𝓅𝒶𝓅𝑒𝓇 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓃𝓈

[Phone Call — Spoken/Overlapping] [Ex - Male (frustrated)] - “You never listen, Sky, not once. You only hear what you want.” [Skylar (snaps back)] - “That’s not true— I begged you to stay, and you walked away.” [Ex -Male] - “I walked away because you shut me out.” [Skylar] - “I shut down because I was scared… and you never asked why.” [Ex - Male (raising voice)] - “I gave you everything I had!” [Skylar (near breaking)] - “No, you gave me pieces of yourself, and expected me to make you whole.” [a pause, breathless silence, then a sharp click as the call ends — piano begins, low and heavy] Fragile light, swaying in the night We lit them together, thought they’d take flight Carried our names on paper so thin Hoping the sky would let us begin But the wind was cruel; it tore the seams And I held tighter to broken dreams Your hands were shaking, I should’ve known You can’t hold fire and call it home You wanted forever in a fleeting flame I needed shelter, you needed acclaim And now we’re left with ashes on the ground Silent echoes where love was found Like paper lanterns in the sky We rose too fast, and we said goodbye Falling sparks, a fleeting show I couldn’t keep what let me go Every fight lingered in the smoke Every truth we buried, every word we broke I kept on mending the rips in the thread But lanterns can’t hold when the light’s misled Your voice was a storm I couldn’t calm Your touch was a wound disguised as a balm I tried to anchor what couldn’t be still You wanted the fire, I wanted the will You wanted forever in a fleeting flame I needed shelter, you needed acclaim And now we’re left with ashes on the ground Silent echoes where love was found Like paper lanterns in the sky We rose too fast, and we said goodbye Falling sparks, a fleeting show I couldn’t keep what let me go [soft, stripped back] We could’ve been steady, we could’ve been true But lanterns aren’t built to last the night through I’ll watch them fade, I’ll let them fly Our light was never meant to survive [softer, almost whispered] Like paper lanterns in the sky We rose too fast, and we said goodbye Falling sparks, a fleeting show I couldn’t keep what let me go [Voicemail message from ex] [Male] - "Hey… It’s me. I don’t know why I’m calling. I know you won’t pick up. I— I keep thinking about that night… How everything burned too fast. I’m sorry, Skylar. I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you needed. Goodbye."