Hello There (Before We Met)

(Intro)

(A dusty, filtered vinyl crackle loops. A clean, ambient electric guitar plays a lonely chord progression.)

[Glitched vocal echoes:] "Hello... hello..."

(Verse 1)

[Female]: I wasn't even looking, honestly.

Just scrolling, same old routine on my phone.

Then your friend request popped up.

I thought, okay, he’s cute, so I accepted.

A bit later, I was just mindlessly tapping through my feed—I didn't even realize it was your photo I liked.

It just happened.

(Pre-Chorus)

(A fast, skittering trap hi-hat rolls in under the guitar)

[Female]: Then you sent that "hello there."

I get so many random messages, I usually just ignore them.

But with you... I don't know.

Something just felt right, so I typed back.

(Chorus)

(The beat drops into a smooth, heavy half-time R&B bounce.)

[Female]: Now I’m literally staring at my floor smiling like a fool.

We're exchanging numbers, talking for hours straight.Hearing your voice... God, your laugh is so cute.

I could tell you were trying to hold back, because yeah, it’s early.

But talking to you is just so easy.

We talked about our past, how we've healed.

I’ve never felt so seen in my life.

And we haven't even met yet.

(Verse 2)

(The main melodies pull back, leaving a heavy, ticking trap rimshot and a deep, pulsing sub-bass)

[Male Guest rapper]: Yeah, look—I saw your name pop up and my chest went tight.

Clicked your profile, looking at your pictures in the dim screen light

Sent that hello there and prayed you wouldn't leave it on read

Spent the whole night completely living inside of my head

Then the phone rang. I heard your voice and everything stopped

All the armor that I built up over the years just dropped

I know I laughed, I know I tried to act like I'm cool

But I was pacing round my room like a kid in school

Hours went by like it was seconds on a clock

Talking 'bout the scars we carry, everything we try to block

I know you're scared of the jump, I know you're fighting the spin

But you're the first person in years that I've actually let in

(Pre-Chorus 2)

(The instrumentation begins to swell, blending both perspectives)

[Female]: But now the anxiety is creeping in and my stomach is turning...

[Male Guest rapper]: (Background rap) Don't overthink it, lean into the burn.

[Female]: What if you see me and you don't like how I look?

[Male Guest rapper]: (Background rap) You're the only page I'm trying to read in the book.

(Bridge)

(Everything strips away. The music drops completely to a dead-quiet room tone)

[Female]: It’s crazy because I know how to do this.I know how to meet someone, I know how dating works

But my mind won’t stop spinning

What if the screen was a safety net?

What if the phone was just making it easy?

I just... I really want this to be real.

(Outro)

[Female]: Just a random friend request

A mistake of a double-tap

Now my anxiety is getting in the way

Please like me in person

Please let this be enough

[Male Guest rapper]: (Distant echo) Just open the door.

(Sharp, digital tape-stop click)