[Intro – quiet, reflective] Yeah… I knew better… I just didn’t do better --- [Verse 1] You showed me signs, I looked away Heard what you said, still chose to stay My friends kept asking, “Are you good?” I said I was… I knew I wasn’t You’d disappear, then reappear And every time, I kept you near I made excuses, filled the gaps I saw the truth… just blurred the facts --- [Pre-Chorus] I wasn’t blind, I just had hope I held on tight when I should’ve let go I knew the cost, I paid the price I told myself it’d be alright --- [Hook / Chorus] I knew it hurt me, but I stayed anyway Knew you’d break me, still I stayed anyway Every red flag, I turned to gray I saw the truth… stayed anyway I gave you chances you didn’t deserve Stayed through silence, stayed through the hurt I had the answers, I just delayed I knew better… stayed anyway --- [Verse 2] You got comfortable crossing lines I got used to compromising mine That’s on me, I won’t pretend I let it slide again and again I made your problems mine to solve Ignored myself just to keep it calm Now I see it clear as day Peace don’t live where I chose to stay --- [Pre-Chorus] I wasn’t weak, I just believed In something that wasn’t meant for me I held on longer than I should Confused potential for something good --- [Hook / Chorus] I knew it hurt me, but I stayed anyway Knew you’d break me, still I stayed anyway Every red flag, I turned to gray I saw the truth… stayed anyway I gave you chances you didn’t deserve Stayed through silence, stayed through the hurt I had the answers, I just delayed I knew better… stayed anyway --- [Bridge – emotional clarity, stripped down] I kept choosing you over me That’s the part I had to see It wasn’t love, it was fear of change Now I finally broke away --- [Soft Spoken / Reflective Outro] Yeah… Sometimes the hardest truth is… You knew… And you stayed anyway…
