CRUELLA DE VIL — BEHIND THE MASK DJ DR LOVE — 007 FM [Intro — spoken, female] Don't send the car away yet. I won't be staying. He's by the windows? All right. And tell the DJ... No. Leave the music on. I'd rather nobody hear this. 007 FM. [Verse 1 — intimate melodic rap] Halloween ball, black silk on my shoulders, Saw you by the windows, looking like you knew. You reached for my coat like a hundred nights before, I kept it pulled around me when you opened up the door. Asked me where I'd been, I said, "We need somewhere quiet." You looked toward the terrace, I could feel you fighting. Walked beside your shadow through the red-lit room, Passed a woman laughing in a silver crescent moon. Everybody dressed like somebody else tonight, And I'm tired of wearing someone faithful in your eyes. You put your hand against the small of my back, I almost let that old familiar feeling pull me back. But wanting your touch doesn't make my story clean, And I can't keep you loving who you thought I'd been. Set my glass down carefully, couldn't trust my hand, Said, "Before you say you missed me, let me say what I am." [Pre-Chorus] Don't kiss me quiet. Don't make this easy. I need to finish, Even if you leave me. Look at me, darling. No room for disguise. There's something worse than losing you— Keeping you inside a lie. [Chorus] Take off the mask, let me tell you the truth, I've been coming home carrying somebody new. Hulk's been the name that I turn my phone down for, And you shouldn't have to wonder who I'm wanting anymore. I still know the way your hands can make me stay, But I can't let a touch talk the truth away. At the Halloween ball, with your heart in my hands, I'm ending this tonight, not asking you to understand. [Verse 2 — rhythmic, rising intensity] You didn't raise your voice, that was harder than a scene, Just looked down at the distance opening between. Asked me, "How long?" I could barely meet your eyes, Gave you the real answer, not the softened-down kind. You said, "Was I supposed to see it?" I said, "No. I worked too hard to make sure you wouldn't know." Can't blame your late nights, can't blame your closed doors, I could've had this conversation long before. With him, I felt wanted in a way I didn't name, Stayed too late one evening, then I went right back again. His hand warm around mine, my guard slipping low, The kind of quiet closeness I should never have let grow. Now his message lights the lining of my little black bag, I turn the whole thing off; you deserve more than that. This moment isn't his, and I won't make you compete, I'm the one who broke the promise standing here between. [Chorus] Take off the mask, let me tell you the truth, I've been coming home carrying somebody new. Hulk's been the name that I turn my phone down for, And you shouldn't have to wonder who I'm wanting anymore. I still know the way your hands can make me stay, But I can't let a touch talk the truth away. At the Halloween ball, with your heart in my hands, I'm ending this tonight, not asking you to understand. [Bridge — whispered, then opening into full voice] You said, "Do you love him?" I said, "Enough to leave." You said, "Did you love me?" "Yes. That's what makes this hard to breathe." Your fingers left my wrist, I felt the evening change. No anger for the ballroom, Just the way you said my name. [Instrumental Break — no lead vocal] [Eight bars: bass, drums, and a rising synth response] [Eight bars: chopped wordless female harmonies; beat rebuilds] [Verse 3 — controlled, close-mic] Walked back through the party with the music turned high, Someone asked me for a picture, I just passed them by. Didn't leave triumphant, didn't feel set free, Had the weight of what I'd chosen walking out with me. Hulk was near the entrance, jacket folded on his arm, Saw my face and didn't reach to pull me into his calm. Asked me, "Are you sure?" I said, "I told him everything." He nodded once, then waited while I found my words again. Outside, cold air caught the bare skin at my throat, He asked before he helped me settle deeper in my coat. Let my forehead rest against his shoulder for a while, No reason to perform, didn't have to find a smile. I said, "Take me somewhere we don't have to be a show." He said, "Tell me where." I told him, "Somewhere slow." Before I took his hand, looked back through the glass, Saw you standing by the window, then I let the moment pass. [Final Chorus] Take off the mask, I finally told you the truth, No more coming home carrying somebody new. Hulk was the name that I turned my phone down for, Now I'm leaving with the choice I won't hide anymore. I still know the way your hands could make me stay, But I won't let a memory call me back halfway. At the Halloween ball, I gave you back my key, You don't owe me your forgiveness or a softer ending scene. Take off the mask, let the last song play, You can keep the photographs or put them all away. I won't call at midnight just to ask if you're
