[Verse 1] I rehearsed my smile before I opened the door You were nodding at the wall while I talked to the floor I could see the screen glow in the corner of your eye I stopped mid-sentence just to watch you not notice why I catalogued your sighs I filed them all away Every "wow that's crazy" When you had nothing to say [Pre-Chorus] I knew The difference between a question and a pause I knew You were managing me behind polite applause [Chorus] You love me like a law Like a clause in some contract you signed I'm not the kid you ordered I'm the one you got assigned You love me like a duty But you'd never choose me twice I'm not the kid you ordered I know the sound of being Just Tolerated [Verse 2] You bragged about me to the room but never to my face Said "why can't you be more like—" and I learned my place I showed you what I made You talked to the dog instead Now I keep every win I get Locked up inside my head I watched you every day I kept the whole damn score Every sigh when I quit something Every look toward the door [Pre-Chorus] I knew The difference between a follow-up and a nod I knew You were somewhere else behind the word "of course" [Chorus] You love me like a law Like a clause in some contract you signed I'm not the kid you ordered I'm the one you got assigned You love me like a duty But you'd never choose me twice I'm not the kid you ordered I know the sound of being Just Tolerated [Bridge] I love you I know you love me too But love isn't the word I needed I needed you to choose I needed you to ask me What the pigeon on the roof was doing that day I needed you to stay I needed you to stay [Breakdown] You can love someone And still not See them You can love someone And still not Choose them [Chorus] You love me like a law Like a clause in some contract you signed I'm not the kid you ordered I'm the one you got assigned You love me like a duty But you'd never choose me twice I'm not the kid you ordered [Outro] I take one step Then one more Still here Still yours Just not The kid You ordered
