The Sound of Someone Else

1. The Familiar Tune 🎵

Maya had always thought she knew Ethan down to the smallest detail—the kind of coffee he ordered (black, no sugar), the way he tilted his head before making a sarcastic comment, even the rhythm of his typing when he was deep in thought. They’d met during freshman year at the university radio station, bonded over indie rock, shared playlists, heartbreaks, and half-eaten bags of chips.

Over time, their friendship became a quiet constant in the chaotic playlist of adulthood. They texted daily, swapped memes about music snobs, and still co-hosted a late-night college throwback segment called Soundtrack of Us. If someone asked Maya to name her “safe person,” Ethan would’ve been first on the list.

But that was before the silence. Before she discovered that the person she trusted most had been living an entirely different song.

2. The Crack in the Vinyl 💔

It started one Thursday night. Their show was about to air, and Ethan hadn’t shown up. That wasn’t like him. Punctuality was his religion. Maya had already set up the microphones, checked the audio levels, and scribbled a few notes on their theme—“Songs that changed our lives.”

When the red ON AIR light blinked, she took a deep breath and started without him.

“Hey, you’re listening to Soundtrack of Us—and tonight, we’re talking about the tracks that rewired something in us. You know, the ones that made you stop mid-sentence and just… feel.”

Her voice was steady, but inside, anxiety was simmering. She glanced at the door between songs, expecting it to swing open, expecting Ethan’s lopsided grin.

It never did.

The show ended, and Maya sat in the dim glow of the studio. She texted him:

MAYA: You good? Missed you tonight.

No response.

Then again.

MAYA: If you’re ghosting me for pizza, I swear—

Still nothing.

She tried calling. Straight to voicemail.

At first, she brushed it off. People have bad days. Maybe he lost his phone. Maybe he needed space. But when Ethan didn’t reply the next morning, and then the next, unease turned into a knot in her chest.

3. The Disappearing Act

A week passed. The show was suspended temporarily. Maya told their supervisor Ethan had the flu, which was technically a lie but felt kinder than admitting she didn’t know where he was.

Then one night, scrolling aimlessly through social media, she saw it—a tagged photo on an obscure art collective’s page. Ethan, sitting on a stool, strumming a guitar in a candlelit room, eyes closed, utterly lost in the music.

The caption read: Live set by Elias Grey — hauntingly beautiful.

Maya froze. Elias Grey?

The profile had more posts. Ethan—no, Elias—singing, performing, laughing with strangers, his face half-hidden behind a mop of messy curls. And in every caption, fans gushed about his lyrics, his voice, his vulnerability.

Her mind spun. This was not the Ethan she knew. Ethan didn’t sing. He hated crowds. He once claimed karaoke was “a psychological trap.” Yet here he was, performing like he’d been doing it all his life.

4. The Hidden Lyrics

Maya confronted him the next day. She didn’t call this time—she went straight to his apartment.

The door was slightly ajar. Inside, she found him sitting by the window with his guitar, scribbling in a notebook. He looked startled when she walked in, but not guilty. Just… tired.

“Maya.”

“Elias?” she shot back.

He sighed, setting the guitar down. “You saw the videos.”

“Yeah, I saw. What is this? Some secret life you forgot to mention?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not like that. It’s—complicated.”

“Try me.”

He hesitated, eyes flicking to the notebook. “Elias is… me. But the part of me I never let anyone see. I started writing songs years ago—before college. But when my dad died, I stopped. Couldn’t write, couldn’t perform. I shut it down. Ethan was easier to be. Safe.”

Maya blinked. “So you created an alias?”

“I didn’t mean for it to become a secret,” he said softly. “I just needed something that was mine. No pressure, no expectations. And I didn’t tell you because… once I did, it wouldn’t be just mine anymore.”

The words landed like a weight in her chest.

She wanted to be angry—he’d lied, vanished, left her hanging—but looking at him now, she saw someone stripped bare. Vulnerable. Human.

“Why now?” she asked.

“Because someone heard me perform at an open mic. They offered me a slot at their shows. I thought I could keep the two lives separate. I was wrong.”

Maya exhaled. “You could’ve just told me.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “But telling you meant admitting I wasn’t who you thought I was.”

5. The Echo of Understanding 🎧

For days after that, Maya replayed their conversation like a broken record. She felt betrayed, but also strangely proud. Ethan—Elias—had been brave enough to do something she hadn’t. He’d shown the world his rawest self.

And maybe, she realized, she wasn’t mad because he’d lied. She was mad because she hadn’t noticed.

She thought of all the nights he’d spaced out mid-conversation, the doodled lyrics in his notebooks, the quiet hums when he thought no one was listening. The signs had been there, background noise she’d tuned out.

When she finally texted him again, it was simple:

MAYA: Your music’s beautiful. When’s your next show?

He replied almost instantly.

ETHAN: Tomorrow night. Want a front-row seat?

6. The Show

The venue was a converted bookstore lit by fairy lights. The air buzzed with low chatter and the smell of coffee and cheap beer. Maya found a spot near the front, heart pounding.

When Ethan—Elias—stepped onto the stage, the room fell silent. He looked different under the soft glow. Not hiding anymore.

“This one’s for someone who always heard me, even when I didn’t speak,” he said into the mic.

Then he played.

The song was raw and aching, about friendship, fear, and the courage to start over. It was the kind of song that cracked open old emotions and stitched them back together at the same time. Maya felt tears sting her eyes.

When it ended, the crowd erupted in applause. She was the first to stand.

7. The Afterbeat

After the show, they walked through the chilly night air. The city hummed around them—cars, laughter, street musicians.

“So, Elias Grey,” Maya teased. “What’s next? World tour?”

He smiled. “Maybe just a few more open mics. And a coffee. With you. No aliases this time.”

She nudged him playfully. “Deal. But next time, if you’re living a secret life, at least let me manage your PR.”

He laughed, genuine and easy. The sound of it melted the last of the tension between them.

They stopped at a street corner, and for a moment, Maya just looked at him—not the Ethan she thought she knew, not the Elias everyone was discovering, but the person standing in between. The one learning, fumbling, trying.

And in that quiet realization, she understood something about herself too. People weren’t records you could memorize after one playthrough. They were evolving tracks—remixed by time, pain, and hope.

8. The Final Verse 🎶

Months later, Soundtrack of Us returned to the air. The theme of their comeback show? The songs we almost didn’t share.

“Tonight,” Maya said into the mic, “we’re talking about the music we hide. The melodies we keep to ourselves until someone reminds us it’s okay to turn up the volume.”

Beside her, Ethan grinned.

She smiled back, and as the familiar red ON AIR light flickered, she realized she wasn’t just hearing the sound of her best friend anymore. She was hearing the sound of someone becoming who they truly were.

Moral:

Sometimes, the people we think we know best are still writing their own verses. And when they finally sing them out loud, all we can do is listen—really listen—and find ourselves humming along.

FAQ ❓

1. What inspired this story’s theme?

The story explores how identity can be layered and fluid. Even those closest to us may carry secret worlds that help them survive, heal, or grow.

2. What lesson does Maya learn?

She learns that knowing someone fully isn’t about having all the details—it’s about allowing space for their evolution.

3. Why did Ethan choose the alias “Elias”?

It symbolizes rebirth. “Elias” is derived from a name meaning “renewed” or “the Lord is my God,” showing how he found himself through music again.

4. Is the story romantic?

Not exactly—it’s more about deep friendship and emotional honesty, though the chemistry hints at something deeper.

5. What does the title mean?

The Sound of Someone Else reflects how Ethan’s hidden identity revealed not just another side of him, but a different way for Maya to understand connection, trust, and art.