart forgot what fear could say You were home before I knew What home was ever really worth Girl... I've loved you... Long before... You found the words. **I was hoping you'd say it first.** --- ## Bridge There were nights... I'd pick up my phone... Type... *"I'm in love with you."* Read it... Delete it... Read it again... Delete it again. Because... If the price of telling you... Was never hearing... *"Hey, best friend..."* Again... I'd rather love you... Silently... Than lose you... Completely. --- ## Breakdown *(Rhodes and cello only... Tony in a soft chest voice.)* Then... You looked at me... The same way... I'd been looking at you... All those years. And suddenly... Every prayer... Had your voice. --- ## Final Chorus (Full Band) **You finally said it first...** And every fear just disappeared Everything I'd buried in my heart... Was everything you wanted to hear Now every morning starts with you Every night ends with your hand in mine You're still... My best friend... You're just... The love of my life... At the same time. --- ## Outro (Tony's signature soaring falsetto) *(Electric guitar begins to soar. Strings swell. Tony moves into his signature alto falsetto.)* You were... Always... More than... My best friend... I just... Needed... You... To see... What... My heart... Already knew... *(Soft vocal runs)* "I was hoping..." "You'd say it first..." *(Long electric guitar solo with warm Rhodes, darker piano, cello and violin carrying the melody as Tony's falsetto echoes in the background.)* **Fade...**