Scare Ya

[Intro — whispered]

I don’t wanna scare ya,

Come on too strong.

I’d just like to prepare ya—

I’ve been quiet too long.

[Verse 1]

Livin’ without a care, yeah?

That’s what you thought all along.

Bigger and badder than fuckin’ King Kong—

Come at me, I fuckin’ dare ya.

You only call when there’s shit to unload,

Then disappear when I’m stranded.

I carried your weight down a dead-end road,

You bit every hand I extended.

I kept the peace till it kept me awake,

Said, “It’s fine,” with my jaw clenched tight.

Made myself small for your ego’s sake,

Then hated myself every goddamn night.

Now you’re shocked that I’m raising my voice?

You liked me better ashamed.

When keeping you happy was barely a choice,

And I took the whole fucking blame.

[Pre-Chorus]

Don’t tell me to breathe—

I’ve been holding it in.

Don’t ask what’s wrong

Then talk over me again.

You want the truth?

Then let me fucking finish.

You don’t get my trust

Just because you miss it.

[Chorus]

I don’t wanna scare ya,

Come on too strong.

I tried so hard to spare ya—

Look what I dragged along.

All that hurt, all those years,

Saying nothing, swallowing tears.

Come at me, I fuckin’ dare ya—

I’m done pretending you belong here.

[Verse 2]

I still catch myself reaching to call,

Got some good news you’ll never hear.

Then I remember the last time we talked:

You made it about you; I disappeared.

That’s the shit that nobody sees,

How I miss you and wish you’d stay gone.

How I know what you’ve taken from me

And still wonder what I did wrong.

Fuck, I was there when your whole world broke,

Sat on the floor till the morning came.

You couldn’t give me five minutes alone

Without finding someone else to blame.

I’m not gonna say that I never fucked up,

I’ve got words I would take back too.

But I won’t spend the rest of my life

Apologizing enough for two.

[Pre-Chorus]

Don’t tell me to breathe—

Let me get this shit out.

You heard me the first time.

You just waited for doubt.

Well, I’ve doubted myself

For as long as I’ve known ya.

Now get your hand off the door.

This conversation is over.

[Chorus]

I don’t wanna scare ya,

Go out too strong.

I tried so hard to spare ya—

Look what I dragged along.

All that hurt, all those years,

Saying nothing, swallowing tears.

Come at me, I fuckin’ dare ya—

I’m done pretending you belong here.

[Bridge — stripped back]

I wish you’d been kinder.

I wish that was enough.

I wish I didn’t hear your voice

Every time I fuck things up.

Some nights I still rehearse it:

The perfect thing to say.

Like if I found the words,

You’d understand and fucking stay.

But I could say it perfectly,

And you could still refuse.

I can love who I remember

Without coming back to you.

[Breakdown]

YOU WANT ME LOUD?

YOU WANT ME WRONG?

SOMETHING TO POINT AT

WHEN I’M FUCKING GONE?

Go on—

Tell ’em I lost my head.

Tell ’em the worst damn thing I said.

Tell ’em how hard I slammed that door—

WHAT THE FUCK WAS I CRYING FOR?

I WAS THERE.

I GAVE A SHIT.

I KEPT COMING BACK—

I’M DONE WITH IT.

[Final Chorus]

I don’t wanna scare ya,

But I won’t play along.

I don’t need to prepare ya—

You’ve known this shit was wrong.

All that hurt, all those years,

I can leave and still have tears.

Come at me, I fuckin’ dare ya—

Your anger doesn’t keep me here.

[Outro — quiet]

My hands shook turning the key.

I sat there till the shaking stopped.

You called.

I let it ring.

For once, I didn’t pick up.