"There is a light that never goes out. . . There is a light that never goes out… "
Ethan sang the lyrics of a classic Smiths song as I watched my best friend perform at the university event Ethan's band was performing for. The crowd was loud and screaming at the sight of Ethan's prowess at singing beautifully. When Ethan finished singing the classic Smiths song, he looked for me in the crowd and smiled when he saw me in front of the stage at his left side, he was smiling at me and I smiled back. Ethan pointed at me, and shouted into the microphone, "There she is! That's my best friend, you all! Say hi to Delilah for me, guys!"
I blushed as everyone looked at me and yelled Ayyy in my direction. I mouthed at Ethan I'll kill you after this. Ethan laughed on stage, walked to the middle, and popped the microphone back on the stand.
"So, this is an original song by my band, Partialities, called 'The Place at the Corner of the Universe!" Ethan shouted out through the microphone, making the crowd roar in excitement as the opening riff of the guitar played through the loud amplifier, and the bass joined in with the beat of the drums with the keyboard. Ethan played with the harmony of his vocals which fitted with the harmonics of the song, and then he began singing the lyrics I've helped write with his band;
What if we've met at the Place at the Corner of the Universe
With me looking at you, and with you looking back at me
I can feel the spark, and I hope you've felt it too.
You've told me, "I like you," and my cheeks turned red.
I listened to Ethan sing the verses I'd written, and I couldn't help but be proud of Ethan because he was making a name for himself. I smiled and shouted the lyrics as Ethan sang on the stage, making me jump with the crowd with the flashlight of my phone open. The song was written by George, Ethan and I. Michael wrote Verses 1 and 2 whilst Ethan wrote the choruses, and I mainly wrote the bridges of all the songs the band had, but if I could, I'd write Ethan a song, a full song in hopes of them playing them live, the pleasure would be mine if they asked me to,
From the moment we met back in that coffee shop
You've made me want to die, you've made me want to lie
And the worst of it all, you've made me want to love you
'Till we reach the end of the universe and back to the start
Until You've ruined everything and left me for the sake of it all.
There were never truly any place at the corner of the
Universe itself.
"Go, Ethan!" I shouted as I laughed, full of energy, jumping around amidst the crowd as Ethan belted his heart out singing the song, it was only the second chorus and he was already belting like a metalhead, then the fancy guitar riff came on, it was created and tabbed by Michael, their lead guitarist and George, their bassist. It was a good riff too. The bass and the guitar mixed well and harmoniously. I was glad to be a part of the band behind the scenes, writing the songs and such.
The song had reached the bridge—the bridge I wrote for the song, it was one of my favorite lines that I've written for a song. The song talked about a girl's being ruined by being in a very toxic relationship with her ex, and even if she escaped that part of her life, the things she experienced will still remain and be a scar that she will carry for the rest of her life.
Would you miss me even if I die?
Even if it'll be a little gauche at my funeral?
I know you'll never show up at the wake
But I knew you have a marvelous time
Ruining everything between us.
It was Ethan's dream to be a famous singer ever since we were children. It was his dream to start a band and play with tons of people. I supported him throughout our childhood days back at the Montessori back in Taguig City before we moved to Manila to study in UST. We've had our dorm as we both promised one another that we'd be roommates and that we were.
The lights were bright and the crowd was noisy. Ethan was up there, with the rest of the band, performing and performing and performing. The way his band fit together like a puzzle was captivating to look at and listen to.
The band finished the song as the crowd roared once more. There were girls swooning over Ethan and his band mates, shouting their names as they screamed crazily. The band decided to play one last song before ending the night.
The moment the first chord was played, I realized what song they were going to play. I knew the intro like it was the back of my hand. They played Hale's The Day You Said Goodnight. Fuck, that song made me swoon. It felt like I was back in the sixth grade again, to where Ethan and I were screaming the lyrics off the top of our lungs whenever we were alone in our room, or we sang in the classroom.
They reached the first chorus and the crowd sang along beautifully with Ethan, of course I also sang along with them as this song was one of my favorites.
To be is all I gotta be and all that I see
And all that I need this time
To me, the life you gave me
The day you said "Goodnight"
The song continued playing as I got lost in my train of thoughts now. Lights flashing around me as I was thinking. I am always so proud of Ethan and his accomplishments ever since childhood. He had won many contests, from the battle of the bands to singing contests. And sometimes, I duet with him and we've won every contest there ever was in our private school. . . Until he had found a proper girl to duet with. That girl became Ethan's girlfriend, her name was Meredith. Her voice was smooth like honey, and you couldn't get tired of listening to her sing Taylor Swift's songs.
I wonder if that's why Ethan had fallen in love with Meredith in the first place.
I'll admit, I've gotten jealous of Ethan's relationship with Meredith a few times as he every now and then chooses to spend his time with her over me, his best friend for over seventeen long years, but it was a selfish thing for me to think about, so I stopped and moved on, I'm just his best friend. I'm just a friend, I've always been just a friend. I've grown and accepted that fact. I know that Meredith's much more important to him. She's his special girl and I'm just his best friend. I've always been his best friend, and perhaps it's a sign that I should move on.