Lyric

Your coat was on the chair

Like it already knew

The night would end

Before I wanted it to

One glass on the table

One light in the hall

Your shadow moved slowly

Across my wall

I watched you check

The pocket for your keys

Like leaving was a thing

You did carefully

I could have stood up

I could have said your name

But I stayed where I was

And made my face behave

I almost moved

I almost broke the air

I held the sentence

Before it got there

I Never Asked You to Stay

I only watched you leave

Like needing you was something

I could make discreet

I said get home safe

When I meant stay here with me

I Never Asked You to Stay

I just let you be free

You smiled at the doorway

Like nothing was wrong

Like this was the shape

We had agreed upon

Your hand on the handle

Your eyes on the floor

One small second

Could have turned into more

I said text me later

You said maybe you would

I made it sound easy

Like easy was good

The elevator opened

Somewhere down the hall

And I let the quiet

Take the weight of it all

I almost asked

I almost made it true

But I made myself smaller

Than the room between us two

I Never Asked You to Stay

I only watched you leave

Like wanting you beside me

Was too much to believe

I said get home safe

When I meant stay here with me

I Never Asked You to Stay

I just let you be free

I could have made a scene

I could have made a claim

I could have put my hands

Around the shape of your name

But I made my wanting

Look well-behaved

Like I was not breaking

In a quiet way

You did not have to refuse me

I never gave you the chance

I let the door do

What my mouth could not ask

And not asking

Was not the same as letting go

I just made the hurting

Easier not to know

I never asked you to stay

And that was not the same

As letting go of you

Or being unafraid

I said get home safe

When I meant choose me now

I kept the hardest truth

Behind a softer sound

I never asked you to stay

I only watched you leave

Like losing you politely

Would make less of me