Page 187 of Play Dirty (Brooklyn Dawn 1)

The sorrow echoed out of each chord she teased out of the fret with her long, deft fingers. She was minus a pick. She’d told me once that some songs need skin on skin.

This song was one of them. I understood that down to my bones.

I’d handed him everything.

I’d offered up a safe space for his confession.

I’d loved him regardless.

And he let our song go without a thought to me. Without even speaking to me. As if it was a used tissue to discard.

I’d have to talk to him, but right now, all I could feel was how he’d sliced me in two.

I wasn’t sure how I’d get past it. Did I want to?

Daylight comes and it’s all the same

Push me out

Start over again

I drive away, broken and alive

Because I know when you call again

There’s no escape

No escape for me

The tears leaked, trailing down to the crystals soldered to my microphone stand. I watched one drip down and melt into the platinum and ice-colored gemstones. With each word, some of the pain escaped and floated free over the crowd.

Their love and the acceptance of my song—our songs—had healed me when I was a girl dying to prove herself, and here and now the woman with her heart on display.

He told me he was poison

I didn't listen

He swore he was no good

But I saw only stars

In his eyes

In my heart

I got off on the lust

And the need

Oh how he needed me

It was hard to see

He was the stars blinding me

Cracks in the sidewalk

Make me fall

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