Lyric discussion by Bobathin 

Cover art for How Would I Know lyrics by Melissa Etheridge

Maybe I'm going way too dark with this, but it sounds to me like she is talking about someone (a friend) who has committed suicide. She's asking this friend how she was supposed to know of his/her intentions. I think the 'paradise in the next hello' is referring to the afterlife that the friend is wanting to reach.

I suppose the 'next hello' could also be interpreted more literally. Maybe the friend was actually a lover who left her to meet someone new and start a new relationship, without much explanation.