Borrowed Life

Lyrics

[Verse 1] You found me where the late crowd thinned Under a torn blue canopy You pressed a little money in my hand Said, "Build a place for you and me" I drew the rooms on grocery bags A narrow kitchen, one small bed I thought a smaller life could hold us If I kept your name above my head [Pre-Chorus] I fed the spark you brought me Called it love when you called it mine But every favor had a ledger And every kindness had a line [Chorus] You took the life I tried to give you Then left the bill beside the door You used my hope until it emptied Then asked me what I wanted more That house was small, but it was honest You made it feel like something cheap You kept me waiting in your corner Like a paid promise you could keep [Verse 2] You changed your face after the money Your soft hands learned a colder way You showed me all your worst intentions And watched to see if I would stay I swallowed every sharp remark And wore your silence like a dress You mistook quiet for surrender You mistook hurt for gratefulness [Pre-Chorus] I was not born to be your payment Not your secret, not your proof You cannot turn a borrowed dollar Into a chain around my throat [Chorus] You took the life I tried to give you Then left the bill beside the door You used my hope until it emptied Then asked me what I wanted more That house was small, but it was honest You made it feel like something cheap You kept me waiting in your corner Like a paid promise you could keep [Bridge] Now I can name what happened Without asking you to agree You did not save my future You rented pieces of me The keys are still a dream, love But the dream belongs to me I’ll build a room with open windows And leave the door where you can’t reach [Final Chorus] You took the life I tried to give you But you could never take the seed I carried through your little kingdom And taught my hands to let you leave That house was small, but it was honest And I am bigger than your price You wanted quiet from a broken girl I gave you back your borrowed life [Outro] Under the torn blue canopy I hear the truth beneath the noise You paid for one night of my wanting You never bought my voice