don’t look at me like that

[Intro: 116 BPM, NES pulse tremolo, marimba flickers, soft sub hum, Key: E minor with modal shift toward Dorian] i tied my shoes too tight again to feel the ground to stay pretend you watched me like a glass might break if filled too full or held too late [Verse 1: toy piano loop, muted claps, stereo bloom static] you sat so still i mirrored you our voices soft our words were few i passed the plate you passed it back too slow to feel too fast to track i smiled like kids are meant to do but not too much in front of you [Chorus: 120 BPM, vocal stack low, breathy synth wash, glitch delay] don’t look at me like that like you know where my hands have been like you heard what i didn’t say when i whispered “fine” again i won’t say what i can’t explain just don’t look at me that way [Verse 2: filtered static loop, body percussion subtle, glitch pops] we built a wall from quiet nods from folding chairs and soda straws from fishing poles and plastic cups from not quite hugs and barely touch and maybe that was love enough to not be seen to not be crushed [Bridge: NES slowdown, reversed whistle, stereo room mic bleed] your eyes went soft then turned away like maybe mine had asked to stay i held my breath inside my grin so nothing true could slip back in [Final Chorus: 120 BPM, layered vocals, glitch shimmer, toy piano detune] don’t look at me like that like you read what i almost meant like your silence opened mine and cracked the shiny accident i won’t say what i can’t explain just don’t look at me that way [Outro: slow marimba decay, hiss and tape click trail] we said enough to keep it safe but nothing real got out today